“Now, attend to what I am going to say, Elsli,” began Oscar, seriously; “it is something very important for you to know.  You are going to foreign parts, where you will have no friends; I mean no acquaintances among people in general.  But no doubt there will be some Swiss there, and you can form a society of our countrymen, that can meet every week, and talk over all the news from their own country.”

“Yes, but I shouldn’t know what to say,” said Elsli, very much perplexed.

“Never mind, the others can do the talking,” said the boy, eagerly; “but now comes the really important part of it.  Next summer, when you are coming home again, you must agree upon some convenient place where all the members of the society shall meet Then crowds of people will collect from all sides, and I will be there with my beautiful banner, and we will have a procession and a great celebration of the first anniversary.  Be sure to write me the date of the foundation, Elsli!”

“Yes, I will certainly,” assented Elsli, but her tone was less decided than her words, for she was anything but clear as to how the society could be formed, or why it should be formed at all.  Further questions were, however, impossible, for at this moment Fred appeared with Rikli in his wake, and a long strip of paper in his hand.  Oscar vanished.

“Now, Elsli, read this,” said Fred.

“Here are the names of all the beautiful caterpillars, and rare beetles and snails, that you are likely to find where you are going.  I want you to hunt in all the hedges, and stir up the earth now and then in your walks.  Then the fellows will turn up, and you can collect them, and send me the finest specimens.  You will, won’t you?  I’ll send you something pretty in return.  You can put them right into your pocket, you know, until you get home from your walk, and hold the pocket together so,—­; so that they won’t crawl out”; and Fred pinched up his pocket-hole so that no kind of a crawling thing could have escaped from it.  Rikli shuddered all over.

Elsli was very willing to do Fred this service, but she did not really see how, any more than in Oscar’s case; but she said, modestly:—­

“I will do my best, Fred; but how am I to know the creatures whose names are on your list?”

This was a sensible question, and Fred could not help seeing the importance of it; but he was not to be deterred by a slight obstacle.  He looked again at his lists.

“Suppose I should draw a figure of each creature against its name!” he said to himself.  “I will come to see you to-morrow morning, before you go away,” he said to Elsli, and was off.

Little Rikli, whose lesson had been learned at such a severe cost, was quite cured of her foolish screaming whenever Fred came near her with his dear little insects; but she watched his every motion, lest his fist or his pockets should disgorge some green-eyed frog or other equally unpleasant treasure.  Her big brother had, however, a great fascination for the child, who followed him everywhere like his shadow.  She now came nearer to Elsli, and said, entreatingly:—­