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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6441.txt b/6441.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4809d0e --- /dev/null +++ b/6441.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5570 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Uncle Robert's Geography (Uncle Robert's +Visit, V.3), by Francis W. Parker and Nellie Lathrop Helm + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Uncle Robert's Geography (Uncle Robert's Visit, V.3) + +Author: Francis W. Parker and Nellie Lathrop Helm + +Release Date: September, 2004 [EBook #6441] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on December 14, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNCLE ROBERT'S GEOGRAPHY *** + + + + +Produced by D. Garcia, Tom Allen, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +UNCLE ROBERT'S VISIT + +BY FRANCIS W. PARKER AND NELLIE LATHROP HELM + + + + +PREFACE BY THE EDITOR OF THE HOME-READING BOOKS. + + +The publishers take pleasure in offering to the public, in their +Home-Reading Series, some books relating to the farm and other aspects +of country life as the center of interest, written by Colonel Francis W. +Parker, the President of the famous Cook County Normal School, in +Chicago. For many years the teachers of the common schools of the +country have been benefited by the inventions of Colonel Parker in the +way of methods of teaching in the schoolroom. His enthusiasm has led him +to consider the best means of arousing the interest of the child and of +promoting his self-activity for reasonable purposes. + +The Pestalozzian movement in the history of education is justly famed +for its effort to connect in a proper manner the daily experience of the +child with the school course of study. The branches of learning +taught to the child by the schoolmaster are necessarily dry and +juiceless if they are not thus brought into relation with the child's +world of experience. Almost all of the school reforms that have been +proposed in the past one hundred years have moved in this line. The +effort to seize upon the child's interest and make it the agency for +progress has formed the essential feature in each. In this reform +movement Colonel Parker has made himself one of the chief influences. + +The rural school has held a low rank among educational institutions on +account of the inferior methods of instruction which have prevailed by +reason of the fact that the children were too few and their +qualifications too various to permit the forming of classes. Children in +various degrees of advancement from ABC's to higher arithmetic, and +yet numbering only ten, twenty, or thirty in all, are enrolled under one +teacher. Most branches of study could muster only one or two pupils in +each class: Five to ten minutes a day is all that can be allowed in such +cases for a recitation. No thoroughness of instruction on the part of +the teacher is possible, nor is there much improvement to be expected in +the method of instruction where classes can not be formed. The +benefactor of the country school therefore looks to other devices than +class instruction, and the author of this book has shown in what ways +the teacher of one of these small schools may extend his influence into +the families of his district, encourage home study initiate practical +experiments. + +It is expected that the teacher, besides his daily register in which he +records the names and attendance of his own pupils, will keep a list of +the youth of the district who have been in attendance on the school but +have left to take up the work of the farm, and that he will endeavor by +proper means to persuade them to enter upon well-planned courses of +reading. Occasional meetings in the evening at central places, or on +some afternoons of the week at the schoolhouse itself, will furnish +occasions for the discussion of the contents of the books that have been +read, and experiments will be suggested in the way of verifying the +theories advanced in them. + +Not only can the mind of the country youth be broadened and enlarged in +the direction of literature and art, and of science and history, but it +can be made more practical by focusing it upon the problems connected +with the agriculture and manufactures of the district. + +This indicates a career of usefulness for the ambitious teacher of a +rural school. There is a large field for the discipline of the directive +power open even for the humblest of teachers in the land. + +These books of Colonel Parker, if read by the school children, and +especially by the elder youth who have left school, will suggest a great +variety of ways in which real mental growth and increase of practical +power may be obtained. The ideal of education in the United States is +that the child in school shall be furnished with a knowledge of the +printed page and rendered able to get out of books the experience of his +fellow-men, and at the same time be taught how to verify and extend his +book knowledge by investigations on his environment. This having been +achieved by the school, nothing except his indolence, or, to give it a +better name, want of enterprise, prevents the individual citizen from +growing intellectually and practically throughout his whole life. + +W. T. HARRIS. + +WASHINGTON, D.C., August 12, 1897. + + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE + + +Fortunate are the children whose early years are spent in the country in +close contact with the boundless riches which Nature bestows. + +Amid these environments instinct and spontaneity do a marvelous work in +the growing minds of children, arousing and sustaining varied and +various interests, enhancing mental activities, and furnishing an +educative outlet for lively energies. + +Most fortunate are they to whom, at the moment when the unconscious +teachings of Nature need to be supplemented by thoughtful suggestion, +wise leadings, and judicious instruction, there comes one with a deep +and loving sympathy with child life, an active interest in all that +interests them, and a profound respect for all that children do well and +for all that they know. + +Such an one is Uncle Robert. He comes to the children at just the right +moment. He directs the sweet strong streams of their lives onward into a +channel of earnest inquiry and exalted labor, which is ever broadening +and deepening. + +Uncle Robert's aim in education is to fill each day with acts which make +home better, the community better, mankind better; to take from God's +bounteous and boundless store of truth and convert it into human life by +using it. His method is simple and direct, founded upon the firm rock, +Common Sense. It may be briefly stated as follows: + +1. A strong belief in the sacredness of work--that work which inspires +thought, strengthens the body as well as the mind, and develops the +feeling of usefulness. + +2. The images the children have acquired and the inferences they have +made are used as stepping stones to higher and broader views. + +3. So far as it is possible, each child is to discover facts for himself +and make original inferences. + +4. He understands the limits of children's power to observe and the +demand on their part for glimpses into, to them, the great unknown. So +he tells them stories of those things which lie beyond their horizon, in +order to excite their wonder, intensify their love for the objects that +surround them, and make them more careful observers. In this way a +hunger and thirst for books is created. + +5. He watches carefully the interests of each child, adapting his +teachings to the differences in age and personality. + +6. Some questions are left unanswered in order to stimulate that healthy +curiosity which can be satisfied only by persistent study--the study +that begets courage and confidence. + +7. He makes farm work and farm life full of intensely interesting +problems, ever keeping in mind that the things of which the common +environments of common lives are made up are as well worthy of study as +are those which lie beyond. + +Uncle Robert's enthusiasm has for its prime impulse a boundless faith in +human progress, brought about by a knowledge of childhood and its +possibilities. + +He believes that every normal child, under wise and loving guidance, may +become useful to his fellows, moral in character, strong in intellect, +with a body which is an efficient instrument of the soul; in other +words, truly educated. + +Those who read Uncle Robert's Visit should read through the eyes of +Susie, Donald, and Frank. The reading, so far as possible, should be +accompanied by personal observation, investigation, and experiment. + +FRANCIS W. PARKER. + +CHICAGO NORMAL SCHOOL, August 31, 1897. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +I. UNCLE ROBERT'S COMING + +II. FRANK DRAWS A MAP OF THE FARM + +III. THE NEW THERMOMETER + +IV. WITH THE ANIMALS + +V. IN THE FLOWER GARDEN + +VI. SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW + +VII. THE BAROMETER + +VIII. A WALK IN THE WOODS + +IX. THE BIRDS AND THE FLOWERS + +X. THE THUNDERSHOWER + +XI. THE VILLAGE + +XII. A DAY ON THE RIVER + +XIII. A RAINY DAY + +XIV. THE WALK AFTER THE RAIN + +XV. THE BIG BOOK + + + + +TOPICAL ANALYSIS OF UNCLE ROBERT'S VISIT. + +NOTE.--The direct study of earth, air, and water involves the study of +plant, animal, and human life. Popular opinion has given the name of +geography to these correlated subjects. + + +CHAPTER I.--UNCLE ROBERT'S COMING. + +The value of the children's knowledge of the farm is warmly recognized +by Uncle Robert. The children feel his sympathy for their work, and +through it are led to closer study and investigation. The feeling that +everything they may see and do is of importance, exalts their daily +life. + +Encourage children to describe the farms on which they live. In such +descriptions should come plant and animal life, and the means and +processes of farm work. Extend these descriptions to other farms and to +any landscapes which the children have observed. + +CHAPTER II.--FRANK DRAWS A MAP OF THE FARM. + +All children love to draw, and they will draw with great confidence and +boldness unless their critical faculty outruns their skill. Modeling and +painting may be very profitably introduced at an early age. Frank's +efforts in drawing strengthened his images of the landscape. + +Arithmetic has a very important place in farm life. It may be used in +many ways in forming habits of accuracy and exactness. + +CHAPTER III.--THE NEW THERMOMETER. + +The children have their first lesson on the agent of all physical +movement and change in organic and inorganic matter. The simple +experiments suggested should be continued and enlarged, thus beginning a +life study of a subject which is practically unlimited in its importance +to man. + +CHAPTER IV.--WITH THE ANIMALS. + +Children look upon animals as their particular friends and +acquaintances. They talk to them and believe that the animals understand +them. A desire to know the habits and habitats of animals is among their +strongest interests. By a little wise direction, this interest may be so +enhanced as to form a substantial beginning of the study of zoology. + +CHAPTER V.--IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. + +Children worship flowers. Probably there are no objects on earth so +universally loved by little folks as buds and flowers. Children seek +eagerly for flowers by the roadside, in the pastures, fields, and woods. +This love, like all instincts, should be carefully cultivated. + +Children may easily be led to study the forms, colors, and habits of +plants. They will always take the keenest interest in the mystery of +seeds and shoots, of roots and growing leaves, _if there is a teacher +to direct them_. + +CHAPTER VI.--SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW. + +We have heat again, and now as an elementary lesson in the distribution +of sunshine. Children love to observe continual changes. The shadow is +an object of interest. It has an element of mystery about it which +borders upon the supernatural. Children observe spontaneously the long +shadows of morning and the lengthening shadows of the descending sun. +Most farm boys can tell the moment of noon by their shadows. + +These are all steps in the more difficult problems of lengthening and +shortening shadows that mark the changing seasons, and that lead to the +theories of the earth's rotation and revolution. Day by day children +should note the changes of slant upon the shadow stick which they can +easily make for themselves. + +CHAPTER VII.--THE BAROMETER. + +Our little friends have their first lesson concerning one of the three +great envelopes of the earth-the atmosphere. The knowledge that air has +weight does not often come by unaided intuition. The initial experiments +may be made very interesting and profitable. The United States Weather +Reports are an excellent means for the home study of geography. + +CHAPTER VIII.--A WALK IN THE WOODS. + +"There is pleasure in the pathless woods" and "The groves were God's +first temples" are lines which appeal strongly to those who have spent +hours in the shadows and flickering sunlight of the forest. Trees well +arranged make many farmhouses beautiful. Trees by the roadside add much +beauty to the landscape and afford places of rest to the traveler. + +Forests mean moisture to the soil. Their leaves and roots make the best +reservoirs for water, to be given out when needed by the growing crops. +The forests are full of lessons for the children and the experienced +scientist. + +CHAPTER IX.--THE BIRDS AND THE FLOWERS. + +The knowledge of a farm child is quite extensive, and generally neither +the child nor the parent has any suspicion that such knowledge is of any +appreciable value in education. It is clearly within the bounds of +possibility for every farm boy and girl to know every bird that lives on +the farm in summer or winter, and those who rest there in their +migrating flight; to know also the names, the plumage, the habits of all +the birds; and to know the nests and nesting places of those who make +the farm their summer home. + +All this study cultivates the child's sense of the beautiful. There is +no better color study in the world than that which springs from +discriminating love of flowers and of the plumage of birds. +Such study creates a kindly feeling toward both animals and plants on +the part of the child. It exercises a strong moral power over him. + +CHAPTER X.--THE THUNDERSHOWER. + +A thundershower is always a phenomenon of interest and often of fear on +the part of children. The clouds of the cumulus form, the rolling of +thunder, the lightning flashes, the rushing wind, and the pouring rain +are full of important lessons. Fear vanishes as knowledge comes. In the +thundershower is the question of the distribution of moisture over the +earth's surface, the question of the nature and use of clouds, the +movement of the air and wind, the condensation of vapor, and the +marvelous powers of electricity. + +CHAPTER XI.--THE VILLAGE. + +Geography should ever be in the closest touch with the human side. +Nature does a marvelous work, but Nature without society is like a vast +storehouse of treasure without a demand for its use. The one weak point +in farm life is the lack of opportunity for contact with society. + +CHAPTER XII.--A DAY ON THE RIVER. + +A river, creek, lake--in fact, any body of water--is a source of +perpetual delight to children. Frank, Donald, and Susie have had the +river and creek before them all their lives. Now, under Uncle Robert's +teaching, the river will mean very much more to them. They take their +first lessons in the work of streams in carving and shaping the earth's +surface. The pebbles on the beach and the large, rounded stones will +soon have stories of the distant past to tell them. The "Big Book" is +opened to them, and they read the stories directly from its pages. + +CHAPTER XIII.--A RAINY DAY. + +The children get closer to the question of moisture, its use, and +distribution. The rain gauge helps them to measure the rainfall. Then +comes the problem of where the water goes after it reaches the ground. +"How far down does some of it go?" "When and where does it come out of +the ground?" + +Arithmetic is brought in in measuring the rainfall and its distribution. + +CHAPTER XIV.--THE WALK AFTER THE RAIN. + +The problems in Chapter XIII move toward their solution, and new +questions are opened. The gully tells of the wearing of the water, and +foretells a river valley. The spring helps in the question of +underground water. The flowing river quickens the imagination in the +direction of the great ocean. + +CHAPTER XV.--THE BIG BOOK. + +This chapter should be read by parents to the children, as many +sentences need expansion and explanation. Hints are given of great +things which lie beyond the child's horizon. Discoveries that have +changed mankind are referred to. + +Children's permanent interests are the keynotes of instruction and the +infallible guides of the teacher. To continue and sustain their +spontaneous observation and desire for investigation leads directly to +the study of the best books, and lays the basis for a thorough and +profound study of God's universe. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +UNCLE ROBERT'S COMING. + + +Uncle Robert was coming. His letter, telling when they should expect +him, had been received a week before. Every day since had been full of +talks and plans for his visit, and now the day was come. Everything was +ready. + +Frank and Donald had harnessed Nell, the old white horse, to the little +spring wagon, and had driven to the village to meet the train which was +to bring Uncle Robert from New York. + +Susie, in her prettiest white apron, ran out of the house every few +minutes, to be the first to see them when they should come along the +road. + +Mrs. Leonard was putting finishing touches here and there. She went into +the kitchen to give Jane a last direction about the supper. Then she +went to the east room upstairs, Uncle Robert's room, to be sure that +everything was just as she knew he would like it. + +Susie followed her mother, to see if the violets in the glass on his +table were still bright and fresh. She had gathered them herself in the +woods that morning. + +"There they come!" she cried. "I hear the wagon crossing the bridge at +the creek!" + +She ran quickly downstairs and out upon the piazza. A moment more, and +the wagon turned in at the gate. + +"Mother, mother," called Susie, "they're here!" + +But Mrs. Leonard was already beside her. Her pleasant face glowed with a +happy smile as Frank drew rein before the door. + +Then such a time! + +Uncle Robert sprang from the seat beside Frank, hugged Mrs. Leonard, +then Susie, then both together. + +Donald, who was seated in the back of the wagon on Uncle Robert's trunk, +turned a handspring, landed on his feet somehow or other, and stood +grinning at Susie. + +Mr. Leonard had also heard the sound of the wheels. He hurried from the +barn, calling Peter to come and help him carry Uncle Robert's trunk +upstairs. + +Jane came to the door of the dining-room, eager to see the Uncle Robert +of whom she had heard so much. Then, with a nod of her head, she ran +back, slipped the pan of biscuits into the oven, and put the kettle on +to boil. + +Uncle Robert had come! Everybody was happy. No one more so than Uncle +Robert himself. + +"Now, this is good," he said, when at length they were seated around the +supper table. "I feel at home already. Susie, did those violets on my +table grow in your garden?" + +[Illustration: Violets.] + +"Oh, no," replied Susie. "I found them in the woods by the creek. And +the buttercups, didn't you see them in the glass, too?" + +"Buttercups so early ?" asked Uncle Robert. "Oh, yes, the low ones do +come early. You must take me down where they grow some day." + +"We'll go to-morrow," said Susie. + +Uncle Robert smiled at the eager little face, and, turning to Mr. +Leonard, said: + +"Frank tells me the farm is looking well this spring." + +"Yes, it looks fairly well," replied Mr. Leonard. "The seed is all in +but the corn. That is a little late. The water on the bottom land stayed +longer than usual this year." + +"Peter thinks we can start the planting to-morrow," said Frank. + +"Yes," replied his father, "I think so, too." + +When supper was over they all went out on the side porch. The sun was +setting. The air was soft and spring-like. The lilacs along the fence +filled the air with fragrance. + +"Don't you want to see Susie's garden, Robert?" asked Mrs. Leonard, + +"Yes, indeed," said Uncle Robert. "Susie wrote me some nice little +letters about that garden." + +As they walked along the narrow paths Susie showed him where the seeds +were already planted, and told him what she thought she would have in +the other beds. + +"This is phlox," said Susie, leading Uncle Robert by the hand; "and +marigolds are here, and sweet peas over there by the fence. That place +between mother's garden and mine is filled with rosebushes, syringas, +and hollyhocks." + +"I still call the vegetable garden mine, but the boys do most of the +work," said Mrs. Leonard. "That big bush at the end of the row is an +elder." + +"This is to be my pansy bed," said Susie. "The pansies are not set out +yet. They are growing in a box in the kitchen window. I love them best +of all. Don't they look like funny little faces in bonnets?" + +[Illustration: Pansies.] + +"That is what the Germans think, Susie," said Uncle Robert, laughing. +"They call them 'little stepmothers.'" + +"I think it will be safe to put them out soon, Susie," said Mrs. +Leonard. + +"Mother," called Donald from the vegetable garden, "the lettuce and +radishes are growing finely, and here's a bean. Oh, there are lots of +them just putting their heads through!" + +They all went over to look at the beans, and then walked down to the end +of the garden where the currant and gooseberry bushes grew. + +"Oh, uncle," exclaimed Susie, "I wish you had come in time to see the +trees in blossom! They were all pink and white. It was just lovely! only +the flowers stayed such a little while." + +"I think Susie lived in the orchard those days," said Mrs. Leonard, +smiling. "If I wanted her I was very sure to find her there." + +"I don't blame Susie," said Uncle Robert. "I would have stayed, too. +There is nothing sweeter than apple blossoms. But you have other fruits +besides apples, haven't you?" + +[Illustration: Apple Blossoms.] + +"Oh, yes," said Frank, who had just come from the barn, where he had +gone after supper with his father. "There are pears and cherries and a +few peach trees. But peaches don't do well here." + +"The blossoms are lovely," said Susie. + +"I believe Susie cares more for the flowers than she does for the +fruit," said Donald. "I don't. I like the fruit, and plenty of it." + +"How many kinds of apples have you?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"About ten," replied Frank. "But father budded quite a number last year. +The twigs came from Kansas." + +"They have fine apples in Kansas some years," said Uncle Robert. "I +wonder if the budding is done as it was when I was a boy on the farm +in New England." + +"This is the way father did it," said Frank. "First he cut a little +piece of the bark off the twig with the bud on it. He had to do it very +carefully with a sharp knife. Then he cut the bark on the branch of the +tree like the letter T. He laid it back, and slipped the piece of bark +with the bud on under it. Then he bound it all up with soft cotton, and +left it to take care of itself." + +"Did it?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Yes," answered Donald. "In a few weeks we took the binding off, and the +bark had all grown together around the little bud." + +[Illustration: Budding] + +"There were ever so many of them," said Susie, "and they were all +alike." + +"I wish they would hurry up and have some apples on them," said Donald. +"If they're better than some we had last year, they'll be pretty good. + +"Come, children," said Mrs. Leonard. "It is getting damp. I think we'd +better go in now." