Веснянки

           Lord!HowIusedtowishIcouldhavejustoneofthemformeveryown!Won’titbefuntoseemesawbirdandmelittleyellowfellowlookingatmefromthepagesofabook,andtheirrealnamesandallaboutthemprintedalongside?Howlongwillitbetaking,sir?”

           “Tendaysshoulddoitnicely,”saidMcLean.Then,seeingFreckles’lengtheningface,headded:“I’llhaveDuncanbringyouaten-bushelstore-boxthenexttimehegoestotown.Hecanhaulittothewestentranceandsetitupwhereveryouwantit.Youcanputinyoursparetimefillingitwiththespecimensyoufinduntilthebookscome,andthenyoucanstudyoutwhatyouhave.IsuspectyoucouldcollectspecimensthatIcouldsendtonaturalistsinthecityandsellforyou;thingslikethatwingedcreature,thismorning.Idon’tknowmuchinthatline,butitmusthavebeenamoth,anditmighthavebeenrare.I’veseenthembythethousandinmuseums,andinallnatureIdon’trememberrarercoloringthantheirwings.I’llorderyouabutterfly-netandboxandshowyouhowscientistspinspecimens.Possiblyyoucanmakeafinecollectionoftheseswampbeauties.Itwillbeallrightforyoutotakeapairofdifferentmothsandbutterflies,butIdon’twanttohearofyourkillinganybirds.Theyareprotectedbyheavyfines.”

           McLeanrodeawayleavingFrecklesstaringaghast.Thenhesawthepointandsmiled.Standingonthetrail,hetwirledthefeatherandthoughtoverthemorning.

           “Well,iflifeain’tgettingtobeworthliving!”hesaidwonderingly