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diff --git a/21293.txt b/21293.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..453da9c --- /dev/null +++ b/21293.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14354 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Brownsmith's Boy, by George Manville Fenn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Brownsmith's Boy + A Romance in a Garden + +Author: George Manville Fenn + +Release Date: May 4, 2007 [EBook #21293] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROWNSMITH'S BOY *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Brownsmith's Boy, a Romance in a Garden, by George Manville Fenn. + +_______________________________________________________________________ + +This is an absolutely delightful book, which has most of its early +action in a market garden, and then more in another one. The author is +a great naturalist, and he has much to teach us about the way in which +work should be done to raise fruit and vegetables to be taken to London +daily for the market. Somehow that sounds boring but there is so much +action entwined with these facts that they are made far from boring. + +The action takes place about 1835. The hero lives with his mother in a +house overlooking the garden. When she dies he is taken in by Old +Brownsmith to be taught the skills of a market gardener. Another boy, +Shock, hangs about the garden, sleeping rough and living on a primitive +diet of snails, hedgehogs and rabbits and whatever he can get. There is +an uneasy relationship between the boys, with Shock constantly doing +unkind and strange things, and our hero, Grant Dennison, longing to get +to know him better. + +I particularly loved the episode where an old worker, Ike, takes the +even older horse, Basket, for his regular overnight trip to the London +fruit and vegetable market, taking Grant with him. + +There are plenty of the usual Manville Fenn episodes of terror and +near-disaster, and indeed it is a lovely book. Do read it. +NH +________________________________________________________________________ + +BROWNSMITH'S BOY, A ROMANCE IN A GARDEN, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE BOY IN THE GARDEN. + +I always felt as if I should like to punch that boy's head, and then +directly after I used to feel as if I shouldn't care to touch him, +because he looked so dirty and ragged. + +It was not dirty dirt, if you know what I mean by that, but dirt that he +gathered up in his work--bits of hay and straw, and dust off a shed +floor; mud over his boots and on his toes, for you could see that the +big boots he wore seemed to be like a kind of coarse rough shell with a +great open mouth in front, and his toes used to seem as if they lived in +there as hermit-crabs do in whelk shells. They used to play about in +there and waggle this side and that side when he was standing still +looking at you; and I used to think that some day they would come a +little way out and wait for prey like the different molluscs I had read +about in my books. + +But you should have seen his hands! I've seen them so coated with dirt +that it hung on them in knobs, and at such times he used to hold them up +to me with the thumbs and fingers spread out wide, and then down he +would go again and continue his work, which, when he was in this state, +would be pulling up the weeds from among the onions in the long beds. + +I didn't want him to do it, but he used to see me at the window looking +out; and I being one lonely boy in the big pond of life, and he being +another lonely boy in the same big pond, and both floating about like +bits of stick, he seemed as if he wanted to gravitate towards me as bits +of stick do to each other, and in his uncouth way he would do all sorts +of things to attract my attention. + +Sometimes it seemed as if it was to frighten me, at others to show how +clever he was; but of course I know now that it was all out of the +superabundant energy he had in him, and the natural longing of a boy for +a companion. + +I'll just tell you what he'd do. After showing me his muddy fingers, +and crawling along and digging them as hard as he could into the soil to +tear out the weeds, all at once he would kick his heels up in the air +like a donkey. Then he would go on weeding again, look to see if I was +watching him, and leave his basket and run down between two onion beds +on all-fours like a dog, run back, and go on with his work. + +Every now and then he would pull up a young onion with the weeds and +pick it out, give it a rub on his sleeve, put one end in his mouth, and +eat it gradually, taking it in as I've seen a cow with a long strand of +rye or grass. + +Another time he would fall to punching the ground with his doubled fist, +make a basin-like depression, put his head in, support himself by +setting his hands on each side of the depression, and then, as easily as +could be, throw up his heels and stand upon his head. + +It seemed to be no trouble to him to keep his balance, and when up like +that he would twist his legs about, open them wide, put them forwards +and backwards, and end by insulting me with his feet, so it seemed to +me, for he would spar at me with them and make believe to hit out. + +All at once he would see one of the labourers in the distance, and then +down he would go and continue his weeding. + +Perhaps, when no one was looking, he would start up, look round, go down +again on all-fours, and canter up to a pear-tree, raise himself up, and +begin scratching the bark like one of the cats sharpening its claws; or +perhaps trot to an apple-tree, climb up with wonderful activity, creep +out along a horizontal branch, and pretend to fall, but save himself by +catching with and hanging by one hand. + +That done he would make a snatch with his other hand, swing about for a +few moments, and then up would go his legs to be crossed over the +branch, when he would swing to and fro head downwards, making derisive +gestures at me with his hands. + +So it was that I used to hate that boy, and think he was little better +than a monkey; but somehow I felt envious of him too when the sun +shone--I didn't so much mind when it was wet--for he seemed so free and +independent, and he was so active and clever, while whenever I tried to +stand on my head on the carpet I always tipped right over and hurt my +back. + +That was a wonderful place, that garden, and I used to gaze over the +high wall with its bristle of young shoots of plum-trees growing over +the coping, and see the chaffinches building in the spring-time among +the green leaves and milky-white blossoms of the pear-trees; or, +perhaps, it would be in a handy fork of an apple-tree, with the crimson +and pink blossoms all around. + +Those trees were planted in straight rows, so that, look which way I +would, I could see straight down an avenue; and under them there were +rows of gooseberry trees or red currants that the men used to cut so +closely in the winter that they seemed to be complete skeletons. + +Where there were no gooseberries or currants, the rows of rhubarb plants +used to send up their red stems and great green leaves; and in other +places there would be great patches of wallflowers, from which wafts of +delicious scent would come in at the open window. In the spring there +would be great rows of red and yellow tulips, and later on sweet-william +and rockets, and purple and yellow pansies in great beds. + +I used to wonder that such a boy was allowed to go loose in such a +garden as that, among those flowers and strawberry beds, and, above all, +apples, and pears, and plums, for in the autumn time the trees trained +up against the high red-brick wall were covered with purple and yellow +plums, and the rosy apples peeped from among the green leaves, and the +pears would hang down till it seemed as if the branches must break. + +But that boy went about just as he liked, and it often seemed very hard +that such a shaggy-looking wild fellow in rags should have the run of +such a beautiful garden, while I had none. + +There was a little single opera-glass on the chimney-piece which I used +to take down and focus, so that I could see the fruit that was ripe, and +the fruit that was green, and the beauty of the flowers. I used to +watch the birds building through that glass, and could almost see the +eggs in one little mossy cup of a chaffinch's nest; but I could not +quite. I did see the tips of the young birds' beaks, though, when they +were hatched and the old ones came to feed them. + +It was by means of that glass that I could see how the boy fastened up +his trousers with one strap and a piece of string, for he had no braces, +and there were no brace buttons. Those corduroy trousers had been made +for somebody else, I should say for a man, and pieces of the legs had +been cut off, and the upper part came well over his back and chest. He +had no waistcoat, but he wore a jacket that must have belonged to a man. +It was a jacket that was fustian behind, and had fustian sleeves, but +the front was of purple plush with red and yellow flowers, softened down +with dirt; and the sleeves of this jacket were tucked up very high, +while the bottom came down to his knees. + +He did not wear a hat, but the crown of an old straw bonnet, the top of +which had come unsewed, and rose and fell like the lid of a round box +with one hinge, and when the lid blew open you could see his shaggy +hair, which seemed as if it had never been brushed since it first came +up out of his skin. + +The opera-glass was very useful to me, especially as the boy fascinated +me so, for I used to watch him with it till I knew that he had two brass +shank-buttons and three four-holes of bone on his jacket, that there +were no buttons at all on his shirt, and that he had blue eyes, a +snub-nose, and had lost one of his top front teeth. + +I must have been quite as great an attraction to him as he was to me, +but he showed it in a very different way. There would be threatening +movements made with his fists. After an hour's hard work at weeding, +without paying the slightest heed to my presence, he would suddenly jump +up as if resenting my watching, catch up the basket, and make believe to +hurl it at me. Perhaps he would pick up a great clod and pretend to +throw that, but let it fall beside him; while one day, when I went to +the window and looked out, I found him with a good-sized switch which +had been the young shoot of a pear tree, and a lump of something of a +yellowish brown tucked in the fork of a tree close by where he worked. + +He had a basket by his side and was busily engaged as usual weeding, for +there was a great battle for ever going on in that garden, where the +weeds were always trying to master the flowers and vegetables, and that +boy's duty seemed to be to tear up weeds by the roots, and nothing else. + +But there by his side stuck in the ground was the switch, and as soon as +he saw me at the window he gave a look round to see if he was watched, +and then picked up the stick. + +"I wonder what he is going to do!" I thought, as I twisted the glass a +little and had a good look. + +He was so near that the glass was not necessary, but I saw through it +that he pinched off a bit of the yellowish-brown stuff, which was +evidently clay, and, after rolling it between his hands, he stuck what +seemed to be a bit as big as a large taw marble on the end of the +switch, gave it a flourish, and the bit of clay flew off. + +I could not see where it went, but I saw him watching it, as he quickly +took another piece, kneaded it, and with another flourish away that +flew. + +That bit evidently went over our house; and the next time he +tried--_flap_! the piece struck the wall somewhere under the window. + +Five times more did he throw, the clay flying swiftly, till all at once +_thud_! came a pellet and stuck on the window pane just above my head. + +I looked up at the flattened clay, which was sticking fast, and then at +that boy, who was down on his knees again weeding away as hard as he +could weed, but taking no more notice of me, and I saw the reason: his +master was coming down the garden. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +OLD BROWNSMITH. + +I used to take a good deal of notice of that boy's master as I sat at +the window, and it always seemed to me that he went up and down his +garden because he was so fond of it. + +Later on I knew that it was because he was a market-gardener, and was +making his plans as to what was to be cut or picked, or what wanted +doing in the place. + +He was a pleasant-looking man, with white hair and whiskers, and a red +face that always used to make me think of apples, and he was always +dressed the same--in black, with a clean white shirt front, and a white +cravat without any starch. Perhaps it was so that they might not get in +the mud, but at any rate his black trousers were very tight, and his +tail-coat was cut very broad and loose, with cross pockets like a +shooting-jacket, and these pockets used to bulge. + +Sometimes they bulged because he had bast matting for tying up plants, +and a knife in one, and a lot of shreds and nails and a hammer in the +other; sometimes it was because he had been picking up fruit, or +vegetable marrows, or new potatoes, whatever was in season. They always +made me think of the clown's breeches, because he used to put everything +in, and very often a good deal would be sticking out. + +I remember once seeing him go down the garden with a good-sized kitten +in each pocket, for there were their heads looking over the sides, and +they seemed to be quite contented, blinking away at the other cats which +were running and skipping about. + +For that boy's master, who was called Brownsmith, was a great man for +cats; and whenever he went down his garden there were always six or +eight blacks, and black and whites, and tabbies, and tortoise-shells +running on before or behind him. When he stopped, first one and then +another would have a rub against his leg, beginning with the point of +its nose, and running itself along right to the end of its tail, +crossing over and having a rub on the other side against the other leg. + +So sure as one cat had a rub all the others that could get a chance had +a rub as well. Then perhaps their master would stoop down with his +knife in his teeth, and take a piece of bast from his pocket, to tie up +a flower or a lettuce, when one of the cats was sure to jump on his +back, and stop there till he rose, when sometimes it would go on and sit +upon his shoulder, more often jump off. + +It used to interest me a good deal to watch old Brownsmith and his cats, +for I had never known that a cat would run after any one out of doors +like a dog. Then, too, they were so full of fun, chasing each other +through the bushes, crouching down with their tails writhing from side +to side, ready to spring out at their master, or dash off again up the +side of a big tree, and look down at him from high upon some branch. + +I say all this used to interest me, for I had no companions, and went to +no school, but spent my time with my poor mother, who was very ill; and +I know now how greatly she must have suffered often and often, when, +broken down in health and spirit, suffering from a great sorrow, she +used to devote all her time to teaching me. + +Our apartments, as you see, overlooked old Brownsmith's market-garden, +and very often, as I sat there watching it, I used to wish that I could +be as other boys were, running about free in the fields, playing cricket +and football, and learning to swim, instead of being shut up there with +my mother. + +Perhaps I was a selfish boy, perhaps I was no worse than others of my +age. I know I was very fond of my mother, for she was always so sweet, +and gentle, and tender with me, making the most tedious lessons pleasant +by the way she explained them, and helping me when I was worried over +some arithmetical question about how many men would do so much work in +such and such a number of days if so many men would do the same work in +another number of days. + +These sums always puzzled me, and do now; perhaps it is because I have +an awkwardly shaped brain. + +Sometimes, as we sat over the lessons, I used to see a curious pained +look spread over my mother's face, and the tears would come in her eyes, +but when I kissed her she would smile directly and call my attention to +the beauty of the rime frost on the fruit-trees in Brownsmith's garden; +or, if it was summer, to the sweet scent of the flowers; or to the +ripening fruit in autumn. + +Ah, if I had known then, I say to myself, how different I might have +been; how much more patient and helpful to her! But I did not know, for +I was a very thoughtless boy. + +Now it came to pass one day that an idea entered my head as I saw my +mother seated with her pale cheek resting upon her hand, looking out +over old Brownsmith's garden, which was just then at its best. It was +summer time, and wherever you looked there were flowers--not neat +flower-beds, but great clumps and patches of roses, and sweet-williams +and pinks, and carnations, that made the air thick with their sweet +odours. Her eyes were half closed, and every now and then I saw her +draw in a long breath, as if she were enjoying the sweet scent. + +As I said, I had an idea, and the idea was that I would slip out quietly +and go and spend that sixpence. + +Which sixpence? + +Why, that sixpence--that red-hot one that tried so hard to burn a hole +through my pocket. + +I had had it for two days, and it was still at the bottom along with my +knife, a ball of string, and that piece of india-rubber I had chewed for +hours to make a pop patch. I had nearly spent it twice--the first time +on one of these large white neatly-sewn balls, with "Best Tennis" +printed upon them in blue; the second time in a pewter squirt. + +I had wanted a squirt for a long time, for those things had a great +fascination for me, and I had actually entered the shop door to make my +purchase when something seemed to stop me, and I ran home. + +And now I thought I would go and spend that coin. + +I slipped quietly to the other window, and had a good look round, but I +could not see that boy, for if I had seen him I don't think I should +have had the heart to go, feeling sure, as I did, that he had a spite +against me. As I said, though, he was nowhere visible, so I slipped +downstairs, ran along the lane to the big gate, and walked boldly in. + +There were several people about, but they took no notice of me--stout +hard-looking women, with coarse aprons tied tightly about their waists +and legs; there were men too, but all were busy in the great sheds, +where they seemed to be packing baskets, quite a mountain of which stood +close at hand. + +There were high oblong baskets big enough to hold me, but besides these +there were piles upon piles of round flat baskets of two sizes, and +hanging to the side of one of the sheds great bunches of white wood +strawberry pottles, looking at a distance like some kind of giant +flower, all in elongated buds. + +Close by was a cart with its shafts sticking up in the air. Farther on +a wagon with "Brownsmith" in yellow letters on a great red band; and +this I passed to go up to the house. But the door was closed, and it +was evident that every one was busy in the garden preparing the night's +load for market. + +I stood still for a minute, thinking that I could not be very wrong if I +went down the garden, to see if I could find Mr Brownsmith, and my +heart began to beat fast at the idea of penetrating what was to me a +land of mystery, of which, just then, I held the silver pass-key in the +shape of that sixpence. + +"I'll go," I said. "He can't be very cross;" and, plucking up courage, +but with the feeling upon me that I was trespassing, I went past the +cart, and had gone half-way by the wagon, when there was a creaking, +rattling noise of baskets, and something made a bound. + +I started back, feeling sure that some huge dog was coming at me; but +there in the wagon, and kneeling on the edge to gaze down at me with a +fierce grin, was that boy. + +I was dreadfully alarmed, and felt as if the next minute he and I would +be having a big fight; but I wouldn't show my fear, and I stared up at +him defiantly with my fists clenching, ready for his first attack. + +He did not speak--I did not speak; but we stared at each other for some +moments, before he took a small round turnip out of his pocket and began +to munch it. + +"Shock!" cried somebody just then; and the boy turned himself over the +edge of the wagon, dropped on to the ground, and ran towards one of the +sheds, while, greatly relieved, I looked about me, and could see Mr +Brownsmith some distance off, down between two rows of trees that formed +quite an avenue. + +It seemed so beautiful after being shut up so much in our sitting-room, +to walk down between clusters of white roses and moss roses, with Anne +Boleyne pinks scenting the air, and far back in the shade bright orange +double wallflowers blowing a little after their time. + +I had not gone far when a blackbird flew out of a pear-tree, and I knew +that there must be a nest somewhere close by. Sure enough I could see +it in a fork, with a curious chirping noise coming from it, as another +blackbird flew out, saw me, and darted back. + +I would have given that sixpence for the right to climb that pear-tree, +and I gave vent to a sigh as I saw the figure of old Brownsmith coming +towards me, looking much more stern and sharp than he did at a distance, +and with his side pockets bulging enormously. + +"Hallo, young shaver! what's your business?" he said, in a quick +authoritative way, as we drew near to each other. + +I turned a little red, for it sounded insulting for a market gardener to +speak to me like that, for I never forgot that my father had been a +captain in an Indian regiment, and was killed fighting in the Sikh war. + +I did not answer, but drew myself up a little, before saying rather +consequentially: + +"Sixpenn'orth of flowers and strawberries--good ones." + +"Oh, get out!" he said gruffly, and he half turned away. "We've no time +for picking sixpenn'orths, boy. Run up into the road to the +greengrocer's shop." + +My face grew scarlet, and the beautiful garden seemed as if it was under +a cloud instead of the full blaze of sunshine, while I turned upon my +heel and was walking straight back. + +"Here!" + +I walked on. + +"Hi, boy!" shouted old Brownsmith. + +I turned round, and he was signalling to me with the whole of his +crooked arm. + +"Come on," he shouted, and he thrust a hand and the greater part of his +arm into one of his big pockets, and pulled out one of those curved +buckhorn-handled knives, which he opened with his white teeth. + +He did not look quite so grim now, as he said: + +"Come o' purpose, eh?" + +"Yes," I said. + +"Ah! well, I won't send you back without 'em, only I don't keep a shop." + +I looked rather haughty and consequential, I believe, but the looks of +such a boy as I made no impression, and he began to cut here and there +moss, and maiden's blush, and cabbage roses--simple old-fashioned +flowers, for the great French growers had not filled England with their +beautiful children, and a gardener in these days would not have believed +in the possibility of a creamy _Gloire de Dijon_ or that great +hook-thorned golden beauty _Marechal Niel_. + +He cut and cut, long-stalked flowers with leaf and bud, and thrust them +into his left hand, his knife cutting and his hand grasping the flower +in one movement, while his eye selected the best blossom at a glance. + +At last there were so many that I grew fidgety. + +"I said sixpenn'orth, sir, flowers and strawberries," I ventured to +remark. + +"Not deaf, my lad," he replied with a grim smile. "Here, let's get some +of these." + +These were pinks and carnations, of which he cut a number, pushing one +of the cats aside with his foot so that it should not be in his way. + +"Here you are!" he cried. "Mind the thorns. My roses have got plenty +to keep off pickers and stealers. Now, what next?" + +"I did want some strawberries," I said, "but--" + +"Where's your basket, my hearty?" + +I replied that I had not brought one. + +"You're a pretty fellow," he said. "I can't tie strawberries up in a +bunch. Why didn't you bring a basket? Oh, I see; you want to carry 'em +inside?" + +"No," I said shortly, for he seemed now unpleasantly familiar, and the +garden was not half so agreeable as I had expected. + +However he seemed to be quite