“I object!” repeated the man.  “When I work I want to see results.  I’d rather exercise sawing wood, making one pile grow little and the other big than to cast all day and catch nothing because there is not a fish to take.  Work for work’s sake doesn’t appeal to me.”

He digged the groove around the cocoon with skilled hand.  “Now there is some fun in this!” he said.  “It’s going to be a fair job to cut it out, but when it comes, it is not only beautiful, but worth a price; it will help you on your way.  I think I’ll put up my rod and hunt moths.  That would be something like!  Don’t you want help?”

Elnora parried the question.  “Have you ever hunted moths, Mr. Ammon?”

“Enough to know the ropes in taking them and to distinguish the commonest ones.  I go wild on Catocalae.  There’s too many of them, all too much alike for Philip, but I know all these fellows.  One flew into my room when I was about ten years old, and we thought it a miracle.  None of us ever had seen one so we took it over to the museum to Dr. Dorsey.  He said they were common enough, but we didn’t see them because they flew at night.  He showed me the museum collection, and I was so interested I took mine back home and started to hunt them.  Every year after that we went to our cottage a month earlier, so I could find them, and all my family helped.  I stuck to it until I went to college.  Then, keeping the little moths out of the big ones was too much for the mater, so father advised that I donate mine to the museum.  He bought a fine case for them with my name on it, which constitutes my sole contribution to science.  I know enough to help you all right.”

“Aren’t you going north this year?”

“All depends on how this fever leaves me.  Uncle says the nights are too cold and the days too hot there for me.  He thinks I had better stay in an even temperature until I am strong again.  I am going to stick pretty close to him until I know I am.  I wouldn’t admit it to any one at home, but I was almost gone.  I don’t believe anything can eat up nerve much faster than the burning of a slow fever.  No, thanks, I have enough.  I stay with Uncle Doc, so if I feel it coming again he can do something quickly.”

“I don’t blame you,” said Elnora.  “I never have been sick, but it must be dreadful.  I am afraid you are tiring yourself over that.  Let me take the knife awhile.”

“Oh, it isn’t so bad as that!  I wouldn’t be wading creeks if it were.  I only need a few more days to get steady on my feet again.  I’ll soon have this out.”

“It is kind of you to get it,” said Elnora.  “I should have had to peel it, which would spoil the cocoon for a’ specimen and ruin the moth.”

“You haven’t said yet whether I may help you while I am here.”

Elnora hesitated.

“You better say ‘yes,’” he persisted.  “It would be a real kindness.  It would keep me outdoors all day and give an incentive to work.  I’m good at it.  I’ll show you if I am not in a week or so.  I can ‘sugar,’ manipulate lights, and mirrors, and all the expert methods.  I’ll wager, moths are numerous in the old swamp over there.”