he
wouldn't go near the flower garden again for a whole week.

IV

BUSYBODIES

LITTLE Mrs. Ladybug said that she wished Betsy Butterfly no ill luck.
But she thought that perhaps it would have been a good thing for her if
Johnnie Green had caught her and put her in his collection.

On hearing that strange remark Mehitable Moth turned quite pale. She
never wanted Johnnie Green's name mentioned by anyone, because she lived
in constant terror for fear he might mistake her for one of the
Butterfly family and capture her.

"What _do_ you mean?" she asked Mrs. Ladybug, while fat Jennie Junebug
waddled nearer them, in order to hear everything they said. Though
Jennie was sleepy, having stayed out very late the night before, the
promise of a bit of gossip made her brighten up at once.

"I mean--" said Mrs. Ladybug--"I mean that Johnnie Green would certainly
have brushed Betsy Butterfly before adding her to his collection." And
then, seeing a blank look on the faces of her hearers, she cried. "Don't
tell me you haven't noticed how untidy Betsy Butterfly is! Can it be
possible that the airs she gives herself, and her fine manners, have
deceived you?"

"What is it?" asked Mehitable Moth breathlessly. And as for Jennie
Junebug, her breath was coming so fast that she couldn't say a word.

"I'll tell you exactly what I mean," Mrs. Ladybug continued. "I stopped
and spoke to Betsy Butterfly this very morning. And I stepped up close
to her, because I wanted to see if she really does paint her wings, as
my friend Miss Moth, here, suspects," Mrs. Ladybug explained to Jennie
Junebug. "And what do you think? I saw that Betsy Butterfly was
_completely covered with dust_, from head to foot!"

Mehitable Moth looked rather uncomfortable. She was somewhat dusty
herself. And she thought that Mrs. Ladybug might be giving her a sly
dig.

"Perhaps Betsy had been on a journey," she ventured.

"Ah! But there is no dust to-day, on account of the rain we had last
night," Mrs. Ladybug replied. "I'm convinced that the dust I saw on
Betsy Butterfly was _weeks old_."

"The idea!" Jennie Junebug exclaimed. "I should think she'd be ashamed
of herself. Did you tell her how untidy she looked?"

Mrs. Ladybug shook her head.

"No!" she answered. "But I've been thinking the matter over. And I
believe it's my duty to speak to her about it. I don't see what she's
thinking of, to go about looking like that!"

Miss Moth looked more uneasy t