On a later occasion when Bobby was taking his bath, he felt greater freedom now to ask all kinds of questions. He pointed to the umbilicus and asked his mother what that was for. He was told that that was the navel, so called, and it was where the cord had been which had tied him to mother when he was a little seed, and through which he had received all his air, food and drink. This caused great surprise, so much so that upon the first occasion in talking with the boys he gave this information in his own way, which led one to understand all boys were interested and curious about this depression in the abdomen.
This information had a most marvelous effect in establishing the truth in their minds; it seemed as if they needed proof and here, indeed, it was.
Much more time could have been spent on the flowers, but once the idea is given that each child is like the flowers, and that the flowers are like people, the rest is simple.
The frogs then took their attention, but never wholly, for on every occasion when a new flower appeared, it was examined as to its color and possibilities of family rearing.
Chapter III.
The Toads and Frogs.
The next order of life to study should have been the fishes, but as Bobby’s mother upon investigation found that the nearest stream which contained fishes was five miles away, she decided to go on to the next highest order, the frogs, and point out, as she went, the difference in the two.
Of course, there was no difficulty in getting toads, but just where to obtain and how to keep frogs puzzled the community for a few days, until at last it was decided first to make a pond for the frogs to live in, and then go to the nearby ponds and capture some.
They were especially fortunate in finding in their locality what at one time had been a reservoir, which had a pipe leading into it from a nearby spring, and another pipe leading out of it into a nearby stream. That the pipe connecting the reservoir with the stream, it was found, could be corked, and in a few days there appeared a delightful pond of clear, clean and fresh water.
Their delight knew no restraint when the afternoon came for them to go in search of some occupants for this nice new home. Accordingly, they started out a little late in the afternoon, with pails in their hands, and eager, expectant and happy faces.