"For Mary Ann, but rather hard on Abraham."
"You horrid boy," said Betty, "you don't even let me hear a story in peace! It's very nice what, mother?"
"It's very nice for the little grubs, but it's rather hard on the plants, for if too many roots are nibbled away the plants die. The caterpillars are great eaters, too."
Betty leaned over and whispered something to her mother; then they both giggled.
"I know what you're saying," said Jimmie, but after that he was quieter.
"Sometimes a caterpillar will thrive on just one kind of a plant; it may be carrot, it may be milkweed. On that it feeds until it has grown as large as possible. Then it spins itself a nice silken cocoon, or rolls itself up in a soft leaf and takes a long, long nap. And now it is time for us to take a nap, too, for we shall soon reach Bemis, and then there will be still two long lakes to cross and a carry to walk."