way our cow goes or I will kill
you,' and it pointed in the direction of our pasture lot every time."

"You wouldn't really have killed the poor thing, though," exclaimed
Alice, who had drawn near to look at the crimson lady-bug. "A
daddy-long-legs is such a harmless creature. It has a right to live as
well as we have."

"Oh, Caleb, did you catch it?" interrupted Matilda. "Bring it here!"
and she beckoned to a small boy who was busy near a large beech tree
some distance away. "He's been after a tree-frog," she explained.
"There's one up in that tree that sings the cutest every evening and
morning. I hear him when I am gathering bluebells."

"It's pretty near dead," said the boy bringing his trophy. "I guess I
squeezed it too hard. We might as well kill it."

"No, no! that would be cruel; the poor little thing will soon be all
right if you put it back on its tree. We'll go with you and help you
put it up," replied Alice. "Come on, girls."

"It ain't hardly worth the trouble," and the boy looked at the frog
disdainfully. "It's uglier than a toad, if anything. But I never kill
toads; I know better'n to do that."

"I am glad to hear it," said the visitor from town as they turned
toward the elm tree. "Toads enjoy life and it's wicked to molest 'em."

"Oh, I don't know about their enjoyin' life. The reason I let 'em
alone is, coz if you kill a toad, your cow'll give bad milk."

Alice did not dispute this wise statement. She could not help wishing
that the same law of retaliation protected all birds, beasts, and
insects.

After seeing the frog deposited in safety in a hole in one of the big
boughs, she with Matilda and Esther scampered back to the swing
expecting to find the others there. To their surprise the big
grapevine was unoccupied, and the shouts and screams issuing from the
schoolhouse led them too, to hurry on to see what was the matter.

"Maybe Jim Stubbs has got a mus'rat, or somethin' in there a-scarin'
the children," suggested Esther, as they entered the door.

A crowd had gathered in front of the teacher's desk on which was placed
the large dictionary, and seated on the book was the boy who winked
with his nose.

"Stand back!" he called, "I'm going to let it out, and then you'll see
fun."

With that he jumped down, removed the dictionary, raised the lid of the
desk, and out popped a red squirrel. Round and round over the floor
flew the frightened animal, dodging here and there and