Here the fairy looked at him and giggled. “Shall I tell them, Jack?” she asked.
“Go ahead,” replied Jack a little grimly. “Maybe they better hold their noses while you mention that other member of my family,” he suggested.
“Well, the beautiful white calla lily and—and—” Bet hesitated.
“Say on,” said Jack, “or I’ll tell, myself.”
“Well, Skunk Cabbage, then,” said Bouncing Bet, “_Calla Lily_ and _Skunk Cabbage_ belong to Jack-in-the-Pulpit’s family.”
“Mercy!” Mary Frances exclaimed before she knew it.
“I beg your pardon—indeed, I do!” said Mary Frances to Jack.
“Oh, never mind,” he replied, “I must say we are not very proud of that branch of the family, but they have one thing about them which is very interesting. They are the very first flowers in the Spring—oftentimes blooming in February. There are other members of the _Arum_ family, though, of which we are prouder.”
“He’ll tell you about them later,” smiled Bouncing Bet.
“Your family isn’t the same as his, then?” queried Eleanor.
“No,” she replied, “I belong to the _Pink_ family.”
“Oh,” asked Mary Frances, “are all your family pink in color?”
“Oh, no,” Jack answered her. “She’s all dressed up in her Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. She just borrowed that ‘queen’s lace’ gown. _Queen’s_ lace belongs to Wild Carrot, you know, and _Wild Carrot_ belongs to the _Parsley_ family. Run, Bet, and take off your party clothes. Dress in your own clothes; then they’ll recognize you.”
Bet bounced away, laughing, and returned almost immediately in her every-day dress of—you know, calico-and-gingham-like petals.
“Now we know you, Miss Bet,” cried Mary Frances; “but even your every-day dress is light pink! Are you sure all your family doesn’t wear pink all the time?”
“Oh, no,” answered Bouncing Bet, “you’ll soon see that that is not the case when I mention my cultivated cousin, _Carnation_; and another cousin, _Sweet William_.”
“And you’ll be glad to know also,” laughed Jack, “that among her relatives is _Dusty Miller_.”
“Now, Jack,” laughed Bet, “that’s an old joke of yours! Please go on and tell something about some other members of your own family.
“Well, I don’t want to seem to be too proud or conceited, but to me it is quite a pleasant thing to think that the roots of Jack-in-the-Pulpit, or _Indian Turnip_, which is my other name, have been used as a medicine many a time; and that the roots of my cousin _Calamus_, or _Sweet Flag_, are valuable as a tonic. Some of the _Arum_ family like dry soil and some like damp, marshy places. I do not like very dry places myself, and Cousin Calamus Sweet Flag likes his feet wet all the time.”