"Will you tell us about it?" Florence asked. "I've always wanted to know
just how worms turned into butterflies,"

"And I should like nothing better than to tell you," she answered.
"'Making butterflies,' as a dear little boy once defined my favorite
occupation, and telling those who are interested in such things how they
are made, is very delightful to me,"

"Come, then, girls, hurry!" said Nellie: "the sooner we get to work the
sooner the story will begin. Good-by, Mr. Swallow-tail,--I wonder what
they call you so for,--we are going to hear all about you,"

But when they returned to the other room they found Sammy Ray and Roy
Tyler on the piazza, close to the open door. Roy beckoned to his sister,
and they held a whispered conference during which the words, "You ask
her," energetically spoken by Roy, could be plainly heard by those
inside.

Nellie turned presently, half laughing, but a little embarrassed.

"The boys want to know if they can't come in," she said. "I tell them
it's ridiculous for boys to attend a sewing society, but they won't go
away till I've asked."

Here the boys stepped forward and took off their hats. Their faces shone
with the scrubbing with soap and water they had given them, and both had
on clean collars. Sammy dived in his trowsers pocket and brought out a
couple of big brass thimbles and some needles stuck in a bit of flannel.