Doctor Raymond ran from the study into the laboratory.
"What is the matter? What has happened?" he cried, alarmed by the girl's pale face and affrighted manner.
"It's a caterpillar," explained Bee, who was vainly trying to get Adele to keep still long enough to remove the creature. "There, Adele, it can't hurt you. Just be still a moment so that I can take it off."
But Adele continued to shriek, while the caterpillar wriggled along her delicate arm, each movement sufficing to send her into a fresh paroxysm of fear.
"There, child!" Doctor Raymond passed his arm about her, and held her tightly. "Don't jump so. There is nothing to be afraid of. The poor thing is as much frightened as you are. See! it's gone. Beatrice, return it to its cage."
"Take me out of this horrid place," sobbed Adele, clinging to him tightly. "I never want to come in here again."
"I thought you had been in before," said her uncle questioningly, as he led her into the study. "See that everything is closed properly, Beatrice."
"No; I have not," shivered Adele. "It was all Bee's fault. She wanted me to see some butterflies come out of their cocoons, so I went with her. The room was filled with creepy, crawly things. Oh, dear!" She shuddered, then wiped her eyes, and looked up at him plaintively. "Do you think I am an awful goose, Uncle William?"
"No, my dear," answered Doctor Raymond with a smile. "Only very feminine. Few of your sex overcome their prejudice to creeping creatures unless they become interested in them through science. I was surprised that Beatrice was not timid."
Bee, entering just then, heard the remark and smiled to herself. She did not explain that it was because of him that she had overcome her repugnance to them.
"Bee doesn't mind anything that crawls," exclaimed Adele who had recovered herself by this time.
"I don't like snakes," declared Bee emphatically.
"You people talk about the most dreadful things," cried Adele. "Do you know that I wake up nights feeling creepy? If you don't care, Uncle William, I am going down to Aunt Rachel's while you and Bee study your old worms. No more science for me, thank you."
"By all means," smiled the naturalist. "You shall be our angel of charity while Beatrice and I remain true to science. But perhaps you would prefer to go with Adele, Beatrice?"