good-tempered now, and giving me a nod and +a jerk of his head, which meant--"This way," he went down a path, cut a +great rhubarb leaf, and turned to me. + +"Here, catch hold," he cried; "here's one of nature's own baskets. Now +let's see if there's any strawberries ripe." + +I saw that he was noticing me a good deal as we went along another path +towards where the garden was more open, but I kept on in an independent +way, smelling the pinks from time to time, till we came to a great +square bed, all straw, with the great tufts of the dark green strawberry +plants standing out of it in rows. The leaves looked large, and +glistened in the sunshine, and every here and there I could see the +great scarlet berries shining as if they had been varnished, and waiting +to be picked. + +"Ah, thief!" shouted my guide, as a blackbird flew out of the bed, +uttering its loud call. "Why, boys, boys, you ought to have caught +him." + +This was to the cats, one of which answered by giving itself a rub down +his leg, while he clapped his hand upon my shoulder. + +"There you are, my hearty. It isn't so far for you to stoop as it would +be for me. Go and pick 'em." + +"Pick them?" I said, looking at him wonderingly. + +"To be sure. Go ahead. I'll hold your flowers. Only take the ripe +ones, and see here--do you know how to pick strawberries?" + +I felt so amused at such a silly question that I looked up at him and +laughed. + +"Oh, you do?" he said. + +"Why, anybody could pick strawberries," I replied. + +"Really, now! Well, let's see. There's a big flat fellow, pick him." + +I handed him the flowers, and stepping between two rows of plants, +stooped down, and picked the great strawberry he pointed out. + +"Oh, you call that picking, do you?" he said. + +"Yes, sir. Don't you?" + +"No: I call it tearing my plants to pieces. Why, look here, if my +pickers were to go to work like that, I should only get half a crop and +my plants would be spoiled." + +I looked at him helplessly, and wished he would pick the strawberries +himself. + +"Look here," he said, stooping over a plant, and letting a great scarlet +berry specked with golden seeds fall over into his hand. "Now see: +finger nail and thumb nail; turn 'em into scissors; draw one against the +other, and the stalk's through. That's the way to do it, and the rest +of the bunch not hurt. Now then, your back's younger than mine. Go +ahead." + +I felt hot and uncomfortable, but I took the rhubarb leaf, stepped in +amongst the clean straw, and, using my nails as he had bid me, found +that the strawberries came off wonderfully well. + +"Only the ripe ones, boy; leave the others. Pick away. Poor old Tommy +then!" + +I looked up to see if he was speaking to me, but he had let one of the +cats run up to his shoulder, and he was stroking the soft lithe creature +as it rubbed itself against his head. + +"That's the way, boy," he cried, as I scissored off two or three berries +in the way he had taught me. "I like to see a chap with brains. Come, +pick away." + +I did pick away, till I had about twenty in the soft green leaf, and +then I stopped, knowing that in flowers and fruit I had twice as much as +I should have obtained at the shop. + +"Oh, come, get on," he cried contemptuously. "You're not half a fellow. +Don't stop. Does your back ache?" + +"No, sir," I said; "but--" + +"Oh, you wouldn't earn your salt as a picker," he cried. As he said +this he came on to the bed, and, bending down, seemed to sweep a hand +round the strawberry plant, gathering its leaves aside, and leaving the +berries free to be snipped off by the right finger and thumb. He kept +on bidding me pick away, but he sheared off three to my one, and at the +end of a few minutes I was holding the rhubarb leaf against my breast to +keep the fruit from falling over the side. + +"There you are," he cried at last. "That do?" + +"Oh, yes, sir," I said; "but--" + +"That's enough," he cried sharply. "Here, hand over that sixpence. +Money's money, and you can't get on without it, youngster." + +I gave him the coin, and he took it, span it up in the air, caught it, +and after dragging out a small wash-leather bag he dropped it in, gave +me a comical look as he twisted a string about the neck, tucked it in, +and replaced the bag in his pocket. + +"There you are," he cried. "Small profits and quick returns. No credit +given. Toddle; and don't you come and bother me again. I'm a market +grower, my young shaver, and can't trade your fashion." + +"I did not know, sir," I said, trying to look and speak with dignity, +for it was very unpleasant to be addressed so off-handedly by this man, +just as if I had been asking him a favour. + +"I'm very much obliged to you," I added, for I had glanced at the bunch +of roses; and as I looked at the fresh sweet-scented beauties I thought +of how delighted my poor mother would be, and I could not help feeling +that old Brownsmith had been very generous. + +Then making him rather an awkward bow, I stalked off, feeling very +small, and was some distance back towards the gate, wondering whether I +should meet "Shock," when from behind there came a loud "Hi!" + +I paid no heed and went on, for it was not pleasant to be shouted at +like that by a market grower, and my dignity was a good deal touched by +the treatment I had received; but all at once there came from behind me +such a roar that I was compelled to stop, and on turning round there was +old Brownsmith trotting after me, with his cats skipping about in all +directions to avoid being trodden on and to keep up. + +He was very much more red in the face now, for the colour went all down +below his cheeks and about his temples, and he was shining very much. + +"Why, I didn't know you with your cap on," he cried. "Take it off. No, +you can't. I will." + +To my great annoyance he snatched off my cap. + +"To be sure! I'm right," he said, and then he put my cap on again, +uncomfortably wrong, and all back: for no one can put your cap on for +you as you do it yourself. "You live over yonder at the white house +with the lady who is ill?" + +I nodded. + +"The widow lady?" + +"I live with mamma," I said shortly. + +"Been very ill, hasn't she?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Ah! bad thing illness, I suppose. Never was ill, only when the wagon +went over my leg." + +"Yes, sir, she has been very bad." + +I was fidgeting to go, but he took hold of one of the ends of my little +check silk tie, and kept fiddling it about between his finger and thumb. + +"What's the matter?" + +"Dr Morrison told Mrs Beeton, our landlady, that it was decline, sir." + +"And then Mrs Beeton told you?" + +"No, sir, I heard the doctor tell her." + +"And then you went and frightened the poor thing and made her worse by +telling her?" + +"No, I did not, sir," I said warmly. + +"Why not?" + +"Because I thought it might make her worse." + +"Humph! Hah! Poor dear lady!" he said more softly. "Looked too ill to +come to church last Sunday, boy. Flowers and fruit for her?" + +I nodded. + +"She send you to buy 'em?" + +I shook my head, for I was so hurt by his abrupt way, his sharp +cross-examination, and the thoughts of my mother's illness, that I could +not speak. + +"Who sent you then--Mrs Beeton?" + +"No, sir." + +"Who did?" + +"Nobody, sir. I thought she would like some, and I came." + +"For a surprise, eh?" + +Yes, sir. + +"Own money?" + +I stared at him hard. + +"I said, Own money? the sixpence? Where did you get it?" + +"I have sixpence a week allowed me to spend." + +"Hah! to be sure," he said, still holding on by my tie, and staring at +me as he fumbled with one hand in his trousers pocket. "Get out, Dick, +or I'll tread on you!" this to one of the cats, who seemed to think +because he was black and covered with black fur that he was a +blacking-brush, and he was using himself accordingly all over his +master's boots. + +"If you please, I want to go now," I said hurriedly. + +"To be sure you do," he said, still holding on to the end of my tie--"to +be sure you do. Hah! that's got him at last." + +I stared in return, for there had been a great deal of screwing about +going on in that pocket, as if he could not get out his big fist, but it +came out at last with a snatch. + +"Here, where are you?" he said. "Weskit? why, what a bit of a slit it +is to call a pocket. Hold the sixpence though, won't it?" + +"If you please I'd rather pay for the flowers," I cried, flushing as he +held on by the tie with one hand, and thrust the sixpence back in my +pocket with the other. + +"Dessay you would," he replied; "but I told you before I'm market grower +and dursen't take small sums. Not according to Cocker. Didn't know +Cocker, I suppose, did you?" + +"No, sir." + +"Taught 'rithmetic. Didn't learn his 'rithmetic then?" + +"No, sir," I replied, "Walkinghame's." + +"Did you though? There, now, you play a walking game, and get home and +count your strawberries." + +"Yes, sir, but--" + +"I say, what a fellow you are to but! Why, you're like Teddy, my goat, +I once had. No, no! No money. Welcome to the fruit, ditto flowers, +boy. This way." + +He was leading me towards the gate now like a dog by a string, and it +annoyed me that he would hold me by the end of my tie, the more so that +I could see Shock with a basket turned over his head watching me from +down amongst the trees. + +"Come on again, my lad, often as you like. Lots growing--lots spoils." + +"Thank you, sir," I said diffidently, "but--" + +"Woa, Teddy," he cried, laughing. "There; that'll do. Look here, why +don't you bring her for a walk round the garden--do her good? Glad to +see her any time. Here, what a fellow you are, dropping your +strawberries. Let it alone, Dick. Do for Shock." + +I had let a great double strawberry roll off the top of my heap, and a +cat darted at it to give it a sniff; but old Brownsmith picked it up and +laid it on the top of a post formed of a cut-down tree. + +"Now, then, let's get a basket. Look better for an invalid. One +minute: some leaves." + +He stooped and picked some strawberry leaves, and one or two very large +ripe berries, which he told me were Myatt's. + +Then taking me to a low cool shed that smelt strongly of cut flowers, he +took down a large open strawberry basket from a nail, and deftly +arranged the leaves and fruit therein, with the finest ripened fruit +pointing upwards. + +"That's the way to manage it, my lad," he said, giving me a queer look; +"put all the bad ones at the bottom and the good ones at the top. +That's what you'd better do with your qualities, only never let the bad +ones get out." + +"Now, your pinks and roses," he said; and, taking them, he shook them +out loosely on the bench beneath a window, arranged them all very +cleverly in a bunch, and tied it up with a piece of matting. + +"I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you, sir," I said, warmly now, for it +seemed to me that I had been making a mistake about Mr Brownsmith, and +that he was a very good old fellow after all. + +"That's right," he said, laughing. "So you ought to be. Good-bye. +Come again soon. My dooty to your mamma, and I hope she'll be better. +Shake hands." + +I held out my hand and grasped his warmly as we reached the gate, seeing +Shock watching me all the time. Then as I stood outside old Brownsmith +laughed and nodded. + +"Mind how you pack your strawberries," he said with a laugh; "bad 'uns +at bottom, good 'uns at top. Good-bye, youngster, good-bye." + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +OLD BROWNSMITH'S VISITOR. + +The time glided on, but I did not go to the garden again, for my mother +felt that we must not put ourselves under so great an obligation to a +stranger. Neither did I take her over for a walk, but we sat at the +window a great deal after lesson time; and whenever I was alone and +Shock was within sight, he used to indulge in some monkey-like gesture, +all of which seemed meant to show me what a very little he thought of +me. + +At the end of a fortnight, as I was sitting at the window talking to a +boy who went to a neighbouring school, and telling him why I did not go, +a great clod of earth came over the wall and hit the boy in the back. + +"Who's that!" he cried sharply. "Did you shy that lump?" + +"No," I said; and before I could say more, he cried: + +"I know. It was Brownsmith's baboon shied that. Only let us get him +out in the fields, we'll give it him. You know him, don't you?" + +"Do you mean Shock?" I said. + +"Yes, that ragged old dirty chap," he cried. "You can see him out of +your window, can't you?" + +"I can sometimes," I said; "but I can't now." + +"That's because he's sneaking along under the wall. Never mind; we'll +pay him some day if he only comes out." + +"Doesn't he come out then?" + +"No. He's nobody's boy, and sleeps in the sheds over there. One of +Brownsmith's men picked him up in the road, and brought him home in one +of the market carts. Brownsmith sent him to the workhouse, but he +always runs away and comes back. He's just like a monkey, ain't he? +Here, I must go; but I say, why don't you ask your ma to let you come +and play with us; we have rare games down the meadows, bathing, and +wading, and catching dace?" + +"I should like to come," I said dolefully. + +"Ah, there's no end of things to see down there--water-rats and frogs; +and there's a swan's nest, with the old bird sitting; and don't the old +cock come after you savage if you go near! Oh, we do have rare games +there on half-holidays! I wish you'd come." + +"I should like to," I said. + +"Ain't too proud; are you?" + +"Oh no!" I said, shaking my head. + +"Because I was afraid you were. Well, I shall catch it if I stop any +longer. I say, is your ma better?" + +I shook my head. + +"Ain't going to die, is she?" + +"Oh no!" I said sharply. + +"That's all right. Well, you get her to let you come. What's your +name?" + +"Grant," I said. + +"Grant! Grant what?" + +"Dennison." + +"Oh, all right, Grant! I shall call for you next half-holiday; and mind +you come." + +"Stop a moment," I said. "What's your name?" + +"George Day," he replied; and then my new friend trotted off, swinging +half-a-dozen books at the end of a strap, and I sat at the window +wishing that I too could go to school and have a strap to put round my +books and swing them, for my life seemed very dull. + +All at once I saw something amongst the bristly young shoots of the +plum-trees along the wall, and on looking more attentively I made out +that it was the top of Shock's straw head-piece with the lid gone, and +the hair sticking out in the most comical way. + +I watched him intently, fully expecting to see another great clod of +earth come over, and wishing I had something to throw back at him; but I +had nothing but a flower-pot with a geranium in it, and the shells upon +the chimney-piece, and they were Mrs Beeton's, and I didn't like to +take them. + +The head came a little higher till the whole of the straw bonnet crown +was visible, and I could just make out the boy's eyes. + +Of course he was watching me, and I sat and watched him, feeling that he +must have turned one of the trained plum-trees into a ladder, and +climbed up; and I found myself wondering whether he had knocked off any +of the young fruit. + +Then, as he remained perfectly still, watching me, I began to wonder why +he should be so fond of taking every opportunity he could find to stare +at me; and then I wondered what old Brownsmith would say to him, or do, +if he came slowly up behind him and caught him climbing up his +beautifully trained trees. + +Just then I heard a loud cough that I knew was old Brownsmith's, for I +had heard it dozens of times, and Shock's head disappeared as if by +magic. + +I jumped up to see, for I felt sure that Shock was going to catch it, +and then I saw that old Brownsmith was not in his garden, but in the +lane on our side, and that he was close beneath the window looking up at +me. + +He nodded, and I had just made up my mind that I would not complain +about Shock, when there was a loud thump of the knocker, and directly +after I heard the door open, a heavy step in the passage, the door +closed, and then the sound of old Brownsmith wiping his shoes on the big +mat. + +His shoes could not have wanted wiping, for it was a very dry day, but +he kept on rub--rub--rub, till Mrs Beeton, who waited upon us as well +as let us her apartments, came upstairs, knocked at my mother's door, +and went down again. + +Then there was old Brownsmith's heavy foot on the stair, and he was +shown in to where I was waiting. + +"Mrs Dennison will be here directly," said our landlady, and the old +man smiled pleasantly at me. + +I say old man, for he was in my eyes a very old man, though I don't +suppose he was far beyond fifty; but he was very grey, and grey hairs in +those days meant to me age. + +"How do?" he said as soon as he saw me. "Being such a nigh neighbour I +thought I'd come and pay my respects." + +He had a basket in his hand, and just then my mother entered, and he +turned and began backing before her on to me. + +"Like taking a liberty," he said in his rough way, "but your son and +me's old friends, ma'am, and I've brought you a few strawberries before +they're over." + +Before my mother could thank him he went on: + +"Been no rain, you see, and the sun's ripening of 'em off so fast. A +few flowers, too, not so good as they should be, ma'am, but he said you +liked flowers." + +I saw the tears stand in my mother's eyes as she thanked him warmly for +his consideration, and begged him to sit down. + +But no. He was too busy. Lot of people getting ready for market and he +was wanted at home, he said, but he thought he would bring those few +strawberries and flowers. + +"I told him, you know, how welcome you'd be," he continued. "Garden's +always open to you, ma'am. Come often. Him too." + +He was at the door as he said this, and nodding and bowing he backed +out, while I followed him downstairs to open the door. + +"Look here," he said, offending me directly by catching hold of one end +of my neckerchief, "you bring her over, and look here," he went on in a +severe whisper, "you be a good boy to her, and try all you can to make +her happy. Do you hear?" + +"_Yes_, sir," I said. "I do try." + +"That's right. Don't you worry her, because--because it's my opinion +that she couldn't bear it, and boys are such fellows. Now you mind." + +"Yes, sir," I said, "I'll mind;" and he went away, while, when I +returned to the room where my mother was holding the flowers to her +face, and seeming as if their beauty and sweetness were almost more than +she could bear, I glanced towards the window, and there once more, with +his head just above the wall, and peering through the thick bristling +twigs, was that boy Shock, watching our window till old Brownsmith +reached his gate. + +Hardly a week had passed before the old man got hold of me as I was +going by his gate, taking me as usual by the end of my tie and leading +me down the garden to cut some more flowers. + +"You haven't brought her yet," he said. "Look here, if you don't bring +her I shall think you are too proud." + +"He shall not think that," my mother said; and for the next week or two +she went across for a short time every day, while I walked beside her, +for her to lean upon my shoulder, and to carry the folding seat so that +she might sit down from time to time. + +Upon these occasions I never saw Shock, and old Brownsmith never came +near us. It was as if he wanted us to have the garden to ourselves for +these walks, and to a great extent we did. + +Of course I used to notice how often I had to spread out that chair for +her to sit down under the shady trees; but I thought very little more of +it. She was weak. Well, I knew that; but some people were weak, I +said, and some were strong, and she would be better when it was not so +hot. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +A LESSON IN SWIMMING. + +It was hot! One of those dry summers when the air seems to quiver with +the heat, and one afternoon, as I was in my old place at the window +watching Shock go to and fro, carrying baskets of what seemed to be +beans, George Day came along. + +"I say," he cried, "ask leave to come with us. We've got a +half-holiday." + +Just then I saw the bristling shoots on the wall shake, but I paid no +heed, for I was too much interested in my new friend's words. + +"Where are you going?" I asked. + +"Oh, down the meadows! that's the best place, and there's no end of fun +to be had. I'll take a fishing-rod." I went to where my mother was +lying down and asked her consent, receiving a feeble _yes_, and her hand +went up to my neck, to draw me down that she might kiss me. + +"Be back in good time," she whispered. "George Day, you said?" + +"Yes; his father is something in London, and he goes to the +grammar-school." + +"Be back in good time," she whispered again; and getting my cap, I just +caught sight of Shock at the top of the wall as I ran by the window. + +"Poor fellow!" I thought, "how he, too, would like a holiday!" + +"Here I am," I cried; and feeling as if I had been just released from +some long confinement, I set off with my companion at a sharp run. + +We had to call at his house, a large red brick place just at the end of +the village, close to Isleworth church, where the rod was obtained, with +a basket to hold bait, lines, and the fish that we were going to catch; +and soon after we were down where the sleek cows were contentedly lying +about munching, and giving their heads an angry toss now and then to +keep off the flies. + +Rich grass, golden butter-cups, bushes and trees whose boughs swept down +towards the ground, swallows and swifts darting here and there, and +beneath the vividly blue sky there was the river like so much damascened +silver, for in those days one never thought about the mud. + +I cannot describe the joy I felt in running here and there with my +companion, and a couple of his school-fellows who had preceded us, and +who saluted us as we approached with a shout. + +We ran about till we were tired, and then the fishing commenced from the +bank, for the tide was well up, and according to my companion's account +the fish were in plenty. + +Perhaps they were, but though bait after bait was placed upon the hook, +and the line thrown out to float along with the current, not a fish was +caught, no vestige of that nerve-titillating tremble of the float--a +bite--was seen. + +Every now and then some one struck sharply, trying to make himself +believe that roach or dace had taken the bait, but the movement of the +float was always due to the line dragging the gravelly ground, or the +bait touching one of the many weeds. + +The sun was intensely hot, and scorched our backs, and burned our faces +by flashing back from the water, which looked cool and tempting, as it +ran past our feet. + +We fished on, sometimes one handling the rod and sometimes the other-- +beginning by throwing in the line with whispered words, so as not to +frighten the fish that were evidently not there, and ending by sending +in bait and float with a splash, and with noise and joking. + +"There's a big one," some one would cry, and a clod torn out from the +bank, or a stone, would be thrown in amidst bursts of laughter. + +"Oh it's not a jolly bit of good," cried one of the boys; "they won't +bite to-day. I'm so thirsty, let's have a drink." + +"No, no, don't drink the water," I said; "it isn't good enough." + +"What shall we do then--run after the cows for a pen'orth of milk?" + +"I say, look there," cried George Day; "the tide's turned. It's running +down. We shall get plenty of fish now." + +"Why, there's somebody bathing down below there," cried another of the +boys. + +"Yes, and can't he swim!" + +"Let's all have a bathe," cried young Day. + +"Ah, come on: it will be jolly here. Who's first in?" + +I looked on half in amazement, for directly after catching sight of the +head of some lad in the water about a couple of hundred yards below us, +who seemed to be swimming about in the cool water with the greatest +ease, my companions began to throw off caps and jackets, and to untie +and kick off their boots. + +"But we haven't got any towels," cried George Day. + +"Towels!" cried one of the others; "why, the sun will dry us in five +minutes; come on. What a day for a swim!" + +It did look tempting there at the bottom of that green meadow, deep in +grass and with the waving trees to hide us from observation, though +there was not a house within a mile, nor, saving an occasional barge +with a sleepy man hanging over the tiller, a