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +FRANK DRAWS A MAP OF THE FARM. + + +After the lamps were lighted and they were all gathered in the +sitting-room Uncle Robert began asking the children about the farm. + +"What do you raise besides corn?" he asked. + +"Wheat, oats, rye, and potatoes," said Frank. "Then we have the hay +fields and the pasture. The woods we drove through coming from town +belong to us too." + +"The house faces east, doesn't it?" said Uncle Robert. "That would make +the woods north. Where are all these other fields?" + +"Back of the barn and the other side of the orchard," said Donald. + +"Can't some one show me on paper how it is?" asked Uncle Robert. "I +don't mean make a picture, but just a plan of it." + +"Well, I can try," said Frank. "I know just how it is really, but I +don't know that I can get it right." + +Frank found paper and pencil and set to work, while the rest gathered +eagerly around and looked on. + +"This is the river," he said. "There's a big curve in it along our farm. +The road runs along the top of the slope, and this is where the house +is." + +"What lies between the house and the river?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The big cornfield," said Frank. "That's where we are going to plant +to-morrow if it is a pleasant day. And right here, in the corner by the +woods, is the spring." + +"The water comes right out of the ground," said Susie; "and it is as +cold as ice." + +"Here," said Frank, "is the wood. You know we drove through it this +afternoon. The woods are on both sides of the creek." + +"See the crooked line he makes for the creek," said Donald. + +"That is where the violets and buttercups grow, uncle," said Susie, +pointing to the map. + +"Where does the creek come from?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"There's a pond away back in the woods," said Donald. "It comes from +that; but it is a swamp part of the year." + +"The cat-tails grow there," said Susie. + +"Well," said Uncle Robert, "the house, the cornfield, and the woods--is +that all of the farm?" + +"Oh, no!" said Frank. "It is low along the river, but back of the +cornfield it gets higher, and that's where the grapes are. On this side +of the road is the orchard; and here, between the orchard and the woods, +come in the yard and garden." + +"Don't leave out the barnyard," said Donald. + +"What's back of the barn?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The field of timothy; and next to it is the clover field. That is as +far as the farm goes that way." + +[Illustration: CLOVER TIMOTHY WHEAT OATS RYE] + +"The wheat field is on the other side of the timothy, Frank," said +Donald, "and the oats between that and the road, beside the orchard." + +"Put in the potatoes along the road," said Susie. + +"Now all we have left is the rye field over in the corner," said Donald. + +"That is the way it is this year," said Mr. Leonard, who sat with his +paper in his hand. But the paper was unread. He found the group around +the table much more interesting. + +"Now it is all done," said Susie, hopping about on one foot. "Isn't it +fun? Let's draw the garden. I can do it." + +"All right," said Uncle Robert, "you shall; but I think we'd better +finish the farm first. Who can tell how many acres there are in each of +these lots?" + +"I know there are twenty in the timothy meadow," said Donald, "because +father always calls it the twenty-acre lot." + +"Write it down on the map, Frank," said Uncle Robert. "How much in the +clover field?" + +"It seems about half as large as the timothy meadow," said Frank. + +"That's right," said Mr. Leonard; "it is." + +"There are twenty acres in the wood lot, aren't there, father?" asked +Frank. "It isn't quite so wide, but it is longer than the timothy +meadow." + +"Yes," said Mr. Leonard, "there are twenty acres there; and it is as +fine woodland as any I know." + +"There are ten acres in the orchard," said Frank; "and the cornfield is +the largest of all." + +"That must be thirty acres," said Donald. "I remember when father made +the pasture smaller, so that we could have more corn." + +"Yes," said Frank; "and that left ten in the pasture. I remember. And +there are fifteen acres each in oats, wheat, and rye; but I don't know +how large the potato field is. It is smaller than the others, though--it +must be about ten." + +"Right again," said Mr. Leonard. + +[Illustration: (figures, addition, subtraction)] + +"Now we have it all but the yard and garden," said Uncle Robert. "Does +any one know how much land they cover?" + +The father and mother looked on smiling, but said nothing. + +"It's all the rest of the farm, anyhow," said Susie. + +"Oh, I know how to find out," said Frank. "We know the whole farm is one +hundred and sixty acres. We can add all these figures, and the +difference between that and one hundred and sixty will be what's in the +yard and garden." + +So he added all the numbers together and found them to be one hundred +and fifty-five. + +"Yes," exclaimed Donald; "and five more would make it one hundred and +sixty." + +"Then there must be five acres in the yard and garden." said Susie, +"Write it down. Frank." + +"There," said Frank, looking at his work with +some pride. "It's all in. Now shall I draw it again and make the lines +straighter?" + +[Illustration: Map of the farm.] + +"Oh, no; this tells the story very well," said Uncle Robert. "The next +time we will measure it off, and make it more carefully." + +"Not so bad," said Mr. Leonard, as Frank showed him the drawing. + +"I think it is very good for a first time," said Mrs. Leonard, with an +encouraging smile. "With a little practice, my boy, I believe you would +draw well." + +"Mother always believes we can do things," said Frank, laughing. + +"Tell me more about the river," said Uncle Robert. + +"Our side is bottom land," said Frank; "but across the river the bank is +high and steep. Farther down it is just the other way. The steep bank is +on this side, and the low land is opposite." + +"The river bends the other way down there," said Donald. + +"I see," said Uncle Robert. "How high is the bank?" + +"I don't know," answered Frank. "How high is it, father?" + +"About twenty feet," said Mr. Leonard. + +"Do you go on the river much?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, yes," said Donald. "We have an old boat, and we have been miles on +it." + +"That is, downstream," said Frank. "We have never taken the boat up the +river beyond the village, on account of the milldam." + +"There's an island in the river," said Susie, "between here and the +village. We have been there." + +"How large an island is it?" asked Uncle Robert--"large enough to have +a picnic there while I am here?" + +"Oh, yes," said Susie. "It's just the loveliest place for a picnic! +There are trees all over it, and all kinds of wild flowers." + +"Can't you extend your map, Frank, so as to put in the river to the +village, showing the milldam and the island?" suggested Uncle Robert. + +"You might draw it this way, too," said Donald, "and show how the river +bends the other way down here." + +"Now I want to draw my garden," said Susie, when Frank had finished. + +Just then the clock on the kitchen shelf struck loudly. + +"It's bedtime now, dear," said Mrs. Leonard. "Can't you draw your garden +to-morrow?" + +"We'll plant those pansies to-morrow," said Uncle Robert, "and see what +can be put in all the other beds. Then we'll draw it, and tell just where +everything is." + +So Susie went to bed happy, and Frank and Donald soon followed. And all +were glad that Uncle Robert was really come. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE NEW THERMOMETER. + + +The next morning as they left the breakfast table Donald said: + +"It's going to be warmer to-day." + +"I think not," said Frank. "When I went to the barn it seemed quite +cool." + +"What do you think, Susie?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"It was cool under the trees when I went to the spring for a pitcher of +water," said Susie, "but it seemed rather warm in the sun. I think it is +a lovely morning." + +"What makes it warm?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Why, the sun," replied Donald, looking rather surprised at such a +question. + +"But does the sun make it warm in the winter?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The sun is nearer the earth in spring and summer," said Frank +confidently. + +"You are mistaken," said Uncle Robert. "The sun is farther from us in +summer than it is in winter." + +"But it's almost over our heads in summer," said Frank. "How can it be +farther away?" + +"The story of the warmth that the sun gives us is not told by +distance," said Uncle Robert, "but by the length of the shadows at noon." + +"How is that?" asked Donald. + +"When is your shadow the longest?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"In the evening," said Donald. + +"In the morning," said Susie. + +"When is your shadow the shortest?" + +"At noon!" they all shouted. + +"When is it coolest?" + +"Morning," they replied together. + +"When is it warmest?" + +"Noon," said Susie quickly. + +"Now you are wrong," said Frank. "It is often warmer at one or two +o'clock." + +"Frank is right," said Uncle Robert. "How can we tell just how warm it +is at any time?" + +"If we had a thermometer," said Donald, "that would tell, but we +haven't." + +"There's one at the post office," said Frank, "but I never saw any one +look at it unless it was very cold or very hot." + +"Perhaps we can find one nearer than the post office," said Uncle +Robert. "Susie, would you know one if you saw it?" + +Susie shook her head. + +"I would," said Donald. + +"Well," said Uncle Robert, "please go to my room, and if you find a +thermometer bring it to me." + +Donald soon returned, and when Susie saw what he had in his hand she +exclaimed: + +"Is that a thermometer? I never saw anything like that at the post +office." + +"Well, I should think not," said Donald. "This isn't much like the +old thing they have up there." + +"What does it say?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Sixty-eight degrees above zero," said Frank, taking the thermometer in +his hand. + +[Illustration: Thermometer.] + +"That isn't cold, is it, uncle?" asked Donald. + +"That's just right for the house," said Uncle Robert. "How is it out of +doors?" + +"Let's take it out and see," said Frank. + +Out on the porch they went and eagerly watched the thermometer. + +"It's moving--it's going down!" cried Donald. + +"I'll hang it on this nail," said Frank. + +"When they looked again Donald said: + +"It's fifty-six now." + +"How much colder is it than it was in the house?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Twelve degrees," said Frank, counting up the column. + +"Oh, let's take it in by the stove," said Susie, "and see how far it +will go up." + +"What makes you think it will go up by the stove?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Well," answered Susie, "if it goes down when it is cold I should think +it would go up when it is warm." + +Susie took the little instrument, and, going into the kitchen, held it +close to the stove. + +"Come," she called, "it is going up already. See!" + +"How fast it moves!" said Donald. "Hold it close to the stove, Susie. +Maybe it will go to the very top." + +"Let us put it in cold water," said Frank. "It won't hurt the +thermometer, will it?" + +"Not at all," was the reply. "Try it." + +So they held it in the bucket of cold spring water. + +"How fast it goes down now!" said Susie. "I wonder if it will go lower +than it did out on the porch. It's down to forty-eight." + +"Why does Jane set the kettle of cold water on the stove?" asked Uncle +Robert, pointing to it. + +"To boil the water," answered Susie. + +"What makes the water boil?" + +"Why, the fire, of course." + +"How long will the stove stay hot?" + +"As long as there is fire in it." + +"Longer than that," said Donald. "It doesn't grow cold the minute the +fire is out." + +"What becomes of all the heat?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, it goes all round the room." + +"Let's put the thermometer in the hot water," said Susie. + +"Oh, see it go up!" said Donald. "It is one hundred and fifteen +already." + +"What is the difference in degrees between the cold and the hot water?" +asked Uncle Robert. + +"Sixty-seven degrees," said Frank. + +"What makes the difference in degrees?" + +"The difference in the heat," said Frank. + +"If the water was boiling and the thermometer large enough," said Uncle +Robert, "it would go to two hundred and twelve." + +"That would be ninety-seven degrees higher," said Frank. + +"Wouldn't that be a big thermometer!" exclaimed Susie. + +"Now put the thermometer on the floor," said Uncle Robert. + +"It's seventy-two degrees now," said Donald in a few minutes. + +"Let's put it on the broom," said Susie, "and hold it up to the +ceiling." + +"It's warmer up there," said Frank, looking at the little gray cylinder +when they brought it down. "It is six degrees higher than it was on the +floor." + +"Why?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The heat must go up there," said Donald. + +"It goes into the next room when the door is open," said Frank. + +"Does it go outdoors?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Let's open the window and see," said Susie. + +Frank opened the window, but, instead of feeling the warm air going out, +he felt the cool air coming in. + +"Uncle," asked Donald, "isn't the room full of air already?" + +"Yes," answered Uncle Robert. + +"Then I don't see how any more can come in at the window." + +"Are you sure none goes out?" + +"I could feel it coming in," said Frank. + +"Jane," asked Uncle Robert, "have you a candle?" + +"Here is one, sir," said Jane, taking a candlestick from beside the +clock on the shelf. + +Uncle Robert lighted it and held it near the window, just below the +sill. The flame flickered as the air from the window struck it, and then +turned straight into the room. He raised it just above the opening. +Instantly the flame pointed toward the window, but it did not flicker as +it had when held below the sill. + +"The air must be going out up there," said Frank, "but it doesn't blow +so strongly as the air coming in." + +"The air that comes in is cooler than the air that goes out," said +Donald. + +"What makes the water boil?" asked Uncle Robert, turning to the kettle +on the stove, which had now begun to sing. + +"Why, the heat, of course," said Donald. + +"What raises the lid?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The kettle is too full," said Frank. "It is going to boil over." + +"Why didn't the water run over when it was cold?" asked Uncle Robert. +"The kettle didn't seem full then." + +"Somehow it seems to get more than full when it boils," said Donald. +"See, it is boiling over." + +Just then Jane took a pan of apples out of the oven. Each one looked +like a small volcano. + +"What happens to the apples when they bake?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"They just swell up so big their jackets won't hold them," said Donald, +laughing. + +"It is heat that makes the bread rise, isn't it?" asked Frank. + +"Of course," said Susie. "Don't you know sometimes if the bread doesn't +rise, mother says it is because it is too cold?" + +"There is something besides heat that makes the bread rise," said Uncle +Robert. + +"Yes," replied Susie, "the yeast; but it must be warm--I know it must." + +"It seems as though everything is bigger when it is hot than when it is +cold," said Frank. "And now I believe I understand something that +happened not long ago." + +"What was it?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Peter and I were driving to town," began Frank, "and the tire of one of +the wagon wheels slipped right off. We managed to get to the +blacksmith's shop, and he put the tire in the fire until it was hot. Then +he put it on the wheel, but it was still loose. We couldn't have gone a +step without its coming off again. He brought cold water and poured over +it, and soon it was as tight as could be. I thought the water made the +wood of the wheel swell up--you know water does that to the pails and +tubs when they leak; but now I believe the fire made the tire larger, and +then the cold water made it small again. That is just what happened." + +[Illustration: The blacksmith shop.] + +"But air can't grow bigger, can it?" asked Donald. + +"If you can find an empty bottle, Donald," said Uncle Robert, "perhaps +we can soon find out about it." + +Uncle Robert took a piece of thin rubber out of his pocket and tied it +tightly over the mouth of the bottle." + +"By the way," he said, "is there anything in this bottle? + +"No," said Susie, looking through the glass. + +"Oh, yes," said Donald, "there is air in it." + +"Well," replied Uncle Robert, "please get a pan of hot water, Frank." + +Frank brought the water, and as Uncle Robert began to put the bottle +into it they all exclaimed: + +"Be careful; you'll break the bottle!" + +"What will make it break?" asked Uncle Robert, pausing. + +"Why, the hot water," said Susie. + +"It always breaks glass if you put it in too quickly," said Donald. + +[Illustration] + +"Well, we'll warm it a little first," holding the +bottle close to the water. "I think I can try it now." + +As he spoke he lowered the bottle into the water, and the rubber tied +over the neck began to bulge out. + +"See!" cried Susie. "What makes it do that?" + +"Try the cold now," said Uncle Robert. "Here, Donald, hold the bottle in +this pail of cold water." + +"The rubber is going down," said Donald in a moment. "It is going right +into the bottle." + +"Does the air in the bottle pull the rubber in with it?" asked Susie. + +"But, Uncle Robert," said Donald, "what if wagon tires, apples, and air +do swell up when they are hot? I don't see what all that has to do with +the thermometer." + +"I think I see," said Frank. "Why wouldn't this gray stuff in the +thermometer get bigger when it's hot, if everything else does?" + +"What is it that moves up and down in the thermometer?" asked Susie. + +"It is mercury," answered Uncle Robert, "which is sometimes called +quicksilver." + +"It looks like silver," said Susie, examining it closely. + +"Perhaps you can see this better," said Uncle Robert, taking a small +bottle of mercury from his pocket and pouring a little into Donald's +hand. + +"How heavy it is!" exclaimed he, letting it roll about. "It feels just +like lead." + +"It is almost twice as heavy as lead," replied Uncle Robert. + +"Put it in my hand, Donald," said Susie. "There, you've spilled it on +the floor! Just see it run around!" + +"Is it always soft like this?" asked Frank. + +"No, it becomes hard when it is very, very cold." + +"How cold, uncle?" asked Donald, looking at the thermometer. + +"Thirty-nine or forty degrees below zero," was the reply. "In the +coldest of countries alcohol thermometers are used. It must be much +colder than that to freeze alcohol." + +"Why is mercury used, uncle?" asked Frank. + +"Because it takes a very great heat to make it boil." said Uncle Robert. +"Then you have seen how quickly it shows a change of temperature. When +it is warm we call it a high temperature, and when it is cold it is +called a low temperature." + +"That is because the mercury goes up when it is hot, and down when it is +cold, isn't it?" said Donald. "I wonder how it would feel if it was +forty degrees below zero. See, it is away down to there!" + +"Do you remember that day last winter when Peter froze his ears driving +to town?" asked Frank. "Well, it was twenty below that day at the post +office. I saw it. But father is calling me; I must go." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +WITH THE ANIMALS. + + +"Don't forget to set that hen, Donald," called Mr. Leonard, as he and +Frank went away together. "I think there are enough of those Plymouth +Rock eggs for one more setting." + +"You ought to see our little chickens, Uncle Robert," said Susie. "They +are just too cunning for anything." + +"When you go to set the hen, Donald," said Uncle Robert, "I will go with +you. Then you can show me everything about the barn." + +Donald went to the storeroom and soon came back with the eggs. + +"There are thirteen," he said, as he joined Uncle Robert in the porch, +"but I think she can take care of them. She's one of the largest hens +we have." + +Then together they went to the henhouse, which stood next to the barn. +The chickens, seeing the basket in Donald's hand, ran toward him. + +"You needn't think I am going to feed you again so soon," he said. "You +have had one breakfast this morning." + +Donald always talked to all the animals as though they could understand +him. + +[Illustration: The poultry yard.] + +The mother hens paid no attention. With quiet dignity they walked about, +their broods of fluffy little chicks looking like balls of gold in the +sunshine. With a "Cluck! cluck!" each anxious mother called her children +to her as her sharp eyes discovered some new dainty. Then the greedy +little yellow things ran as fast as their short legs could carry them to +be the first to take the good things from the self-sacrificing mother. + +"How many little chickens are there?" asked Uncle Robert as they stopped +to watch them. + +"There are forty-six hatched," said Donald. "Three hens are setting, and +this one will make four." + +"I see you have some fine turkeys, too," said Uncle Robert. + +The big turkey cock spread his tail and strutted about before them as if +he understood how much he was admired. + +"Mother thinks a great deal of her turkeys," said Donald. "They are much +harder to raise than the chickens. But mother knows just how to do it. +We don't lose many." + +"Have you ducks and geese, too?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Yes," said Donald, "but I don't see any of them about. They must have +gone to the creek. There they are," and Donald pointed toward the +pasture where a line of white could be seen moving slowly along under +the trees. + +"They march pretty well, don't they?" said Uncle Robert. "Do they always +go that way?" + +"Not always," said Donald, "but very often. When that old drake wants to +take a swim, he starts and the rest follow. You'd never catch him +walking behind." + +"As the head of the family I suppose he thinks it is his place to lead," +said Uncle Robert, smiling. + +Donald laughed. "Wouldn't it he funny," he said, "if father made us +follow him that way?" + +They found the hen to whom they were carrying the eggs on an empty nest. +Donald drove her off that he might put in the eggs, but she was very +cross with him for disturbing her. She walked about with her feathers +ruffled up, clucking angrily, but eagerly went back to her nest as soon +as they were gone. She moved the eggs about with her feet, placed them +to suit herself, and contentedly settled down. + +Donald then led Uncle Robert into the barn, where old white Nell stood +in her stall. Besides Nell there were three strong Normandies in other +stalls, and two stalls that were empty. + +Mr. Leonard had a very large barn. There was the main floor, running +through from the two big rolling doors at either end. The great hay mows +on both sides, reached by short ladders, held some of last year's +cutting. Under the mows were the stalls for the horses and the +stanchions for the cattle. A machine for cutting hay stood on the barn +floor. + +Under the barn was a deep, roomy cellar, in one corner of which was the +sheep pen, lighted by large windows. + +Near the barn was a tool house, in which all the tools and machinery +were housed during the winter. + +"It pays to have a nice warm barn and a good place to keep the tools +from rusting," said Uncle Robert. "Do you always keep the horses in the +barn when they are not in use?" + +"Oh, no," said Donald. "Sometimes they run in the pasture along the +creek. The cows and sheep are there now. After the timothy and clover +are cut we'll put them in those fields." + +"Do you keep many cows?" + +"We have six cows and two calves," replied Donald. "Father gave one calf +to Frank and one to me. They're beauties. All our cows are Jerseys. +Frank and I are going to keep ours until they're grown. Then if they +give as much milk as the other cows do--and I'm sure they will--we are +going to take it to the creamery and sell it. There's a creamery not far +from here." + +"Does your father sell the milk there now?