Children of the Wild by Charles G. D. Roberts
page 66 of 200 (33%)
page 66 of 200 (33%)
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For two or three moments the flake of sky fluttered higher. Then, as the ripples smoothed themselves out, she seemed to forget, and began to descend again as if lured downward by her own dainty reflection. Yet she had not quite forgotten, for now she only came within six or seven inches of the traitorous surface. Now her heavenly wings supported her for a moment almost motionless. In that moment a splendid shape, gleaming like a bolt of silver, shot a clear foot into the air and fell back with a massive splash. The turquoise butterfly was gone. "Oh--h!" cried the Babe, almost with a sob in his voice. He loved the blue butterflies as he loved no others of their brilliant and perishing kindred. "_Gee_!" exclaimed Uncle Andy. "But he's a _whale_!" The Babe, in his surprise at this remarkable statement, forgot to mourn for the fate of the blue butterfly. "Why, Uncle Andy," he protested. "I didn't know whales could live here in this little lake." Uncle Andy made a despairing gesture. "Oh," he murmured wearily, "a fellow has to be _so_ careful what he says to you! The next time I make a metaphorical remark in your presence, I'll draw a diagram to go with it!" The Babe looked puzzled. He was on the point of asking what "a |
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