boat to be seen, and as I +watched the actions of my companions, I, for the first time in my life, +felt the desire to imitate them come on me strongly. + +They were not long undressing, one kicking off his things anyhow, +another carefully folding them as he took them off, and tucking his +socks inside his boots. But careful and careless alike, five minutes +had not elapsed before to my delight George Day, who was a boy of about +fourteen, ran back a dozen yards from the river's brink and threw up his +arms. + +"One, two, three, cock warning!" he shouted, ran by me swiftly, and +plunged into the river with a tremendous splash. + +I felt horrified, but the next moment his head reappeared bobbing about, +and he swam along easily and well. + +"Oh it's so lovely," he cried. "Come along." + +"All right!" cried one of his friends, sitting down on the edge of the +bank, and lowering himself in gently, to stand for a few moments up to +his arm-pits, and then duck his head down twice, rubbing his eyes to get +the water out, and then stooping down and beginning to swim slowly and +laboriously, and with a great deal of puffing. + +"Oh, what a cowardly way of getting in!" said the third, who stood on +the bank, hesitating. + +"Well, let's see you, then," cried George Day, who was swimming close at +hand. "Jump in." + +"Oh, I can't jump in like you do," said the other; "it gives me the +headache." + +"Why, you're afraid." + +"No, I'm not." + +"Yes, you are. Come in, or I'll pull you down." + +"There!" + +The boy jumped in feet first, and as soon as he came up he struggled to +the bank, and puffed and panted and squeezed the water out of his hair. + +"Oh my, isn't it jolly cold!" he cried. "It takes all my breath away." + +"Cold!" cried the others; "it's lovely. Here you, Dennison, come in." + +"I can't swim," I said, feeling a curious shrinking on the one side, +quite a temptation on the other. + +"And you never will," cried George Day, "if you don't try. It's so +easy: look here!" + +He swam a few yards with the greatest ease, turned round, and began +swimming slowly back. + +"Go on--faster," I cried, for I was interested. + +"Can't," he cried, "tide runs so sharp. If I didn't mind I should be +swept right away. Come in. I'll soon teach you." + +I shook my head. + +"Oh, you are a fellow. Come on." + +"No, I sha'n't bathe," I said in a doubtful tone. + +"Oh, here's a chap! I say isn't he a one! Always tied to his mother's +apron-string: can't play cricket, or rounders, or football, and can't +swim. I say, isn't he a molly." + +The others laughed, and being now out of their misery, as they termed +it, they were splashing about and enjoying the water, but neither of +them went far from the bank. + +"I say, why don't you come in?" cried the boy who jumped in feet first. +"You will like it so." + +"Yes: come along, and try to swim. I can take five strokes. Look +here." + +I watched while the boy went along puffing and panting, and making a +great deal of splashing. + +"Get out!" said the other; "he has got one leg on the ground. This is +the way to learn to swim. Look here, Dennison, my father showed me." + +I looked, and he waded out three or four yards, till the water was +nearly over his shoulders. + +"Oh, I say, isn't the tide strong!" he cried. "Now, then, look." + +He threw up his arms, joined his hands as he stood facing me, made a +sort of jump and turned right over, plunging down before me, his legs +and feet coming right out, and then for some seconds there was a great +deal of turmoil and splashing in the muddy water, and he came up close +to the bank. + +"That's the way," he cried, panting. "You have to try to get to the +bottom, and that gives you confidence." + +"I didn't learn that way," shouted George Day. "See me float!" + +We all looked, and he turned over on his back, but splashed a good deal +to keep himself up. Then all at once he went under, and my heart seemed +to stand still, but he came up again directly, shaking his head and +spitting. + +"Tread water!" he cried; and he seemed to be wading about with +difficulty. + +"Is it deep there?" I shouted. + +"Look," he cried; and raising his hands above his head he sank out of +sight, his hands disappearing too, and then he was up again directly and +swam to the bank. + +"I wish I could swim like you do," I said, looking at him with +admiration. + +"Well, it's easy enough," he said. "Come along." + +"Shall I?" + +"Yes. Why, what are you afraid of? Nobody ever comes down here except +us boys who want a bathe. Slip off your clothes and have a good dip. +You're sure to like it." + +"But I've never been used to it," I protested. + +"Then get used to it," he cried. "I say, boys, he ought to learn, +oughtn't he?" + +"Yes," cried the others. "Let's get out and make him." + +"Oh, I don't want any making," I said proudly. "But I say--is it +dangerous?" + +"Dangerous! Hark at him! Ha--ha--ha!" laughed Day. "Why, what are you +afraid of? There, jump out of your jacket. I sha'n't stop in much +longer, and I want to give you a lesson." + +"He's afraid," shouted the other two boys. + +"Am I! You'll see," I said sturdily; and, feeling as if I were going to +do something very desperate, and with a curious sensation of dread +coming all over me, even to the roots of my hair, I rapidly undressed +and went to the edge. + +"Hooray!" shouted Day. "Now, look here: you can jump in head first, +which is the proper way, or sneak in toes first, like they do. Show 'em +you aren't afraid. They daren't jump in head first. Come on; I'll take +care you don't come up too far out, as you can't swim." + +"Would it matter if I did?" I said excitedly. + +"Get along with you! no," cried Day. + +I hesitated, for the water looked very dreadful, and in spite of the +burning sunshine it seemed cold. I felt so helpless too, and would +gladly have run back to my clothes and dressed, instead of standing on +the brink of the river. + +"In with you," shouted Day, backing away from the bank, and the other +two boys stood a little way off, with the water up to their chests, +grinning and jeering. + +"He daren't." + +"He's afraid." + +"I say, don't you jump in: you'll get wet." + +"I say, young 'un, don't. You learn to swim in the washing-tub in warm +water." + +"Don't you take any notice of them," cried Day. "You jump in. Join +your hands above your head and go in with a regular good leap. They +can't." + +I felt desperate. The water seemed to drive me back, but all the time +the jeers of the boys pricked and stirred me on, and at last, obeying +Day to the letter, I placed my hands above my head, diver fashion, and +took the plunge down into the darkness of the chilly water, which seemed +to roar and thunder in my ears, and then, before I knew where I was, I +found myself standing up, spitting, half blind, with a curious burning +sensation in my nostrils, and a horrible catching of the breath. + +"Hooray!" shouted Day. "You've beat them hollow. Now you're out of +your misery and can show them. I bet a penny you learn to swim before +they can." + +This was encouraging, and I began to feel a warm glow of satisfaction in +my veins. + +"Catch hold of my hand," cried Day. + +"No, no," I cried excitedly. "You'll take me where it's deep." + +"Get out!" he said. "I shouldn't be such a fool. There, go on then by +yourself. Don't go where it's more than up to your chin." + +"Oh, no!" I said, stooping and rising, and letting the water, as it ran +swiftly, send a curious cold thrill all over me. And then, as I began +cautiously to wade about, panting, and with my breath coming in an +irregular manner, there was a very pleasurable sensation in it all. +First I began to notice how firm and close and heavy the water felt, and +how it pressed against me. Then I began to think of how hard it was to +walk, the water keeping me back; and directly after, as I stepped +suddenly in a soft place all mud, which seemed to ooze up between my +toes, the water came to my shoulders, and I felt as if I were being +lifted from my feet. + +"I say how do you like it?" cried Day, who was swimming a few yards +away. + +"I don't know," I panted. "I think I like it." + +"Oh, you'll soon think it glorious," he replied. "You'll love it as +soon as you can swim." + +The other two had waded on for some distance against the current, taking +no further interest in me now I had made my plunge. + +"I should like to swim," I said. + +"Oh it's easy enough once you get used to it. That chap down below +there swims twice as well as I can, but I don't know who he is." + +"What shall I do first?" I asked. + +"Oh, throw yourself flat on the water, and kick out your arms and legs +like I do--like a frog. You'll soon learn. Now I'm going to swim up as +far as they are, and then let myself float back. You'll see me come +down. It's so easy. You watch." + +"All right!" I said. + +"You keep close in to the bank," he shouted; "the tide don't run there. +Keep on trying to throw yourself down and kick out like a frog. You'll +soon swim." + +I nodded, and stood holding on by a tuft of coarse sedge, watching him +as he threw himself on his side, and went off pretty close to the bank, +where the water was eddying; and the next minute he was beyond a clump +of sedge that projected into the river, and I was alone. + +I felt no dread now, for the water seemed pleasantly cool, and I began +to grow more confident. The buoyancy was delicious, and I found that by +holding on with both hands to the long rushes I could float on the +water, throwing myself down and keeping close to the surface, but with +my legs gradually sinking, till I gave them a kick and rose again. + +I amused myself this way for a minute or two, and then, leaving the tuft +of rushes, I began to wade slowly along with the water up to my chest, +and every now and then I stooped down, so that it came above my +shoulders, and struck out with my hands; but I dare not throw myself +flat with my legs off the bottom. That was too much to expect, and I +had not recovered yet from the desperate plunge in, the recollection of +which made me wonder at my temerity. + +It was very nice, that first lesson in the water's buoyancy, and as I +jumped up, or lowered myself down, or held on by the tufts by the brink, +and let myself float, I could not help comparing myself to the soap in +the bathtub at home, for that almost floated, but gradually settled down +to the bottom, just as my body seemed to do. + +"I shall soon swim," I thought to myself; but I felt no inclination to +risk the first plunge and begin the struggle. It was far more pleasant +to keep on wading there with the water up to my chest, and the delicious +sensation of novelty, half fear, half pleasure, making me now venture +out a few inches into deeper water, now shrink back towards the bank. + +How beautiful it all seemed, with the mellow afternoon sunlight dancing +on the water as a puff of warm wind came now and then along the river. +The trees were so green and the sky so blue, and the barges, and horses +that drew them by the towing-path on the other side, all seemed to add +to my pleasure, for the barges seemed to glide along so easily, and they +floated, and that was what I wanted to do. + +I forgot all about my companions, who must have been a couple of hundred +yards higher up the river, while I was wading down. + +By degrees I found the water a little deeper, and I shrank from it at +first, but I was close to the bank and had only to stretch out my hand +to catch hold of a tuft of grass or sedge, and, after the shrinking +sensation, it seemed pleasant to have the water higher up about my +shoulders. It was so much harder to walk, and I could feel myself +almost panting. Beside this there was a nice soft muddy bottom, +pleasanter to the feet than the gravel where I had plunged in. + +Yes: I thought it a much nicer place there, and I was slowly and +cautiously wading on, while all at once I found the water seeming to +come in the opposite direction, curving round towards me in a place +where the bank was scooped out. + +It looked so smooth that I pressed on, taking one step forward, so that +the water might rush up against me, and--then I was floating, for my +feet found no bottom, and with an excited thrill of delight I felt that +I could swim. + +Yes; there was no doubt about it. I could swim as easily as George Day, +only I was not moving my hands, while the water was bearing me up and +carrying me round as in a whirlpool just once, and then I was swept into +the tide-way with the water thundering in my ears, a horrible strangling +sensation in my nostrils, and a dimness coming over my aching eyes. + +I could never remember much about it, only that it was all a confusion +of thundering in my ears and rushing sounds. I kept on beating the +water with my hands as I had seen a dog beat the surface when he could +not swim, and I seemed to throw my head right back as I gasped for +breath. But I do not remember that it was very horrible, or that I was +drowning, as I surely was. Confusion is the best expression for +explaining my sensations as I was swept rapidly down by the tide. + +What do I remember next? I hardly know. Only a sensation of some one +catching me by the wrist, from somewhere in the darkness that was +closing me in. But the next thing after that is, I remember shutting my +eyes, because the sun shone in them so fiercely as I lay on my back in +the grass, with my head aching furiously, and a strange pain at the back +of my neck, as if some one had been trying to break my head off, as a +mischievous child would serve a doll. + +Just then I heard some one sobbing and crying, and I felt as if I must +be asleep and dreaming all this. + +"Don't make that row. He's all right, I tell you. He isn't drowned. +What's the good of making a row like that!" + +It was George Day's voice, and opening my eyes I said hoarsely: + +"What's the matter? Is he hurt?" + +"No: it's only Harry Leggatt thought you were--you were hurt, you know. +Can you get up, and run? All our clothes are two fields off. Come on. +The sun will dry you." + +I got up, feeling giddy and strange, and the aching at the back of my +head was almost unbearable; but I began to walk with Day holding my +hand, and after a time--he guiding me, for I felt very stupid--I began +to trot; and at last, with my head throbbing and whirring, I found +myself standing by my clothes, and my companions helped me to dress. + +"You went out too far," Day said. "I told you not, you know." + +I was shivering with cold and terribly uncomfortable with putting on my +things over my wet chilled body. It had been a hard task too, +especially with my socks, but I hardly spoke till we were walking home, +and when I did it was during the time I was smoothing my wet hair with a +pocket comb lent me by one of the boys. + +"How was it I went too far?" I said at last, dolefully. + +"I don't know," said Day. "I shouldn't have known anything if that chap +Shock hadn't come shouting to us; and when we came, thinking he was +going to steal our clothes, he brought us and showed us where he had +dragged you out on to the bank. It was him we saw swimming when we +first went in." + +"Where is he now?" I said wearily. "Let's ask him all about it." + +"I don't know," replied Day. "He ran off to dress himself, I suppose, +and he didn't come back. But I say, you're better now." + +"Oh yes!" I said, "I'm better now;" and by degrees the walk in the warm +afternoon sunshine seemed to make me feel more myself; beside which I +was dry when I got back home, but very low-spirited and dull. + +I did not say anything, for my mother was lying down, and Mrs Beeton +never invited my confidence; beside which I felt rather +conscience-stricken, and after having my solitary tea I went to the +window, feeling warmer, and less disposed to shiver. + +And as I sat there about seven o'clock on that warm summer evening it +almost seemed as if my afternoon's experience had been a dream, and that +Shock had not swum out and saved me from drowning, for there he was +under one of the pear-trees, with a switch and a piece of clay, throwing +pellets at our house, one of which came right in at the open window +close by my cheek, and struck against Mrs Beeton's cheffonier door. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +BEGINNING A NEW LIFE. + +I don't want to say much about a sad, sad time in my life, but old +Brownsmith played so large a part in it then that I feel bound to set it +all down. + +I saw very little more of George Day, for just about that time he was +sent off to another school; and I am glad to recollect that I went +little away from the invalid who used to watch me with such wistful +eyes. + +I had no more lessons in swimming, but I saved up a shilling for a +particular purpose, and that was to give to Shock; but though I tried to +get near him time after time when I was in the big garden with my +mother, no sooner did I seem to be going after him than the boy went off +like some wild thing--diving in amongst the bushes, and, knowing the +garden so well, he soon got out of sight. + +I did not want to send the present by anybody, for that seemed to me +like entering into explanations why I sent the money; and I knew that if +the news reached my mother's ears that I had been half-drowned, it would +come upon her like a terrible shock; and she was, I knew now, too ill to +bear anything more. + +So though I was most friendly in my disposition towards Shock, and +wanted to pay him in my mild way for saving my life, he persisted in +looking upon me as an enemy, and threw clay, clods, and, so to speak, +derisive gestures, whenever we met at a distance. + +"I won't run after him any more," I said to myself one day. "He's half +a wild beast, and if he wants us to be enemies, we will." + +I suppose I knew a good deal for my age, as far as education went. If I +had been set to answer the questions in an examination paper I believe I +should have failed; but all the same I had learned a great deal of +French, German, and Latin, and I could write a fair hand and express +myself decently on paper. But when I sat at our window watching Shock's +wonderful activity, and recalled how splendidly he must be able to swim, +I used to feel as if I were a very inferior being, and that he was a +long way ahead of me. + +As the time went on our visits to the garden used to grow less frequent; +but whenever the weather was fine and my mother felt equal to the task, +we used to go over; and towards the end old Brownsmith's big armed +Windsor chair, with its cushions, used to be set under a big quince tree +in the centre walk, just where there were most flowers, and as soon as +we had reached it the old fellow used to come down with a piece of +carpet to double up and put beneath my mother's feet. + +"Used to be a bit of a spring here," he said with a nod to me; "might be +a little damp." + +Then he would leave a couple of cats, "just for company like," he would +say, and then go softly away. + +I did not realise it was so near when that terrible time came and I +followed my poor mother to her grave, seeing everything about me in a +strange, unnatural manner. One minute it seemed to be real; then again +as if it were all a dream. There were people about me in black, and I +was in black, but I was half stunned, listening to the words that were +said; and at last I was left almost alone, for those who were with me +stepped back a yard or two. + +I was gazing down with my eyes dimmed and a strange aching feeling at my +heart, when I felt someone touch my elbow, and turning round to follow +whoever it was, I found old Brownsmith there, in his black clothes and +white neckerchief, holding an enormous bunch of white roses in his arms. + +"Thought you'd like it, my lad," he said in a low husky voice. "She +used to be very fond o' my white roses, poor soul!" + +As he spoke he nodded and took his great pruning-knife from his coat +pocket, opened it with his teeth, and cut the strip of sweet-scented +Russia mat. Then holding them ready in his arms he stood there while I +slowly scattered the beautiful flowers down more and more, more and +more, till the coffin was nearly covered, and instead of the black cloth +I saw beneath me the fragrant heap of flowers, and the dear, loving face +that had gazed so tenderly in mine seemed once more to be looking in my +eyes. + +I held the last two roses in my hand for a moment or two, hesitating, +but I let them fall at last; and then the tears I had kept back so long +came with a rush, and I sank down on my knees sobbing as if my heart +would break. + +It was one of my uncles who laid his hand upon my shoulder and made me +start as he bent over me, and said in a low, chilling voice: + +"Get up, my boy; we are going back. Come!--be a man!" + +I did get up in a weary, wretched way, and as I did so I looked round +after old Brownsmith, and there he was a little distance off, watching +me, it seemed. Then we went back, my relatives who were there taking +very little notice of me; and I was made the more wretched by hearing +one cousin, whom I had never seen before, say angrily that he did not +approve of that last scene being made--"such an exhibition with those +flowers." + +It was about a month after that sad scene that I went over to see old +Brownsmith. I was very young, but my life with my invalid mother had, I +suppose, made me thoughtful; and though I used to sit a great deal at +the window I felt as if I had not the heart to go into the great garden, +where every path and bed would seem to bring up one of the days when +somebody used to be sitting there, watching the flowers and listening to +the birds. + +I used to fancy that if I went down any of her favourite walks I should +burst out crying; and I had a horror of doing that, for the knowledge +was beginning to dawn upon me that a great change was coming over my +life, and that I must begin to think of acting like a man. + +As I turned in at the gate I saw Shock at the door of one of the lofts +over the big packing-sheds. He had evidently gone up there after some +baskets, and as soon as I saw him I walked quickly in his direction; but +he darted out of sight in the loft; and if I had any idea of scaling the +ladder and going up to him to take him by storm, it was checked at once, +for a half-sieve basket--one of those flat, round affairs in which fruit +is packed--came flying out of the door, and then another and another, +one after the other, at a tremendous rate, quite sufficient to have +knocked me backwards before I was half-way up. + +"A brute!" I said angrily to myself. "I'll treat him with contempt;" +and striding away I went down the garden, with the creaking, banging of +the falling baskets going on. And when I turned to look, some fifty +yards away, there was a big heap of the round wicker-work flats at the +foot of the ladder, and others kept on flying out of the door. + +I had not gone far before I saw old Brownsmith busy as usual amongst his +cats; and as he rose from stooping to tie up a plant he caught sight of +me, and immediately turned down the path where I was. + +He held out his great rough hand, took mine, and shook it up and down +gently for quite a minute, just as if it had been the handle of a pump. + +"Seen my new pansies?" he said. + +I shook my head. + +"No, of course you haven't," he said. "Well, how are you?" + +I said I was pretty well, and hoped he was. "Middling," he replied. +"Want more sun. Can't get my pears to market without more sun." + +"It has been dull," I said. + +"Splendid for planting out, my lad, but bad for ripening off. Well, how +are you?" + +I said again that I was very well; and he looked at me thoughtfully, put +one end of a bit of matting between his teeth, and drew it out tightly +with his left hand. Then he began to twang it thoughtfully, and made it +give out a dull musical note. + +"Seen my new pansies?" he said--"no, of course not," he added quickly; +"and I asked you before. Come and look at them." + +He led me to a bed which was full of beautifully rounded, +velvety-petalled flowers. + +"What do you think of them?" he said--"eh? There's a fine one, +_Mulberry Superb_; rich colour--eh?" + +"They are lovely," I said warmly. + +"Hah! yes!" he said, looking at me thoughtfully; "she liked white roses, +though--yes, white roses--and they are all over." + +My lip began to quiver, but I mastered the emotion and he went on: + +"Thought I should have seen you before, my lad. Didn't think I should +see you for some time. Thought perhaps I should never see you again. +Thought you'd be sure to come and say `Good-bye!' before you went. +Contradictions--eh?" + +"I always meant to come over and see you, Mr Brownsmith," I said. + +"Of course you did, my lad. Been damp and cold. Want more sun badly." + +I said I hoped the weather would soon change, and I began to feel +uncomfortable and was just thinking I would go, when he thrust the piece +of matting in his pocket, and took up and began stroking one of the +cats. + +"Ah! it's a bad job, my lad!" he said softly--"a terrible job!" + +I nodded. + +"A sad job, my lad!