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Not now," said Donald. "Mother likes to make the butter herself." + +"That's why it is so good," said Uncle Robert. + +"Has Susie a calf too?" + +[Illustration: The Barn.] + +Susie, tired of waiting for them to return, had come to see what they +were doing. So she answered for herself. + +"No, uncle," she said, "but I have the prettiest little lambs you ever +saw. They always run to me when they see me coming. Please come out to +the lot and see them." + +"How many have you?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Two," replied Susie. "They're twins, and are just alike. Their mother +is dead. It was cold when they were born. There was snow on the ground. +Father brought them into the kitchen in a basket to keep them warm. +Mother and I taught them to drink milk, so father gave them to me. I'm +going to keep them always." + +"Father likes us to have our own things to take care of," said Donald. +"I think it's ever so much more fun, don't you, uncle?" + +"Yes, indeed," said Uncle Robert. "But you help take care of all the +animals, don't you?" + +"Oh, yes," replied Donald, "and I like them all; but my calf seems just +a little nicer than the rest. I know it isn't any better, really, but I +like to think it is my very own." + +They stopped to watch the pigeons circling about the pigeon house. + +"I love to watch the pigeons," said Susie. "See all the pretty colors in +their feathers!" + +[Illustration] + +"Are they very wild?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, no," said Susie, "they're very tame. When we throw grain to them +they come down all around us." + +"Come and see my pigs!" shouted Donald, who had run ahead and was +looking into the pen. + +Four white, fat Berkshire pigs lay in the straw, lazily rolling their +little eyes toward their friend and feeder. A succession of grunts +served for conversation. + +"I put in fresh straw every day," said Donald, "so my pigs can keep +themselves clean. And they have a patent trough to eat out of." + +"I thought farmers in the West let their pigs run in the woods," said +Uncle Robert. + +"We had a lot of razorbacks for a while, but they didn't pay," said +Donald. "Our Berkshires make nice pork." + +"How warm the sun is getting!" said Uncle Robert as they turned away +from the pigpen. + +"The wind is from the southwest," said Donald, looking at the weather +vane on top of the barn. "It always gets warmer when the wind is from +that direction." + +"Uncle," said Susie, "before we begin to plant the seeds let's go and +see my lambs." + +"You go ahead, and I'll get some salt for the sheep," said Donald. "They +always run to me when they see me coming with a pan. They know what that +means." + +Donald soon joined them with the pan of salt. + +"Mother says she can't work in the garden until afternoon," he said, "so +we needn't hurry back." + +As they entered the pasture the sheep were quietly grazing on the slope +of the hill, where the grass was nibbled very short. A few lambs were +frisking together at the foot of the hill. + +"See the lambs playing, uncle," said Susie. "The two little ones with +long tails and black noses are mine. Aren't they cunning? They'll see me +in a minute. Then how they will run!" + +The quick ears of the sheep caught the sound of their voices. They +raised their heads. Donald held out the pan of salt, shaking it gently. +In a moment one of the flock started slowly toward them. Donald stopped +under one of the large oak trees that grew on the top of the hill. Uncle +Robert and Susie stood beside him. The old sheep came nearer. One by one +the rest of the flock began to follow. The lambs stopped playing. Susie +held out her hand and called softly, "Come, Sally! Come, Billy!" + +[Illustration: Feeding the sheep.] + +The two little lambs switched their tails and started up the hill. +Donald sprinkled a little of the salt on the ground. Then the whole +flock broke into a run, and the sheep were soon eagerly licking up the +salt as Donald scattered it about for them. + +Susie's lambs came straight to her side and began to lick her hands and +sniff about her dress. + +"They think I have something for them," she said. "Let me have some +salt, please, Donald." + +Filling each of her hands with salt, she held them out, and the lambs +eagerly licked it from the little round palms. + +"The cows are down by the creek, uncle," said Donald. "Shall we go to +see them? You must see my calf." + +"Come on," cried Susie, and began to run as fast as she could go. + +The little lambs, always ready for a play, skipped about her. How +merrily Susie did laugh as they ran ahead and then turned around with +their noses to the ground and their tails in the air, waiting for her to +come and catch them! + +"They always want me to play with them," she said, quite out of breath, +when Uncle Robert and Donald caught up. + +"What beautiful cows!" exclaimed Uncle Robert as the little Jerseys +lifted their shy faces from the grass to look at them. "I never saw +finer ones." + +"That is my calf," said Donald, pointing it out with much pride, "and +that one over there is Frank's. The only way we can tell them apart is +that Frank's has more black on its face than mine has." + +[Illustration: Donald's calf.] + +"Toot-toot-t-o-o-t!" The sound came from the house. + +"There's the horn!" exclaimed Susie. "It must be dinner time." + +"So soon?" said Uncle Robert. "How quickly the morning has gone!" + +"I tell you I'm hungry," said Donald. "I didn't think of it before, but +I'm almost starving." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. + + +In the afternoon they all went into the garden. Donald and Mrs. Leonard +began at once to set out the tomato plants that had been started in a +box. Susie and Uncle Robert walked about, planning where the flower +seeds should be planted. + +"The verbenas are in this bed," said Susie. "I had them last year. I +wish they would begin to come up. Don't you think, uncle, it will be +nice to have the mignonette in with them?" + +"Yes," replied Uncle Robert, "but where are your nasturtiums?" + +"I haven't any nasturtiums," said Susie. "I wish I had. Jennie Wilson's +mother had them last year. They bloomed all summer." + +"We can send for some seeds and get them in time to plant," said Uncle +Robert. + +"Oh, thank you, uncle," exclaimed Susie. "How nice! I'll save this big +bed for nasturtiums, and the bachelor's buttons can go over there." + +[Illustration: Poppies] + +"The nasturtiums would do better by the fence and the porch," said Uncle +Robert. "They like to climb." + +"All right," said Susie; "then we can have this bed for something else." + +"Have you any poppies?" asked Uncle Robert, smiling. "Poppies are my +favorite flowers." + +"Are they, uncle? Then we'll have poppies in this bed." + +"Thank you, dear," replied Uncle Robert, taking out his notebook. "We'll +send for the poppy seeds, too." + +"I think that finishes the beds," said Susie. "Let me see," and, walking +down the path, she pointed out where each kind of flower was to grow. + +"You might draw it now," said Uncle Robert; "then we'll make no +mistake." + +"Oh, goody!" cried Susie. "That's what I'll do. Wait until I get a +pencil and paper." + +"Here is a pencil," said Uncle Robert, taking one from his pocket, "and +perhaps this old envelope will do to draw it on." + +But Susie thought not. "It's too small," she said. "I'll get a nice +piece of paper in a minute." + +Away she ran to the house, and soon came back with a large sheet of +fresh white letter paper in one hand and Frank's geography in the other. + +"I'm going to draw my garden," she called to Donald and her mother, +holding up the paper for them to see. + +"I'll make the paths first," she said, laying the paper on the +geography, and taking the pencil from Uncle Robert. "Then I can put in +the beds afterward." + +When the paths were drawn, Susie named the beds and marked them off on +the paper. + +"Please write the names for me, Uncle Robert," she said. "I can't spell +all the big words." + +"I will write them on this paper," said Uncle Robert, "and when you see +how they look you can write them on your plan." + +"Oh, yes," said Susie, "that will be the nicest way." + +"See, mother," cried Susie, running to her, "this is my garden. Now I +know just what is to be in every bed." + +[Illustration: Susie's garden.] + +"Where are you going to get poppies?" asked Donald, looking at the plan +on the paper. + +"Uncle Robert is going to send for the seed," answered Susie. "He likes +poppies best of all the flowers. We are going to have nasturtiums, too. +They are to grow by the porch and the fence." + +"That will be fine, dear," said Mrs. Leonard. "What a beautiful garden +we shall have!" + +"I can hardly wait," cried Susie, dancing along the walk. "Come, uncle, +let's plant what seeds we have now." + +"Do we need to do anything to the ground," asked Uncle Robert, "before +the seeds are put in?" + +"Only rake over the top a little," said Susie, taking up her rake and +going to work. "It has been spaded. See how light and fine it is +underneath! Ugh! I wish the old worms would keep out!" + +"Don't be too hard on the worms," said Uncle Robert. "They are your best +helpers." + +"I don't see how that is, uncle," said Susie, looking up in surprise. + +"You just said the soil was light and fine," said Uncle Robert. "Don't +you know you have to thank the worms for keeping it so?" + +"Are you sure, uncle?" asked Susie. "I thought the worms ate the +plants." + +"The earthworms never eat the plants," said Uncle Robert. "They eat the +soil, and so keep it worked over. It is the cutworm that eats the +plants." + +Just then Donald came over from the vegetable garden. + +"Why, you've only just begun," he said. "We're all through. Don't those +tomato plants look nice?" + +"Well," said Susie, "you didn't draw your garden. That took a long time, +didn't it, uncle? You rake those beds for me, Don, while I put the seeds +in." + +"I'd just as soon," said Donald, taking the rake. "What goes here?" + +"Mignonette," said Susie. "When any one wants to know about my garden +now, they can look at the drawing." + +Uncle Robert smiled. + +"What makes you think you'll have mignonette there?" he asked, as Susie +marked a little furrow with a stick in the soft, warm soil. + +"Why, these are mignonette seeds," she replied. "I gathered them myself. +Don't you think they'll grow, uncle?" + +"Certainly I do," replied Uncle Robert. + +"It would be a pretty dead seed," said Donald, "that wouldn't grow in +this soil." + +"Are seeds alive?" asked Uncle Robert, smiling. + +"Why, I--I don't know," said Donald, looking puzzled. "I never thought +about it. I just said that. They don't look like it, that's a fact, but +they surely wouldn't grow if they were dead, would they?" + +"Do all seeds grow in the same way?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"I never thought about it," said Donald. + +"Neither did I," said Susie. "I just know if I plant mignonette, +mignonette will grow; and if I plant sweet peas, sweet peas will grow. +That's all I ever thought about it." + +"Would you like to know?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, yes," said Susie. + +"How can we?" asked Donald. "The seeds are in the ground, and we can't +see them." + +"If Susie is willing to dig up one of her sweet peas," said Uncle +Robert, "perhaps it will tell us what it has been doing since she +planted it last week." + +"Oh, yes," said Susie. "See if you can find one, Don. I put lots in." + +Down on their knees went Susie and Donald, and began digging in the +soil. + +"Here is one," said Donald, "just ready to come up, and another close to +it. The tip of it must have been through. See, it is green." + +"Wouldn't it be green in the ground?" asked Susie, looking closely at +the tiny plant. + +"Why, no," said Donald. "Things are never green when they're covered up. +It's light that makes things green. Don't you know how yellow the grass +gets if a board lies on it, and what yellow stalks the potatoes have +when they sprout in the cellar? It must be the light that makes them +green." + +"Oh, yes," said Susie. "But see how big that pea is! It's about twice as +big as it was when I planted it." + +[Illustration: Sprouting pea.] + +"See," said Donald, "the roots grow from the same place that the stem +does. I should think it would be better if one came from one side of the +pea, and one from the other." + +"What becomes of the rest of the seed?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"I don't know," said Susie. "Is it of any use?" + +"It is of the greatest use," replied Uncle Robert. "The little pea plant +couldn't live without it. It is its food that the mother sweet pea +gathered last summer from the soil and air, and stored away in the +little round ball for her baby to feed on until it should be big enough +to get its own food." + +"Do you really mean, uncle," cried Susie, with shining eyes, "that the +sweet peas I have planted in that bed are the children of those I had +last year?" + +"Why not?" asked Uncle Robert, with a smile. + +"I never thought of it before," said Susie, looking at the tiny plant in +her hand; "but I like it. It seems just like a family." + +"And that's what it is," said Uncle Robert. + +"Don't you think this baby had better go back to bed?" said Susie, +making a deep hole in the ground. + +"Wait a moment, Susie," said Uncle Robert. + +"Suppose we take it for a visit to the beans, and see if they grow like +it." + +So they went to the vegetable garden, where they found a great many +plants, each with two strong, thick leaves sticking through the soil. +Some were quite green and showed a tiny shoot between them. Others were +yellow, with only the tips turned green. + +"Dig one up, Don," said Susie, "and let's see if it is like the baby +pea." + +Donald pulled one up, but no bean was to be seen. The stem grew straight +into the ground, ending with a little bunch of roots. + +"Where's the bean?" asked Susie. + +"These two leaves must be the bean," said Donald. "Don't they look like +it?" He took a bean from his pocket and held it close to the little +plant. + +"Well, I never!" cried Susie. "If those two leaves aren't just the bean +split open! Are they any good that way, uncle?" + +"Yes, indeed," said Uncle Robert, smiling. + +"They feed the little bean just as the pea does. But they do even more. +What do you think they will do when the sun goes down and the air gets +cool?" + +[Illustration: Sprouting bean.] + +"Oh, I know." said Donald. "I've seen them lots of times. They just shut +together tight." "And that keeps the little bud you see in there as warm +as you are in your bed." + +"Isn't that wonderful?" said Susie. "Why, uncle, it's just as if they +could think!" + +"The leaves drop off after a while," said Donald. "I often see them +lying on the ground." + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert. "When the plant is strong enough to take care +of itself, their work is done." + +"Are there any other plants that make leaves out of the seeds, uncle?" +asked Donald. + +"Oh? yes," replied Uncle Robert. "Squashes and pumpkins do, and many +others. Some have more perfect leaves than these. Let us look at the +morning glories by the porch." + +[Illustration: Morning glory.] + +"They come up every year by themselves," said Susie. + +She ran to her garden, saying, "I'm going to put this pea-baby to bed +again. Do you think it will grow, uncle?" + +"It may, but it is not good for it to be out of bed too long." + +"I'll put a stick by it," said Susie, "so I can watch it. Good-by, +baby," giving the ground a little pat; "go to sleep." + +Then she ran after Uncle Robert and Donald. + +"How thick the morning glories are!" said Donald. "Some of them have +several leaves on, but here is one with only two." + +"They don't look as the bean leaves do," said Susie. "The beans are so +thick! These have real leaves." + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert, "and if you could see them in the seed, you +would see these leaves all curled up in their hard coat." + +"This one is just putting its head through the ground," said Susie, "and +it has part of the shell on it yet." + +"It looks as the little chickens do sometimes," laughed Donald, "when +they come out of the nest with a piece of the shell sticking to their +backs." + +"That hard shell is a great protection to the tender plant as it works +its way up through the soil," said Uncle Robert. + +"If these seed leaves are real leaves, uncle," asked Donald, "what feeds +the baby morning glories?" + +"There is plenty of food in the seed around the leaves," said Uncle +Robert. "When the seed gets moist in the ground, it becomes so soft that +the plant can use it. Have you ever noticed when you were eating corn +the little hard bud that grows in each grain close to the cob?" + +"Yes, uncle," answered Susie. "That is the sweetest part of the corn." + +"That is the part," said Uncle Robert, "from which the new plant grows, +and all the rest of the grain is the food stored up for it." + +"I wish we had some corn," said Susie, "so we could see it." + +"I'll go and get some," said Donald. + +"Oh, do, Don," said Susie, "and while he's gone, Uncle Robert, I can +plant the rest of my seeds. I have only a few left." + +So Donald ran to the cornfield and Susie went to the garden. When he +came back she had finished, and they joined Uncle Robert on the piazza. + +"The corn grows out of the side of the seed," said Donald. "See what a +big root it has for such a little plant!" + +[Illustration: Sprouting corn.] + +"How pretty those leaves are!" said Susie. "They look like two little +green feathers." "Some one else had the same thought, Susie," said Uncle +Robert. "Did you ever hear the story the poet Longfellow tells about how +the corn came to the Indians? You know it is called 'Indian corn.'" + +"No, uncle," said Susie. "Do tell us." + +So as they sat beside him on the piazza. Uncle Robert told the story of +Hiawatha and Mondamin. + +"Hiawatha was a brave young Indian chief," began Uncle Robert, "who +wanted to help his people. He knew that there were times when they had +no food. In the winter the birds flew away. The 'big sea water,' as they +called the great lake, was frozen over, and they could catch no fish. +There were no wild berries in the woods. + +"'Master of Life,' he cried,'must our lives depend on these things?' + +"He was very unhappy. He could not eat. He lay in his wigwam, fasting +and praying for some good to come to his people. + +"One evening as he lay watching the setting sun he saw a youth coming +toward him. His dress was green and yellow, and over his yellow hair he +wore a bright green plume. + +"'The Master of Life has sent me,' said the youth. 'I am Mondamin. It is +only by hard labor Hiawatha, that you can gain the answer to your +prayer. Rise now, and wrestle with me.' + +"Hiawatha was weak from fasting, but he did as Mondamin commanded. Until +the sun had set they wrestled together. Then Mondamin went away as +silently as he had come. + +"A second time he came, and a third. Then he said: "'You have fought +bravely, Hiawatha. I shall come once more. You will conquer me. Then you +must take off my dress of green and yellow and my nodding plumes. Make a +bed in the soft warm earth for me to lie in. Let nothing come to disturb +me as I slumber. Only let the sunshine and the rain fall upon me. You +must watch beside me, Hiawatha, until my sleep is over.' + +"Then he was gone. + +"When they wrestled the next night it was as Mondamin had said. He was +conquered. Then, day after day, Hiawatha came and watched, + + "'Till at length a small green feather + From the earth shot slowly upward.'" + +"There it is," whispered Susie. + +"Sh!" said Donald. + +"Then another and another," continued Uncle Robert, "and before long the +corn was waving its long, green foliage in the sunshine. + +"'It is Mondamin!' cried Hiawatha,'the friend of man, Mondamin!'" + +"What a lovely story!" cried Susie as Uncle Robert finished. "I wish +Frank could have heard it." + +"We'll find it in your mother's book of Longfellow's poems and let Frank +read it," said Uncle Robert. + +"Let's tell him about the seeds first," said Donald. "He'll like it +better then." + +[Illustration: A stalk of corn.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW. + + +It was a busy time on the farm. Only when the day's work was over and +they were gathered in the sitting-room was there time for the long talks +with Uncle Robert that they all enjoyed so much. + +"It's wonderful," said Mr. Leonard one evening, looking up from his +paper, "how fast the corn is growing. Even the late planting is coming +on." + +"That's because the weather is so warm," said Donald. + +"I wonder what makes it warm?" said Uncle Robert. + +"Why, Uncle Robert," exclaimed Susie, "it's spring! That's what makes it +warm." + +"But what makes it spring, little girl?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Why, it is always spring in May," said Susie. + +"I know of a country where it is spring in September," replied Uncle +Robert. + +"How can it be?" asked Susie. "I thought springtime always came in May." + +"What makes us know that it is spring?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, it gets warmer all the time. The birds come, things begin to grow, +and the flowers bloom." + +"But what makes all this happen just now?" + +"It's the sun," answered Donald from the floor, where he was playing +with his great St. Bernard dog, Barri. "You know it rises earlier and +sets later every day now than it did a while ago. It's hotter too." + +"It goes higher at noon," said Frank. "In the middle of summer it is +almost straight over our heads, and in the winter it seems ever so much +farther to the south. I've often noticed that." + +"So have I," said Donald. "And in the winter the shadows are longer than +they are in summer. It must be because the sun isn't so high up." + +"Aren't shadows funny?" said Susie. "One day when I was coming in to +dinner, just for fun I tried to walk on my shadow, and I could step on +my head." + +"I've done that lots of times," said Donald. "But it's a strange thing. +Sometimes I can step clear over my head--I mean in the shadow--and then +again I have to step on it." + +"And when you jump," said Susie, "it spoils it. The shadow always jumps +too." + +"What kind of weather was it when you had to jump to it?" asked Uncle +Robert. + +"I don't remember," said Donald. "Would the weather make any +difference?" + +"I remember," said Susie, "because one time when I was jumping that way +I fell down and was almost buried in the snow. + +"Then it was winter, wasn't it?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"It must have been," said Frank. + +[Illustration: Shadow stick.] + +"And since you told us that the shadows at noon tell why it is warmer in +summer than in winter I've been watching them. They get shorter all the +time." "How would you like to measure the shadows every day," said Uncle +Robert, "and see if you can find out when they are shortest and when +they are longest?" + +"How can we?" asked Susie. "Shadows are so queer." + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert, "shadows are queer, but, if we take one that +doesn't jump as yours does, don't you think we can measure it?" + +"Of course we can," said Frank. "We can use the house. That always +stands still." + +"The house might do," said Uncle Robert; "but wouldn't it be better to +have a shadow stick?" + +"Where can we get one?" asked Donald. + +"What is it made of?" asked Frank. + +"It is like this," said Uncle Robert, taking paper and pencil from his +pocket. "There is one long piece of board, and one short one nailed to +the end--so," drawing it on the paper. + +"Oh, that's easy enough made," said Donald. "We can do it ourselves +right here in the tool house." + +"Let's make it to-morrow, Don," said Frank. + +"It must be set up some place with the upright end turned toward the +south, so that just at noon the shadow of the short piece may fall +straight on the board. By drawing a line across the board at the top of +the shadow and marking the date on it, we can tell how the length of the +shadow changes." + +"Uncle," asked Donald, "when it is winter here, is it summer in some +other part of the world?" + +"Yes," was the reply, "and now that our summer is coming, the people +there are beginning to have winter." + +"Then," said Frank, "when it gets cooler here in the fall it is growing +warmer there, and that would make their spring come in September, +wouldn't it? Do you see, Susie?" + +[Illustration: Eskimo scene.] + +"Yes," answered Susie, "but it seems all mixed up. I thought it was the +same as it is here all over the world." + +"Oh, I didn't," said Donald. "I've read about countries where it is +summer all the time, and is so hot that the people don't do anything but +lie under the trees and sleep. And there are other countries where it is +winter all the time, and the people dress in furs and make their houses +of snow and ice. I read all about it in a book once, but it didn't tell +why it was so. I knew, of course, the sun had something to do with it." + +"Why, you know, Don," said Frank, "we learned all that in our geography +at school." + +"Yes," said Donald, "but I never thought about that in the geography as +meaning any real country." + +"What did you think it meant?