Part 11

"Teacher says," piped up Betty, "that the lady's statue on top of the Court House is 'Justice.' What does she have that little pair of scales in her hand for, Uncle Henry?"

"The scales are to help her in weighing the good and bad that people do," explained Uncle Henry, "and speaking of scales, there's a pair of them in the sky, too. If you will look between the Scorpio and the Virgin you will find the scales. (13) They are called Libra, which is Latin for 'balance.' There are four main stars in Libra, which make an oblong."

This is how Libra, the balance, looked when the children and Uncle Henry had finished drawing it:

"Now," said Peter, with an air of having shown great patience, "we want to see that three-headed dog. I forgot his name."

"Cerberus," said Uncle Henry, "But in order to find him we'll have to find Hercules, the great strong man, for Hercules has Cerberus fast by one of his throats and is beating at his three ugly heads with a big club. At the same time, Hercules has his left foot on the dragon's head, so you see he is kept busy."

"Where do we begin?" asked Paul, impatiently.

"Draw a line," said Uncle Henry, "from Vega in the ukelele to Gemma in the Northern Crown; the Virgin's necklace we found a while ago, you know."

Paul did it. (14)

"Now," directed Uncle Henry, "look about half-way between, and you'll find Hercules' legs. His left leg is nearly straight, but his right has the knee bent a little. Hercules' legs and the sides of his body and his belt make sort of an H shape."

"Oh, I see it!" exclaimed Peter. "Shall I make him, Uncle Hen?"

"Sure, go ahead, Pete; and the rest of you watch for Hercules' head and arms."

When the children had put down pebbles to represent all the stars in Hercules, and had connected them with lines in the sand, Hercules looked like this:

"Oh," broke out Betty, excitedly, "he's got the ugly dog in his left hand!"

Then she added the three heads of Cerberus, and it was Uncle Henry's turn to draw in the outline of Hercules, and complete the picture, like this:

"You have probably read," said Uncle Henry, "about the twelve great labors Hercules performed. He had to be very strong to do them, but of course he was born that way. They say he even rose up out of his cradle and strangled two serpents that the goddess Juno sent to destroy him."

The Society of Star-Gazers became very enthusiastic about Hercules after he was all finished. So will you when you see how big and strong and beautiful he is, almost straight over your head in the summer sky just after dark. You will enjoy him more if you lie on your back to look, as the Society of Star-Gazers did on the beach.

While they were all flat on the sand, looking up into the great blue-black, star-sprinkled bowl, Uncle Henry made up this poem, and recited it before the Society adjourned for the night:

"Hercules the strong man-- Feel his muscle! Feel his muscle!

Hercules the strong man-- See him tussle! See him tussle!

Right hand holds a club-- I can see; I can see.

Left hand grips a throat-- One of three; One of three.

Three-head dogs are freaks-- Queer to us; Queer to us.

That's because you never saw-- Cerberus; Cerberus.

FIFTH EVENING

IN WHICH A DOLPHIN WITH AN EAR FOR MUSIC SAVES A POET'S LIFE--AND UNCLE HENRY PUTS TWO BIRDS IN ONE POEM

During the next day Peter and Paul had seen a blue-racer in the grass, and, with Rags' assistance, had chased it off into the woods behind the cottage.

So it was only natural for Peter to ask Uncle Henry whether there were any snakes among the star creatures.

Uncle Henry had said, "Two," and promised to show the children a very big one, and an old man having a struggle with it besides.