Sir Richard Carleton was in one of the conservatories, and seeing him, Dick cried out—
"Father, these red things will turn into moths, and these greenish-white ones into butterflies."
"Yes, Dick, I know they will."
"But you never told me so before, father."
"Well, my boy, I never thought it would interest you, but I am very glad it does interest you. This is Mary Merivale, I think. How do you do, my dears? Come into the library all of you, and I will show you some books on butterflies."
They went into the house and had some tea and cake, and turned over the pages of a book on entomology with coloured plates, which had lain dusty and forgotten on the shelves until now, and Mary and her sister pointed out to Dick moths and butterflies which their brother and Jimmy had in their collection.
Sir Richard saw with delight that the right chord had been touched in his son's mind, and he no longer doubted the success of the experiment he had urged Mr. Merivale to try.
The time slipped rapidly away, and when it was high time to go, Mary and Florrie were driven home by Sir Richard's groom, charmed with their visit, and full of praises of Sir Richard and his son.
Dick Carleton was eager to know more of entomology, and set to work at once to read about it with an energy he had never displayed for anything before, and the father wrote off to his booksellers to order a newer and more reliable book upon the science than the one he possessed, to be given to Dick.