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh," said Donald, "just a lesson in the book." + +"Well," said Frank, "I always thought it was some country, but I never +knew where. I didn't think much about it after I said the lesson." + +"I should think not," said Uncle Robert, not sorry that the teacher had +gone away and the school had been closed. + +"I wish when books tell things they'd tell why they're so," said Frank. + +"Perhaps if we think about these things," said Uncle Robert, "we may be +able to answer some of the 'whys' for ourselves." + +"We can tell by the thermometer just how warm it is every day," said +Susie, "but it won't tell us why." + +"The shadow stick may help us there," said Uncle Robert. + +"I am afraid I shall forget," said Donald. + +"I have some little notebooks in my trunk," said Uncle Robert. "Suppose +I give you each one and let you write down what the thermometer and the +shadow stick say every day." + +"What fun that'll be!" cried Susie. "When may we begin?" + +"To-morrow morning, if you like," replied her uncle. "I will get the +books for you now." + +He went away to his room, and soon returned with the notebooks. + +"I'll tell you, uncle," said Frank as he thanked Uncle Robert for his +book, "how would it do for each of us to look at the thermometer at a +different time of the day?" + +"The very thing!" replied Uncle Robert, well pleased. "You are always up +early, Frank, so suppose you look at six in the morning, Susie at twelve +o'clock, and Donald at six in the evening. How will that do? Then we +shall have the record for the whole day." + +"I think it will be such fun!" said Susie. "I wonder if our books will +be very different." + +"What makes you think they will be different?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"It's always hotter at noon than it is at night or in the morning," said +Susie. + +"Do you know," said Uncle Robert, "there are places all over the United +States where such records are kept? They are published, and I am to have +them sent to me every week." + +"I wonder if ours will be like them," said Donald, turning over the +pages of his notebook. + +"Even if they should be different." said Uncle Robert, "they may be just +as true." + +"We'll get up early and start the shadow stick the first thing in the +morning," said Frank, "so as to have it ready by noon." + +"How do you know when it is noon?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"We look at the clock," said Susie. + +"But noon by the clock is not always noon by the sun," replied Uncle +Robert. + +"How can that be?" asked Donald. + +"It is noon somewhere on the globe every minute of the twenty-four +hours," said Uncle Robert. "The sun is always setting and always rising +somewhere." + +The children were puzzled. + +"I don't see how that is," said Donald. + +"Let us see if we can find out," said Uncle Robert. "Frank, you stand at +the east end of the room, Donald at the west, and Susie in the middle. +Now, we'll play that Frank is in New York, Susie here at home in +Illinois, and Donald in Denver. I'll take the lamp and be the sun. You +are shadow sticks, you know. Now watch the shadows, and see when they +point directly north." + +Uncle Robert took the lamp and walked slowly from the east side of the +room. + +"My shadow points north," said Frank as Uncle Robert passed him. + +"Now mine does," said Susie. + +"And mine last of all," said Donald. + +Uncle Robert took out his watch. It was ten minutes past eight. + +"That is Susie's time," he said. "Would it be the same in New York, +Frank?" + +"I think it would be past that," said Frank, "but I don't know how +much." + +"It is ten minutes past nine by the watch in New York," said Uncle +Robert. + +"When would it be that time in Denver?" asked Donald. + +"In an hour by the watch," said Uncle Robert, "but it would not be the +same by the sun." + +"Then the watches don't tell the true time, do they?" said Frank. + +"The sun's shadows give us the true time," said Uncle Robert. "We will +study the shadows, and by and by may learn how the watches and clocks +are regulated. But how do you think people told the time before they had +clocks?" + +"It must have been by the sun," replied Frank. + +"I can tell by the sun when it is noon," said Donald, "but I don't see +how any one can tell any other hour that way." + +"How do you know when it is noon?" + +"Why, the sun is highest at noon." said Donald. "and the shadows point +straight toward the north." + +"Early in the morning they point to the west," said Frank, "and in the +evening they point to the east." + +"The people who lived in the world many hundred years ago observed the +same thing," said Uncle Robert. "There was nothing so strange to them as +the rising and setting of the sun. They loved the light that came with +it. They feared the darkness that followed its going away. They told +many interesting stories to explain this continued appearance and +disappearance. Some thought the sun was a king riding through the sky in +a golden chariot. Others looked upon it as a god and worshiped it. + +"They soon learned that when it went away it was sure to come again, and +as they saw how regularly it moved, they felt there must be some power +back of it to guide it. Through this they were led to a belief in a Being +that controlled all things. + +"They watched the shadows, too, and saw them change just as you see them +every day. They learned that the shadow is shortest when the day is half +gone, and they called that time midday. So, by studying the length and +direction of the shadows, they soon became able to judge the time of +day. + +"Then some one thought to set up a rod and mark the places where the +shadow fell at sunrise, at sunset, and at midday. The space in between +was divided for the hours. This was called a sun dial and was the first +instrument ever made for telling time." + +"When was the first one made?" asked Frank. + +"That is not known," replied Uncle Robert, "but we read in the Bible of +the sun dial of King Ahaz, who lived about eight hundred years before +the time of Christ. That is the first record we have of one." + +"How was it made?" asked Donald. + +"I do not know how the one King Ahaz used was made," said Uncle Robert, +"but I can show you how one looked that I saw in an old garden in +England. This," drawing a half circle, "is the dial on which +the hours were marked. Around this dial there was a border, much +cracked, and crumbling away, but I could read the words, 'The sun guides +me, the shadow you.' The rod, or gnomon, as it is sometimes called, +stood just halfway between the ends. Where would the noon shadow fall, +Susie?" + +[Illustration] + +"In the middle, wouldn't it?" answered Susie. + +"And the morning shadow would fall on the west and the evening shadow on +the east side," said Frank. + +"Now we'll put in the shadow stick," said Uncle Robert, drawing a +triangle on the paper. + +"Why don't you make it stand up straight?" asked Donald. + +"The shadow does not tell the truth," said Uncle Robert, "unless it +points in the same way that the north pole does, and that, we know, +points to the north star. I will explain this some other time." + +"Couldn't we make a sun dial?" asked Donald. "I don't believe it would +be very hard." + +"You could make one easily," answered Uncle Robert. + +"But let's have the shadow stick first," said Frank. + +Susie went to the window and looked out at the clear star-lighted sky. + +"Uncle," she said, "the stars all look alike to me, only some are little +and some are big. How can people know them by their names?" + +"Just as anything else is known, dear," replied Uncle Robert, "by close +and careful study." + +"I wish we could study the stars," said Frank. + +"We will some time," replied Uncle Robert. "Come out on the piazza now, +and I will show you the north star. That will be a good beginning." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE BAROMETER. + + +One day when it was Donald's turn to go for the mail he found among +Uncle Robert's letters a small paper. On the wrapper he read "United +States Weather Report." + +It had come. There was already quite a line of figures in each of their +notebooks. Now they could see what this other record was like. As he +left the post office he stopped to look at the old thermometer beside +the door. Then he mounted Nell and rode down the village street and out +into the pleasant country road. + +Uncle Robert was waiting for him on the porch, and as Donald rode away +to the barn, after giving him the mail, he heard him say: + +"Here, Frank, is the Weather Report. Open it and look at it while I read +my letters." + +Donald took off the saddle and gave the horse her supper. Then he +hurried back to see what Frank had found on the inside of the +important-looking wrapper. It proved to be a map with queer, crooked +lines all over it, but it did not look at all interesting. + +"Here it says temperature," said Frank, pointing to a list of figures in +the corner. "Perhaps this is what we want." + +"I don't see any numbers there like mine," said Donald, taking his +notebook from his pocket. + +"Let me help you," said Uncle Robert, laying aside his letters and +coming to where they sat on the steps. + +They made room for him, and, as he took the map, he explained: + +"This, you see, is a map of the United States. These dotted lines tell +about the temperature. For instance, look at this one which is marked +fifty degrees. At every place in the country that is touched by this +line on the map the thermometer stood at fifty degrees at the time the +map was made." + +[Illustration: United States weather map.] + +"See," said Susie, "how crooked the line is. Why isn't it straight, +uncle?" + +"Because," was the reply, "as I told you, it goes wherever the +temperature was fifty degrees. You remember, the first day we had our +thermometer, we found that there are many things which affect the +temperature. At some places along this line there are prairies, at +others forests, at others lakes, and here," pointing to the map, "there +are high mountains. All of these things affect the temperature, and that, +of course, changes the direction of the line." + +"You say Chicago is the nearest station to us, uncle," said Frank, +looking down the temperature column. "My record for that day is not so +very different from the one given here for Chicago." + +"Which shows that yours is probably as nearly correct as this is," said +Uncle Robert, with an encouraging smile. + +"But I haven't one number in my book like that," said Susie, looking +disappointed. "I don't see why." + +[Illustration: Susie's notebook] + +"I do," replied Uncle Robert. "You make your record at noon, and of +course, it is warmer then. That is what your book says, does it not?" + +"Yes," said Susie, "every number in my book is more than that one." + +"That is right," was the reply, "for this record was made at eight +o'clock in the morning, which is nearer Frank's hour than it is yours. +So we would expect his to be nearer like this than yours, wouldn't we?" + +"It isn't like mine either," said Donald. + +"We may have one some time that will be more like yours," said Uncle +Robert, "for these records are made at eight in the evening as well as +in the morning." + +"Uncle," said Frank, looking closely at the map, "here it says 'High,' +and there it says 'Low.' What does that mean?" + +"It means," said Uncle Robert, "that here there is a low barometer, and +there the barometer is high." + +"Barometer," said Donald. "What is a barometer, uncle? Is it like a +thermometer?" + +"Well, not exactly," was the reply. "With the thermometer, you know, we +tell the temperature of the air, and with the barometer we tell how +heavy it is." + +"How heavy the air is!" exclaimed Susie. "How funny! Why, uncle, air +doesn't weigh anything, does it?" + +"More than you think, little girl," said Uncle Robert, smiling. "But +perhaps we can prove whether it does or not. Frank, will you get a pail +of water? Donald, see if you can find a cork some place; and Susie, run +in and get a tumbler." + +When all was ready Uncle Robert asked Frank to fill the pan with water, +and Donald to put the cork into it. + +[Illustration: Experiment No. 1.] + +"There," said Donald, as the cork floated about on the pan of water. + +"But I want the cork on the bottom of the pan," said Uncle Robert, "not +on the top of the water." + +"It won't stay there," declared Donald, pushing it into the water again +and again with his finger. "It is too light. Corks always float." + +"How can we make it go to the bottom?" + +No one could tell. The children looked puzzled. + +"Let us see what this will do," and, taking the glass from Susie's hand, +Uncle Robert turned it over the cork, pressed it down into the water as +far as it would go, and held it there. Looking through the glass, they +could see the cork lying on the bottom of the pan. + +"Why, Uncle Robert!" exclaimed Susie, "what--how--" + +"It's the glass that does it," declared Donald. + +"But the glass doesn't touch the cork," objected his uncle. + +"There's air in the glass," said Frank, who had been looking at it +quietly as the others talked. "That is what presses it down." + +"If it's air," said Donald, "why didn't it go down before the glass was +put over it? There was just as much air about it then, and more, too." + +"Let go of the glass, uncle," said Frank, "and see what it will do." + +Uncle Robert did so, and the glass instantly turned over, while a big +bubble of air escaped through the water. + +"There," said Frank, smiling, "I told you so!" + +"Then air only presses on things when there is something like the glass +to hold it down. Is that so, uncle?" asked Donald. + +"Let us see," was the reply. + +[Illustration: Air Pressure. Experiment No. 2.] + +Filling the glass with water, he placed a piece of paper over it, and +quickly turned it upside down. Not a drop of water fell from the glass. +The paper, now beneath the water, stayed there as though glued. + +"Uncle," said Frank, "is it truly the air that holds the paper on and +keeps the water in the glass? If it presses that way everywhere, why +don't we feel it?" + +"It is because it presses equally in every direction," replied Uncle +Robert. "Put your hand in this pail of water. Do you feel it pressing on +your hand?" + +"No," said Frank. + +"Place it lower in the water. Does it feel any heavier now?" + +"Not at all," answered Frank. + +"But you know that the water is heavy. Lift the pail, Donald." + +"It is heavy," said Donald, setting it down. "I don't see why Frank +didn't feel a little of the weight of it when his hand was under all the +water." + +"It is this way," explained Uncle Robert. "The water pressed on his hand +from below as much as from above, and the same on both sides. When you +lifted it you felt its weight pressing downward only. Now it is just so +with the air. It presses with such equal pressure that we do not realize +its weight. It is only when it presses harder from one direction than +from another that we feel it." + +"That's when the wind blows, isn't it, uncle?" asked Donald. + +"Yes, my boy," was the reply. "You can see how it is out among the trees +now." + +"But, uncle," said Donald, "how can the air be weighed if it presses the +same in all directions? It was only when I lifted the whole pail of +water that I felt how heavy it was. The air can't be weighed if it +presses up just as much as it does down." + +"But if in some way it could be shut off so that it would only press in +one direction?" + +"It might be," answered Donald, "but I don't see how." + +Uncle Robert told Susie to put the glass in the water so that it would +all be below the surface, and, without taking it from the water, to turn +it upside down. She did so, and then began to lift it slowly out of the +water. + +"See," cried Susie, "the water comes with it. The glass is full. Could I +lift it clear out that way?" + +"Try it," said Uncle Robert, smiling. + +But no; when the edge of the glass came out of the water in the pail, +down went the water with a splash. + +"I see how it is," said Frank, who had watched it closely. "There wasn't +any air in the glass to keep the water out, as there was when we turned +it over the cork, so the water stayed in it." + +"But what made it come up out of the pail?" asked Donald. "There wasn't +any air under it to press it up." + +"Would the air pressing on the water around the glass make it do so, +uncle?" asked Frank, placing the glass in the water and raising it as +Susie had done. "It seems as if it might be that." + +"That is what it is," replied his uncle. "The air pressing on the water +in the pail forces it into the glass, where there is nothing to keep it +from rising." + +"If the glass was longer would the water stay in it just the same?" +asked Donald. + +"Yes," was the reply. "If there was no air in the glass it would have to +be very many times as long as this glass is to hold the water that would +rise if it had a chance. But come, let us sit down on the steps again, +and I will tell you about it." + +When they were settled he continued: + +"Over two hundred and fifty years ago there lived a man named Galileo, +who learned a great many wonderful things by studying the stars and +doing just such things as we have been doing. It was he who made the +first thermometer. But there was one question that he could not answer. +He found that in a hollow glass tube, closed at one end, water would +rise thirty-four feet high, but no higher. He could not tell why. A pupil +of his thought he would try the same thing with the heaviest liquid +known----" + +"That was mercury, wasn't it, uncle?" interrupted Donald. + +"Yes; he used mercury, and found that it rose in the tube just thirty +inches. He knew that the mercury was thirteen and six-tenths times as +heavy as the water, so he felt sure that it was the pressure of the air +that made them both rise in the tube, for thirty-four feet is just +thirteen and six-tenths times thirty inches. But they wanted to see if +it was really the air, so they took the tube up on a high mountain." + +"What difference would that make?" asked Susie. + +"Look at the woodpile out there," said her uncle. "Where do you think +the weight of the wood would be the greater? On the ground or halfway to +the top?" + +"On the ground, of course," answered Susie. + +"Well, they found it was the same with the air. As they went up the +mountain the mercury in the tube fell." + +"That showed that the weight on it was less, didn't it, uncle?" said +Frank. "I think that was a very wonderful discovery, don't you?" + +"It was, indeed," replied Uncle Robert, "and that is how the first +barometer was made." + +[Illustration: Barometer.] + +"Is that what a barometer is?" asked Donald. + +"Yes," was the reply, "simply a glass tube about thirty-three or +thirty-four inches long, closed at the top, and filled with mercury. It +is then placed in a small open cup, called the cistern, into which the +mercury flows until the air pressing on it there will let it fall no +farther." + +"Does it always stay at the same height in the tube?" asked Donald. + +"Oh, no," his uncle answered. "Some days the air is heavier than others, +and so presses harder on the mercury." + +"That would make it rise, wouldn't it?" asked Susie. + +"Yes, dear." + +"So, uncle," said Frank, taking up the Weather Report, "where it says +'High' here, it means that the air is heavier than where it says 'Low.' +Is that it?" + +"That's right," replied Uncle Robert; "and when the barometer is low we +know there will be a storm." + +"Well"--and Donald stood up and stretched himself--"I wish I could see a +barometer." + +"You shall," said Uncle Robert "I will send for one. You may carry the +letter to the post office to-morrow when you go for the mail." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A WALK IN THE WOODS. + + +It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The sun had marked its shortest +shadows. They were now pointing toward the northeast. + +The family had returned from the little village church. Dinner was over, +and they had all gone into the cool, shady piazza. Mrs. Leonard and +Susie had settled themselves cozily in one corner and were reading +together. Mr. Leonard was nodding over the pages of his weekly +newspaper. Frank, stretched out on the settee, was absorbed in a new +book, while not far away Donald lay under the spreading branches of a +spruce tree with Barri by his side. Uncle Robert stood gazing at the +green woods, which looked so cool and inviting. + +"'The groves were God's first temples,'" he said to himself, and then, +turning to the others, asked, "Who wants to go for a walk?" + +"I do," said Frank, springing up. "Come on, Don. Don-ald!" he called, +"we're going for a walk." + +"You'd better come with us," said Uncle Robert to Mrs. Leonard. + +"I'll get your hat, mother," cried Susie eagerly, running into the +house. + +"Shall we go to the cornfield?" asked Mr. Leonard, picking up his straw +hat. + +"I think it would be cooler in the woods," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"Oh, yes," said Donald, "let's go up the creek to the pond." + +The country was in the full glory of early summer. Just beyond the rich +green of the great cornfield could be seen the peaceful river. The +yellowing grain on the upland waved gently in the breeze. Under the +wide-spreading oak trees in the pasture the cows were lazily chewing +their cuds. A feeling of quiet pleasure filled the air. + +"I planted all these trees," said Mr. Leonard as they walked under the +maples that grew on either side of the road. "It is wonderful how they +have grown. They were like little sticks when I set them out." + +"The one at the end of the row," said Mrs. Leonard, "was planted the day +Frank was born." + +"It is the largest of them all," said Frank. + +"That's because it was planted first," said Susie. "I have a tree, too, +uncle." + +"So have I," said Donald. "It is the spruce in the front yard." + +"We call them our birthday trees," said Susie. "Mine is the elm by the +corner of the porch." + +"That is a very nice custom," said Uncle Robert. "But the trees grow +faster than you do." + +"They don't have anything to do but grow," said Donald. + +When they reached the bridge they paused to look up and down the creek +valley. Through the trees they caught glimpses of the shining river and +the waving corn. The creek, a little stream, flowed between the two +gentle slopes that formed its valley. + +"There's a gate under this bridge, uncle," said Donald, "to keep the +cows from going down the creek to the cornfield. In the fall, after the +corn is cut, we open it, and let them go to the river." + +"How pleasant it is in here!" said Uncle Robert as they walked farther +into the wood. + +"Just see how damp the ground is under these dead leaves!" said Susie as +she pushed them back from a little violet that she was trying to pick +with a long stem. "Poor little flowers! How do they ever get through all +these leaves? It would be so much easier for them if it was just green +grass." + +[Illustration: The bridge. ] + +"But then there wouldn't be any flowers," said Mr. Leonard, "or at least +they would be very different." + +[Illustration: HICKORY OAK WILLOW BUTTER-NUT MAPLE WALNUT (leaves)] + +"It's the leaves that make the soil so rich," said Frank, digging into +the ground with a stick. "See how they are mixed all through it!" + +"Do you know the names of all these trees?