Ruth added this with a rapturous little squeeze, for just then she saw the lacewing flying toward her, and with her many other beautiful winged creatures.
“The order Neuroptera, or the nerve wings,” said the lacewing, flitting close to Ruth, “that is some of them.” Then she introduced Ruth as a friend, adding in a self-satisfied tone: “She thinks I’m beautiful, and I quite agree with her, don’t you?”
Apparently the audience did. Of course she was beautiful, and, besides, she carried a scent bag which was not at all pleasant, and they knew they were likely to have the full benefit of it if they contradicted or displeased her.
“Now we’ll begin,” she went on, with the air of one who had settled all difficulties, but the next second she stopped, and, looking at a group of caddice flies, she asked sternly:
“Why are you here? and bless my wings, if there aren’t dragon flies, and stone flies, and, who would believe it, May flies. Now you know that not one of you belongs to our order.”
“Well, we belonged to it once,” answered a caddice fly, speaking for all.
“But I don’t understand,” began Ruth.
“Then don’t say anything,” put in a dragon fly, darting before her. “Keep quiet and listen, and you’ll learn things. Besides, it is very rude to interrupt people.”
Ruth felt snubbed, and tried to turn her back on the dragon fly, but, as he seemed to be everywhere at once, she found it impossible.
The caddice fly was still speaking. “We can’t always remember,” she said, “and I should like to know what right the wise men have to take us out of one order and put us in a sub-order.”