--a very sad job!" + +I nodded again, and waited till a choking sensation had gone off. + +"Boys don't think enough about their mothers--some boys don't," he went +on. "I didn't, till she was took away. You did--stopped with her a +deal." + +"I'm afraid,"--I began. + +"I'm not," he said, interrupting me hastily. "I notice a deal--weather, +and people, and children, and boys, and things growing. Want sun +badly--don't we?" + +"Yes, sir," I said; and I looked up in his florid face, with its bushy +white whiskers; and then I looked at his great bulging pockets, and next +down lower at his black legs, which the cats were turning into +rubbing-posts; and as they served me the same in the most friendly +manner I began wondering whether he ever brushed his black trousers, and +thought of what a job I should have to get all the cats' hairs off mine. + +For there they all were, quite a little troop, arching their backs and +purring, sticking their tails straight up, and every now and then giving +their ends a flick. + +They were so friendly in their rubbings against me that I did not like +to refuse to accept their salutes; but it seemed to me as if only the +light-coloured hairs came off, and in a short time I was furry from the +knees of my black trousers down to my boots. + +There was something, too, of welcome in their ways that was pleasant to +me in my desolate position, for just then I seemed as if I had not one +friend in the world; and even Mr Brownsmith seemed strange and cold, +and as if he would be very glad when I was gone and he could get along +with his work. + +"There, there," he cried suddenly, "we mustn't fret about it, you know. +It's what we must all come to, and I don't hold with people making it +out dreadful. It's very sad, boy, so it is. Dull weather too. When +all my trees and plants die off for the winter, we don't call that +dreadful, because we know they'll all bud and leaf and blossom again +after their long sleep; and so it is with them as has gone away. There, +there, there, you must try to be a man." + +"Yes, sir," I said; "I am trying very hard." + +"That's the way," he cried; "that's the way;" and he clapped me on the +shoulder. "To be sure it is hard work, though, when you are on'y twelve +or thirteen years old." + +"Yes, sir." + +"But look here, boy, there's a tremendous deal done by a lad who makes +up his mind to try; do you see?" + +"Yes sir, I see," I said, looking at him wonderingly, for he did not +seem to want to get rid of me now, as he was holding me tightly by the +arm. + +"'Member coming for the strawberries?" he said drily. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Thought me a disagreeable old fellow, didn't you then?" + +I hesitated, but he looked at me sharply. + +"Yes, sir, I did then," I said. "I did not know how kind you could be." + +"That's just what I am," he said gruffly; "very disagreeable." + +I shook my head. + +"I am," he said. "Ask any of my men and women. Here--what's going to +become of you, my lad--what are you going to be--soldier like your +father?" + +"Oh no!" I said. + +"What then?" + +"I don't know, sir. I believe I am to wait till my uncles and my +father's cousin have settled." + +"How many of them are to settle it, boy?" + +"Four, sir." + +"Four, eh, my boy! Ah, then I suppose it will take a lot of settling! +You'll have to wait." + +"Yes, sir, I've got to wait," I said. + +"But have you no prospects?" + +"Oh yes, sir!" I said. "I believe I have." + +"Well, what?" + +"My uncle Frederick said that I must make up my mind to go somewhere and +earn my own living." + +"That's a nice prospect." + +"Yes, sir." + +He was silent for a moment or two, and then smiled. + +"Well, you're right," he said. "It is a nice prospect, though you and I +were thinking different things. I like a boy to make up his mind to +earn his living when he is called upon to do it. Makes him busy and +self-reliant--makes a man of him. Did he say how?" + +"Who, sir--my uncle Frederick?" + +"Yes." + +"No, sir, he only said that I must wait." + +"Like I have to wait for the sun to ripen my fruit, eh? Ah, but I don't +like that. If the sun don't come I pick it, and store it under cover to +ripen as well as it will." + +I looked at him wonderingly. + +"That waiting," he went on, "puts me in mind of the farmer and his corn +in the fable--get out, cats!--he waited till he found that the proper +thing to do was to get his sons to work and cut the corn themselves." + +"Yes, sir," I said smiling; "and then the lark thought it was time to +take her young ones away." + +"Good, lad; right!" he cried. "That fable contains the finest lesson a +boy can learn. Don't you wait for others to help you: help yourself." + +"I'll try, sir." + +"That's right. Ah! I wish I had always been as wise as that lark." + +"Then you would not wait if you were me, sir?" I said, looking up at +him wonderingly. + +"Not a week, my lad, if you can get anything to do. Fact is, I've been +looking into it, and your relations are all waiting for each other to +take you in hand. There isn't one of them wants the job." + +I sighed, and said: + +"I'm afraid I shall be a great deal of trouble to them, sir, and an +enormous expense." + +"Oh, you think so, do you!" he said, stooping down and lifting up first +one cat and then another, stroking them gently the while. Then one of +them, as usual, leaped upon his back. "Well, look here, my boy," he +said thoughtfully, "that's all nonsense about expense! I--" + +He stopped short and went on stroking one cat's back, as it rubbed +against his leg, and he seemed to be thinking very deeply. + +"Yes, all nonsense. See here; wait for a week or two, perhaps one of +your uncles may find you something to do, or send you to a good school, +eh?" + +"No, sir," I said; "my uncle Frederick said I must not expect to be sent +to a school." + +"Oh he did, did he?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Well, then, if nothing better turns up--if they don't find you a good +place, you might come and help me." + +"Help you, sir!" I said wonderingly; "what, learn to be a +market-gardener?" + +"Yes, there's nothing so very dreadful in that, is there?" + +"Oh no, sir! but what could I do?" + +"Heaps of things. Tally the bunches and check the sieves, learn to bud +and graft, and how to cut young trees, and--oh, I could find you enough +to do." + +I looked at him aghast, and began to see in my mind's eye rough, dirty +Shock, crawling about on his hands and knees, and digging out the weeds +from among the onions with his fingers. + +"Oh, there's lots of things you could do!" he continued. "Why, of a +night you might use your pen and help me do the booking, and read and +improve yourself while I sat and smoked my pipe. Cats don't come into +the house." + +"Do you mean that I should come and live with you, sir?" I said. + +"That's it, my boy, always supposing you couldn't do any better. Could +you?" + +I shook my head. "I don't think so, sir," I said dismally. + +"Not such a good life for a boy in winter when things are bare, as in +summer when the flowers are out and the fruit comes on. Like fruit, +don't you?" + +"Yes, sir, but you don't let your boys eat the fruit." + +"Tchah! I should never miss what you would eat," he said with a laugh, +"and you would soon get tired of the apples and pears and gooseberries. +Think you'd like to come, eh-em? You don't know; of course you don't. +Wouldn't make a gentleman of you. I never heard of a gentleman +gardener; plenty of gentlemen farmers, though." + +"Yes, sir," I said, with my heart beating fast, "I've heard of gentlemen +farmers." + +"But not of gentlemen market-gardeners, eh? No, my boy, they don't call +us gentlemen, and I never professed to be one; but a man may be a +gentleman at heart whatever his business, and that's better than being a +gentleman in name." + +I looked up in his fresh red face, and there was such a kindly look in +it that I felt happier than I had been for weeks, and I don't know what +moved me to do it, but I laid my hand upon his arm. + +He looked down at me thoughtfully as he went on. + +"People are rather strange about these things. Gentleman farmer +cultivates a hundred acres of land that he pays a hundred and fifty +pounds a year for say: market-gardener cultivates twenty acres that he +pays two or three hundred for; and they call the one a gentleman, the +other a gardener. But it don't matter, Master Dennison, a bit. Does +it?" + +"No, sir," I said, "I don't think so." + +"Old business, gardening," he went on, with a dry look at me--"very old. +Let me see. There was a man named Adam took to it first, wasn't there? +Cultivated a garden, didn't he?" + +I nodded and smiled. + +"Ah, yes," he said; "but that was a long time ago, and you've not been +brought up for such a business. You wouldn't like it." + +"Indeed, but I should, sir," I cried enthusiastically. + +"No, no," he said, deliberately. "Don't be in a hurry to choose, my +boy. I knew a lad once who said he would like to be a sailor, and he +went to sea and had such a taste of it from London to Plymouth that he +would not go any farther, and they had to set him ashore." + +"He must have been a great coward," I said. + +"To be sure he was; but then you might be if you pricked your finger +with the thorns of a rose, or had to do something in the garden when it +was freezing hard, eh?" + +"I don't think I should be," I replied. + +"But you must think," he said. "It's very nice to see flowers blooming +and fruit fit to pick with the sun shining and the sky blue; but life is +not all summer, my boy, is it? There are wet days and storms, and rough +times, and the flowers you see blossoming have been got ready in the +cold wintry weather, when they were only seeds, or bare shabby-looking +roots." + +"Yes, I know that," I said. + +"And you think you would like to come?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What for? to play in the garden, and look on while the work is done?" + +"I think I should be ashamed to do that," I said; "it would be so lazy. +If you please, Mr Brownsmith, I've got to work and do something, and if +you will have me, I should like to come." + +"Well, well," he said, "mine's a good business and profitable and +healthy, and there are times when, in spite of bad crops, bad weather, +and market losses, I thank God that I took to such a pleasant and +instructive way of getting a living." + +"It is instructive then, sir?" I said. + +"Instructive, my lad!" he cried with energy. "I don't know any business +that is more full of teaching. I've been at it all my life, and the +older I grow the more I find there is to learn." + +"I like that," I said, for it opened out a vista of adventure to me that +seemed full of bright flowers and sunshine. + +"A man who has brains may go on learning and making discoveries, not +discoveries of countries and wonders, but of little things that may make +matters better for the people who are to come after him. Then he may +turn a bit of the England where he works into a tropical country, by +covering it over with glass, and having a stove; then some day, if he +goes on trying, he may find himself able to write FRHS at the end of his +name." + +"And did you, sir?" + +"No," he said, "I never did. I was content with plodding. I'm a +regular plodder, you see; so's Samuel." + +"Is he, sir?" I said, for he evidently wanted me to speak. + +"Yes, a regular plodder. Well, there, my boy, we'll see. Don't you be +in a hurry; wait and see if your relatives are going to do anything +better for you. If they are not, don't you be in a hurry." + +But I was in a hurry, for the idea of coming to that garden, living +there, and learning all about the flowers and fruit, excited me, longing +as I was for some change. + +"Yes, yes," he said, "wait, wait;" and he looked at me, and then about +him in the slow meditative manner peculiar to gardeners; "we'll see, +we'll see, wait till you know whether your people are going to do +anything for you." + +"But, indeed, sir," I began. + +"Yes, yes, I know, boy," he replied; but we must wait. "Perhaps they've +planted a business bulb for you, and we must wait and see whether it is +going to shoot and blossom. You're impatient; you want to pull up the +bulb and see if it has any roots yet." + +I looked at him in a disappointed way, and he smiled. + +"Come, come," he said; "at your age you can afford to wait a few days, +if it is for your good. There, wait and see, and I'll be plain with +you; if they do not find you something better to do, I'll take you on +here at once, and do the best I can for you, as far as teaching you to +be a gardener goes." + +"O, thank you, sir!" I cried. + +"Wait a bit," he said quietly, "wait a bit. There I'm going to be very +busy; I've got a cart to load. So now suppose you be off." + +I shook hands with him and walked away surprised and pleased, but at the +same time disappointed, and as I neared the end of the big loft I heard +two or three more baskets come rattling down. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +I DECIDE AND GO TO WORK. + +I felt that I ought to write to my uncles and cousins, and I consulted +Mrs Beeton about it. + +Mrs Beeton put her head on one side and tried how far she could get her +arm down the black worsted stocking she was darning, looking at me +meditatively the while. + +"Well, do you know," she said, "if I were you, my dear, I would write; +for it do seem strange to leave you here, as I may say, all alone." + +"Then I will write," I said. "I want to know what I am going to be." + +"Oh! I should be a soldier, like your dear pa was, if I were you," she +said; "and I'd go into a regiment where they wore blue and silver-blue +and silver always looks so well." + +"I don't want to be a soldier," I said rather sadly, for my fancy did at +one time go strongly in that direction; but it did not seem so very long +since the news came that my poor father had been killed in a skirmish +with the Indians; and I remembered how my poor mother had thrown her +arms round my neck and sobbed, and made me promise that I would never +think of being a soldier. And then it seemed as if after that news she +had gradually drooped and faded, just as a flower might upon its stalk, +till two years had gone by, and then all happened as I have related to +you, and I was left pretty well alone in the world. + +"I'm sorry you don't want to be a soldier," said Mrs Beeton, looking at +me through her glasses, with her head a little more on one side. "If I +had been a young gentleman I should have been a horse-soldier. I +wouldn't be a sailor if I was you, sir." + +"Why not?" I said. + +"Because they do smell so of tar, and they're so rough and boisterous." + +"I think I shall be a gardener," I said. + +"A what?" + +"A gardener." + +"My dear boy!" she cried in horror, "whatever put that in your head? +Why, you couldn't be anything worse. There!--I do declare you startled +me so I've stuck the needle right into my finger, and it bleeds!" + +We had many arguments about the matter while I was waiting for answers +to my letters, for no one came down to see me. + +Uncle Thomas said he was going to see about my being put in a good +public school, but there was no hurry; and perhaps it would be better to +wait and see what Uncle Johnson meant to do, for he should not like to +offend him, as he was much better off, and it might be doing me harm. + +Uncle Johnson wrote a very short letter, saying that I had better write +to my Uncle Frederick. + +Second-cousin Willis did not reply for a week, and he said it was the +duty of one of my uncles to provide for me; and he should make a point +of bringing them both to book if they did not see about something for me +before long. + +One or two other relatives wrote to me that they were not in +circumstances to help me, and that if they were strong, stout boys such +as I was, they would try and get a situation, for it was no disgrace to +earn my living; and they wished me well. + +I took all these letters over to Mr Brownsmith, and he read them day +after day as they came; but he did not say a word, and it made my heart +sink, as it seemed to me that he was repenting of his offer. + +And so a month slipped by; and when I was not reading or writing I found +myself gazing out of the window at the pleasant old garden, where the +fruit was being gathered day after day. The time was passing, and the +chances of my going over to Brownsmith's seemed to me growing remote, +while I never seemed to have seen so much of Shock. + +It appeared to me that he must know of my disappointment; for whenever +he saw me at the window, and could do so unseen, he threw dabs of clay, +or indulged in derisive gestures more extravagant than ever. + +I affected to take no heed of these antics, but they annoyed me all the +same; and I found myself wishing at times that Mr Brownsmith would take +me, if only to give me a chance of some day thrashing that objectionable +boy. + +I was sitting very disconsolately at the window one day, with a table on +which I had been writing drawn up very close to the bay, when I heard a +footstep below, and looking down there was Old Brownsmith, who nodded to +me familiarly and came up. + +"Well," he said, "how are you? Nice weather for my work." + +He sat down, pursed up his lips, and looked about him for some minutes +without speaking. + +"News," he said, "any news?" + +"No, sir," I replied. + +"Humph! Not going to make you manager of the Bank of England or Master +of the Mint--eh?" + +"No, sir. I have had no more news." + +"I was afraid you wouldn't," he continued. "Well, I told you the other +day not to be rash, for there was plenty of time." + +"Yes, sir." + +"Now I'm going to change my tune." + +I jumped up excitedly. + +"Yes, change my tune," he said. "You're wasting time now. What do you +say after thinking it over?--like to come?" + +"May I, sir?" I cried joyfully. + +"I'm a man of my word, my boy," he replied drily. + +"Oh! thank you, sir!" I cried. "I shall always be grateful to you for +this, and--" + +"Gently, gently," he said, interrupting me. "Never promise too much. +Acts are better than words, my boy. There!--good-bye! See you soon, I +suppose?" + +I would have gone with him then, but he told me to take things coolly +and get what I wanted packed up. + +"Why, Grant, my boy," he said, laughing, "you'll have to look over the +loading of some of my carts when I'm not there; and if you do them in +that hurried fashion how will it be done?" + +I felt the rebuke and hung my head. + +"There!--I'm not finding fault," he said kindly; "I only want you to be +business-like, for I have to teach you to be a business man." + +He then went away and left me to settle up matters with Mrs Beeton, who +began to cry when I told her I was going, and where. + +"It seems too dreadful," she sobbed, "and you so nicely brought up. +What am I to say to your friends when they come?" + +"Tell them where I am," I said, smiling. + +"Ah, my dear! you may laugh," she cried; "but it's a very dreadful life +you are going to, and I expect I shall see you back before the week's +out." + +My clothes did not fill the small school-box, but I had a good many +odds, and ends and books that weighed up and made it too heavy to carry, +as I had intended; so I had to go over to the garden, meaning to ask for +help. + +I fully expected to meet Shock about the sheds or in one of the carts or +wagons, but the first person I set eyes on was Old Brownsmith himself--I +say _Old_ Brownsmith, for everybody called him so. + +He was wearing a long blue serge apron, as he came towards me with his +open knife in his teeth and a quantity of Russia matting in his hands, +tearing and cutting it into narrow lengths. + +"Well, young fellow?" he said as coolly as if no conversation had passed +between us. + +"I've come, sir, for good," I said sharply. + +"I hope you have," he replied drily; "but is that all of you? Where's +your tooth-brush and comb, and clean stockings?" + +"I wanted to bring my box, sir," I said, "but it was too heavy. Would +any of the men come and fetch it?" + +"Ask 'em," he said abruptly, and he turned away. This seemed cold and +strange; but I knew him to be rather curious and eccentric in his ways, +so I walked to one of the cart-sheds and looked about for a man to help +me. + +I thought I saw some one enter the shed; but when I got inside no one +was there, as far as I could see--only piles of great baskets reaching +from floor to ceiling. + +Disappointed, I was coming away, when in the gloom at the other end +there seemed to be something that was not basket; and taking a few steps +forward I made out that it was the boy Shock standing close up against +the baskets, with his face away from me. + +I stood thinking what I should do. I was to be in the same garden with +this lad, who was always sneering at me; and I felt that if I let him +have the upper hand he would make my life very much more miserable than +it had been lately. + +My mind was made up in a moment, and with a decision for which I had not +given myself credit I went right in and stood behind him. + +"Shock!" I cried; but the boy only gave himself a twitch as if a spasm +had run through him, and did not move. + +"Do you hear, sir?" I said sharply. "Come here; I want you to help +carry my box." + +Still he did not move, and I felt that if I did not master him he would +me. + +"Do you hear what I say, sir?" I cried in my most angry tones; "come +with me and fetch my box." + +He leaped round so quickly that he made me start, and stood glaring at +me as if about to strike. + +"You must come and fetch my box," I said, feeling all the while a good +deal of dread of the rough, fierce-looking boy. + +I was between him and the wide door; and he stooped and looked first one +side of me and then the other, as if about to dart by. But, growing +bolder, I took a step forward and laid my hand upon his shoulder. + +Up flew his arms as if about to strike mine away, but he caught my eye +and understood it wrongly. He must have thought I was gazing resolutely +at him, but I really was not. To my great satisfaction, though, he +stepped forward, drooping his arms and hanging his head, walking beside +me out into the open yard, where we came suddenly upon Old Brownsmith, +who looked at me sharply, nodded his head, and then went on. + +I led the way, and Shock half-followed, half-walked beside me, and we +had just reached the gate when Old Brownsmith shouted: + +"Take the barrow." + +Shock trotted back like a dog; and as I watched him, thinking what a +curious half-savage lad he was, and how much bigger and stronger than I +was, he came back with the light basket barrow, trundling it along. + +We went in silence as far as my old home, where Mrs Beeton held up her +hands as she saw my companion, and drew back, holding the door open for +us to get the corded box which stood in the floor-clothed hall. + +Shock put down the barrow; and then his mischief-loving disposition got +the better of his sulkiness, and stooping down he astonished me and made +Mrs Beeton shriek by taking a leap up the two steps, like a dog, and +going on all-fours to the box. + +"Pray, pray, take him away, Master Dennison!" the poor woman cried in +real alarm; "and do, pray, mind yourself--the boy's mad!" + +"Oh, no; he won't hurt you," I said, taking one end of the box. But +Shock growled, shook it free, lifted it from the floor, and before I +could stop him, bumped it down the steps on to the barrow with a bang, +laid it fairly across, and then seizing the handles went off at a trot. + +"I can't stop," I said quickly; "I must go and look after him." + +"Yes, but pray take care, my dear. He bites. He bit a boy once very +badly, and he isn't safe." + +Not very pleasant news, but I could not stay to hear more, and, running +after the barrow, I caught up to it and laid my hand upon one side of +the box as if to keep it steady. + +I did not speak for a minute, and Shock subsided into a walk; then, +turning to him and looking in his morose, ill-used face: + +"I've never thanked you yet for getting me out of the river." + +The box gave a bump and a bound, for the handles of the barrow were +raised very high and Shock began to run. + +At the end of a minute I stopped him, and as soon as we were going on +steadily I made the same remark. + +But up went the barrow and box again and off we trotted. When, after +stopping him for the second time, I made an attempt to get into +conversation and to thank him, Shock banged down the legs of the barrow, +looking as stolid and heavy as if he were perfectly deaf, threw open the +gate, and ran the barrow up to the house-door. + +"Oh! here's your baggage, then!" said Old Brownsmith. "Bring it in, +Shock; set it on end there in the passage. We'll take it up after tea. +Come along." + +Shock lifted in the box before I could help him; and then seizing the +barrow-handles, with his back to me, he let out a kick like a mule and +caught me in the calf, nearly sending me down. + +"Hallo! hold on, my lad," said Old Brownsmith, who had not seen the +cause; and of course I would not tell tales; but I made up my mind to +repay Mr Shock for that kick and for his insolent obstinacy the first +time the opportunity served. + +I followed my master into a great shed that struck cool as we descended +to the floor, which was six or seven feet below the surface, being like +a cellar opened and then roofed in with wood. Here some seven or eight +women were busy tying up rosebuds in market bunches, while a couple of +men went and came with baskets which they brought in full and took out +empty. + +The scent was delicious; and as we went past the women, whose busy +fingers were all hard at work, Old Brownsmith stopped where another man +kept taking up so many bunches of the roses in each hand and then diving +his head and shoulders into a great oblong basket, leaving the roses at +the bottom as he came out, and seized a piece of chalk and made a mark +upon a slate. + +"Give him the slate, Ike," said Old Brownsmith. "He'll tally 'em off +for you now. Look here, Grant, you keep account on the slate how many +bunches are put in each barge, and how many barges are filled." + +"Yes, sir," I said, taking the slate and chalk with trembling fingers, +for I felt flushed and excited. + +"This is the way--you put down a stroke like that for every dozen, and +one like that for a barge. Do you see?" + +"Yes, sir," I said, "I can do that; but when am I to put down a barge?" + +"When it's full, of course, and covered in--lidded up." + +"But shall we fill a barge to-night, sir?" + +"Well, I hope so--a good many," said Old Brownsmith. "Will he go down +to the river with me to show me where, sir?" + +"River!