“Who cares about an old bird?” she replied. “I’d rather catch a turtle any day.”
Miss Gordon told the girls that the bird the Brownies had seen was a great blue heron, rarely observed in the area.
“It had a neck like a flat ‘S’ loop,” Jane described the bird. “And a funny long tailpiece on its head. When we saw it, it was standing in the edge of the water looking for crayfish.”
Miss Gordon told the girls that herons belonged to a group of birds called waders. For that reason, she explained, they had long legs, and long necks and sharp bills with which to search for food.
“Want to see my turtle?” Vevi offered. “I’d rather look for another heron,” declared Jane, running off.
The other Brownies followed her.
Miss Gordon and Mrs. Williams both admired the spotted turtle. But they warned Vevi it would require a great deal of work to look after it properly.
“I don’t mind,” replied Vevi. “I’ll make a little pen and feed and water my turtle every day. I’m going to name him ‘Lightning.’ He’ll win the race for the Brownies!”
Vevi dropped her turtle lightly on the ground to see how fast he would go. He crawled very slowly, then faster and faster toward the water.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Vevi laughed, running after him. “You don’t get away from me!”