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"I do," said Frank. "I can tell every tree in the wood." + +"How?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"By the leaves is the easiest way," said Frank, "but I know some trees +by the bark." + +"I can tell them by the leaves," said Donald. "Try me." + +So as Uncle Robert pointed to them Donald called them all by name. There +were oaks and maples, hickories, walnuts, and butternuts, and close to +the creek the overhanging willows. + +"Can you tell a tree by its shape when you look at it from a distance?" +asked Uncle Robert. + +"I can tell the willows and poplars," said Frank, "and maples, too." + +"The trees in the pasture have a different shape from those in the +woods," said Uncle Robert. "I mean trees of the same kind. How do you +explain that?" + +"Why, the trees in the pasture have a chance to spread out," said +Donald. "There isn't so much room in here." + +"But these trees are taller," said Frank, "and they are straighter, +too." + +"Can you tell the direction of the winds that blow the strongest and +longest by the shape of the trees?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"I never thought of that," said Frank. + +"The wind doesn't blow in the woods," said Donald. + +"When we get out into the pasture we'll notice the trees there," said +Mr. Leonard. + +"Isn't this a tiny tree?" said Susie. "I wonder what it is." + +"That's an oak," said Frank. "The leaves tell that." + +"Oaks grow from acorns," said Donald. "I'm going to dig this up and see +if it grows like the seeds in the garden." + +"What a long root it has!" said Susie as Donald dug about it. "Don't +take it out, Don. Put the dirt back and let it grow to be a tree." + +[Illustration: Oak sprout.] + +"How long will it be before it gets as big as these trees, uncle?" asked +Frank. + +"A great many years. Perhaps your father can tell about how old some of +these trees are." + +"I have cut some," said Mr. Leonard, "that were about a hundred years +old." + +"Why, father," exclaimed Susie, "how could you tell?" + +"Do you know how the end of a log looks when it is sawed off straight?" + +"I do," said Frank. "There are light and dark rings in it." + +"Well," was the reply, "one of these rings grows every year." + +"So if you count the rings you can tell how old the tree is," said +Donald. "Isn't that great!" + +[Illustration: End of a log.] + +"What time of the year do the trees grow the most?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"In the spring I should think," said Frank. "That's when the sap begins +to run." + +"What is sap?" + +"It must be the water that the trees take up from the ground," said +Frank. + +"We've tapped some maple trees for sap," said Donald. + +"And we could see it run right out of the tree," said Susie. + +"I've told the children how we used to make maple sugar in New England," +said Mrs. Leonard. "Do you remember, Robert, what a quantity of sap it +took to make just a little sugar?" + +"Yes, and I also remember how long I thought it took to boil it down +into the wax I was so fond of." + +"About thirty gallons of sap can be taken from one tree each year," said +Mr. Leonard. + +"But I should think that would hurt the tree," said Frank. + +"No," replied Uncle Robert, "for the hole they make is only about an +inch across. If they were to cut all around the tree, you see, it would +stop the running of the sap and kill the tree." + +"That is called girdling," said Mr. Leonard. "They used to clear off +hundreds of acres of land in that way when this country was first +settled. Instead of cutting down the trees, they girdled them near the +ground. In a very short time they died, because they could get no food +from the earth. The dead trees lost their strength, and a strong wind +would blow them over. Then they were piled up and burned." + +"How do you know when a tree is dying?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"The leaves turn yellow," said Donald. + +"But the leaves turn yellow in the fall," said Frank, "and the trees do +not die." + +"The leaves of my spruce don't turn yellow in the fall," said Donald. +"They stay green all winter." + +"What makes the leaves green?" asked Uncle Robert. + +No one answered. + +"What is the color of the potato sprouts in the cellar?" + +"Yellow," said Susie. + +"When you take up a board that has lain on the grass, what is the color +of the grass?" + +"Yellow," said Donald. + +"Why?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Because they don't get any light," said Frank. + +"You know why we put our plants in the south window in winter?" said +Mrs. Leonard. + +"Oh, yes," said Susie, "because the sun shines in at that window." + +"Warmth and water and air help trees and plants to grow," said Uncle +Robert, "but without sunlight their leaves would be yellow and their +stems and branches weak. The greatest forests on earth are where it is +very hot and moist. The sun is a wonderful artist, and every leaf it +paints makes the tree stronger." + +"But what makes the leaves turn yellow and red just before they fall +off?" asked Frank. "Does the sun paint them then?" + +"That is a question that no one has been able to answer," replied his +uncle. + +"But how can the sap flow up the tree?" said Donald. "I should think it +would run down." + +"It would unless there was something to draw it up," said Uncle Robert. + +"I suppose the sun does that, too," said Frank. + +"Where does it go after it reaches the leaves?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Why, back again," said Susie. + +"No, it doesn't go back--not a drop," laughed Uncle Robert. + +"Does it dry up?" asked Donald. + +"What do you mean by drying up?" + +"It evap-o-rates," said Donald, who liked to use large words. + +"Does it all go into the air?" asked Frank. + +"I want you to answer these questions yourselves, children. What do you +see on the corn leaves in the early morning?" + +"Drops of water; but that is dew, isn't it?" asked Frank. + +Uncle Robert had a way of stopping or changing the subject when he had +asked certain questions. He knew that the children would think of them +again and try to answer them. + +"Let's sit down on this log," said Susie. "I want to fix my flowers." + +As they sat there squirrels ran up the trunks of the trees and laughed +at them from the branches. + +"That is a good shot," said Frank, pointing to a large fox squirrel. +"But he knows we won't kill him, and that's the reason he shows +himself." + +"Is it right to shoot the pretty squirrels, Uncle Robert?" asked Susie. + +"I thought so when I was a boy. I shot a great many of them then. It was +fun for me, and I felt very proud when I brought home half a dozen +grays. + +"Once I went home from the city for a summer's rest. I took my gun for a +stroll in the oak woods where I had shot so many squirrels. I put my gun +against a tree and lay down upon the leaves. Soon I was fast asleep. I +dreamed of a group of merry, laughing children running, scampering, +playing." + +[Illustration: The squirrel] + +"Then my dream became real--not children, but the gray coats, five or +six of them, close to me, were running up the trees, jumping from limb +to limb, scampering over the ground, chasing each other, laughing as +squirrels laugh, and screaming as squirrels scream. I watched the happy +playmates, brim full of fun. I have never shot a squirrel since." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE BIRDS AND THE FLOWERS + + +The little family party strolled on through the beautiful woods, +following the windings of the creek that was now a tiny stream. + +[Illustration: The creek in the woods] + +Here and there were little holes hollowed out by the spring floods. +Miniature falls gurgled over dead leaves. Graceful ferns fringed +the creek's banks. Mosses covered the bowlders. + +Through the foliage danced the rays of the bright sun, casting wavering +shadows over the leaf-covered ground. + +"Here is the pond!" cried Susie. + +But the pond that formed the reservoir of the creek was now nearly +drained, and in place of water there was a swamp filled with reeds, +rushes, and grasses. A small clear pool remained in the center. + +[Illustration: Blackbirds.] + +On the tall reeds swaying to and fro piped a family of blackbirds, +busily chattering to each other. Overhead in the cloudless sky floated a +huge hawk. + +"In the spring this ground is all covered with water; it makes quite a +large lake," said Mr. Leonard. + +"You thought of draining off the water and turning the pond into a +cornfield, didn't you, father?" asked Mrs. Leonard. + +"Yes," said Mr. Leonard; "by digging a ditch or making the channel +deeper at the outlet, this would become dry land the year around. The +soil is deep and rich-better even than the bottom land." + +"That would spoil the creek, wouldn't it, father?" asked Frank. + +"Yes, it would run in the spring only," said Mr. Leonard. + +"Where would the cattle drink in the summer?" asked Donald. + +"That's the difficulty. The swamp holds enough to keep the cattle in +water all summer." + +"Would the corn more than pay for the loss of the water?" asked Frank. + +"Yes, I think so," answered his father. + +"But it would spoil my beautiful creek," said Susie. "Don't do that." + +"If this swamp were in New England," said Uncle Robert, "the farmers +would dig out this rich mud for their poor land." + +"Oh," cried Susie, "the blue flags are almost in bloom!" + +"There is one all blossomed out," said Donald. "I'll get it." + +The boys took an old log and threw it across the wet place, and Donald, +balancing himself carefully, went out and picked the blooming flag with +its buds. + +"Thank you, Donald," said Susie, as he handed her the pretty flowers. +"I'll put the buds in water and they will open." + +[Illustration: Blue Flag.] + +"Do you know the names of all the flowers in your bouquet?" asked Uncle +Robert. + +"Every one of them," said Susie. "This is phlox. There is ever so much +of it in the woods now. And this is a trillium. Isn't it big and white? +Here is another, only it is red." + +"We used to call the red ones 'wake-robin' in New England," said Uncle +Robert. "I thought they came earlier than the white ones." + +"They do," said Susie. "They've been here a long time." + +"The violets are just as pretty as when I came, aren't they?" said Uncle +Robert. "Do they stay all summer?" + +"Not quite," replied Susie. "But they stay a long time in the woods." + +"What is this?" asked Uncle Robert, pointing to a pale-pink flower on a +hairy stem, surrounded by rough green leaves. + +"That's a wild geranium," said Susie; "but do you think it looks-much +like a geranium? I don't." + +"No, but here is a seed pod," said Uncle Robert. "It looks like the seed +of the geranium that grows in the garden. Perhaps that is what gave it +the name." + +[Illustration: Wild geranium.] + +"I have a flower that you haven't, Susie," said Mrs. Leonard, holding it +up for them to see. + +"Oh," cried Susie, "a yellow lady's slipper! I didn't know they were out +yet. Where did you find it?" + +"I picked it on the bank near the creek while you were talking about the +trees," replied her mother. + +"I wish I could find a pink one," said Susie, looking around. + +"Isn't it too early for them?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"They come about the same time as the yellow ones," said Donald, "but we +don't find very many of them." + +"I like the Indian name for that flower," said Mr. Leonard. + +"Do you mean moccasin flower, father?" asked Frank. "I like that too." + +[Illustration: Yellow lady's slipper.] + +"Why don't we call it that?" asked Donald. + +"Lady's slipper is easier to remember," said Susie. + +"Here are some bluebells, Susie," said Frank, holding up a handful of +the dainty, graceful blossoms. "Give some to mother, and you may have +the rest." + +"How many blue flowers we have!" said Susie. "There aren't any red ones +excepting the red trillium, and that's so dark it isn't really red." + +"It's more purple than red," said Donald. + +"This isn't the time of the year for red flowers," said Mrs. Leonard. +"They come later in the summer and in the fall." + +"I wonder why there are no red ones in the spring," said Susie. + +"I saw painted cups along the edge of the timothy meadow yesterday," +said Donald. + +[Illustration: Moccasin flower.] + +"Oh, did you, Don? Were they truly red, or just yellow?" + +"No, they were in bloom. They were red." + +"Let's go home that way," said Susie, "and get some." + +"I wish all the people in New York could know how restful these woods +are," said Uncle Robert, breathing a long breath of the sweet, pure air. + +"It always seems to me more quiet in the woods on Sunday than on any +other day," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"Do the birds know when it is Sunday?" asked Susie. + +"If they do," said Uncle Robert, "those blue jays must have forgotten." + +"Just hear how they scream!" said Frank. + +"They must be up to their usual trick," said Mr. Leonard, "of tormenting +some other bird." + +"Listen!" said Donald. "It's a sparrow hawk they're after. That's the +sparrow hawk's cry, but it's a blue jay that made it. They always mimic +them when they chase them. I've watched them lots of times." + +[Illustration: Blue jay.] + +"I wish we could see them now!" said Frank. "The hawk will turn on them +soon. Then they'll change their tune." + +"They are having a good time shouting and screaming to each other," said +Susie. "What a horrid noise they make!" + +"They scare away the other birds," said Donald. + +"How many birds do you know?" asked Uncle Robert. + +[Illustration: Robin.] + +"I know all the birds that come around the house and the barn," said +Donald. "There are the robins, sparrows, pewees, wrens, swallows, and +martins. Then there are the birds in the fields--the larks and the +crows. The names of some of the little birds in the woods I do not +know." + +"You have left out the woodpeckers," said Frank, "and the thrushes and +catbirds." + +"And the cherry birds, that look like canaries," said Susie. + +"Get up early in the morning, just as the sun is rising, and you will +hear a chorus," said Mrs. Leonard. "It is a regular morning praise +meeting." + +[Illustration: Woodpecker.] "The oriole, or golden robin, is the +handsomest bird of all," said Donald. + +"A great many birds come in the spring which stay only a few days," said +Frank. + +"Where do they come from, and where do they go?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"They come from the south, I suppose, where it is warmer. I wonder how +they know when it is time to start," said Frank. + +"And which way to go," added Donald. + +"And how they decide where to stop and build their nests," said Mrs. +Leonard. + +[Illustration: Oriole.] + +"Very interesting questions, but no one has answered them yet," said +Uncle Robert. "Migrating birds are all found in the south in winter, and +we see them in the spring." + +"What do you mean by mi-grat-ing birds?" asked Susie. + +"Birds that fly from one part of the country to another," said Uncle +Robert. + +"The bluebird is the first to come," said Donald. + +"A patch of blue sky," said Uncle Robert. + +"You forget the geese that screech over our heads in the early +spring," said Frank. "They fly in flocks shaped like an arrow." + +[Illustration: Bluebird.] + +"The 'bobwhite' is the funniest little bird. One comes right up to my +garden fence. It is a shame to shoot them!" said Susie. + +"It is a shame to kill any bird unless you need it for food. Every time +a bird is killed the farmer loses one of his best helpers. The birds +work for the farmer from morning to night." + +"Oh, now you are making fun, Uncle Robert," said Susie. "The birds don't +work at all. They just fly around and have a good time." + +"The crows don't work for the farmer when they pull up his corn," said +Frank. + +"Nor the hawks when they steal his chickens," added Mr. Leonard. + +"The cherry birds steal the cherries, and the sparrows eat the +strawberries," said Susie. + +"You would soon find out how much the birds do if they should all fly +away," said Uncle Robert. + +[Illustration: Crow. ] + +"The cankerworms would eat the leaves of the +apple and other trees, and insects of all kinds would destroy the crops. +The crow taxes the corn in payment for all the good he does. The hawks +eat a thousand mice to one chicken--in fact, very few hawks eat +chickens, anyway. The cherry birds and sparrows should be allowed a +little toll for all the fruit they save. I want you to read a charming +book called The Great World's Farm. The author calls birds 'Nature's +militia.' The morning song of the birds means 'We are going to help the +farmer to-day.'" + +"That's true," said Mr. Leonard. "The farmers are just learning what a +help the birds are to them. We have found that they eat the grubs, the +worms, and the bugs before they eat everything else." + +"Would there be very many more worms than there are now," asked Susie, +"if the birds should go away?" + +"You don't remember, do you, Susie," said her mother, "how many +caterpillars there were in the village the year they tried to drive the +sparrows away?" + +"I do," said Donald. "Wasn't it dreadful? Why, Uncle Robert, the leaves +were all eaten off the trees, and you could hardly take a step without +squashing a caterpillar." + +"Ugh!" said Susie with a shudder. "I'm glad I was too little to remember +it." + +"But the strange part of it was," said Frank, "that out here we hardly +saw a caterpillar all summer." + +"And our trees were never more beautiful," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"Perhaps the village sparrows came to visit you," said Uncle Robert. + +"They must have," said Donald. "The woods were full of them." + +"I have read," said Uncle Robert, "that some small birds eat every day +as much as their own weight in worms and insects." + +"Oh, my!" said Susie. "I wonder how many worms that would be." + +"The appetite of the small bird," said Mr. Leonard, looking at Donald +with a smile, "must be something like that of a small boy." + +They had now left the woods and were going toward the timothy meadow to +get the painted cups. Donald was right. One corner of the meadow was +bright with the vivid red patches. + +The sun was setting when they reached home. As they passed the woodpile +in the back yard Donald said: + +"I wonder how old that wood is! I'm going to see if I can count the +rings." + +"Show them to me, Donald," said Susie. "I never saw them." + +Just then the clear, rich song of a bird rang out from the top of a tree +on the edge of the woods. + +"Hark!" said Mr. Leonard. "That is the thrush." + +They listened until the song was ended. + +"What a lovely walk we have had!" said Susie. "I'm not a bit tired. Are +you, mother?" + +"Well, a little," said Mrs. Leonard, "but we never had a more delightful +afternoon. Thank you, dear," as Frank brought an easy-chair from the +house to the porch for her. "Now I shall be rested in a few minutes." + +"Let me put your flowers in water with mine, mother," said Susie. + +"Tell Jane to bring our supper out here," said Mrs. Leonard. "It is too +pleasant to go in the house." + +"And tell her to be quick about it," said Donald. "I'm starving!" + +"As hungry as a sparrow," said Uncle Robert, smiling. + +While they were eating, the twilight came on. + +"Listen!" whispered Frank, as a queer, clucking sound was heard among +the bushes. Then came the cry: + +"Whip-poor-will! whip-poor-will!" + +"I wish I could see a whip-poor-will," said Donald. "They never let me +get near enough to them to see how they look." + +"Let's try this one," said Frank. "It's very near." + +On tiptoe they slipped off the porch, but the shy bird heard them and +flew away. Soon they heard it again: + +"Whip-poor-will! whip-poor-will!" + +And another one answered from the edge of the cornfield: + +"Whip-poor-will! whip-poor-will!" + +[Illustration: Whip-poor-will. ] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE THUNDERSHOWER. + + +It had been growing warmer all day. When Susie looked at the thermometer +at noon she wrote "82 degrees" in her little book. As they sat around +the dinner table Uncle Robert asked: + +"Do you find it hot in the meadow to-day?" "Rather warm," replied Mr. +Leonard, "but it is fine haying weather. By night we shall have the hay +in off that twenty acres, and it will be the finest crop of timothy I +have had in years." + +The haying had begun four days before. For a week Mr. Leonard had +visited the field of timothy daily, and when he found the long heads of +the graceful grass in full bloom he said: + +"It is ready. We must begin to-morrow." + +So the next morning the horses were hitched to the mowing machine, and +Peter drove out to the meadow. The plumy heads of the tall timothy +swayed on their slender stalks as they bowed before the breeze that +swept over the meadow, making it look in the sunshine like the rippling +surface of a quiet lake. + +[Illustration: Mowing the meadow.] + +It seemed a pity to cut it down, but Peter thought only of the fine hay +it would make, as he drove around the meadow again and again, each time +coming nearer the center. + +No sound broke the stillness but the "click, click" of the sharp knives, +at the touch of which the tall grass quivered a moment and then fell. + +In the afternoon Donald rode the rake, to which one of the horses, +strong and steady, was hitched. The horse knew his business. He needed +no direction from Donald as up and down the meadow he went, with slow +and even steps. + +Donald sat on the small round seat, his hand grasping the lever by which +he raised and lowered the long curved teeth of the rake that gathered up +the hay and dropped it in long rows called windrows. + +Mr. Leonard and Frank followed with their pitchforks, and piled the +windrows into big round cocks. The sun shone hot and clear. A strong, +dry south wind was blowing, and the air was filled with the sweet smell +of the newly mown hay. + +The second day Mr. Leonard rode the machine while Peter and Frank opened +the hay that had been cocked the day before, so that it would be nicely +dried. By noon it was all cut. + +The next day they raked it up for the last time and began to stow it +away in the big haymows in the barn, where the very smell of it would +make the horses hungry. + +"Susie and I are coming out to help this afternoon," said Uncle Robert, +as, after a short rest in the cool porch, the haymakers, started for the +meadow again. + +"We'll take all the help we can get," replied Mr. Leonard. + +"I am afraid it is going to rain," said Uncle Robert, as he started a +little later with Susie for the hayfield. "The barometer has fallen +since morning." + +"But, uncle," said Susie, "I don't see any clouds." + +[Illustration: Raking and cocking hay.] + +"Watch, and you'll see them before long," returned Uncle Robert. "What +is that in the west now?" + +"It looks like the beginning of a cloud," said Susie. + +Mr. Leonard, Peter, and Frank were loading the hay into a big wagon, +while Donald raked after them. + +"There's a shower coming," said Uncle Robert, pointing toward the west. + +All paused and looked at the bank of clouds just coming into sight along +the western horizon. + +The air was still and sultry. Great beads of perspiration rolled down +the faces of the haymakers. + +"It's going to rain, sure," shouted Mr. Leonard, "and we must hurry or +this fine hay will be spoiled. Harness up the horses to the other +hayrack, Frank and Donald--be quick!" + +The boys did not need urging. They felt the need, and ran to the barn. + +"Bring some extra pitchforks!" shouted their father after them. + +Uncle Robert pulled off his coat, and