--show you what, my boy?" + +"The barges we are to fill, sir." + +"Whoo-oop!" + +It was Ike made this peculiar noise. It answered in him for a laugh. +Then he dived down into the great oblong basket and stopped there. + +"You don't know what a barge is," said Old Brownsmith kindly. + +"Oh yes, sir, I do!" I replied. + +"Not one of our barges, my lad," he said, laying his hand upon my +shoulder. "We call these large baskets barges. You'll soon pick up the +names. There, go on." + +I at once began to keep count of the bunches, Old Brownsmith seeming to +take no farther notice of me, while Ike the packer kept on laying in +dozen after dozen, once or twice pretending to lay them in and bringing +the bunches out again, as if to balk me, but all in a grim serious way, +as if it was part of his work. + +I was so busy and excited that I hardly had time to enjoy the sweet +scent of the flowers in that cool, soft pit; but in a short time I was +so far accustomed that I had an eye for the men bringing in fresh +supplies, just cut, and for the women who, working at rough benches, +were so cleverly laying the buds in a half-moon shape between their +fingers and thumbs, the flowers being laid flat upon the bench. Then a +second row was laid upon the first, a piece of wet matting was rapidly +twisted round, tied, and the stalks cut off regularly with one pressure +of the knife. + +It seemed to me as if enough of the beautiful pink buds nestling in +their delicate green leaves were being tied up to supply all London, but +I was exceedingly ignorant then. + +Mine was not a hard task; and as I attended to it, whenever Ike, who was +packing, had his eyes averted from me, I had a good look at him. I had +often seen him before, but only at a distance, and at a distance Ike +certainly looked best. + +I know he could not help it, but decidedly Ike, Old Brownsmith's chief +packer and carter, was one of the strongest and ugliest men I ever saw. +He was a brawny, broad-shouldered fellow of about fifty, with iron-grey +hair; and standing out of his brown-red face, half-way between fierce, +stiff, bushy whiskers, was a tremendous aquiline nose. When his hat was +off, as he removed it from time to time to give it a rub, you saw that +he had a very shiny bald head--in consequence, as I suppose, of so much +polishing. His eyes were deeply set but very keen-looking, and his +mouth when shut had one aspect, when open another. When open it seemed +as if it was the place where a few very black teeth were kept. When +closed it seemed as if made to match his enormous nose; the line formed +by the closed lips, being continued right down on either side in a +half-moon or parenthesis curve to the chin, which was always in motion. + +A closer examination showed that Ike had only a mouth of the ordinary +dimensions, the appearance of size being caused by two marks of caked +tobacco-juice, a piece of that herb being always between his teeth. + +This habit he afterwards told me he had learned when he was a soldier, +and he still found it useful and comforting in the long night watches he +had to take. + +I have said that his eyes were piercing, and so it seemed to me at +first; but in a short time, as I grew more accustomed to him, I found +that they were only piercing one at a time, for as if nature had +intended to make him as ugly as possible, Ike's eyes acted independently +one of the other, and I often found him looking at me with one, and down +into the barge basket with the other. + +Old Brownsmith had no sooner left the pit than Ike seized a couple of +handsful of roses, plunged with them into the basket, bobbed up, and +looked at me with one eye, just as he caught me noticing him intently. + +"Rum un, ain't I?" he said, gruffly, and taking me terribly aback. "Not +much to look at, eh?" + +"You look very strong," I said, evasively. + +"Strong, eh? Yes, and so I am, my lad. Good un to go." + +Then he plunged into the barge again and uttered a low growl, came up +again and uttered another. I have not the least idea what he meant by +it, though I suppose he expected me to answer, for to my great confusion +he rose up suddenly and stared at me. + +"Eh?" he said. + +"I didn't speak, sir," I said. + +"No, but I did. Got 'em all down? Go on then, one barge, fresh un this +is: you didn't put down the other." + +I hastened to rectify my error, and then we went steadily on with the +task, the women being remarkably silent, as if it took all their energy +to keep their fingers going so fast, till all at once Old Brownsmith +appeared at the door and beckoned me to him. + +"Tea's ready, my lad," he said; "let's have it and get out again, for +there's a lot to do this evening." + +I followed him into a snug old-fashioned room that seemed as if it had +been furnished by a cook with genteel ideas, or else by a lady who was +fond of a good kitchen, for this room was neither one nor the other; it +had old-fashioned dining-room chairs and a carpet, but the floor was +brick, and the fireplace had an oven and boiler. Then there was a +dresser on one side, but it was mahogany, and in place of ordinary +plates and dishes, and jugs swinging from hooks, this dresser was +ornamented with old china and three big punch-bowls were turned up on +the broad part upside down. + +There was a comfortable meal spread, with a fresh loaf and butter, and a +nice large piece of ham. There was fruit, too, on the table, and a +crisp lettuce, all in my honour as I afterwards found, for my employer +or guardian, or whatever I am to style him, rarely touched any of the +produce of his own grounds excepting potatoes, and these he absolutely +loved, a cold potato for breakfast or tea being with him a thorough +relish. + +"Make yourself at home, Grant, my boy," he said kindly. "I want you to +settle down quickly. We shall have to work hard, but you'll enjoy your +meals and sleep all the better." + +I thanked him, and tried to do as he suggested, and to eat as if I +enjoyed my meal; but I did not in the least, and I certainly did not +feel in the slightest degree at home. + +"What time did you go to bed over yonder, Grant?" said the old +gentleman. + +"Ten o'clock, sir." + +"And what time did you get up?" + +"Eight, sir." + +"Ugh, you extravagant young dog!" he cried. "Ten hours' sleep! You'll +have to turn over a new leaf. Nine o'clock's my bedtime, if we are not +busy, and I like to be out in the garden again by four or five. What do +you say to that?" + +I did not know what to say, so I said nothing. + +We did not sit very long over our tea, for there was the cart to load up +with flowers for the morning's market, and soon after I was watching Ike +carefully packing in the great baskets along the bottom of the cart, and +then right over the shafts upon the broad projecting ladder, and also +upon that which was fitted in at the back. + +"You keep account, Grant," said Old Brownsmith to me, and I entered the +number of baskets and their contents upon my slate, the old gentleman +going away and leaving me to transact this part of the business myself, +as I believe now, to give me confidence, for he carefully counted all +the baskets and checked them off when he came back. + +Ike squinted at me fiercely several times as he helped to hoist in +several baskets, and for some time he did not speak, but at last he +stopped, took off his hat, drew a piece of cabbage leaf from the crown, +and carefully wiped his bald head with it, looking comically at me the +while. + +"Green silk," he said gruffly, as he replaced the leaf. "Nature's own +growth. Never send 'em to the wash. Throw 'em away and use another." + +I laughed at the idea, and this pleased Ike, who looked at me from top +to toe. + +"You couldn't load a cart," he said at last. + +"Couldn't I?" I replied. "Why not? It seems easy enough." + +"Seems easy! of course it does, youngster. Seems easy to take a spade +and dig all day, but you try, and I'm sorry for your back and jyntes." + +"But you've only got to put the baskets in the cart," I argued. + +"Only got to put the baskets in the cart!" grumbled Ike. "Hark at him!" + +"That's what you've been doing," I continued. + +"What I've been doing!" he said. "I'm sorry for the poor horse if you +had the loading up. A cart ain't a wagon." + +"Well, I know that," I said, "a wagon has four wheels, and a cart two." + +"Send I may live," cried Ike. "Why, he is a clever boy. He knows a +cart's got two wheels and a wagon four." + +He said this in a low serious voice, as if talking to himself, and +admiring my wisdom; but of course I could see that it was his way of +laughing at me, and I hastened to add: + +"Oh, you know what I mean!" + +"Yes, I know what you mean, but you don't know what I mean, and if +you're so offle clever you'd best teach me, for I can't teach you." + +"But I want you to teach me," I cried. "I've come here to learn. What +is there in particular in loading a cart?" + +"Oh, you're ever so much more clever than I am," he grumbled. "Here, +len's a hand with that barge." + +This was to the man who was helping him, and who now seized hold of +another basket, which was hoisted into its place. + +Then more baskets were piled up, the light flower barges being put at +the top, till the cart began to look like a mountain as it stood there +with the shafts and hind portion supported by pieces of wood. + +"Look ye here," said Ike, waving his arms about from the top of the pile +of baskets, and addressing me as if from a rostrum. "When you loads a +cart, reck'lect as all your weight's to come on your axle-tree. Your +load's to be all ballancy ballancy, you see, so as you could move it up +or down with a finger." + +"Oh yes, I see!" I cried. + +"Oh yes, you see--now I've telled you," said Ike. "People as don't know +how to load a cart spyles their hosses by loading for'ard, and getting +all the weight on the hoss's back, or loading back'ards, and getting all +the pull on the hoss's belly-band." + +"Yes, I see clearly now," I said. + +"Of course you do! Now you see my load here's so reg'lated that when I +take them props away after the horse is in, all that weight'll swing on +the axle-tree, and won't hurt the horse at all. That's what I call +loading up to rights." + +"You've got too much weight behind, Ike," said Old Brownsmith, who came +up just then, and was looking on from opposite one wheel of the cart. + +"No, no, she's 'bout right," growled Ike to himself. + +"You had better put another barge on in front. Lay it flat," cried Old +Brownsmith, whose eye was educated by years of experience, and I stood +back behind the cart, listening curiously to the conversation. "Yes, +you're too heavy behind." + +"No, no, she's 'bout right, master," growled Ike, "right as can be. +Just you look here." + +He took a step back over the baskets, and I heard the prop that +supported the cart fall, as Ike yelled out--"Run, boy, run!" + +I did not run, for two reasons. Firstly, I was too much confused to +understand my danger. Secondly, I had not time, for in spite of Ike's +insistence that the balance was correct the shafts flew up; Ike threw +himself down on the baskets, and the top layer of flat round sieves that +had not yet been tied like the barges, came gliding off like a landslip, +and before I knew where I was, I felt myself stricken down, half buried +by the wicker avalanche, and all was blank. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +I MAKE A FRIEND. + +I began to understand and see and hear again an angry voice was saying: + +"You clumsy scoundrel! I believe you did it on purpose to injure the +poor boy." + +"Not I," growled another voice. "I aren't no spite agen him. Now if it +had been young Shock--" + +"Don't stand arguing," cried the first voice, which seemed to be coming +from somewhere out of a mist. "Run up the road and ask the doctor to +come down directly." + +"All right, master! I'll go." + +"Poor lad! poor boy!" the other voice in the mist seemed to say. "Nice +beginning for him!--nice beginning! Tut--tut--tut!" + +It sounded very indistinct and dreamy. Somehow it seemed to have +something to do with my first attempt to swim, and I thought I was being +pulled out of the water, which kept splashing about and making my face +and hair wet. + +I knew I was safe, but my forehead hurt me just as if it had been +scratched by the thorns on one of the hedges close to the water-side. +My head ached too, and I was drowsy. I wanted to go to sleep, but +people kept talking, and the water splashed so about my face and +trickled back with a musical noise into the river, I thought, but really +into a basin. + +For all at once I was wide awake again, looking at the geraniums in the +window, as I lay on my back upon the sofa. + +I did not understand it for a few minutes; for though my eyes were wide +open, the aching and giddiness in my head troubled me so, that though I +wanted to speak I did not know what to say. + +Then, as I turned my eyes from the geraniums in the window and they +rested on the grey hair and florid face of Old Brownsmith, who was +busily bathing my forehead with a sponge and water, the scene in the +yard came back like a flash, and I caught the hand that held the sponge. + +"Has it hurt the baskets of flowers?" I cried excitedly. + +"Never mind the baskets of flowers," said Old Brownsmith warmly; "has it +hurt you?" + +"I don't know; not much," I said quickly. "But won't it be a great deal +of trouble and expense?" + +He smiled, and patted my shoulder. + +"Never mind that," he said good-humouredly. "All people who keep horses +and carts, and blundering obstinate fellows for servants, have accidents +to contend against. There!--never mind, I say, so long as you have no +bones broken; and I don't think you have. Here, stretch out your arms." + +I did so. + +"That's right," he said. "Now, kick out your legs as if you were +swimming." + +I looked up at him sharply, for it seemed so strange for him to say that +just after I had been thinking of being nearly drowned. I kicked out, +though, as he told me. + +"No bones broken there," he said; and he proceeded then to feel my ribs. + +"Capital!" he said after a few moments. "Why, there's nothing the +matter but a little bark off your forehead, and I'm afraid you'll have a +black eye. A bit of sticking-plaster will set you right after all, and +we sha'n't want the doctor." + +"Doctor! Oh! no," I said. "My head aches a bit, and that place smarts, +but it will soon be better." + +"To be sure it will," he said, nodding pleasantly.--"Well, is he +coming?" + +This was to Ike, who came up to the open door. "He's out," said Ike +gruffly. "Won't be home for two hours, and he'll come on when he gets +home." + +"That will do," said Old Brownsmith. + +"Shall I see 'bout loading up again?" + +"Oh, no!" said Old Brownsmith sarcastically. "Let the baskets lie where +they are. It doesn't matter about sending to market to sell the things. +You never want any wages!" + +"What's the good o' talking to a man like that, master?" growled Ike. +"You know you don't mean it, no more'n I meant to send the sieves atop +o' young Grant here. I'm werry sorry; and a man can't say fairer than +that." + +"Go and load up then," said Old Brownsmith. "We must risk the damaged +goods." + +Ike looked hard at me and went away. + +"Had you said anything to offend him, my lad?" said the old man as soon +as we were alone. + +"Oh! no, sir," I cried; "we were capital friends, and he was telling me +the best way to load." + +"A capital teacher!" cried the old gentleman sarcastically. "No; I +don't think he did it intentionally. If I did I'd send him about his +business this very night. There!--lie down and go to sleep; it will +take off the giddiness." + +I lay quite still, and as I did so Old Brownsmith seemed to swell up +like the genii who came out of the sealed jar the fisherman caught +instead of fish. Then he grew cloudy and filled the room, and then +there was the creaking of baskets, and I saw things clearly again. Old +Brownsmith was gone, and the soft evening air came through the open +window by the pots of geraniums. + +My eyes were half-closed and I saw things rather dimly, particularly one +pot on the window-sill, which, instead of being red and regular +pot-shaped, seemed to be rounder and light-coloured, and to have a +couple of eyes, and grinning white teeth. There were no leaves above it +nor scarlet blossoms, but a straw hat upside-down, with fuzzy hair +standing up out of it; and the eyes kept on staring at me till it seemed +to be Shock! Then it grew dark and I must have fallen asleep, wondering +what that boy could have to do with my accident. + +Perhaps I came to again--I don't know; for it may have been a dream that +the old gentleman came softly back and dabbed my head gently with a +towel, and that the towel was stained with blood. + +Of course it was a dream that I was out in the East with my father, who +was not hurt in the skirmish, but it was I who received the wound, which +bled a good deal; and somehow I seemed to have been hurt in the +shoulder, which ached and felt strained and wrenched. But all became +blank again and I lay some time asleep. + +When I opened my eyes again I found that I was being hurt a good deal by +the doctor, who was seeing to my injuries. Old Brownsmith and Ike were +both in the room, and I could see Shock peeping round the big _arbor +vitae_ outside the window to see what was going on. + +The doctor was holding a glass to my lips, while Old Brownsmith raised +me up. + +"Drink that, my boy," said the doctor. "That's the way!--capital! isn't +it?" + +I shuddered and looked up at him reproachfully, for the stuff he had +given me to drink tasted like a mixture of soap and smelling-salts; and +I said so. + +"Good description of the volatile alkali, my lad," he said, laughing. +"There!--you'll soon be all right. I've strapped up your wound." + +"My wound, sir!" I said, wonderingly. + +"To be sure; didn't you know that you had a cut upon your forehead?" + +I shook my head, but stopped, for it made the room seem to turn round. + +"You need not mind," he continued, taking my hand. "It isn't so deep as +a well nor so wide as a church-door, as somebody once said. You don't +know who it was?" + +"Shakespeare, sir," I said, rather drowsily. + +"Bravo, young market-gardener!" he cried, laughing. "Oh! you're not +very bad. Now, then, what are you going to do--lie still here and be +nursed by Mr Brownsmith's maid, or get up and bear it like a man--try +the fresh air?" + +"I'm going to get up, sir," I said quickly; and throwing my legs off the +sofa I stood up; but I had to stretch out my arms, for the room-walls +seemed to run by me, the floor to rise up, and I should have fallen if +the doctor had not taken my arm, giving me such pain that I cried out, +and the giddiness passed off, but only came back with more intensity. + +He pressed me back gently and laid me upon the sofa. + +"Where did I hurt you, my boy?" he said. + +"My shoulder," I replied faintly. + +"Ah! another injury!" he exclaimed. "I did not know of this. Tendon a +bit wrenched," he muttered as he felt me firmly but gently, giving me a +good deal of pain, which I tried hard to bear without showing it, though +the twitching of my face betrayed me. "You had better lie still a +little while, my man. You'll soon be better." + +I obeyed his orders very willingly and lay still in a good deal of pain; +but I must soon have dropped off asleep for a while, waking to find it +growing dusk. The window was still open; and through it I could hear +the creaking of baskets as they were moved, and Old Brownsmith's voice +in loud altercation with Ike. + +"Well, there," said the latter, "'tain't no use for me to keep on saying +I didn't, master, if you says I did." + +"Not a bit, Ike; and I'll make you pay for the damage as sure as I stand +here." + +"Oh! all right! I'm a rich man, master--lots o' money, and land, and +stock, and implements. Make me pay! I've saved a fortin on the +eighteen shillings a week. Here, what should I want to hurt the boy +for, master? Come, tell me that." + +"Afraid he'd find out some of your tricks, I suppose." + +"That's it: go it, master! Hark at that, now, after sarving him +faithful all these years!" + +"Get on with your work and don't talk," cried Old Brownsmith sharply. +"Catch that rope. Mind you don't miss that handle." + +"I sha'n't miss no handles," growled Ike; and as I lay listening to the +sawing noise made by the rope being dragged through basket-handles and +under hooks in the cart, I felt so much better that I got up and went +out into the yard, to find that the cart had been carefully reloaded. +Ike was standing on one of the wheels passing a cart-rope in and out, so +as to secure the baskets, and dragging it tight to fasten off here and +there. + +He caught sight of me coming out of the house, feeling dull and +low-spirited, for this did not seem a very pleasant beginning of my new +career. + +"Hah!" he ejaculated, letting himself down in a lumbering way from the +wheel, and then rubbing his right hand up and down his trouser-leg to +get it clean; "hah! now we'll have it out!" + +He came right up to me, spreading out his open hand. + +"Here, young un!" he cried; "the master says I did that thar a-purpose +to hurt you, out of jealous feeling like. What do you say?" + +"It was an accident," I cried, eagerly. + +"Hear that, master," cried Ike; "and that's a fact; so here's my hand, +and here's my heart. Why, I'd be ashamed o' mysen to hurt a bit of a +boy like you. It war an accident, lad, and that's honest. So now +what's it to be--shake hands or leave it alone?" + +"Shake hands," I said, lifting mine with difficulty. "I don't think you +could have done such a cowardly thing." + +I looked round sharply at Mr Brownsmith, for I felt as if I had said +something that would offend him, since I was taking sides against him. + +"Be careful, please," I added quickly; "my arm's very bad, and you'll +hurt me." + +"Careful!" cried Ike; "I'll shake it as easy as if it was a young shoot +o' sea-kale, boy. There, hear him, master! Hear what this here boy +says!" + +He shook hands with me, I dare say thinking he was treating me very +gently, but he hurt me very much. The grip of his hard brown hand alone +was bad enough, but I bore it all as well as I could, and tried to smile +in the rough fellow's face. + +"That's the sort as I like," he said in a good-humoured growl. "Put +that down on the slate. That's being a trump, that is; and we two's +shipmates after this here." + +Old Brownsmith did not speak, and Ike went on: + +"I say, master, what a bad un you do think me! I'd ha' hated myself as +long as I lived, and never forgive myself, if I'd done such a thing. +Look ye here--my monkey's up now, master--did yer ever know me ill-use +the 'orses?" + +"No, Ike," said Old Brownsmith shortly. + +"Never once. There's the white, and I give it a crack now and then; but +ask either Capen or Starlit, and see if ever they've got anything agen +me. And here's a man as never ill-used a 'orse, and on'y kicked young +Shock now and then when he'd been extry owdacious, and you say as I +tried to upset the load on young un here. Why, master, I'm ashamed on +yer. I wouldn't even ha' done it to you." + +I felt sorry for Ike, and my sympathies were against Old Brownsmith, who +seemed to be treating him rather hardly, especially when he said +shortly: + +"Did you fasten off that hind rope?" + +"Yes, master, I did fasten off that hind rope," growled Ike. + +"Then, now you're out o' breath with talking, go and get your sleep. +Don't start later than twelve." + +Ike uttered a low grunt, and went off with his hands in his pockets, and +Old Brownsmith came and laid his hand upon my shoulder. + +"Pretty well bed-time, Grant, my boy. Let's go in." + +I followed him in, feeling rather low-spirited, but when he had lit a +candle he turned to me with a grim smile. + +"Ike didn't like what I said to him, but it won't do him any harm." + +I looked at him, wondering how he could treat it all so coolly, but he +turned off the conversation to something else, and soon after he showed +me my bedroom--a neat clean chamber at the back, and as I opened the +window to look out at the moon I found that there was a vine growing up +a thick trellis right up to and round it, the leaves regularly framing +it in. + +There was a comfortable-looking bed, and my box just at the foot, and I +was so weary and low-spirited that I was not long before I was lying +down on my left side, for I could not lie on my right on account of my +shoulder being bad. + +As I lay there I could look out on the moon shining among the vine +leaves, and it seemed to me that I ought to get out and draw down the +blind; but while I was still thinking about it I suppose I must have +dropped asleep, for the next thing that seemed to occur was that I was +looking at the window, and it was morning, and as I lay trying to think +where I was I saw something move gently just outside. + +At first I thought it was fancy, and that the soft morning light had +deceived me, or that one of the vine leaves had been moved by the wind; +but no, there was something moving just as Shock's head used to come +among the young shoots of the plum-trees above the wall, and, sure +enough, directly after there was that boy's head with his eyes above the +sill, staring right in upon me as I lay in bed. