“I’ve been thinking, Norma, that this unsightly spot on the farm ought to be redeemed in some way. Not only does this insignificant creek afford many stagnant places where mosquitoes breed, but the briars and weeds growing so thickly on its banks keep scattering their seeds every fall and causing more work for us the following season.”
“What were you thinking of doing with it, Jimmy?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking a great deal of what you said yesterday, Norma, about wishing to build a rock garden with ferns and plants that grow well in such soil, and then when you had time to figure out the plans and cost of building a miniature water garden, you wanted to take up that interesting work.
“I have always had a desire to build a water garden, too, but I never really got so far as to see it done. I felt the wish to make one revive the moment you spoke of planning one. And just now when we crossed this undesirable patch of ground, I started wondering if we could not divert this stream into something for our garden.”
“Oh, but I had no idea of having my water garden over by the barn yard, Jimmy,” exclaimed Norma, greatly disturbed. “I wanted it to be on the front lawn, or near enough to the house so we could all enjoy its refreshing looks whenever we passed by it or sat on the porch.”
“That is my intention, too. I want to find out the source of this tiny creek, because it must have a source somewhere, you know. I do not remember any brook or water passing over the main road in front of the house, do you?”
“No, but we may have overlooked its being there. There may be a large drain pipe under the road, to conduct the creek from one side of the road to our side. I’ll go and find out.”
“We’ll both go and see just where this water has its birth. Now that I’ve given a thought to it, I’m as curious as can be, to locate its origin,” said Mrs. James.
So the two hurried past the house and out to the road. Here they walked for some distance past the corner post of the farm-line, but could not find anything that might possibly be a spring or creek that would finally form the tiny rivulet they were investigating.
So they retraced their steps and again reached the little ford over the barn yard lane, where the stream crossed.