He opened the bag slightly and William caught sight of a crowd of wasps buzzing about inside the bag.
"Want more," demanded the infant. "Want lots more. Look. Snells!"
He brought out a handful of snails from a miniature pocket, and put them on the ground.
"Watch 'em put their horns out! Watch 'em walk. Look! They're walkin'. They're walkin'."
His voice was a scream of ecstasy. He took them up and returned them to their pocket. From another he drew out a wriggling mass.
"Wood-lice!" he explained, casually. "Got worms in 'nother pocket."
He returned the wood-lice to his pocket except one, which he held between a finger and thumb laid thoughtfully against his lip. "Want wopses now. You get 'em for me."
William roused himself from his bewilderment.
"How—how do you catch 'em?" he said.
"Wings," replied Thomas. "Get hold of their wings an' they don't sting. Sometimes they do, though," he added casually. "Then your hands go big."