the spirit of his boyhood days +came back. + +Susie seized a rake and began to gather the scattered hay and pile it on +the cocks. + +The fresh span of horses galloped into the field. Frank brought them to +a stand between two long rows of haycocks. + +How they all worked! The very horses seemed to understand. They started +with a jump to each new cock, and stood perfectly still as one after the +other was added to their load. + +"It is coming!" shouted Peter, swinging his fork to spread the great +bundles of hay which came flying up to him. + +The clouds looked like mountains with snowy peaks as they rose rapidly +in the southwest. The mass moved under the sun and the bright silver +color changed to blackness. Lightning flashes followed one another +quickly. The low rumbling of thunder stirred the still air. + +"It is coming!" cried Donald, as he took the reins to move to another +cock. "G'long!" + +All was hurry and excitement. Mrs. Leonard and Jane appeared on the +scene with rakes in hand. Barri bounded from horse to horse as if that +was some help. + +Suddenly it grew darker. The leaves began to quiver. A curious light +crept over the fields. + +"There is the wind," shouted Frank. "The rain will be here in a minute." + +Clouds completely covered the sky. Black forms seemed to dart out of +their heavy masses. + +"There's a drop," cried Susie. + +Then what a wind! Straw hats were whirled away, but there was no time to +run after them. + +"Pile up the hay!" + +The great loads staggered. + +"Drive for the barn!" shouted Mr. Leonard. "Some of it must spoil, I +suppose. We have done our best." + +The horses moved off on the run, Frank's team ahead. + +A roll and a crash of thunder followed a zigzag flash. + +The hay was under cover, and the rain poured down. + +[Illustration: The coming storm.] + +They reached the porch just as it began to fall thick and fast. A moment +more and it came down in floods, while at the same time the darkness +passed away. + +"How cool it is growing!" said Mrs. Leonard. + +"It is twelve degrees cooler than it was at noon," said Donald, looking +at the thermometer. "See, the wind has changed. It is from the northeast +now." + +Frank went into the dining-room, and when he came back he said, "The +barometer has risen two-tenths of an inch since we looked at it last." + +It seemed to rain harder than ever. The water was driven in sheets +before the strong northeast wind. A stream began to run down the garden +path. A vivid flash of lightning was followed quickly by a loud crash of +thunder. + +"That struck somewhere near," said Frank. + +"I believe it was over in the wood," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"See," said Uncle Robert in a few moments, pointing to a line of light +in the western sky, "it is clearing already. The shower will soon be +over." + +The light in the west grew rapidly. The lightning became less frequent. +The thunder rolled farther and farther away. The rain fell less and less +heavily. The weather vane that had pointed to the northeast began to +waver, and then turned toward the southwest again. It rained steadily +but more gently as the clouds rolled away eastward. + +And then the sun, lower now by two hours than when it was first hidden +by the cloud, shone out clear and bright. Instantly everything glistened +as with millions of diamonds. Even the air seemed to be filled with them, +as though each raindrop was turned into a jewel as it fell. + +Uncle Robert went to the front of the house and looked toward the dark +cloud that was now piled up in the eastern sky. + +"Come and see the rainbow!" he called. + +As they looked at the bright and perfect arch that lay against the dark +mass of clouds, Susie asked, "What makes rainbows, uncle?" + +"It is the sun shining on the rain," replied Uncle Robert "This +beautiful sunlight is made up of many, many rays. These rays fly from +the sun as straight as arrows from a bow, unless something comes in +their way to stop them. It seems as though such sharp little arrows of +light would go right through raindrops. But they don't. They glance off +the little round balls of water and bound up again like rubber balls. + +"Now you know if you throw a ball straight down at your feet it bounds +back into your hands. If you throw it from you, when it strikes the +ground it bounds farther away. It is just so with these little arrows of +light that we call rays. If the sun is high, as it is at noon, the rays +are thrown back to it again. That is why we never have rainbows at noon. +But when the sun is low, as it is now, instead of going back to the +place they came from, they bound up against that cloud, and so make the +wonderful rainbow." + +"But, uncle," asked Donald, "why do we see so many colors in the +rainbow? They are not in the sunlight." + +"Oh, yes, they are," was the answer. "These rays of light are of the +same colors that we see in the rainbow. It takes all of them mixed +together to make the clear white light which we call sunlight, and +without which nothing could live or grow. + +"As the raindrops throw them up against that cloud, they are separated +again, because some colors are more easily bent than others. The red, +you see, is the highest and the violet the lowest in the bow. The +raindrops make a prism. You have seen a prism. But through the prism the +colors are turned the other way; the red is lowest and the violet +highest." + +"How fast the rainbow is fading away!" said Susie. "I wish it would +stay." + +"The rain is over," announced Donald, leaving them and walking out +toward the garden. "The sky is quite clear." + +"It is getting warm again," said Frank, looking at the thermometer, "but +it does not feel hot as it did before the rain." + +"The barometer is just where it was this morning," said Susie, coming +from the dining-room. + +"It is drying off very fast," said Uncle Robert. "Let us walk out and +see how the garden stood its drenching." + +"Put on your rubbers, Susie," called Mrs. Leonard from the house. + +As they crossed the yard they passed a pan in the bottom of which the +water stood an inch or more deep. + +"That shows how much rain fell," said Uncle Robert, pointing to the pan. + +"Do you mean if it had stayed on the ground where it fell it would have +been that deep all over?" asked Susie. "Would that have been very much?" + +"I think it would," was the smiling reply. "You might try to find out +how much fell on the garden alone if it was an inch deep all over." + +Susie shook her head. + +"I don't know how," she said. + +"Uncle," said Frank, "in the weather reports they always tell how much +rain falls, even if it is only a small part of an inch. How can they +tell when it is so little?" + +"They have what is called a rain gauge, by which a very small amount of +rainfall can be measured. By the way, we might have a rain-gauge of our +own. It would be easy to make one with the help of a tinsmith. Is there +a tinsmith in the village?" + +"Yes," answered Frank, "but I don't believe he has much to do." + +"So much the better for us," laughed Uncle Robert. "Susie, while these +other people are busy tomorrow, shall we drive to the village and see if +we can get the tinsmith to help us make a rain-gauge? I have a little +book somewhere that tells just how it should be done." + +Susie was delighted at the thought of such a day with Uncle Robert, and +the boys were so interested in the prospect of having a rain-gauge of +their own that they could hardly wait for to-morrow to come. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE VILLAGE. + + +The next morning Frank harnessed Nell for Uncle Robert and Susie to +drive into the village to see the tinsmith. + +It was a delightful ride through the woods and the fields washed clean +by the rain. The birds were singing gayly. The air was fresh and clear. +Long shadows lay along the road. + +The tinsmith was sitting by his open door, tilted back in an old wooden +chair. As Nell stopped, he brought his chair down on its four legs and +said: + +"Good morning." + +Uncle Robert lifted Susie out of the wagon and hitched Nell to a post. +The tinsmith rose to his feet, smiling to Susie, who said: + +"This is my Uncle Robert, Mr. Mills. We've come to have a rain-gauge +made." + +"Good morning," said Uncle Robert, turning to Mr. Mills, who looked as +if he thought rain gauges were not exactly in his line. "Can you spare +us a little time this morning? Susie must have her rain-gauge before the +next shower." + +"Come right in," said Mr. Mills, "and tell me what your rain-gauge looks +like. I never heard of such a thing." + +With Uncle Robert's careful direction he soon understood what they +wanted. They saw him well started in the work, and then Uncle Robert +said: + +"Come, Susie, let's go to the post office.--How long before the +rain-gauge will be finished?" he asked of Mr. Mills. "Shall we have time +to get dinner?" + +"I think I can have it ready by two o'clock," answered Mr. Mills. + +"Then we'll take Nell to the hotel," said Uncle Robert. + +They drove slowly under the big cottonwood trees which shaded the +street. + +"Isn't it nice that it takes such a long time to make a rain-gauge?" +said Susie. "Here we are at the hotel now, Uncle Robert. It's such a +little way." + +From the hotel they strolled to the store, the center of life and +interest in the village. + +[Illustration: The village street.] + +One corner of the store was taken up by the post office. Back from that +ran long lines of shelves which reached to the ceiling. Beneath them +were bins for flour and sugar. On the lower shelves were canisters of +tea, coffee, and spices, and glass candy jars, which looked very inviting +to Susie. Some were filled with gay-striped sticks. There were also jars +of peppermint lozenges, star--and heart-shaped, with pink mottoes on +their white faces. + +On the upper shelves were rows upon rows of cans covered with gay +pictures of fruits and vegetables. + +Opposite the groceries were long shelves of dry goods. A glass case at +one end of the counter was filled with bright-colored ribbons. + +In the darkness at the back of the store stood the barrels of vinegar, +molasses, and kerosene oil. Above them hung rows of well-cured hams and +sides of bacon. Near the barrels stood an old rusty stove which bore the +marks of long use. + +Uncle Robert asked for the mail. Susie looked longingly at the glass +jars upon the shelf, trusting that Uncle Robert would understand her +even if she didn't say anything. + +"We must have some candy," he said. "Tell Mr. Jenkins what you would +like, Susie, while I look at my letters." + +Susie carefully picked out three sticks of peppermint, three sticks of +lemon, and three of cinnamon. + +"If you please, I'd like some of the mottoes, too." + +Mr. Jenkins handed down the jar, spread out a clean sheet of wrapping +paper, and turned out the candies. + +Susie selected a dozen hearts, rounds, and stars, with different +mottoes, and then wondered if she ought to have lemon drops, too. + +"Do you think I have enough, uncle?" she asked. + +Uncle Robert knew pretty well what little girls like. + +"No, Susie," he said, "you have forgotten the lemon drops, and, let me +see, nut candy--we must carry home enough for mother and the boys." + +Just then a little girl in a pink sunbonnet, carrying an oil can in her +hand, came through the open door. + +"How d' do, Susie," she said, with a shy glance at Uncle Robert. + +"How d' do," said Susie. "Have some of my candy, Jennie?" holding it out +to her. "Uncle Robert bought it for me. There he is," in a loud whisper. + +"Good morning, Jennie," said Uncle Robert, putting his letters in his +pocket. "You haven't been out to see Susie since I have been here." + +"It's Jennie's mother who had the nasturtiums last year," said Susie. +"Have you any now Jennie?" + +"Yes, but they don't grow well this year," answered Jennie. + +"Perhaps you need new seeds," said Uncle Robert. "They are apt to do +better if they are raised on different soil." + +"I have some nasturtiums this year, Jennie," said Susie. "They are just +beginning to blossom. I'll save you some seed if you want me to." + +"Come out some day and see Susie's flowers, Jennie," said Uncle Robert +kindly, as they left the store. + +"Good-by, Jennie," said Susie. + +"Time for dinner," said Uncle Robert. "I'm hungry." + +Susie's eyes danced. + +They went into the dining-room and sat down at the long table. Through +the window they could see the hotel garden from which the flowers on the +table had been gathered. + +"What shall we do now?" asked Uncle Robert as, after dinner, they stood +upon the porch, looking up and down the street. + +No sound was heard but the sleepy noonday song of the grasshopper and +the occasional rattle of a wagon going down to the store. + +"Let's go to the mill," said Susie. + +"The mill wasn't running when we passed there this morning," said Uncle +Robert. "Suppose we wait until some time when the boys are with us. Then +we can go all through it, and see just how wheat is changed into flour." + +"Oh, yes," said Susie, "that will be the nicest." + +"We might go to the station and see the train come in," suggested Uncle +Robert, looking at his watch. + +"Oh, that's fun! Come on, uncle," cried Susie, running down the steps. +"See, they are all going down now!" + +"All right," said Uncle Robert, "but don't hurry; there's plenty of +time." + +As they looked down the track they could see the steel rails gleaming in +the hot sunshine. The two shining lines stretched away until they seemed +to meet in the distance. + +In the other direction a faint line of smoke appeared over the trees. It +grew more and more distinct, until at last an engine rounded the curve +and came puffing heavily up the track, pulling a long line of cars +behind it. + +"That's a freight train," said Uncle Robert. + +"It stops here to let the passenger go by," said the station master, who +stood near. "Expecting some one to-day, sir? The train isn't due for ten +minutes." + +"Not to-day," replied Uncle Robert. "Do many trains stop here?" + +"Not many," said the station master as he hurried away to the switch. + +[Illustration: A freight train.] + +The great engine, drawing its heavy load after it, turned into the side +track. When the small caboose at the end had passed the switch a man, +who was running upon the tops of the cars, waved his arms and the long +line stood still. + +"The engine breathes hard--just like Barri after a long run," said +Susie. "I wonder what is in all these cars, uncle." + +"Here is one marked 'Furniture,' from a large factory in Grand Rapids," +said Uncle Robert, reading the white card that was tacked on the side. +"It is going to a town in Nebraska." + +"What funny cars these open ones are!" said Susie; "the ones with the +shelves in. What are they for? They're empty, too. I shouldn't think +they'd want to drag empty cars about." + +"These are the cars poultry is shipped in," explained Uncle Robert. +"Perhaps they have been to Chicago with chickens for the market, and are +on the way back to the place they came from for more." + +"How many of these big yellow cars there are!" said Susie. "They all +have re-frig-re-frig--" + +"Refrigerator," prompted Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, I know what a refrigerator is," said Susie. "It's an ice box. Are +these cars ice boxes, uncle?" + +"Yes; the great packing houses at the stock yards in Chicago ship beef +all over the country in them. The fruit from California comes in +refrigerator cars, too." + +"There's the train!" cried Susie, "and here comes Mr. Jenkins with the +mail." + +The train came rushing on. Susie thought it was not going to stop. But +suddenly it slowed up. The conductor leaped upon the platform. The train +stood still. Heads were thrust out of the windows. A few passengers +alighted. Brakemen ran along the platform. + +"All aboard!" shouted the conductor, waving his hand to the engineer, +who was leaning out of the cab window watching for the signal. + +"Ding-dong, ding-dong, puff, puff, toot, toot," and the train was off. + +"Now we'll go and see if there is any mail for us," said Uncle Robert. +"Then we'll go to the tinsmith's." + +[Illustration: Rain-gauge.] + +The rain-gauge was just finished. So Susie waited in the shop while +Uncle Robert went to the stable for Nell, who pricked up her ears when +she saw him. She was beginning to think she had been forgotten. + +It was late in the afternoon when they reached home. Mrs. Leonard and +the boys were looking for them when they drove in at the gate. + +It took some time to choose just the right place for the rain-gauge, but +at last they decided upon a little rise of ground that lay between the +house and the orchard. + +There was first the funnel-shaped receiver, one and one-half inches deep +and eight inches in diameter. Below this was a tube two and five-tenths +inches in diameter and twenty inches long. At the top of this tube, +close to the receiver, there was a small hole. + +"What is that hole for?" asked Donald. + +"So if it rains more than enough to fill this tube," explained Susie, +who knew all about it, "it can run out of the hole." + +"Then it will be lost," said Donald. + +"No," replied Uncle Robert, "it is to be set inside of this cylinder, +which is twenty-three and one-half inches long, but only six inches in +diameter, and so is smaller than the top of the receiver. + +"The water that runs from that hole falls into this. By measuring it in +the small tube, and adding it to what the tube held before, we can know +how much there is in all. One inch in the tube would be one-tenth of an +inch in the receiver." + +"Then twenty inches, or the tube full, would be two inches in the +receiver," said Frank. + +"Yes," said his uncle; "but how shall we make this stand up?" + +"We might pile stones around it," suggested Donald. + +"That will be a good way," said Uncle Robert. + +There were some stones in a pile near the orchard fence. Frank and +Donald picked them up and placed them about the rain-gauge until it +stood firm. + +"Well, these stones are of some use after all," said Frank. + +"I'm glad of it," said Donald. "It seemed as though we should never get +them all picked up. I believe stones grow." + +"These stones tell a wonderful story," said Uncle Robert, smiling. + +"Oh, uncle, when are you going to tell it to us? To-night?" asked Susie. + +"Not to-night, my dear. You have had stories enough for one day," and +Uncle Robert took her by the hand and started for the house. + +"We have a regular weather bureau of our own now," said Donald. "I hope +it will rain all day long to-morrow." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A DAY ON THE RIVER. + + +"Father, can't we have a picnic on the river?" asked Susie. + +"Please, do let us have a picnic," said Donald. + +"I think you may," said Mr. Leonard. "You might have it to-morrow. I +won't need the boys." + +"Hurrah!" cried Donald, and Susie skipped and danced for joy. + +"We'll have to have a nice lunch," said Frank. + +"What shall it be?" asked Mrs. Leonard. + +"Oh, we can take some ham sandwiches--" + +"And some cake and jelly," put in Susie. + +"And some cold chicken and boiled eggs," added Donald. + +"Oh," cried Susie, "let us take our eggs along all fresh and boil them! +We can take a little pail and--" + +"I'll tell you what we'll do," interrupted Frank. "We'll take some salt +pork, and catch some fish, and have a fry." + +Frank looked at the barometer and said it was going to be a nice day. +The sun was setting clear and bright. The children went to bed happy and +dreamed of the fun to-morrow. + +In the morning Susie rushed out to see if it was good weather. The sun +was shining brightly, and she turned and looked at her long shadow that +reached clear over the barn. The direction of the shadow was southwest. + +Donald took a tin can and went out into one corner of the garden, where +the soil was dark, rich, and damp, and with a shovel dug up great mud +worms, and almost filled his can. + +Frank got out two cane poles, rigged the lines and hooks, and put on the +sinkers. + +"I want to catch a fish," said Susie. + +"All right," said Frank; "we'll cut a pole for you when we get on the +island. We shall not fish till we get there." + +Uncle Robert watched the enthusiasm of the children with a pleasant +smile. Mrs. Leonard and Susie put up the lunch. + +"Put in a paper of salt for the fish, please," called Frank. + +"Don't believe you will catch many fish," said Mr. Leonard. "You know +the last time you went you didn't catch any." + +"It is not a good day for fish," said Uncle Robert; "it is too bright." + +"We'll get some sunfish, anyway," said Donald, "and perhaps we shall +catch a perch or two and a catfish." + +At last all was ready Frank took the oars from the beams of the shed, +Uncle Robert carried the big basket, Donald followed with the fish poles +and the can of worms, while Susie brought up the rear with a small tin +bucket. + +Away they went, down the slope and over the bottom land to the mouth of +the creek, where the boat was moored. Soon they glided out from the +shore under Frank's steady stroke. + +"We will go up on this side, where it is easier to row," he said. "The +current is on the other side next to the bank." + +"Why do you suppose the current is over there?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"I don't know," said Frank. "Last spring we had a big flood, and the +current was so strong that it took away a lot of earth from that bank. +The earth fell down into the river and was carried away. Mr. Davis lost +a good deal of land." + +"Tell me about the flood, Frank," said Uncle Robert. + +"Last March the ice broke up in the river and went tearing downstream in +great blocks," began Frank. "Just below the dam, between the island and +that shore," pointing to the woods, "it piled up until there was a big +ice jam. You could cross over to the island on foot. Then the water began +to rise until it was nearly even with the top of the dam. At first it +went round close to the ridge. You see the land is lower there. The part +of our cornfield next to the river was an island. Then the water rose +higher, and spread all over the bottom land. It made the mouth of the +creek close to the slope, and the water came up around the trunks of the +trees. + +"On the other side, where the current is, it didn't get over the bank, +but it tore away lots of earth. Three big trees fell into the water and +were carried down the river. Ever so many trees came down. Peter and I +caught a lot and piled them up for firewood." + +"Don't you remember, Frank," said Susie, "two or three sheds came down, +too?" + +"The miller thought it would carry away the mill," said Donald. + +"The water looks pretty clear now. How did it look then?" asked Uncle +Robert. + +"At first it was clear," said Frank. "Then it got just like coffee." + +"That was the dirt in the water," said Donald. + +"When the water went down," continued Frank, "the bottom land was all +covered with the stuff the river left. Father says the dirt it brought +makes the land better." + +"What do you suppose made the freshet?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, they said it was the snow melting, away up the river," answered +Donald. "The snow was gone here, but we had lots of rain." + +"Where is the deepest part of the river?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"It is quite deep on the other side," said Frank, "but it is shallow +over here. Farther down it is deeper in the middle." + +"Where is the current down there?