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +SHOCK'S BREAKFAST. + +I lay as if fascinated for a minute or two, staring, and he stared at +me. Then without further hesitation I leaped out of bed and indignantly +rushed to the window, but only on opening it to find him gone. + +There was no mistake about it though, for the trellis was still +quivering, and as I looked out it seemed to me that he must have dropped +part of the way and darted round the house. + +It was very early, but the sun was shining brightly over the dew-wet +trees and plants, and a fresh, delicious scent came in at the open +window. My headache and giddiness had gone, taking with them my +low-spirited feeling, and dressing quickly I thought I would have a run +round the garden and a look at Shock before Old Brownsmith came down. + +"I wonder where Shock sleeps and lives," I said to myself as I walked +round peering about the place, finding the cart gone, for I had not +heard the opening gate, and crushing and bumping of the wheels as it +went out at midnight. + +The great sheds and pits seemed to be empty, and as I went down one of +the long paths the garden was quite deserted, the men and women not +having come. + +"They must be late," I thought, when I heard the old clock at Isleworth +Church begin to strike, and listening I counted five. + +It was an hour earlier than I thought for, and turning down a path to +the left I walked towards a sort of toolshed right in the centre of the +garden, and, to my surprise, saw that the little roughly-built chimney +in one corner of the building was sending out a column of pale-blue +smoke. + +"I wonder who has lit a fire so early!" I said to myself, and walking +slowly on I expected to see one of the garden women boiling her kettle +and getting ready for her breakfast--some of the work-people I knew +having their meals in the sheds. + +I stopped short as I reached the door, for before a fire of wood and +rubbish burnt down into embers, and sending out a pretty good heat, +there knelt Shock; and as I had approached quietly he had not heard me. + +I stared with wonder at him, and soon my wonder turned into disgust, for +what he was doing seemed to be so cruel. + +The fire was burning on a big slab of stone, and the embers being swept +away from one part the boy had there about a score of large garden +snails, which he was pushing on to the hot stone, where they hissed and +sent out a lot of foam and steam. Then he changed them about with a bit +of stick into hotter or cooler parts, and all with his back half-turned +to me. + +"The nasty, cruel brute!" I said to myself, for it seemed as if he were +doing this out of wantonness, and I was blaming myself for not +interfering to save the poor things from their painful death, when a +thought flashed across my mind, and I stood there silently watching him. + +I had not long to watch for proof. + +Taking a scrap of paper from his pocket, Shock opened it, and I saw what +it contained. Then taking a monstrous pin from out of the edge of his +jacket, he picked up one of the snails with his left hand, used the pin +cleverly, and dragged out one of the creatures from its shell, reduced +to about half its original size, blew it, dipped it in the paper of +salt, and, to my horror and disgust, ate it. + +Before I had recovered from my surprise he had eaten another and +another, and he was busy over the sixth when an ejaculation I uttered +made him turn and see me. + +He stared at me, pin in one hand, snail-shell in the other, for a moment +in mute astonishment; then, turning more away from me, he went on with +his repast, and began insultingly to throw the shells at me over his +head. + +I bore it all for a few minutes in silence; then, feeling qualmish at +the half-savage boy's meal, I caught one of the shells as it came, and +tossed it back with such good aim that it hit him a smart rap on the +head. + +He turned sharply round with a vicious look, and seemed as if about to +fly at me. + +"What are you doing?" I cried. + +He had never spoken to me before, and he seemed to hesitate now, staring +at me as if reluctant to use his tongue, but he did speak in a quick +angry way. + +"Eatin'; can't you see?" + +I had questioned him, but I was quite as much surprised at hearing an +answer, as at the repast of which he was partaking. + +I stared hard at him, and he gave me a sidelong look, after which he +gave three or four of the snails a thrust with a bit of stick to where +they would cook better, took up another, and wriggled it out with the +pin. + +I was disgusted and half nauseated, but I could not help noticing that +the cooked snail did not smell badly, and that instead of being the wet, +foaming, slimy thing I was accustomed to see, it looked dried up and +firm. + +At last, with a horrified look at the young savage, I exclaimed: + +"Do you know those are snails?" + +"Yes. Have one?" + +He answered quite sharply, and I took a step back, for I had not had my +breakfast. I was rather disposed to be faint from the effects of my +last night's accident, and the sight of what was going on made me ready +to flee, for all at once, after letting his dirty fingers hover for a +few moments over the hot stone, he picked up the largest snail, blew it +as he threw it from hand to hand because it was hot, and ended by +holding it out to me with: + +"Got a big pin?" + +I shrank away from him with my lip curling, and I uttered a peculiar +"Ugh!" + +"All right!" he said gruffly. "They're stunning." + +To prove his assertion he went on eating rapidly without paying any +further heed to me, throwing the shells over his head, and ending by +screwing the paper up tightly that contained the salt. + +Then he sprang up and faced me; took two or three steps in my direction, +and made a spring as if to jump right on to me. + +Naturally enough I gave way, and he darted out of the shed and dashed +down between two rows of trees, to be out of sight directly, for I did +not give chase. + +"He can talk," I said to myself as I went on down the garden thinking of +the snails, and that Shock was something like the wild boy of whom I had +once read. + +But soon the various objects in the great garden made me forget Shock, +for the men were at work, hoeing, digging, and planting, and I was +beginning to feel uncomfortable and to think that Old Brownsmith would +be annoyed if he found me idle, when he came down one of the walks, +followed by his cats, and laid his hand upon my shoulder. + +"Better?" he said abruptly. "That's right. What you're to do? Oh wait +a bit, we'll see! Get used to the place first." + +He gave me a short nod, and began pointing out different tasks that he +wished his men to carry out, while I watched attentively, feeling as if +I should like to run off and look at the ripening fruit, but not caring +to go away, for fear Mr Brownsmith might want me. + +One thing was quite evident, and that was that the cats were disposed to +be very friendly. They did not take any notice of the men, but one +after the other came and had a rub up against my leg, purring softly, +and looking up at me with their slits of eyes closed up in the bright +sunshine, till all at once Old Brownsmith laid his hand upon my shoulder +again, and said one word: + +"Breakfast!" + +I walked with him up to the house, and noticed that instead of following +us in, the cats ran up a flight of steps into a narrow loft which seemed +to be their home, two of them seating themselves at once in the doorway +to blink at the sunshine. + +"Like cats?" said the old gentleman. + +"Oh yes!" I said. + +"Ah! I see you've made friends." + +"Yes, I replied; but I haven't made friends with that boy Shock." + +"Well, that does not matter," said Old Brownsmith. "Come, sit down; +bread and milk morning." + +I sat down opposite to him, to find that a big basin of bread and milk +stood before each of us, and at which, after a short grace, Old +Brownsmith at once began. + +I hesitated for a moment, feeling a little awkward and strange, but I +was soon after as busy as he. + +"Not going to be ill, I see," he said suddenly. "You must be on the +look-out another time. Accident--Ike didn't mean it." + +I was going to say I was sure of that, when he went on: + +"So you haven't made friends with Shock?" + +"No, sir." + +"Well, don't." + +"I will not if you don't wish it, sir," I said eagerly. + +"Be kind to him, and keep him in his place. Hasn't been rough to you, +has he?" + +"Oh no!" I said. "He only seems disposed to play tricks." + +"Yes, like a monkey. Rum fellow, isn't he?" + +"Yes, sir. He isn't--" + +"Bit of an idiot, eh? Oh no! he's sharp enough. I let him do as he +likes for the present. Awkward boy to manage." + +"Is he, sir?" + +"Yes, my lad. Ike found him under the horses' hoofs one night, going up +to market. Little fellow had crawled out into the road. Left in the +ditch by some one or another. Ike put him in a half-sieve basket with +some hay, and fixed him in with some sticks same as we cover fruit, and +he curled up and went to sleep till Ike brought him in to me in the +yard." + +"But where were his father and mother?" I cried. + +"Who knows!" said Old Brownsmith, poking at a bit of brown crust in his +basin of milk. "Ike brought him to me grinning, and he said, `Here's +another cat for you, master.' + +"I was very angry," said the old gentleman after a pause; "but just then +the little fellow--he was about a year old--put his head up through the +wooden bars and looked at me, and I told one of the women to give him +something to eat. After that I sent him to the workhouse, where they +took care of him, and one day when he got bigger I gave him a treat, and +had him here for a day's holiday. Then after a twelvemonth, I gave him +another holiday, and I should have given him two a year, only he was +such a young rascal. The workhouse master said he could do nothing with +him. He couldn't make him learn anything--even his letters. The only +thing he would do well was work in the garden." + +"Same as he does now, sir?" I said, for I was deeply interested. + +"Same as he does now," assented Old Brownsmith. "Then one day after I +had given him his treat, I suppose when he was about ten years old, I +found him in the garden. He had run away from the workhouse school." + +"And did he stay here, sir?" + +"No, I sent him back, Grant, and he ran away again. I sent him back +once more, but he came back; and at last I got to be tired of it, for +the more I sent him back the more he came." + +The old gentleman chuckled and finished his bread and milk, while I +waited to hear more. + +"I say I got tired of it at last, for I knew they flogged and locked up +the boy, and kept him on bread and water; but it did him no good; he +would run away. He used to come here, through the gate if it was open, +over the wall when it was shut, and he never said a word, only hung +about like a dog. + +"I talked to him, coaxed him, and told him that if he would be a good +lad, and learn, I would have him to work some day, and he stared at me +just as if he were some dumb animal, and when I had done and sent him +off, what do you think happened, Grant?" + +"He came back again, sir." + +"Yes: came back again as soon as he could get away, and at last, being a +very foolish sort of old man, I let him stop, and he has been here ever +since." + +"And never goes to school?" + +"Never, Grant, I tried to send him, but I could only get him there by +blows, and I gave that up. I don't like beating boys." + +I felt a curious shiver run through me as he said this, and I saw him +smile, but he made no allusion to me, and went on talking about Shock. + +"Then I tried making a decent boy of him, giving him clothes, had a bed +put for him in the attic, and his meals provided for him here in the +kitchen." + +"And wasn't he glad?" I said. + +"Perhaps he was," said Old Brownsmith, quietly, "but he didn't show it, +for I couldn't get him to sleep in the bed, and he would not sit down to +his meals in the kitchen; so at last I grew tired, and took to paying +him wages, and made arrangements for one of the women who comes to work, +to find him a lodging, and he goes there to sleep sometimes." + +I noticed that he said _sometimes_, in a peculiar manner, looking at me +the while. Then he went on: + +"I've tried several times since, Grant, my lad, but the young savage is +apparently irreclaimable. Perhaps when he gets older something may be +done." + +"I hope so," I said. "It seems so dreadful to see a boy so--" + +"So dirty and lost, as the north-country people call it, boy. Ah, well, +let him have his way for a bit, and we'll see by and by! You say he has +not annoyed you?" + +"No, no," I said; "I don't think he likes me though." + +"That does not matter," said the old gentleman, rising. "There, now, +I'm going to shave." + +I looked at him in wonder, as he took a tin pot from out of a cupboard, +and brought forth his razors, soap, and brush. + +"Give me that looking-glass that hangs on the wall, my lad; that's it." + +I fetched the glass from the nail on which it hung, and then he set it +upright, propped by a little support behind, and then I sat still as he +placed his razor in boiling water, soaped his chin all round, and +scraped it well, removing the grey stubble, and leaving it perfectly +clean. + +It seemed to me a curious thing to do on a breakfast-table, but it was +the old man's custom, and it was not likely that he would change his +habits for me. + +"There," he said smiling, "that's a job you won't want to do just yet +awhile. Now hang up the glass, and you can go out in the garden. I +shall be there by and by. Head hurt you?" + +"Oh no, sir!" I said. + +"Shoulder?" + +"Only a little stiff, sir." + +Then I don't think we need have the doctor any more. + +I laughed, for the idea seemed ridiculous. + +"Well, then, we won't waste his time. Put on your hat and go and see +him. You know where he lives?" + +I said that I did; and I went up to his house, saw him, and he sent me +away again, patting me on the shoulder that was not stiff. + +"Yes, you're all right," he said. "Now take care and don't get into my +clutches again." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +GATHERING PIPPINS. + +I did not understand it at the time, but that accident made me a very +excellent friend in the shape of Ike, the big ugly carter and packer, +for after his fashion he took me regularly under his wing, and watched +over me during the time I was at Old Brownsmith's. + +I'm obliged to stop again over that way of speaking of the +market-gardener, but whenever I write "Mr Brownsmith," or "the old +gentleman," it does not seem natural. Old Brownsmith it always was, and +I should not have been surprised to have seen his letters come by the +postman directed _Old Brownsmith_. + +Ike used to look quite pleasant when I was busy near him, and while he +taught me all he knew, nothing pleased him better than for me to call +him from his digging, or hoeing, or planting, to move a ladder, or lift +a basket, or perform some other act that was beyond my strength. + +All the same, though, he had a way of not showing it. + +I had been at the garden about a week when Old Brownsmith began talking +about picking some of his pippins to send to market. + +"I hear they are making a good price," he said, "and I shall try a few +sieves to-morrow morning, Grant." + +"Yes, sir," I said, for the sound of apple-picking was pleasant. + +"I suppose if I were to send you up one of the apple trees with a +basket, you would throw yourself out and break one of your limbs." + +"Oh no, sir!" I said. "I could climb one of the trees and pick the +apples without doing that." + +"Thank you," he replied; "that's not the way to pick my apples. Why, +don't you know that the fruit does not grow in the middle of a tree, but +round the outside, where the sun and wind can get at the blossom?" + +"I didn't know it," I said rather ruefully. "I seem to be very +ignorant. I wish I had been more to school." + +"They wouldn't have taught you that at school, my lad," he said smiling. +"Why, of course you did not know it. I didn't know such things when I +was your age. Look here. You must have a ladder put for you against a +tree, and take a basket with a hook to the handle. There, I'll show +you; but you are sure you will not tumble?" + +"I'll take care, sir," I said. "I'll be very careful." + +It was a sunny morning, and leading the way, Old Brownsmith went out to +where Ike was busy putting in plants with a dibber, striding over a +stretched-out line, making holes, thrusting in one of the plants he held +in his left hand, and with one thrust or two of the dibber surrounding +it with the soft moist earth. + +He raised himself unwillingly, and went off to obey orders; one of the +work-women was sent to fetch some flat sieves; while from one of the +sheds I brought a couple of deep cross-handled baskets to each of which +a wooden hook was attached. + +By the time we had walked to where the king-pippin trees stood with +their tall straight branches, Ike was before us with a ladder, with the +lower rounds made of great length, so as to give width to the bottom. + +I had noticed this before when I had seen the ladders hanging up in the +long shed, and now asked the reason why they were so made. + +"To keep them from tilting over when you are up there," said Old +Brownsmith. "Gently, Ike, don't bruise them. Ah! there they go." + +For, as Ike thumped down the bottom of the ladder, and then let the top +lean against the tree, a couple of apples were knocked off, to come +down, one with a thud on the soft soil, the other to strike in the fork +of the tree and bound to my feet. + +"Some on 'em's sure to get knocked off," growled Ike. "Who's agoin' to +pick?" + +"He is," said Mr Brownsmith shortly. + +"Then you don't want me no more?" + +"Not at present." + +"Then I may go on with my planting?" + +"Yes." + +"Ho!" + +I could not help feeling amused at the way in which this conversation +was carried on, and the heavy clumsy manner adopted by Ike in going +away. + +"There you are, Grant," said Old Brownsmith, "plenty of apples. What do +you say--can you go up the ladder safely and pick them?" + +"Oh yes, sir!" I cried. + +"And you will not fall?" + +"Oh! I shall not fall, sir," I cried laughing. + +"Very well. Up you go then. Take your basket and hook it on to the +round of the ladder where you are picking, then take each apple +carefully, raise it, and it will come off at a point on the stalk where +it joins the twig. Don't tear them out and break the stalks, or they +become unsaleable." + +"I'll mind, sir," I said. "I know the big Marie Louise pears at home +used to come off like that at a joint." + +"Good!" he cried smiling, and tapping my shoulder. "When you've picked +an apple of course you'll throw it into the basket?