But there is no time for laughing; the butterfly has settled on a great
tuft of meadow-sweet all in flower. The two hunters, seeing this, forget
all their plans, and run both together after him with all their might.
But the butterfly is not so silly as to wait for them; every time he
sees his two enemies come near, off he starts again. A dozen times
Minnie thought she had him, and a dozen times Bertie said he had got
him; but a dozen times he got away.
‘What troublesome things to catch butterflies are!’ said the two
hunters. ‘What is to be done? We have tried every possible way.’
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[Illustration: Bertie and Minnie standing, Bertie wiping his forehead,
Minnie has one hand on her hair as the other hand holds her hat. The
donkey lies on the grass in the background, watching them.]