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"In the middle of the river," said Frank. + +"When we go in swimming we can wade out here a long ways before we go +over our heads," said Donald. + +"I wish I could swim," said Susie. + +"You should learn," said Uncle Robert. "The boys could easily teach +you." + +They rowed steadily up the river. At last they reached the island and +landed. It was long and narrow, covered with trees and green grass. Here +and there low bushes grew down to the water's edge, while at the upper +end there were many boulders, stones, pebbles, and clean white sand. + +[Illustration: A string of fish.] + +They brought up the basket and put it in a cool place under a tree. + +"Now for the fishing!" said Frank. + +Up the river they could see the dam, and on the left of the dam the +flour mill. + +"There is a nice big pond up above the dam," said Susie. "We ought to go +up there some day." + +"I think it is better fishing there," said Frank, "but we would have to +drag the boat around the dam." + +Uncle Robert stretched himself under the shade of an elm tree. Susie +rolled up her sack and put it under his head. The boys went off to try +their luck at fishing. They cut a pole for Susie, but she soon tired of +sitting still, and came back to pick up sticks for the fire so that +everything would be ready to fry the fish. + +When the boys came back they brought three little sunfish, two perch, +and one funny-looking fish with horns, which Frank said was a catfish. + +Frank and Uncle Robert dressed the fish, while Donald rowed across the +river to a place where he knew there was a spring, and soon returned +with a pail of clear, sparkling water. + +Susie spread the cloth in a nice shady place, and unpacked the basket. +The eggs were boiled in the tin bucket over the fire. Frank fried the +fish, and at last dinner was ready. + +"Oh, isn't this fun!" said Susie. + +"Grand!" said Frank. + +"I'd like to be an Indian and live in the woods all the time," said +Donald. + +"We could make a fort," said Frank, "on that bank of the island and +mount cannon, and not allow any ships to come up the river." + +"Oho!" laughed Donald. "Ships don't come up this river. The water isn't +deep enough." + +"That doesn't matter," said Susie; "we could play they do." + +After the luncheon was over and the basket packed again they sat about +under the trees. + +"What a good view of the dam there is from here!" said Uncle Robert. + +"I know why they built the dam there," said Frank. "Just above the dam +the water was quite swift." + +"What makes the water swift?" asked Donald. + +"Because the bed of the river slopes more there than down here," said +Uncle Robert; "and in places on rivers where there are rapids they build +dams in order to use the water for the mills." + +"Oh, yes, I know how they use the water," said Donald. "They have a +sluice, and they lift the gate, and the water comes through, and that +turns the mill wheels." + +"In some rivers there are ponds larger than that pond up there, where +there are no dams," said Uncle Robert. + +"Yes," said Frank, "there is a little lake down the river. We will go +there some day. It is good fishing. How much better our corn looks than +the corn on that hill over there! I tell you, it takes bottom land like +ours to raise good corn." + +"What makes the corn such a beautiful green?" asked Susie. + +"That is quite a question," said Uncle Robert. "We will try and find out +some day. But I want to know what makes the bottom land richer than the +land up on the prairie?" + +"Well," said Frank slowly, "I suppose that the dirt brought down by the +river and spread out over it makes it richer." + +"Where does that dirt come from?" + +"Way up the river." + +"If I should call the bottom land a flood-plain," said Uncle Robert, +"would you know why?" + +"Oh, I know," said Donald. "Because the water covers it when there is a +flood." + +"Now what made that flood-plain?" + +"Wasn't it always there?" + +"No," said Uncle Robert. "The river made it." + +"How could the river make the flood-plain?" asked Susie. + +"Why, you told me a moment ago that the river brought down great +quantities of dirt and left it all along the shores," said Uncle Robert. + +"But it wouldn't bring down enough to make all that field, would it?" +asked Donald. + +"The river is a great worker," said Uncle Robert. "It is at work now, +and has been working for many, many long years. It has not only made +this flood-plain, but many others. Sometimes the river carries this dirt +clear out into the sea, and sometimes it piles it up at its mouth so +that a delta is formed." + +"Oh, yes," said Donald, "we studied about that in geography when we had +school, but I didn't know a delta was made that way." + +"Are there any deltas in this part of the river?" asked Susie. + +"There may be," replied Uncle Robert, "wherever one stream flows into +another." + +[Illustration: The mill and dam.] + +"Is there one at the mouth of our creek?" asked Frank. + +"We will look when we go back," replied Uncle Robert. "Shall we take a +walk now?" + +When they reached the upper end of the island they sat down on some +large boulders that formed part of the tiny beach. Just above them was +the flood of water pouring over the dam. The bright sunshine made the +foam look white and glistening, lighted here and there with colors of +the rainbow. + +The water rumbled and roared as it rushed out of the mill pond. To the +left were the flour mill and the village. They could hear the mill wheel +turning. They could see a little white church half hidden among the +trees. + +A kingfisher swept by them with a voice like a watchman's rattle. + +"He knows how to catch fish better than we do," said Donald. + +Susie picked up some pebbles and put them in her apron. She tried to get +a number of colors. Some were nearly red, some were blue, and some were +white. + +"Can you find one that is exactly round?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Here's a white one that's almost round," and Susie held up a quartz +pebble. + +"Where do you suppose this little white pebble came from?" asked Uncle +Robert. + +"Did it come from away up the river--a long way?" said Donald. + +"I think so. One day this pebble was a part of some rock or quarry. How +it was broken off, how it came down, how it was made round, is well worth +studying." + +"Oh, tell us about it, please," begged Susie. + +"We'll read about it together," said Uncle Robert, "in the Big Book." + +"What book?" asked Donald. + +"The book that lies all around us, which was written by the Creator of +the world," said Uncle Robert. "We are reading a page of it now." + +"Just under the current out there," said Frank, "the bed of the river is +covered with all kinds of stones. Some of them are as big as these +boulders. I suppose the river brought them down." + +"What do you think makes the pebbles round?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Maybe the river wears off the rough edges," suggested Frank, +thoughtfully. + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert, "the current of the river rolls them over and +over on the river bed, and they rub and grind against each other." + +"What becomes of the stuff that is worn off from them?" asked Frank. + +"Don't you see it--there?" said Uncle Robert, pointing to the beach. + +"Oh, you mean the sand," said Donald, taking up a handful and examining +it. + +"Is that the way the nice white sand is made?" asked Susie. + +"That's what you meant when you said the river worked," said Frank. "Did +these boulders come down the river too?" + +"The story of the boulders," said Uncle Robert, "is different from the +story of the pebbles. The water helped grind the pebbles, but it took +ice to make the boulders." + +"Ice!" the children all exclaimed. + +"Yes, ice. A long, long while ago this land was covered by a great +river, or sea of ice, and that was the time these boulders were made," +said Uncle Robert. + +"Can we read about that in the Big Book?" asked Donald. + +"Some of it," said Uncle Robert. "There are many wonderful stories in +this beautiful world--stories more wonderful than any fairy tale. But we +must go home now, children; it's getting late." + +The setting sun threw long shadows of the trees over the river as they +rowed home, and the happy day was done. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A RAINY DAY. + + +It was raining, but no one was surprised. They had expected it. + +The day before had been one of those warm, midsummer days, beginning +with a clear sky and a strong south wind. By noon heavy white clouds +that looked like heaps of down floated slowly overhead. + +[Illustration: The weather vane.] + +The weather vane, which in the morning had pointed to the south, turned +from side to side, as though uncertain which direction it liked best. +Toward afternoon it seemed to settle the question in favor of the east. + +The clouds did not rise higher and become thinner and more scattered, as +such clouds do if the weather is fair. They kept their white, billowy +edges, and rested heavily on straight bands of dull gray. + +When the sun set, the scroll--like edges of the clouds were tinged with +gold and rose color, but under the glittering fringe remained the solid +banks of gray and misty purple. + +The thermometer had been high all day, for it was very warm. The +barometer had slowly but surely fallen. + +Then, too, the Weather Report, just received, told of a storm that had +started in the southwestern part of the country and was moving +northeast. Uncle Robert had said, at the rate it was traveling, it might +reach them some time the next day. + +And now it was raining in a quiet, steady way. The clouds had lost their +billowy whiteness. They were one dull, heavy, unbroken mass of gray. The +wind blew steadily from the southeast. + +A rainy day was before them. + +"The very thing we need," said Mr. Leonard. "The corn is just ready for +it, and the pastures are beginning to look pretty dry." + +"Let's go fishing, Don," said Frank. "I'll go and dig some worms while +you get the lines ready." + +"Say we do," said Donald, starting off at once. + +"Do you want some company, boys?" asked Uncle Robert, smiling. + +"You bet-ter believe!" said Donald, catching himself just in time. + +"Hurrah for the rainy day!" cried Frank as he pulled on his rubber boots +and coat and went out to dig the worms. + +"Shall we take the boat?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, yes," said Donald. "I'll get the oars." + +"We'll have fish for dinner to-day, mother," said Frank. + +"Be sure you come back in time, then," said Mrs. Leonard, smiling. + +"I wish I was a boy and could go fishing in the rain," said Susie as she +watched them start off. + +Down the hill they went, and Susie, watching them from the front porch, +saw them push the boat from the landing and throw out their lines as +they drifted down the stream. Then the trees hid them from sight. + +It was dinner time when they returned. + +"I told you we'd have fish to-day," said Frank triumphantly, holding up +a string of bass and perch. + +"You boys will have to clean them," said Mrs. Leonard. "Jane is ready to +cook them now." + +"Come on, Don," called Frank. "My, won't they be good!" + +In the afternoon it ceased to rain. It became lighter and the clouds +looked higher and thinner. + +"It's going to clear off," said Susie, going to the window. + +"I wonder how much rain has fallen," said Uncle Robert. + +"I'm going to look at the rain-gauge," said Frank. + +"I'll go too," said Donald. + +When they came back they said there were fifteen inches of water in the +measuring tube, which, in the receiver, would be an inch and a half. + +"That would just fill it," said Donald. + +"Does that mean," asked Susie, "that if the rain had stayed on the +ground it would be an inch and a half deep all over?" + +"Yes," answered Uncle Robert. + +"Would that be very much?" she asked, taking the rod by which the rain +in the gauge was measured and finding the mark for an inch and a half. + +"We might find out how much it would be on Susie's garden," said Uncle +Robert. "Does any one know how large the garden is?" + +No one knew. + +"Let's get father's tapeline and measure it," said Frank. + +"Oh, do," said Susie, always interested in anything about her garden. + +When they came in Donald said: + +"It is muddy, but it's beginning to dry off in some places already." + +"How big is the garden?" asked Susie. + +"It is forty feet one way," said Frank, "and twenty-five feet the +other." + +"Take your paper and pencil, Frank," said Uncle Robert, "and draw a plan +of it. You might make one inch for every ten feet, and see how that will +come out." + +Frank took the paper, pencil, and ruler, and soon he said: + +"It makes it four inches long and two inches and a half wide." + +"But remember," said Uncle Robert, "that means forty feet long and +twenty-five feet wide." + +"I'll write it down," said Frank; "then we'll remember." + +So he wrote "40" on the long side and "25" on the short one. + +"But we must find out how many square feet there are on the whole +surface," said Uncle Robert. + +"Well," said Frank, "there are forty this way." + +"So we might think of it as a row across the garden of forty square +feet, might we not?" suggested Uncle Robert. + +"Yes," said Frank; "and if we do that there will be twenty-five rows +just like it, won't there?" + +"Exactly," said Uncle Robert. "How many does that make in all?" + +"Twenty-five forties," said Frank, pencil in hand. "Why, that's just one +thousand." + +"That sounds pretty big," said Susie. + +"Especially when you think of the weeds," said Uncle Robert, smiling, +"How many square inches would that be, Frank?" + +"Well," said Frank, "a foot is twelve inches long, and if it is square +it is twelve inches wide, too." + +"Then," said Uncle Robert, "if you call them rows of twelve square +inches, how many rows would there be?" + +"Why, twelve," said Donald. + +"And so it would be--" + +"One hundred forty-four," said Frank. + +"Then," said Uncle Robert, "if there are one hundred forty-four square +inches in one foot, how many in one thousand feet?" + +"One hundred forty-four thousand," said Frank, after a moment's thought. + +"But the rain-gauge says that an inch and a half of rain has fallen," +said Uncle Robert, "and when an inch is as deep as it is long and broad, +it is called a cubic inch. How much would one and one-half cubic inches +be?" + +"If this is one inch," said Frank, looking at the paper, "half an inch +deep would be half of this, and that, added to this, would be an inch +and a half. Isn't that right?" + +He went to work again, and after a few minutes' silence he said: + +"It makes two hundred and sixteen thousand inches in all." + +"What kind of inches did we call them, Donald?" + +"Cubic inches," said Donald. + +"If you were to bring a pail of water from the spring," said Uncle +Robert, "would you say you had so many inches of water?" + +"No," said Frank, "it would be quarts, or gallons, or something like +that." + +"Do you know how much a quart or gallon is, Susie?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Mother has a quart cup in the pantry," said Susie, "that she measures +the milk in sometimes, but I don't know how much a gallon is." + +"My new milk pail," said Mrs. Leonard, who sat beside the window sewing, +"holds just two gallons." + +"Let's see how many quarts it takes to fill it," said Susie. + +So they went into the kitchen, and Susie dipped the water with the quart +cup into the tin pail. + +"Eight," she said, when the pail would hold no more. + +"If the pail holds two gallons, Susie." said Uncle Robert, "how many +quarts are there in one gallon?" + +"Four." said Susie, counting on her fingers. + +[Illustration: Two gallons. One quart.] + +"Well," said Uncle Robert as they went back into the dining-room, "now +we have found how many quarts there are in a gallon; how shall we find +how many gallons two hundred and sixteen thousand cubic inches will +make?" + +"If I knew how many cubic inches there are in one gallon," said Frank, +"I could do it." + +"How shall we find out?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"We might measure a gallon," said Donald, "and then if we could empty it +into a flat pan couldn't we measure that?" + +"We can try," said Uncle Robert, "if your mother has the pan." + +"You may use one of those tins I bake biscuit in," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"I'll get it," said Susie. + +They measured it and found it was eleven inches long, seven inches wide, +and two inches deep. The gallon of water filled it one and one half +time. + +"If it had been three inches deep," said Frank, "the water would have +just filled it." + +"Well," said Uncle Robert, "can you find out how many inches there are +in all?" + +It took some time and several suggestions from Uncle Robert, but at last +they found it to be two hundred thirty-one cubic inches. + +"Now," said Uncle Robert, "can you find how many two hundred thirty-one +cubic inches there are in two hundred and sixteen thousand cubic +inches?" + +"I know how," said Frank, figuring rapidly. + +In a short time he found that two hundred and sixteen thousand cubic +inches would make over nine hundred thirty-five gallons. + +"If you were going to water the garden with the new two-gallon pail," +said Uncle Robert, "how many times would you have to fill it?" + +"If we took two gallons at a time," said Frank, "it would be--wait a +minute--it would be four hundred sixty-seven and one half." + +"My," said Donald, "it makes my arms ache to think of it." + +"I'm going to find out how much fell on the whole farm some time," said +Frank, "but I'm just tired out now." + +"Where does all the rain come from?" asked Susie. "I don't see how so +much water can stay in the clouds." + +"It doesn't," said Donald, laughing. "That's why it rains." + +"But where does it all go to?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh," said Susie, "it just goes into the ground." + +"Some of it runs off into the river," said Donald. "That's what makes it +rise when it rains hard." + +"I wonder if it has risen much to-day?" said Frank. + +"We might put on our rubber boots and walk down and see," said Uncle +Robert. "It is clearing off finely." + +"It is almost supper time now," said Mrs. Leonard. "If you'll wait I'll +help Jane get it ready, and then you can go as soon as it is over." + +So they waited, and by the time they started the sun was shining +brightly. It would be a whole hour before it would set. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE WALK AFTER THE RAIN. + + +The sky was clear and bright as if it had been washed by the rain. The +trees took on a fresher green. The corn held up its tasseled heads as if +conscious of the strength the clouds had given it. The birds, too, +rejoiced as they flew from tree to tree, singing their sweetest songs. + +"How nice it is to get out after being in the house all day," said +Susie, skipping along by Uncle Robert's side. "See that lovely blue sky. +I wish I had a dress for my doll just that color." + +"And when we came out this morning," said Uncle Robert, "Donald thought +the clouds looked as though they were solid and could never break away." + +"They're all gone now," said Donald. "I wonder where they went. Aren't +the clouds lovely sometimes, uncle? I love to watch them when they look +like great piles of snow." + +"Yes," replied Uncle Robert, "when I was a boy I used to lie for hours +under an old apple tree and watch the clouds. I fancied they had very +wonderful forms, sometimes giants and dragons and all kinds of animals." + +[Illustration: The clouds.] + +"You can see things in them," said Donald. "I often do." + +"What are clouds made of, uncle?" asked Susie. "I wish I could get close +to one and see what it is like." + +"When people go up in balloons," said Donald, "they go through clouds +sometimes." + +"Have you never been in a cloud?" asked Uncle Robert, smiling. + +"Oh, no," said Susie. "How could I? I've never been up in a balloon." + +"I know," was the reply, "but have you never seen anything near the +ground that looked at all like a cloud?" + +"I don't remember," said Susie, shaking her head. + +"We've seen fogs along the river," said Frank. "They look a little like +clouds. You know we see them almost every morning." + +"Oh, yes," exclaimed Donald. "Don't you remember that fog we had early +last spring? Why, uncle, it was so thick we couldn't see the barn from +the house." + +"And, uncle," said Susie, "I went out to the barn with father, and in a +few minutes there were little drops of water on my hair, and all over my +cloak." + +"Did it last all day?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, no," said Frank, "only for a little while in the morning. Then it +went away and the sun came out." + +"How did it go away?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Why," said Donald, "at first it began to get lighter, and we could see +things plainer." + +"And then," chimed in Susie, "it looked as though the fog broke up into +pieces that rolled up in the sky, and floated off just like clouds." + +[Illustration: The gully.] + +"But what is that we see over the bottom land yonder?" + +"It looks like fog," said Frank. + +"More like steam, I think," said Donald. + +"If it was up there against that blue sky instead of on the ground--" +said Uncle Robert. + +"Then it would be a cloud," said Susie. "Why, I never thought of that." + +They had gone through the gate in front of the house, and were following +the path that led down the slope to the spring. + +"See how the water has plowed through the ground," said Frank, pointing +to a gully the rain had made in the path. + +"It took a good many rains to make that gully," said Donald. + +"There was a little creek here for a while," said Frank. "The water has +all run off now, but it has spoiled the path." + +"Will the gully get deeper every time it rains?" asked Susie. + +"Of course," said Donald. "That's what makes it." + +"Why does the water run along the path?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Because it is lower than the ground on each side," said Frank. + +"How deep do you think the water will dig into the path if we do not +fill it up?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Oh, way, way down. I suppose," said Donald. + +"But if grass grew on the path," said Frank, "the water wouldn't wear +the ground away. We will have to fill it up with stones." + +"See these pebbles, uncle," said Susie. "How did they get here? They +look just like those we saw on the island." + +"Do you remember what I told you about the bowlders on the island?" + +"Yes, you said the bowlders were made by ice," answered Susie. "Did the +ice make these pebbles?" + +"Perhaps so, and perhaps the river made them and left them here." + +"What! that river away down there? How could it get up here?" + +"That river away down there once flowed right over this ground," said +Uncle Robert. "This slope," pointing just above, "was its bank, and the +ground under our feet its bed." + +"That must have been a hundred years ago," said Donald. + +"Yes, a great many hundred years ago. You see the work this bit of a +stream has done in the path? Many rivers begin just this way. They are +cutting and changing the earth all the time." + +They had now come to the spring nearly at the foot of the slope. On +sultry summer days it was a cool, inviting spot. The low-spreading +branches of a beautiful bur oak shaded the little stream where it gushed +from the outcropping limestone. + +"Do you want a drink?" asked Susie, taking the tin dipper which always +hung by the spring. + +"Thank you, dear. How cool it is! It makes me think of the old spring in +the hayfield where I used to work when I was a boy." + +"The rain has not made the spring run any faster," said Donald. + +"Where does this water come from?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"From out of the ground," said Susie. "How does it get into the ground?" + +[Illustration: The spring.] + +"It's always there, isn't it?" said Susie. "The spring runs all the +time. I fill my pail here every day in the summer." + +"Yes, don't you remember when the wells all dried up last summer," said +Frank, "that the spring was all right?" + +"Well, then, where has the water gone that fell to-day?" asked Uncle +Robert. + +"Most of it has run off into the creek and river," said Donald. "It would +look just like a lake if it was an inch and a half deep all over +the ground." + +"Some of it has soaked into the ground," said Frank. + +"How deep down into the ground?