to Rollo that the hornets’ nest was made of little fibres adhering to each other, just as the fibres of the paper did.
“It is the same article,” he said, “and made of the same materials; only they manufacture it in a different way. So I don’t see why it is not proper to call it paper.”
“I don’t think it is paper,” said Rollo; “nothing is paper but what men make.”
“Very well,” said Jonas, “we won’t dispute about the name.”
So Jonas returned to his work, and Rollo said that he meant to carry the hornets’ nest home, and show it to Nathan. He accordingly laid it down by the side of his fire, near the dipper and the raspberry seeds.
In a short time, Jonas reduced the neck of ground, where he was digging, to a very narrow wall, and he called Rollo to come and see him let out the water. He took the shovel, and he told Rollo to take the hoe, so that, as soon as he should break down this wall, they could both be at work, digging out the passage way, so as to get it cleared as soon as possible.
He accordingly began, and soon made a breach, through which the water rushed with considerable force into the canal, and then wandered along rapidly towards the outlet into the brook. Rollo pulled away with his hoe, hauling out mud, moss, grass, and water, up upon the bank where he stood; and Jonas also kept at work clearing the passage with the spade. In a short time they had got a fine, free course for the water, and then they stood still, one on each side of the bank, watching the torrent as it poured through.
At length, the water in the pool began to subside gradually, and then it did not run so fast through the canal; and pretty soon after this, Jonas said he thought it was time for them to go home to dinner. So Rollo put up his raspberry seeds in a paper, and put them into his pocket, and carried his hornets’ nest in his hand. Jonas took the dipper and the lantern, and thus the boys walked along together.
A FALSE ALARM
As Rollo and Jonas walked along towards home, Rollo told Jonas that he thought he had been very successful in collecting curiosities that day.
“Why, what curiosities have you got besides your hornets’ nest?” asked Jonas.
“Why, there are my raspberry seeds,” said Rollo; “I think they are a curiosity; and besides that, I have got some very beautiful, bright pebbles in my pocket.”
“Let us see them,” said Jonas.
So Rollo put his hand into his pocket, and drew forth several pebbles; but they were by no means as beautiful as he had imagined. They looked rough and dull.
“They were very bright, when I got them,” said Rollo.
“That is because they were wet,” said Jonas. “Pebbles always look brightest and most beautiful when they are in their own proper place, in the brook; and that is the reason why I think it is generally best to leave them there.”
Rollo looked at his faded pebbles with an air of disappointment. He asked Jonas if there was no way of keeping them bright all the time.
“I think it probable that they might be oiled, and the oil would not dry.”
“Ho!” said Rollo, “I should not like to have them oiled.”
“Nor I,” said Jonas; “I should rather leave them in the brook.”
“But is not there any other way?”
“They might be varnished,” said Jonas. “That would bring out the colors; and the varnish would dry, so that you could handle them.”
“That would do,” said Rollo, “if I only had some varnish.”
“But the best way is to polish them,” said Jonas.
“How is that done?” asked Rollo.
“O, it is very hard to do,” replied Jonas. “They grind them on stones, and then they polish them on polishing wheels.”
“I wish I could do it,” said Rollo.
“It is not worth while to take so much pains with any of your curiosities,” said Jonas, “because you very soon get tired of them, and throw them away.”
“O, no,” said Rollo, “I never throw them away.”
“You leave them lying about the house and yard, then, and so other people throw them away.”
Rollo knew that this was true, and so he did not contradict Jonas.
“It’s not of much use to collect curiosities,” said Jonas, “unless you have a museum.”
“A museum?” said Rollo.
“Yes, that is a cabinet to put them in, and keep them safe. Then, when you have done looking at them yourself, you put them away safely; and, after a time, you get a great many collected, and you take pleasure in looking them over from time to time, and showing them to other boys that come to see you.”
“Well,” said Rollo, “I should like to have a museum.”
“O, you could not keep one,” said Jonas.
“Why not?” said Rollo.
“You have not patience and perseverance enough. You would be very much pleased with it for a day or two; but then you would get interested in other plays, and let your museum all get into disorder.”
Rollo was silent. He knew that what Jonas said was true.
“I don’t know but that your cousin Lucy might keep a museum,” said Jonas; “she is more careful than you are.”
“And cousin James could help us find the curiosities,” said Rollo.
“So he could,” said Jonas. “I think it might be a very good plan.”
“But what shall we have for our cabinet to put them in?” said Rollo.
“Why, sometimes they have something like a book-case,” replied Jonas, “with shelves and glass doors. Then the curiosities are all put upon the shelves, and you can see them through the glass doors. But this can only be done with very valuable curiosities.”
“Why?” asked Rollo.
“Because such a case, with glass doors, costs a good deal of money; and it is not worth while to pay so much money only to keep common things, such as your pebble stones.”
“But we have got such a book-case, already made; it is in mother’s chamber,” said Rollo.
“Yes,” said Jonas; “but it is full of books. Sometimes they keep a museum in the drawers of a bureau; but that is not a very good plan.”
“Why not?” said Rollo.
“Because, when you open and shut the drawers, it joggles the curiosities about.”
“Does it?” said Rollo.
“Yes,” replied Jonas. “But there is one thing you can do—I did not think of it before. There is a good large box in the barn, and I can