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"You'd better not," he cried sharply. "Lay it in as tenderly as you +can. If you throw it in, the apple will be bruised--bruised apples are +worth very little in the market, and soon decay." + +"I'll mind them, sir," I said, and eagerly mounting the ladder I began +to pick the beautiful little apples that hung about me, Old Brownsmith +watching me the while. + +"That's right," he said encouragingly. "When you get your basket nearly +full, bring it down and empty it very gently in one of the sieves-- +gently, mind." + +I promised, and he went away, leaving me as busy as could be in the warm +sunshine, thoroughly enjoying my task, picking away carefully at the +apples, beginning low down, and then getting higher and higher till I +felt the ladder bend and the branch give, and I had to hold on tightly +by one hand. + +I had to go down three times to empty my basket, pouring out the apples +very gently so as not to bruise them, and at last I had picked all the +pippins I could reach from the ladder. + +I got down and proceeded to move it, so as to get to another part of the +tree. + +It was easy enough, after I had got it free of the twigs, to pull the +ladder upright, and this done I looked at the place where I meant to put +it next, and getting hold of it tightly, began to lift it by the spokes +just as I had seen Ike manage it. + +The fact did not occur to me that I was a mere boy and he a muscular +man, for I'm afraid I had plenty of conceit, and, drawing in a long +breath, I lifted the ladder straight up easily enough, took a couple of +steps in the right direction, and then felt to my horror that the +strength of my arms was as nothing as soon as the balance ceased to be +preserved, for in spite of my efforts the top of the ladder began to go +over slowly, then faster and faster, then there was a sharp whishing +crash as the bough of a pear-tree was literally cut off and a bump and a +sharp crack. + +The top of the ladder had struck the ground, breaking several feet right +off, and I was clinging to the bottom. + +One minute I was happy and in the highest of spirits; now I was plunged +into a state of hopeless despair as I wondered what Old Brownsmith would +say, and how much it would cost to repair that ladder. + +I was so prostrated by my accident that for a minute or so I stood +holding on to the broken ladder, ruefully gazing at my work, and once I +actually found myself looking towards the wall where the trained +plum-trees formed a ladder easy of ascent for Shock, and just as easy +for me to get over and run for it--anywhere so as not to have to meet +Old Brownsmith after destroying his property. + +"Well, you've been and gone and done it now, young 'un, and no mistake," +said a gruff voice; and I found that Ike had come softly up behind me. +"I thought it was you tumbling and breaking of yourself again; but the +ladder. Oh my!" + +"I couldn't help it," I cried piteously; "the top was so heavy, it +seemed to pull it over when I tried to move it. Please how much will a +new one cost?" + +"Cost!" said Ike grimly, as he stood looking with one eye at the ladder, +with the other at me--"hundred--hundred and twenty--say a hundred pound +at the very outside." + +"A hundred pounds!" I cried aghast. + +"Well, not more'n that," said Ike. "Trying to move it, was you? and-- +why, you've smashed that branch off the pear-tree. I say, hadn't you +better cut and run?" + +"I don't know, Ike," I said hopelessly; "had I?" + +"Well, I don't think I would this time. The ganger perhaps'll let you +off if you pay for it out of your wage." + +"But I don't have any wages," I said in despair. + +"You don't!" he cried. "Well, then, you're in for it. My word, I +wouldn't be you for a crown." + +I stood gazing helplessly from the ladder to Ike and back, half feeling +that he was imposing upon me, but in too much trouble to resent it, and +as I stared about a robin came and sat upon the broken branch, and +seemed to be examining how much damage I had done. + +"Well, what shall we do, young 'un?" said Ike. + +"I suppose I must go on picking with the broken ladder," I said +gloomily. + +"You ain't going to cut then?" + +"No," I said firmly. + +"Then look here," said Ike; "suppose I take the broken ladder up into +the shed, and hang it up, and bring another. When the ganger finds it +he'll think it was Shock broke it, and then you'll be all right, eh? +What do you say to that?" + +"That I wouldn't be such a coward," I said stoutly. "I shall tell Mr +Brownsmith myself." + +"Oh, very well!" said Ike, stooping and picking up the broken ladder. +"Here, give me that bit. I'll soon be back. Don't much matter. On'y +four foot gone, and we wanted a shorter one. This'll just do." + +"Then it won't cost a hundred pounds?" I cried. + +"No; nor a hundred pennies, boy. It was only my gammon. I'll soon be +back." + +I felt as if a load had been lifted off my breast as Ike came back at a +heavy trot with a fresh ladder and planted it for me against the +apple-tree. + +"That's about safe," he cried. "If you feel yourself falling, hook one +of your ears over a bough and hang on. Never mind the ladder: let that +go." + +"That's nonsense!" I said sharply, and Ike chuckled. + +"Look ye here, boy," he said, as I thanked him and ran up the ladder +with my empty basket, "I'll take that bough as you broke in among the +gooseberries, where he never hardly comes, and I'll tell him that I +broke the ladder moving it. You've had plenty of trouble already, and +my shoulders is bigger than yours." + +"But it wouldn't be true," I said. + +"Wouldn't it?" he replied, with a queer look. "Well, I suppose it +wouldn't; but I'll tell him all the same." + +"No," I cried, after a fight with a very cowardly feeling within me that +seemed to be pulling me towards the creep-hole of escape, "I shall tell +him myself." + +Ike turned off sharply, and walked straight to where the broken pear +bough lay, jumped up and pulled down the place where it had snapped off, +opened his knife, and trimmed the ragged place off clean, and then went +back to his work. + +"Now he's offended," I said to myself with a sigh; and I went on picking +apples in terribly low spirits. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +MY FIRST APPLE. + +I had been working for about half an hour longer when I found I could +get no more, and this time I went a little way and called Ike from where +he was at work to move the ladder for me. + +He came in a surly way, and then stared at me. + +"Want me to move the ladder? Why can't yer move it yerself?" he +grumbled. + +"You know I'm not strong enough," I said. + +"Ho! that's it, is it? I thought you were such a great big cock-a-hoop +sort of a chap that you could do anything. Well, where's it to be?" + +"Round the other side, I think," I said. + +"No; this here's best," he cried, and whisking up the ladder I stood +admiring his great brown arms and the play of the muscles as he carried +the ladder as if it had been a straw, and planted it, after thrusting +the intervening boughs aside with the top to get it against a stout +limb. + +"There you are, my lad," he said. "Now, are you satisfied?" + +"Yes; and thank you, Ike," I said quickly. "And I'm very much obliged +to you about wanting to take the blame upon yourself about the broken +ladder and--" + +"Here, I can't stand listening to speeches with my plants a-shrivelling +up in the sun. Call me if you wants me agen." + +He gave me a curious look and went away, leaving me with the impression +that I had thoroughly offended him now, and that I was a most unlucky +boy. + +I climbed the ladder again, picking as fast as I could to make up for +lost time; and as the sun shone so hotly and I kept on picking the +beautiful fruit with the bough giving and swaying so easily, I began to +feel more at ease once more. While I picked and filled and emptied my +basket I began to reason with myself and to think that after all Mr +Brownsmith would not be so very angry with me if I went to him boldly +and told the truth. + +This thought cheered me wonderfully, and I was busily working away when +I heard the whistling and scratching noise made by somebody walking +sharply through the gooseberry bushes, and, looking round, there was Ike +carrying another ladder, and Shock coming along loaded with baskets, +evidently to go on picking apples from one of the neighbouring trees. + +They neither of them spoke. Ike planted the ladder ready, and Shock +took a basket and ran up, and was hard at work by the time Ike was out +of sight. + +I had hardly spoken to the boy since I had found him eating snails; and +as I went on picking with my back to him, and thinking of the poor child +being found crawling in the road and brought in a basket, and of his +always running away from the workhouse, I felt a kind of pity for him, +and determined to try if I could not help him, when all at once I felt a +sharp pain accompanying a severe blow on the leg, as if some one had +thrown a stone at me. + +I turned sharply round, holding tightly with one hand; but Shock's back +was turned to me, and he was picking apples most diligently. + +I looked about, and there was no one else near, the trees being too +small for anyone to hide behind their trunks. Shock did not look in my +direction, but worked away, and I at last, as the sting grew less, went +on with mine. + +"I know it was him," I said to myself angrily. "If I catch him at it--" + +I made some kind of mental vow about what I would do, finished filling +my basket, went down and emptied it, and ascended the ladder again just +as he was doing the same, but I might have been a hundred miles away for +all the notice he took of me. + +I had just begun picking again, and was glancing over my shoulder to see +if he was going to play any antics, when he began to ascend his ladder, +and I went on. + +_Thump_! + +A big lump of earth struck me right in the back, and as I looked angrily +round I saw Shock fall from the top to the bottom of his ladder, and I +felt that horrible sensation that people call your heart in your mouth. + +He rose to a sitting position, put his hand to his head, and shouted +out: + +"Who's that throwing lumps?" + +Nobody answered; and as I saw him run up the ladder again it occurred to +me that it was more a slip down than a fall from the ladder, and I had +just come to this conclusion when, seeing that I was watching him, he +made me start and cling tightly, for he suddenly fell again. + +It was like lightning almost. One moment he was high up on the ladder, +the next he was at the foot; but this time I was able to make out that +he guided himself with his arms and his legs, and that it was really +more a slide down than a fall. + +I turned from him in disgust, annoyed with myself for letting him cheat +me into the belief that he had met with an accident, and went on picking +apples. + +"He's no better than a monkey," I said to myself. + +_Whiz_! + +An apple came so close to my ear, thrown with great violence, that I +felt it almost brush me, and I turned so sharply round that I swung +myself off the ladder, and had I not clung tightly by my hands I must +have fallen. + +As it was, the ladder turned right round, in spite of its broadly set +foot, and I hung beneath it, while my half-filled basket was in my place +at the top. + +The distance was not great, but I felt startled as I hung there, when, +to my utter astonishment, Shock threw himself round, twisted his ladder, +and hung beneath just as I did, and then went down by his hands from +round to round of the ladder, turned it back, ran up again, and went on +picking apples as if nothing was wrong. + +I could not do as he did; I had not muscle enough in my arms, but I +threw my legs round the tottering ladder, and slid down, turned it back +to its old place, went up quickly, and again picked away. + +For the next quarter of an hour all was very quiet, and I had just +finished getting all I could when Ike came along. + +I started guiltily, for I thought it was Old Brownsmith, but the voice +reassured me, and I felt reprieved for the moment as Ike said: + +"Want the ladder moved?" + +I carried my basket down, and emptied it while Ike changed the position +of the ladder. + +"There you are," he said. "There's plenty for you up yonder. Come, +you're getting on. Yes; and clean picked, too," he continued, giving +the basket a shake. "Now you, Shock, come down, and I'll move yourn." + +The boy got down sullenly, and turned his back to me while the ladder +was moved, so that this time we were working at different trees, but +nearly facing each other. + +Ike gave me a nod, and went off again to his work; and as I turned my +head to gaze after him, _whack_ came a little apple, and struck me on +the side of the ear. + +I was so much annoyed that I picked a big one out of my basket and threw +it at Shock with all my might, disturbing my balance so that I had to +hold on tightly with one hand. + +My shot did not go anywhere near the boy, but he fell from the ladder, +hanging by one leg in a horrible way, his head down, and his hands +feeling about and stretching here and there, as if to get hold of +something to draw him up. He swung about and uttered a low animal-like +moan of distress that horrified me, and sliding down my ladder, +unwilling to call for aid, I ran to help him myself. + +He was squinting frightfully, and lay back head downwards, and arms +outstretched on the ladder as I began to ascend. His face was flushed, +his mouth open, and his tongue out. In fact, he looked as if he were +being strangled by his position, and, trembling with eagerness, I went +up four rounds, when _smack_! _crack_! I received a blow on each ear +that sent me down. + +When I recovered myself, my cheeks tingling, and my heart throbbing with +wrath, Shock had thrown himself up again, and, with his back to me, was +picking away at the apples as if nothing had been wrong. + +"You see if I trust you again, my fine fellow," I cried in a rage; and, +picking up a lot of clods, I began to pelt him as hard as I could, +missing him half the time, but giving him several sharp blows on the +back and head. + +It was the last shot that hit him on the head, and the clod was big and +cakey, hitting him so hard that it flew to pieces like a shell. + +It must have hurt him, for he slid down and came at me fiercely with his +mouth open, and showing his teeth like a dog. + +I daresay at another time, as he was much bigger and stronger than I +was, I should have turned and fled; but just then I was so hot and +excited that I went at him with my doubled fists, and for the next five +minutes we were fighting furiously, every now and then engaged in a +struggle, and going down to continue it upon the ground. + +I fell heavily several times, and was getting the worst of it when, all +at once, I managed to get one hand free, and in my despair struck him as +hard as I could. + +The blow must have been a hard one, for Shock staggered back, caught his +foot in one of the gooseberry bushes, and fell with a crash into one of +them, splitting the bush open. + +I was half blind with rage, and smarting with blows; and as he seemed to +be coming at me again, I made another dash at him, striking out right +and left with my arms going like a windmill, till I was checked suddenly +by being lifted from the ground, and a hoarse voice uttered a +tremendous--"Haw, haw, haw!" + +I had felt this last time that Shock was very big and strong, hence it +took me some moments to realise that the boy had crept out of the +gooseberry bush and had shuffled away, while it was Ike whom I was +belabouring and drumming with all my might. + +"Well done, little one," he cried. "There, cool down. Shock's give in. +You've whacked him. Here's the ganger coming. Get on with your work." + +Shock ran by us with a rush, mounted his ladder, and I hurried up mine, +to go on picking as well, while, panting and hot, smarting with blows +and anger, I wondered what Old Brownsmith would say to me for what I had +done. + +He only went along the path, however, with his cats, as he saw that Ike +was there, and the apple-picking went on till he was out of sight. + +"Ah! you're only a bit dirty," said Ike to me rather less roughly than +usual. "Come down and I'll give you a brush." + +"There you are," he said, after performing the task for me. "Was he up +to his larks with you?" + +"Yes," I said; "he has been pelting me, and he pretended to fall; and +when I went to help him he struck me, and I couldn't stand that." + +"So you licked him well? That's right, boy. He won't do it again. If +he does, give it him, and teach him better. I don't like fighting till +you're obliged; but when you are obliged--hit hard's my motter, and +that's what you've done by him." + +Of course I knew that _that_ was what I had done by him, but I felt very +sorry all the same, for I knew I had hurt Shock a good deal, and I had +hurt myself; and somehow, as Ike went away chuckling and rubbing his big +hands down his sides, it seemed very cruel of him to laugh. + +Everything seemed to have gone so wrong, and I was in such trouble, that +neither the sunshine nor the beauty of the apples gave me the least +satisfaction. + +I kept on picking, expecting every moment that Shock would begin again, +and I kept a watchful eye upon him; but he threw no more lumps of earth +or apples, and only went on picking as quickly as he could, and I +noticed that he always had his face turned from me. + +"I do nothing but offend people," I thought, as I worked away, and I +felt as sure as could be that this boy would contrive pitfalls for me +and play me tricks, making my life quite a burden. In fact, I became +very imaginative, as boys of my age often will, and instead of trying to +take things in the manly English spirit that should be the aim of every +lad, I grew more and more depressed. + +Just when I was at my worst, and I was thinking what an unlucky boy I +was, I heard a sound, followed by another. The nearest representation +of the sounds are these--_Quack_--_craunche_. + +"Why, he's eating apples," I said to myself, as I went down my ladder, +emptied my basket, and went up again. + +Now some who read this will think it a strange thing, but, though I had +been busy all that morning handling beautiful little pippins, long, +rosy, and flat-topped, I had never even thought of tasting one. + +Like fruit? I loved it; but I was so intent upon my work, so eager to +do it well, and I had had so much to think about, that it seemed to come +upon me like a surprise that the apples were good to eat. + +Now that Shock had begun, and was crunching away famously as he worked, +I suddenly found that, though I was not so hot as I was after my +encounter, my mouth felt dry. I was very thirsty, and those apples +seemed to be the most tempting of any I had ever seen in my life. + +But I would not touch one. I went higher up the ladder and picked; then +higher and higher till I was close to the top, holding on by the tall +stem of the tree picking some of the ripest apples I had yet gathered, +and swaying with a pleasant motion every time I reached here or there to +pick one at the end of a twig. + +What beauties they seemed, and how, while those that grew in the shady +parts under the leaves, were of a delicate green, the ones I had picked +from out in the full sunshine were dark and ruddy and bronzed! How they +clustered together too, out here in the top of the tree, so thickly that +it seemed as if I should never get them all. + +But by degrees I reached up and up where I could not take the basket, +and thrust the apples into my breast and pockets. One I had a +tremendous job to reach, after going a little lower to where my basket +hung to empty my pockets before climbing again. It was a splendid +fellow, the biggest yet, and growing right at the top of a twig. + +It seemed dangerous to get up there, for it meant holding on by the +branch, and standing on the very top round of the ladder, and I +hesitated. Still I did not like to be beaten, and with the branch +bending I held on and went up and up, till I stood right at the top of +the ladder, and then cautiously raising my hand I was about to reach up +at and try to pick the apple, when something induced me to turn my head +and look in the direction of Shock's tree. + +Sure enough he was watching me. I saw his face right up in the top; but +he turned it quickly, and there was a rustle and a crack as if he had +nearly fallen. + +For a few moments this unsteadied me, and for the first time I began to +think that I was running great risks, and that I should fall. So +peculiar was the feeling that I clung tightly to the swaying bending +branch and shut my eyes. + +The feeling went off as quickly as it came, for I set my teeth, and, +knowing that Shock was watching me, determined that he should not see I +was afraid. + +The next moment I was reaching up cautiously, and by degrees got my hand +just under the apple, but could get no higher. My head was thrown back, +the branch bending towards me, and my feet on the top round, so that I +was leaning back far out of the perpendicular, and the more I tried to +get that pippin, and could not reach, the more bright and beautiful it +looked. + +I forgot all about the danger, for Shock was watching me, and I would +have it; and as I strained up I at last was able to touch it with the +tips of my fingers, for my feet were pressing the branch one way, my +hands drawing it the other, till it came lower, lower, lower, my fingers +grasped the apple--more and more, and at last, when I felt that I could +bear the strain no longer, the stalk gave way, and the apple dropped +between the twig and my hand. + +Then for a moment, as I grasped it, I felt as if I was going to lose my +footing, and hang off the ladder. If I did, the bough was so thin that +I knew it would break, and it was only by exerting all my strength that +I held on. + +At last, lowering hand below hand, I got to be a little more upright. +My feet were firmer on the ladder, and I was able to take a step down. + +Another few moments and, with a sigh of relief at my escape from a heavy +fall--for it really was an escape--I thrust the beautiful apple in my +breast and descended to my basket, gave a final glance round to see if +there was any more fruit within reach, found there was not, and so I +went to the foot of the ladder, emptied my basket, took out the apple +from my breast, and found that it was as beautiful as it had seemed up +there. + +"I must have you," I thought, and, turning the rosy side towards me, I +took a tremendous bite out of it, a rich sweet juicy bite, and then +stood staring stupidly, for Old Brownsmith was standing there with his +cats, looking at me in a quiet serious way. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +MAKING THINGS RIGHT. + +Just at that moment I fancied that I heard a sort of laugh from up in +the other tree, but my eyes were fixed upon Old Brownsmith, and I had a +large piece of apple in my mouth that I dared not begin to chew. + +He stood looking at me as I stood there, feeling three of his cats come +and begin rubbing themselves up against my legs in the most friendly +way, while I felt as if my misfortunes were being piled up one on the +top of the other. + +From previous conversations I had gathered that he expected the boys to +now and then eat a little fruit, and there was no harm in it; but it +seemed so hard that the very first time I tasted an apple he should be +standing there watching me. + +"Dinner's ready," he said suddenly; "come along." + +"Shall I leave the baskets here, sir?" I said. + +"Yes; just as they are." + +He stooped down and examined the apples, turning them over a little. + +"Hah! yes," he said; "nicely picked. That will do. You've got on too." + +He went on, and I was following behind the cats, but he drew on one side +to let me walk by him. + +"Eat your apple," he said smiling, as he looked sidewise at me. "Only +we always pick out the ugliest fruit and vegetables for home use, and +send the best-looking to market." + +"I'll remember that, sir," I said. + +"Do, Grant, my lad. You will not lose by it, for I'll tell you +something. The shabbiest-looking, awkwardly-grown apples, pears, and +plums are generally the finest flavoured." + +"Are they, sir?" I said. + +"That they are, my boy. If you want a delicious pear don't pick out the +great shapely ones, but those that are screwed all on one side and +covered with rusty spots. The same with the plums and apples. They are +almost always to be depended upon." + +I had finished my mouthful of apple, and thrust the fruit in my jacket +pocket. + +"It is often the same with people in this life, my boy. Many of the +plain-looking, shabby folks are very beautiful everywhere but outside. +There's a moral lesson for you. Save it up." + +I said I would, and looked at him sidewise, hesitating, for I wanted to +speak to him. I was wondering, too, whether he knew that I had been +fighting with Shock, for my hands were very dirty and my knuckles were +cut. + +He did not speak any more, but stooped and took up one of the cats, to +stroke it and let it get up on his shoulder, and we had nearly reached +the house before I burst out desperately: + +"If you please, Mr Brownsmith--" + +Then I stopped short and stared at him helplessly, for the words seemed +to stick in my throat. + +"Well," he said, "what is it? Want to speak to me?" + +"Yes, sir," I burst out; "I want to tell you that I--that I broke--" + +"The ladder, eh?" he said smiling. "That's right, Grant; always speak +out when you have had an accident of any kind. Nothing like being +frank. It's honest and gives people confidence in you. Yes, I know all +about the ladder. I was coming to see if you wanted it moved when I saw +you overcome by it. Did Ike trim off that branch?" + +"Yes, sir," I cried hastily. "I'm very sorry, sir. I did not know +that--" + +"It was so heavy, Grant. Leverage, my boy. A strong man can hardly +hold a ladder if he gets it off the balance." + +"Will it cost much to--" + +"It was an old ladder, Grant, and I'm not sorry it is broken; for there +was a bad crack there, I see, covered over by the paint. We might have +had a nasty accident. It will do now for the low trees. Look here." + +He led me into the shed where the ladders hung, and showed me the broken +ladder, neatly sawn off at the top, and thinned down a little, and +trimmed off with a spokeshave, while a pot of lead-coloured paint and a +brush stood by with which the old gentleman had been going over the +freshly-cut wood. + +"My job," he said quietly. "Dry by to-morrow. You were quite right to +tell me." + +Then there was a pause. + +"How many apples does that make you've had to-day?" he said, suddenly. + +"Apples, sir? Oh! that was the first." + +"Humph!" he ejaculated, looking at me sharply. "And so you've been +having a set-to with Shock, eh?" + +"Yes, sir," I said in an aggrieved