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Down to China," laughed Donald. + +"How deep do you have to dig to find water--to China?" + +"Our wells are about thirty feet deep," said Frank. "In a dry time +there's no water in them." + +"How is it when you have a long wet spell?" + +"They are more than half full then." + +"Have both wells the same depth?" + +"I think so." + +"Where does the water in the wells come from?" + +"It is the rain that has soaked into the ground," said Frank. + +"How far down does it go?" + +"It must go down till it finds some hard clay or rock that stops it," +said Frank. + +"What does it do then?" + +"Then," said Frank slowly, "it must go along on top of the rock or +clay." + +"When does it come out of the ground?" + +"Oh, I see! The rain goes down until it comes to that lime rock. Then it +goes along the rock, and comes out there," said Donald, pointing to the +spring. + +"Does it always?" asked Frank. "I have read of very deep wells that are +bored down into the ground more than a thousand feet, and when the augur +strikes water the water comes right up to the top of the ground." + +"You are talking about artesian wells," said Uncle Robert. + +"Yes, that is the name." + +[Illustration: Section of hillside.] + +They had left the spring and were walking down toward the mouth of the +creek. The rain had swollen the little stream, and the water was dark +with dirt. + +"See how muddy the water is," said Susie. + +"The creek must bring down a lot of earth," said Frank. + +"There are Joe and Dick Davis," said Donald, pointing across the river. +"I wonder what they are doing? I'm going to see." + +Donald ran along to the mouth of the creek, which he reached as the +Davis boys began to scramble down the steep bank to the edge of the +river. + +"Hello there!" called Donald. "What are you fellows doing?" + +"Sticking in the mud," replied Joe Davis, holding up first one foot and +then the other, heavy with the stiff clay that hung to it. + +"Why don't they go around by the path?" said Susie, coming up with Frank +and Uncle Robert. + +"They'll always take the short cut if there is one," laughed Frank. +"Come along over here!" he shouted. + +"All right," sang out Dick, scraping the mud from his shoes. + +An eddy in the stream just above the steep bank made a quiet place in +the current. Here their boat was moored. As they pushed out from the +shore they were swept down the stream, but a few strong pulls carried +them beyond the swiftest part of the current, and then they easily rowed +back to the landing at the mouth of the creek, where the Leonards were +waiting for them. + +"I wish our bank was low like this," said Joe as he leaped from the +boat. "We have to go so far downstream before we find a low bank on our +side." + +"I should think you'd rather walk a mile," said Susie, looking at Joe's +shoes, "than come down that bank when it's so muddy." + +"Humph! we don't mind a little mud," said Dick, wiping his feet on the +grass. + +"You've brought some of your land over to us, I see," laughed Uncle +Robert. "Mr. Leonard will be obliged to you. He is always glad when the +soil is left on his side." + +"I don't see why it is," said Joe, "that our land is being cut away all +the time and yours is getting bigger. It isn't fair." + +"We can't help it, Joe," said Susie. "It's the river that does it. You +ask Uncle Robert. He'll tell you all about it." + +"I can tell you how it is," said Donald. "You know how strong the +current is over on your side? Well, that's the reason your land is +washed away. The water flows slower here, so it drops all the stuff it +brings with it on our side. See?" + +"My!" said Dick, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "doesn't he +know a lot!" + +"Well, it's so," declared Donald, giving his head a nod. "You can see it +yourself if you keep your eyes open." + +"My eyes are always open," said Dick, "but that doesn't keep our land." + +"You ought to have a creek," said Frank, "if you want your land to grow. +Just look, uncle, what a lot of dirt has been left here." + +"It makes quite a delta, doesn't it?" replied Uncle Robert. + +"Sure enough," said Donald. "You remember the day of our picnic we were +going to see if there was one here, and we forgot it." + +"Now you see where some of the dirt or silt that is brought down by the +creek goes," said Uncle Robert. "And all this must have been left here +since the flood in the spring. Frank is right. The creek is really +building land all the time." + +"Most of the dirt or--what did you call it--silt goes down the river, +doesn't it?" asked Frank. + +"Our land goes down the river," said Joe; "I've seen it." + +"And the river is building land for us," said Donald. + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert, "the river works all the time, tearing down in +some places and building up in others. The clouds give us rain, the rain +goes down into the ground, and then comes out and runs into the streams, +and then--" + +"Into the ocean," said Frank. + +"And then--" + +No one spoke. + +"And then it rises up from the ocean and comes back again in clouds." + +"Did those clouds we had this morning come all the way from the ocean?" +asked Joe. "I don't see how they could come so far?" + +"The clouds have swift wings to carry them," replied Uncle Robert. "They +travel very far without tiring." + +"The wind brings the clouds, doesn't it, uncle?" asked Susie. + +"Yes, they come on the wings of the wind." + +"Oh," said Joe, "I see." + +"There's father blowing the horn," said Dick. "We must go." + +"Come again," said Uncle Robert and the children together. + +"I wish we could hear more about the river," said Joe to Frank as he +helped them push off the boat. + +"Come over again any day," said Frank. "Uncle Robert will tell you all +about it." + +"I wish he was my uncle, too," said Dick as they pulled out into the +stream. "He isn't a bit stuck up and he knows a lot." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE BIG BOOK. + + +"Please tell us another story from the Big Book," begged Susie as the +family were all seated on the piazza one beautiful summer evening. + +The great full moon, like a ball of molten iron, was rising in the east. +It plowed a silver path across the river. Fireflies glimmered and +sparkled in the dusky shadows of the meadow and in and out of the garden +shrubs. The merry chirping of the crickets and the low hum of insect +voices filled the air. Down by the creek the whip-poor-will told his one +story over and over. + +"A story from the Big Book!" repeated Uncle Robert. "There are so many +and they are all so wonderful. Ever since man was created he has read +stories in the earth, water, and sky, and in all living things. +Everything he has found in Nature helps him to live and grow wiser and +better. We could never understand printed books unless we studied the +Big Book. The more we read what God has written the more we shall want +to read what other people have found out and put into printed books. +The true desire to read these books springs from our love and study of +Nature. + +"It was written for many years that the sun moved around the earth. But +Copernicus studied the sun, earth, and stars anew, and he showed that +the printed books were wrong by proving that the earth moved around the +sun. Galileo read the same story through the telescope that he made. + +"Steam had always been a very common thing. Hot vapor had risen from +heated water ever since fire was discovered, but the real story of steam +had not been read until Watt sat long hours by a boiling teakettle. Then +came the locomotive, the railroad, and mighty engines driving wheels +that work for man." + +"Wasn't that a good story to read from the Big Book!" said Frank. + +"Lightning had flashed and thunder rolled throughout the ages. Men +feared, wondered, and worshiped that mighty hidden power. Franklin +looked straight at the forked lightning and asked, 'What are you?' The +answer came in the telegraph that is fast making the nations of the +earth one great family. Bell listened long and carefully to sounds, and +now I can talk from New York to my friends in Chicago. + +"Are not these stories from the Big Book as wonderful as miracles? These +are only a few of the many stories that have been read. Countless more +will be read when children really open their eyes to the 'law of the +Lord that converteth the soul.' Great men and great minds have road +Nature's revelation in the past, but the time is coming when you and I +and all children will read every day and hour the hidden things that +surround us like light and press upon us like air. The Creator is +writing the Big Book all the time for us--His children. Should we not +read what He says there?" + +The children did not understand all that Uncle Robert said, yet they +loved to listen. + +"We have found that our farm is a very interesting page of the Book," +said Mrs. Leonard. + +"Yes, that is the precious thing about it all. + + "Whether we look, or whether we listen, + We hear life murmur or see it glisten." + +All eyes were gazing at the moon as it seemed to rise above the trees. +The great face of the man in the moon became distinct as he looked down +upon the rolling earth. + +"A beautiful and wonderful world," continued Uncle Robert, "but probably +not a bit more wonderful than the countless worlds we see up there. + +"Just think! we are on a great round ball, and it is moving on its axis +from west to east toward the moon. The moon, you know, does not really +move over our heads as it seems to do. The round earth rolls upon its +axis, and that makes the moon seem to rise higher and higher, and then +sink away below the western horizon." + +"To-morrow night it will come up in the east a little later," said +Frank. + +"Round and round we go upon our ball of earth. The sun seems to rise and +set just as the moon does, but it is the world itself that makes the sun +and moon seem to rise and set," said Uncle Robert. + +"What is our earth made of?" asked Donald. + +"Just what you see before you," answered Uncle Robert. "Under our feet +we have the ground, the soil, gravel, sand, and loam, which is made +of--" + +"Ground-up rock," said Frank. + +"And underneath the soil there is--" + +"The solid rock," said Frank. + +"And underneath that?" asked Mr. Leonard. + +"We do not know, but it is quite certain the solid earth is made of +ground-up rock and rock that may be ground. The mills are all at work, +grinding all the time." + +"The mills!" said Susie. "Where are the mills?" + +"I know one," said Donald. "The river is a great mill. Don't you +remember about the pebbles?" + +"And the glaciers are mills, too," said Frank. + +[Illustration: Glaciers on the Coast of Norway] + +"Yes, the rivers, the ice rivers or glaciers, the wind, the frost, heat +and cold, all grind masses of rock into bowlders, pebbles, and sand." + +"The rock has been ground so long I should think there would be nothing +left but soil," said Frank. + +"You saw the limestone down by the spring?" asked Uncle Robert. + +"Yes," the children said together. + +"That limestone was once soft mud spread out upon the bottom of the +ocean in shallow water." + +"How do you know that is so, uncle?" questioned Frank. + +[Illustration: Fossil fish.] + +"There are many proofs, but the best proof is that in the limestone are +found shells of animals that live in the sea," said Uncle Robert. + +"Fossils," said Mrs. Leonard. + +"Yes, fossils. They are the remains of plants and animals that lived a +very long time ago. Many rocks are almost entirely made of fossils. Fish +and shells also have been covered with soft clay and left their +imprints. Great beasts have walked in the mud, and we now find their +footprints in the hard stone. Coral--you have seen coral?--is often found +in limestone. It is made of the shells of little animals, called the +polyp, which live in the sea." + +[Illustration: Coral] + +"So you see that the firm ground under foot is made of rock, some of +which has been ground up over and over again. But there is something +else besides rock that makes the world" + +"Water," said Donald promptly as he looked down upon the river. + +"Yes, the water is just as much a part of our world as the solid rock +and the soil. There is water in the soil and in the solid rock, too. It +comes out to us in----" + +"Springs," said Donald. + +"Water fills hollows in the earth----" + +"Ponds and lakes," said Frank. + +"Water runs down the slopes--" + +"Streams," said Frank. + +"Rivers," said Donald. + +"There is water in the air--mist, fogs, and clouds--and there is much +water in the air which we can not see." + +"Vapor?" asked Frank. + +"Sometimes water is so thin we can not see it, and again it is so thick +and hard that we may walk over it." + +"Ice," said Susie. + +"Tiny bits of vapor come together until they become so heavy that they +fall to the ground." + +"Raindrops," said Donald. + +"Water is sometimes frozen in the clouds in beautiful white crystals, +and then they sail down to the earth." + +"Snowflakes," said Susie. + +"Sometimes drops start from the clouds and go through very cold air. The +cold air freezes them quickly, and then they rattle on the roof and dash +on the ground. They cut the corn leaves and destroy the crops." + +"Hailstones," said Donald. + +"Oh," said Susie, "I saw a hailstone once as big as an egg." + +"The lakes are hollows in the ground filled with water. There are many +small hollows, and some big ones, but there is one so great that we may +call it immense. It is the largest hollow in the world--so large that it +occupies three-fourths of the earth's surface." + +[Illustration: Ocean islands] + +"The ocean," said Frank. + +"Yes, the ocean is only a great big hollow filled with water." + +"How deep is the ocean?" asked Frank. + +"Very deep in some places--deeper than the height of the highest +mountains. In others it is very shallow. In some places bits and masses +of land rise out of the ocean." + +"Islands?" asked Donald. + +"Four great masses of land rise above the ocean level. These immense +rock masses are called--" + +"Continents," said Frank. + +"Yes," said Uncle Robert. "We live on one of them." + +"The continent of North America," said Donald. + +"Our island rises right out of the river," said Susie. + +"Rock and water make only a part of our world. We live on the firm +earth. But we live in something. Indeed, we live at the bottom of a +great, deep ocean, deeper than the water ocean, and broader than the +rock and water surface taken all together." + +"We live at the bottom of an ocean!" said Donald in surprise. + +"Now you are joking, Uncle Robert," said Susie. "If we lived on the +bottom of an ocean we should all drown." + +"Fish live in the ocean, and we live in an ocean, too--a very deep one, +how deep no one really knows. It may be a hundred, or hundreds of miles +deep. We see a part of the surface of the earth and of the water, but no +one has ever seen the surface of the mighty ocean in which we live." + +Susie and Donald were puzzled. Frank's face lighted up as he said: + +"I think you mean the air, Uncle Robert." + +"You are right, Frank. The great ocean in which we live is the air, or, +as it is called, the atmosphere. The atmosphere is just as much a part +of our world as the rock and the water. The rock we may call solid, the +water fluid, and the air gaseous. Solid, fluid, gas." + +"How do we know that the atmosphere is so deep?" asked Frank. + +"We do not know exactly, but there are ways of proving that it is very, +very deep. When people began to study the atmosphere they thought it +extended about fifty miles from the surface of the earth. Now they are +sure that it is much deeper. We know that air has weight, like soil and +water. It presses on us and everything else--" + +"Fifteen pounds to the square inch," said Donald. + +"We weigh the air with the---" + +"Barometer," said Susie. + +"It is heavier at the ocean level than it is on the tops of mountains. +We are sure that the higher we go up---" + +"The less the air weighs," said Frank. + +"At the height of fifty miles it is thought to have little or no weight, +and so people believed that was as far as it extended. But in time they +discovered another way of measuring the atmosphere. You have seen +falling stars, haven't you?" asked Uncle Robert. + +[Illustration: Meteors.] + +"Oh, yes," said the three children together. + +"I saw a star fall, so fast--just like a rocket. Then the light went +out, and I wondered where it went," said Susie. + +"Falling stars are not stars at all, though they look like them. They +are pieces of rock that break off from other worlds and whiz through +space." + +"Oh!" said Susie. + +"Outside of our atmosphere there may be nothing for these masses of rock +to strike against, but just as soon as they come into the air, it tries +to stop them. The air is not strong enough to stop them, but it grinds +them up." + +"Grinds them up!" exclaimed Donald. "Isn't that wonderful? But, uncle, +what makes them look just like fire?" + +"If you put an axe or scythe on a dry grindstone and turn the crank, +what do you see?" + +"Sparks of fire," said Frank. + +"Why do you put grease or oil upon the axles of your buggy?" + +"To keep them from becoming hot and dry," said Frank. "One time when +father and I were on a train there was a hot box, and we had to stop to +cool it." + +"The heat and the sparks of fire are caused by one body rubbing against +another. The faster they move, the greater the heat. This rubbing is +called friction." + +"There was a time," said Mr. Leonard, "when fires were started by +rubbing two pieces of wood together. Some Indians do so now." + +"Then the great pieces of rock rub against the air when they whiz +through it, and that makes the sparks?" asked Frank. + +"You are right. We can see the blaze of fire caused by the friction." + +"I should think the rocks would fall on us and kill us," said Donald. + +"Most of them are probably ground up into bits of dust before they reach +the ground. Some of them, indeed, do strike the ground, and very large +ones bury themselves deep in the earth. When we go to the Field Columbian +Museum, in Chicago, we shall see these visitors from other worlds. They +are called meteoric stones, or meteorites. When they are in the air we +call them meteors." + +"I am going to watch the next one I see," said Susie. + +"They fly so fast that you hardly see them before they are gone," said +Donald. + +"Men who study the heavens tell of the depth of the atmosphere by the +angle the meteor makes in falling, but perhaps you can not understand +that now. So you see, children, we live on the bottom of a great ocean +of air, and that air, or atmosphere, is a part of our world--the outside +part." + +"How plain it all is," said Mrs. Leonard, "when we think of it this +way!" + +"Now we have the land and the water," said Uncle Robert. + +"And the atmosphere," put in Donald. + +"And they are all right here close to us. Here is the land with its +hollows, and there," pointing to the river glistening in the moonlight, +"is the water, and--" + +"You can't see the air," said Donald. + +"We can feel it, anyway," said Susie. + +"How large is the earth, uncle?" asked Frank. + +"Eight thousand miles through it and twenty-five thousand miles around +it," answered Uncle Robert. + +"But, uncle, is it all solid rock for eight thousand miles?" + +"No one knows. The rocky outside of the ball is called the crust of the +earth. Miners have dug down nearly four thousand feet, and makers of +artesian wells have bored still farther. They always find rock." + +"I wonder how far four thousand feet would be," said Donald. + +"A little over three quarters of a mile," said Mr. Leonard. + +"The farther they go down into the crust of the earth, the warmer they +find it. I have been down in a mine thirty-two hundred feet, and it was +very hot. No one could have lived there if cool air had not been brought +down from the surface. + +"Some people have thought that inside the crust of the earth the rock is +all a molten mass, like melted iron. You have read about volcanoes, and +of the lava that is thrown out of them?" + +"Does that come out of the inside of the earth?" asked Donald. + +[Illustration: Down in a Gold Mine] + +"It comes from somewhere in the earth. Some men give their whole lives to +the study of these questions, but you know they can not see beneath the +crust of the earth. It is thought by some that the weight of the crust +would keep the center of the earth a solid mass. So you see there are +still many questions unsettled. We know that the crust is moving up and +down all the time." + +"Oh, I hope the land won't rise here!" said Susie. + +"You wouldn't know it, Susie, if it did," said Uncle Robert, laughing. + +"Unless there was an earthquake," said Frank. + +"Or a volcano," said Donald. "I'd like to see one." + +"I would like to see the ocean," said Frank. "It must be grand to stand +on the shore and look way off and not see anything but water." + +"It is a grand sight, Frank. I have sat on the beach many a time and +watched the waves roll in, and thought of the wonderful work the ocean +is doing. You know it is the great reservoir that supplies all the land +with water." + +[Illustration: View of the Ocean] + +"The heat of the sun lifts the water up, or evaporates it. The vapor +that makes the clouds rises into the air. The winds blow the vapor many +long miles, and some of the clouds come right over our heads. The cold +air draws the little bits of vapor together and makes the clouds heavy, +and down they fall upon the earth as drops of rain. + +"Some of the rain runs directly into the streams. Some of the rain water +sinks down into the earth; in the gravel it sinks fast; in the sand it +sinks slower; and in the loam, clay, and rock it sinks very slowly +indeed. The water in the ground dissolves the rock or the loose earth +into little particles so fine that the tiny roots, or root hairs, drink +them up, and so the rock furnishes a part of the nourishment, or food, +of plants. + +"Without the water that the clouds bring no plant could grow. It gives +life and growth to everything that lives, and then sinks deep into the +earth. It comes out of the ground again in springs, and flows away in +rivulets, brooks, creeks, and rivers--away, and away, back to the ocean +again. + +"On its way to the ocean it wears down the land, carries silt from place +to place, spreads it out on beaches, sand bars, bottom lands, deltas, +and on the bottom of shallow places in the ocean." + +"Isn't it strange how everything changes, and how all the changes help +us?" said Frank thoughtfully. + +"Yes, Frank, it is wonderful how the Creator of all things is constantly +moving earth, air, and water, and, as you say, making all these changes +to help man." + +"It is the Big Book that tells us of this marvelous world of ours and of +other worlds as well. It lies open before us for us to read every day. +God has created and is still creating our home, the dwelling place of +His children. We must study Him, my dear children, in all He has made. +We must learn of His works in order to use everything to make man +happier, better, and more useful." + +Mr. Leonard, who had been listening very attentively to the story, said, +as his face lighted with a happy smile: + +"I never thought of it all in that way before. Every day, in all our +work on the farm and in the house--indeed, wherever we may be--we should +learn new and beautiful revelations from our Heavenly Father; how much +He is constantly giving us, and how thankful we should be." + +The moon had risen to its full glory over the earth. The waters of the +river glistened. The trees, cornfields, and meadows were peaceful and +grand, as though they, too, felt the power of the glorious light. + +Susie put her brown arms around her mother's neck and kissed her +good-night. + +"Oh, how I love the Big Book!" she said. + +"I wish I could read it as all those great men have read it," said +Frank. + +"So do I," said Donald. + +"'Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth +knowledge,'" mused the mother as her loved ones went to bed with sweet +thoughts of a beautiful world and a loving God. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Uncle Robert's Geography (Uncle +Robert's Visit, V.3), by Francis W. Parker and Nellie Lathrop Helm + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNCLE ROBERT'S GEOGRAPHY *** + +This file should be named 6441.txt or 6441.zip + +Produced by D. 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