e the birds were singing as though to make up for lost
time. The road wound, along by the old mossy palings which bounded Mr
Inglis's property, and the grove on the other side seemed to be the
special resort of all the sweetest warblers in that part of the country.
On every sunny bit of paling the flies were buzzing and humming;
beetles and little sun-shiners were crawling about; while great
variegated spiders were mending their nets, ready for the trade they
hoped to do in flies on that bright July day.

Such a scent came up from the freshened earth; and bright and golden
green looked every leaf, washed clear of the dust that had rested upon
it a day or two before; while the hedge-side flowers, although nodding
with the watery weight they bore, had turned their opening petals to the
sun, and seemed to laugh out their welcome to his warm bright beams.

"There goes a peacock-eye," said Philip, dashing after a lovely
butterfly, which kept on gently just before him for a time, and then
settled nicely in reach upon a robin-run-rake by the hedge-side. Philip
stole cautiously forward, cap in hand, and then made a dab down to
secure the brightly-painted prize; but, with one or two flaps from those
gorgeous wings, it was out of reach, over the palings, and away across
the buttercup-gilded meadow on the other side.

Directly after, Harry was off after a great sulphur-coloured butterfly,
which led him a long chase down the lane--Fred joining in at first, but
afterwards taking up a chase on his own account after a large blue
dragon fly. The butterflies would not be caught that morning, but the
chase had one good effect, for it led the lads down to the banks of the
little river, now very full and muddy in its waters, which were rushing
along with great haste, and evidently in a hurry to get down to the
mill, and go tumbling and foaming over the muddy sluice at the head of
the waste-water. The tops of the reeds were nearly covered, and in some
places the water was out over the road; while down where the foot-plank
crossed the wide ditch that brought down the waters from Beaker Hill to
empty into the river, the water had risen so that it touched the board,
and supplied capital amusement to Harry, who danced in the middle of it,
sending the water flashing and splashing about in all directions, and
wetting everything around but himself.

At last he grew tired, and Philip crossed too, but Fred hardly dared
venture, for the board