This expedition up the mountain was entirely of his contrivance . All the way up the steep ascent , he had encouraged the elder children with his cheerful voice ; and when Dandelion , Cowslip , and Squash-blossom grew weary , he had lugged them along , alternately , on his back . In this manner , they had passed through the orchards and pastures on the lower part of the hill , and had reached the wood , which extends thence towards its bare summit . The month of May , thus far , had been more amiable than it often is , and this was as sweet and genial a day as the heart of man or child could wish . In their progress up the hill , the small people had found enough of violets , blue and white , and some that were as golden as if they had the touch of Midas on them . That sociablest of flowers , the little Housatonia , was very abundant . It is a flower that never lives alone , but which loves its own kind , and is always fond of dwelling with a great many friends and relatives around it . Sometimes you see a family of them , covering a space no bigger than the palm of your hand ; and sometimes a large community , whitening a whole tract of pasture , and all keeping one another in cheerful heart and life . Within the verge of the wood there were columbines , looking more pale than red , because they were so modest , and had thought proper to seclude themselves too anxiously from the sun . There were wild geraniums , too , and a thousand white blossoms of the strawberry . The trailing arbutus was not yet quite out of bloom ; but it hid its precious flowers under the last year 's withered forest-leaves , as carefully as a mother-bird hides its little young ones . It knew , I suppose , how beautiful and sweet-scented they were . So cunning was their concealment , that the children sometimes smelt the delicate richness of their perfume , before they knew whence it proceeded . Amid so much new life , it was strange and truly pitiful to behold , here and there , in the fields and pastures , the hoary periwig of dandelions that had already gone to seed . They had done with summer before the summer came . Within those small globes of winged seeds it was autumn now ! Well , but we must not waste our valuable pages with any more talk about the spring-time and wild flowers . There is something , we hope , more interesting to be talked about . If you look at the group of children , you may see them all gathered around Eustace Bright , who , sitting on the stump of a tree , seems to be just beginning a story . The fact is , the younger part of the troop have found out that it takes rather too many of their short strides to measure the long ascent of the hill .
Cousin Eustace , therefore , has decided to leave Sweet Fern , XXXXX , Squash-blossom , and Dandelion , at this point , midway up , until the return of the rest of the party from the summit .
Cowslip Dandelion Housatonia arbutus contrivance day forest-leaves geraniums sociablest strawberry