tone; "he--" + +"Don't tell tales out of school, Grant," he said. "You've had your +fight, and have come off better than I expected. Don't let's have any +more of it, if you can help it. There, have a wash; make haste. +Dinner's waiting." + +The relief I felt was something tremendous, and though five minutes or +so before I had not wanted any dinner, I had no sooner had a good wash +in the tin bowl with the clean cold water from the pump, and a good rub +with the round towel behind the kitchen door, than I felt outrageously +hungry; and it was quite a happy, flushed face, with a strapped-up wound +on the forehead and a rather swollen and cut lip, that looked out at me +from the little square shaving glass on the wall. + +That morning I had been despondently thinking that I was making no end +of enemies in my new home. That afternoon I began to find that things +were not so very bad after all. Shock was sulky, and seemed to delight +in showing me the roots of his hair in the nape of his neck, always +turning his back; but he did not throw any more apples and he played no +more pranks, but went on steadily picking. + +I did the same, making no further advances to him, though, as I recalled +how I hammered his body and head, and how he must have been pricked by +falling into the gooseberry bush, I felt sorry, and if he had offered to +shake hands I should have forgotten how grubby his always were, and held +out mine at once. + +As the afternoon wore on we filled our baskets, and more had to be +fetched. Then, later on, I wanted my ladder moved to another tree, and +came down and called Ike, but he was not there, so I asked one of the +other men, who came and did it for me, and then moved Shock's. + +I was just mounting again when Ike came up, taking long strides and +scowling angrily. + +"S'pose you couldn't ha' waited a moment, could you?" he growled. "I +didn't move the ladder just as you wanted, I suppose. You're precious +partickler, you are. Now, look here, my fine gentleman, next time you +want a ladder moved you may move it yourself." + +"But I did call you, Ike," I said; "and you weren't there." + +"I hadn't gone to get another two hundred o' plarnts, I suppose, and was +comin' back as fast as I could, I s'pose. No, o' course not. I ought +to ha' been clost to your elber, ready when you called. Never mind; +next time you wants the ladder moved get some one else, for I sha'n't do +it;" and he strode away. + +Half an hour later he was back to see if I wanted it moved, and waited +till I had finished gathering a few more apples, when, smiling quite +good-humouredly, he shifted the ladder into a good place. + +"There," he said, "you'll get a basketful up there. + +"Shock, shall I shift yours 'fore I go? That's your sort. Well, you +two chaps have picked a lot." + +I soon grew quite at home at Old Brownsmith's, and found him very kind. +Ike, too, in his rough way, quite took to me--at least if anything had +to be done he was offended if I asked another of the men. I worked hard +at the fruit-picking, and kept account when Ike laid straw or fern over +the tops of the bushel and half-bushel baskets, and placed sticks +across, lattice fashion, to keep the apples and pears in. Then of a +night I used to transfer the writing on the slate to a book, and tell +Old Brownsmith what I had put down, reading the items over and summing +up the quantities and the amounts they fetched when the salesmen's +accounts came from Covent Garden. + +The men and women about the place--all very quiet, thoughtful people-- +generally had a smile for me when I said good-morning, and I went on +capitally, my old troubles being distant and the memories less painful +day by day. + +But somehow I never got on with Shock. I didn't want to make a +companion of him, but I did not want him to be an enemy, and that he +always seemed to be. + +He never threw lumps of soil or apples or potatoes at me now; but he +would often make-believe to be about to hurl something, and if he could +not get away because of his work he always turned his back. + +"He doesn't like me, Ike," I said to the big gardener one day. + +"No, he don't, that's sartain," said Ike. "He's jealous of you, like, +because the ganger makes so much of you." + +"Mr Brownsmith would make as much of him if he would be smart and +clean, and act like other boys," I said. + +"Yes, but that's just what he won't do, won't Shock. You see, young +'un, he's a 'riginal--a reg'lar 'riginal, and you can't alter him. +Ain't tried to lick you again, has he?" + +"Oh, no!" I said; "and he does not throw at me." + +"Don't shy at you now! Well, I wonder at that," said Ike. "He's a +wunner at shying. He can hit anything with a stone. I've seen him +knock over a bird afore now, and when he gets off in the fields of an +evening I've often knowed him bring back a rabbit." + +"What does he do with it?" + +"Do with it! Come, there's a good 'un. Cook it down in the shed, and +eat it. He'd eat a'most anything. But don't you mind him. It don't +matter whether he's pleased or whether he ain't. If he's too hard on +you, hit him again, and don't be afraid." + +In fact the more I saw of Shock, the more distant he grew; and though I +tried to make friends with him by putting slices of bread and butter and +bits of cold pudding in the shed down the garden that he used to like to +make his home at meal-time and of an evening, he used to eat them, and +we were as bad friends as ever. + +One morning, when there was rather a bigger fire than usual down in the +old tool-shed, I walked to the door, and found Shock on his knees +apparently making a pudding of soft clay, which he was kneading and +beating about on the end of the hearthstone. + +I looked round for the twig, for I felt sure that he was going to use +the clay for pellets to sling at me, but there was no stick visible. + +As I came to the doorway he just glanced over his shoulder; and then, +seeing who it was, he shuffled round a little more and went on. + +"What are you doing, Shock?" I asked. + +He made no reply, but rapidly pinched off pieces of the clay and roughly +formed them into the head, body, legs, and arms of a human being, which +he set up against the wall, and then with a hoarse laugh knocked into a +shapeless mass with one punch of his clay-coated fist. + +"He meant that for me," I said to myself; and I was going to turn away +when I caught sight of something lying in the shadow beneath the little +old four-paned window. + +It was something I had never seen before except in pictures; and I was +so interested that I stepped in and was about to pick up the object, but +Shock snatched it away. + +"Where did you get it?" I said eagerly. + +He did not answer for a few moments, and then said gruffly, "Fields." + +"It's a hedgehog, isn't it?" I said. "Here, let me look." He slowly +laid the little prickly animal down on the earthen floor and pushed it +towards me--a concession of civility that was wonderful for Shock; and I +eagerly examined the curious little creature, pricking my fingers a good +deal in the efforts to get a good look at the little black-faced animal +with its pointed snout. + +"What are you going to do with it?" I said. + +Shock looked up at me in a curious half-cunning way, as he beat out his +clay into a broad sheet; and then, as if about to make a pudding, he +made the hedgehog into a long ball, laid it on the clay, and covered it +up, rolling it over and over till there was nothing visible but a clay +ball. + +"What a baby you are, Shock, playing at making mud puddings!" I said. + +He did not reply, only smiled in a half-pitying way, took an old +broomstick that he used for a poker, and scraping the ashes of the fire +aside rolled the clay pig-pudding into the middle of the fire, and then +covered it over with the burning ashes, and piled on some bits of wood +and dry cabbage-stumps, making up a good fire, which he set himself to +watch. + +It was a wet day, and there was nothing particular to do in the garden; +so I stood looking at Shock's cookery for a time, and then grew tired +and was coming away when for a wonder he spoke. + +"Be done soon," he said. + +Just then I heard my name called, and running through the rain I found +that Old Brownsmith wanted me for a while about some entries that he +could not find in the book, and which he thought had not been made. + +I was able, however, to show him that the entries had been made; and as +soon as I was at liberty I ran down the garden again to see how the +cookery was going on. + +As I reached the door the little shed was all of a glow, for Shock was +raking the fire aside, but, apparently not satisfied, he raked it all +back again, and for the next half hour he amused himself piling up +scraps of wood and refuse to make the fire burn, ending at last by +raking all away, leaving the lump of clay baked hard and red. + +I had been standing by the door watching him all the time; and now he +just turned his head and looked at me over his shoulder as he rose and +took a little old battered tin plate from where it stuck beneath the +rough thatch, giving it a rub on the tail of his jacket. + +"Like hedgehog?" he said grimly. + +"No," I cried with a look of disgust. + +"You ain't tasted it," he said, growing wonderfully conversational as he +took a hand-bill from a nail where it hung. + +Then, kneeling down before the fire, he gave the hard clay ball a sharp +blow with the hand-bill, making it crack right across and fall open, +showing the little animal steaming hot and evidently done, the bristly +skin adhering to the clay shell that had just been broken, so that there +was no difficulty in turning it out upon the tin plate, the shell in two +halves being cast upon the fire, where the interior began to burn. + +It seemed very horrible! + +It seemed very nice! + +I thought in opposite directions in the following moments, and all the +time my nose was being assailed by a very savoury odour, for the cookery +smelt very good. + +"You won't have none--will you?" said Shock, without looking at me. + +"No," I said shortly; "it isn't good to eat. You might as well eat +rats." + +"I like rats," he replied, coolly taking out his knife from one pocket, +a piece of bread from the other; and to my horror he rapidly ate up the +hedgehog, throwing the bones on the fire as he picked them, and ending +by rubbing the tin plate over with a bit of old gardener's apron which +he took from the wall. + +"Well," I said sarcastically, "was it nice?" + +"Bewfle!" he said, giving his lips a smack and then sighing. + +"Did you say you eat rats?" I continued. + +"Yes." + +"And mice too?" + +"No; there ain't nuffin' on 'em--they're all bones." + +"Do you eat anything else?" + +"Snails." + +"Yes, I've seen you eat the nasty slimy things." + +"They ain't nasty slimy things; they're good." + +"Do you eat anything else?" + +"Birds." + +"What?" I said. + +"Birds--blackbirds, and thrushes, and sparrers, and starlings. Ketches +'em in traps like I do the rats." + +"But do you really eat rats?" + +"Yes--them as comes after the apples in the loft and after the corn. +They are good." + +"But don't you get enough to eat at home?" I asked him. + +"Home!--what, here?" + +"No, I mean your home." + +"What, where I sleeps? Sometimes." + +"But you're not obliged to eat these things. Does Mr Brownsmith know?" + +"Oh! yes, he knows. I like 'em. I eat frogs once. Ain't fish good? I +ketch 'em in the medders." + +"Where you saved me when I was drowning?" I said hastily. + +Shock turned his face away from me and knelt there, throwing scraps of +wood, cinder, and dirt into the fire, with his head bent down; and +though I tried in all kinds of ways to get him to speak again, not a +single word would he say. + +I gave him up as a bad job at last and left him. + +That night, just before going to bed, Old Brownsmith sent me out to one +of the packing-sheds to fetch the slate, which had been forgotten. It +was dark and starlight, for the wind had risen and the rain had been +swept away. + +I found the slate after fumbling a little about the bench, and was on my +way back to the door of the long packing-shed when I heard a curious +rustling in the loft overhead, followed by a thump on the board as if +something had fallen, and then a heavy breathing could be heard--a +regular heavy breathing that was almost a snore. + +For a few moments I stood listening, and then, feeling very +uncomfortable, I stole out, ran into the house, and stood before Old +Brownsmith with the slate. + +"Anything the matter?" he said. + +"There's someone up in the loft over the packing-shed--asleep," I said +hoarsely. + +"In the loft!" he said quickly. "Oh! it is only Shock. He often sleeps +there. You'll find his nest in amongst the Russia mats." + +Surely enough, when I had the curiosity next morning to go up the ladder +and look in the loft, there was Shock's nest deep down amongst the mats +that were used to cover the frames in the frosty spring, and some of +these were evidently used to cover him up. + +I came down, thinking that if I were Old Brownsmith I should make Master +Shock go to his lodging and sleep of a night, and try whether I could +not make him live like a Christian, and not go about feeding on snails +and hedgehogs and other odds and ends that he picked up in the fields. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT. + +For the next fortnight we were all very busy picking and packing fruit, +and Ike was off every night about eleven or twelve with his load, coming +back after market in the morning, and only doing a little work in the +garden of an afternoon, and seeing to the packing ready for a fresh +start in the night. + +The weather was glorious, and the pears came on so fast that Shock and I +were always picking so that they might not be too ripe. + +It was a delightful time, for the novelty having gone off I was able to +do my work with ease. I did not try to move the ladder any more, so I +had no accident of that kind; and though I slipped once or twice, I was +able to save myself, and began to feel quite at home up in the trees. + +Every now and then if Shock was anywhere near he played some monkey +trick or another. His idea evidently was to frighten me by seeming to +fall or by hanging by hand or leg. But he never succeeded now, for I +knew him too well; and though I admired his daring at times, when he +threw himself backwards on the ladder and slid down head foremost +clinging with his legs, I did not run to his help. + +In spite of the conversation I had had with him in the shed, we were no +better friends next time we met, or rather when we nearly met, for +whenever he saw me coming he turned his back and went off in another +direction. + +As I said, a fortnight had passed, and the fruit-picking was at its +height as far as pears and apples went, when one night, after a very hot +day, when the cart was waiting in the yard, loaded up high with bushel +and half-bushel baskets, and the horse was enjoying his corn, and +rattling his chain by the manger, I left Old Brownsmith smoking his pipe +and reading a seed-list, and strolled out into the garden. + +It was a starlight night, and very cool and pleasant, as I went down one +of the paths and then back along another, trying to make out the +blossoms of the nasturtiums that grew so thickly along the borders just +where I was. + +The air smelt so sweet and fresh that it seemed to do me good, but I was +thinking that I must be getting back into the house and up to my bed, +when the fancy took me that I should like to go down the path as far as +Mrs Beeton's house, and look at the window where I used to sit when +Shock pelted me with clay. + +The path was made with ashes, so that my footsteps were very quiet, and +as I walked in the shadow of a large row of pear-trees I was almost +invisible. In fact I could hardly see my own hand. + +All at once I stopped short, for I heard a peculiar scratching noise and +a whispering, and, though I could hardly distinguish anything, I was +perfectly sure that somebody had climbed to the top of the wall, and was +sitting there with a leg over our side, for I heard it rustling amongst +the plum boughs. + +"It's all right," was whispered; and then there was more scuffling, and +it seemed to me that some one else had climbed up. + +Then another and another, and then they seemed to pull up another one, +so that I believed there were five people on the wall. + +Then came some whispering, and I felt sure that they were boys, for one +said: + +"Now, then, all together!" in a boyish voice, when there was a lot of +rustling and scratching, and I could hear the plum-tree branches trained +to the wall torn down, one breaking right off, as the intruders dropped +over into our garden. + +For the moment I was puzzled. Then I knew what it meant, and a flush of +angry indignation came into my cheeks. + +"Boys after our pears!" I said to myself as my fists clenched. For I +had become so thoroughly at home at Old Brownsmith's that everything +seemed to belong to me, and I felt it was my duty to defend it. + +I listened to make sure, and heard a lot of whispering going on as the +marauders crossed the path I was on, rustled by amongst the gooseberry +bushes, and went farther into the garden. + +"They're after the _Marie Louise_ pears," I thought; and I was about to +run and shout at them, for I knew that would startle them away; but on +second thoughts I felt as if I should like to catch some of them, and +turning, I ran softly back up the path, meaning to tell Mr Brownsmith. + +But before I had reached the end of the path another idea had occurred +to me. Old Brownsmith would not be able to catch one of the boys, but +Shock would if he was up in the loft, and in the hope that he was +sleeping there I ran to the foot of the steps, scrambled up, and pushing +back the door, which was only secured with a big wooden latch, I crept +in as cautiously as I could. + +"Shock!" I whispered. "Shock! Are you here?" + +I listened, but there was not a sound. + +"Shock!" I whispered again. "Shock!" + +"If ver don't go I'll heave the hay-fork at yer," came in a low angry +voice. + +"No, no: don't," I said. "I want you. Come on, and bring a big stick: +there's some boys stealing the pears." + +There was a rustle and a scramble, and Shock was by my side, more full +of life and excitement than I had ever noticed him before. + +"Pears?" he whispered hoarsely; "arter the pears? Where? Where are +they?" + +He kept on the move, making for the door and coming back, and behaving +altogether like a dog full of expectation of a rush after some wild +creature in a hunt. + +"Be quiet or we sha'n't catch them," I whispered. "Some boys have +climbed over the wall, and are after the _Marie Louise_ pears." + +He stopped short suddenly. + +"Yah!" he cried, "they ain't. It's your larks." + +"You stupid fellow! I tell you they are." + +"Mary Louisas ain't ripe," he cried. + +"Don't care; they've gone after them. Come, and bring a stick." + +"Fain larks," he said dubiously. + +"Just as if I would play tricks with you!" I cried impatiently. + +"No, you wouldn't, would yer?" he said hoarsely. "Wouldn't be hard on a +chap. Stop a minute." + +He rustled off amongst the straw, and I heard a rattling noise and then +a chuckle, and Shock was back to hand me a stick as thick as my finger. + +"Hezzles," he whispered--"nut hezzle. Come along. You go first." + +Though I had roused Shock out of bed he had no dressing to do, and +following me down the ladder he walked quickly after me down one of the +paths, then to the right along another till we came to a corner, when we +both stopped and listened. + +Shock began to hiss very softly, as if he were a steam-engine with the +vapour escaping from the safety-valve, as we heard, about fifty yards +from us, the rustling of the pear-trees, the heavy shake of a bough, and +then through the pitchy darkness _whop! whop! whop! whop_! as the pears +fell on to the soft ground. + +"You go this way," I whispered to Shock, "and I'll go that way, and then +we'll rush in and catch them." + +"Yes," he said back. "Hit hard, and mind and get hold o' the bag." + +We were separating when he caught hold of my arm. + +"'Old 'ard," he whispered. "Let's rush 'em together." + +In the darkness perhaps his was the better plan. At all events we +adopted it, and taking hold of hands we advanced on tiptoe trembling +with expectation, our sticks grasped, and every now and then the pendent +branches of some tree rustling in and sweeping our faces. And all the +time, just in front, we could hear the hurried shaking of boughs, the +fall of the pears, and tittering and whispering as the party seemed to +be picking up the spoil. + +"We shall have too many," whispered a voice just before us. + +"Never mind; let's fill the bag. Go it, boys." + +"Hush! Some one'll hear." + +"Not they. Go on. Here's a bough loaded. Oh, I say!" Shock gave my +hand a nip to which I responded, and then all at once from under the +tree where we stood we made a rush at the indistinct figures we could +sometimes make out a few yards away. + +_Whish, rush, whack_! + +"I say what are you doing of?" + +"Oh!" + +"Run! run!" + +"Oh!" + +These ejaculations were mingled with the blows dealt by our sticks, +several of which fell upon heads, backs, legs, and arms, anywhere, +though more struck the trees; and in the excitement one I delivered did +no end of mischief to a young pear-tree, and brought down a shower of +fruit upon my head. + +It was all the work of a few moments. At the first the marauding party +thought it was some trick of a companion; directly after they scattered +and ran, under the impression that Old Brownsmith and all his men were +in pursuit. + +As for me, I felt red-hot with excitement, and found myself after a dash +through some gooseberry bushes, whose pricking only seemed to give me +fresh energy, running along a path after one boy at whom I kept cutting +with my hazel stick. + +At every stroke there was a howl from the boy, who kept on shouting as +he ran: + +"Oh! please, sir--oh! sir--don't, sir--oh! pray, sir!" + +In my hard-heartedness and excitement I showed no mercy, but every time +I got near enough as we panted on I gave him a sharp cut, and he would +have been punished far worse if all at once I had not run right into a +hanging bough of one of the pears, and gone down backwards, while when I +scrambled up again my stick was gone. + +I felt that if I waited to search for it I should lose the boy I meant +to make a prisoner, and ran on in the direction where I could hear his +steps. + +Knowing the garden as I did I was able to make a cut so as to recover +the lost ground, for I realised that he was making for the wall, and I +was just in time to catch him as he scrambled up one of the trained +trees, and had his chest on the top. + +He would have been over in another second or two had I not made a jump +at his legs, one of which I caught, and, twisting my arms round it, I +held on with all my might. + +"Oh! oh!" he yelled pitifully. "Pray let me go, sir. I'll never come +no more, sir. Help! oh my! help!" + +"Come down," I panted as well as I could for want of breath, "come +down!" and I gave the leg I held a tremendous shake. + +"Oh!--oh! Pray let me go this time, sir." + +"Come down," I cried again fiercely, and I nearly dragged him from the +wall, as I held on with all my might. + +"No, sir! oh, sir! It wasn't me, sir. It was--oh, please let me go!" + +The voice sounded as if it were on the outside of the wall, as my +captive hung by his elbows and chest, while I could feel the leg I held +quiver and tremble as I tugged hard to get its owner down into the +garden; but distant and muffled as that voice was, it seemed familiar +when it yelled again: + +"Oh I pray let me go this time, sir." + +"No," I shouted, as I gave the leg a snatch and hung on, "Come down, you +thieving rascal, come down." + +"Why, it's you, is it?" came from the top of the wall, a little plainer +now. + +"What! George Day!" I exclaimed, but without relaxing my hold. + +"Oh, you sneak!" he cried. "Let go, will you." + +"No," I cried stoutly. "Come down." + +"Sha'n't. It ain't your place. Let go, you sneak." + +"I sha'n't," I cried angrily. "Come down, you thief." + +"If you call me a thief I'll come down and half smash you. Let go!" + +His courage returned as he found out who was his captor, and he kicked +out savagely, but I held on. + +"Do you hear?" he cried. "Here, let go, and I'll give you a fourpenny +piece out of my next pocket-money." + +"You come down to Mr Brownsmith," I cried. + +"Get out! You know who I am: George Day." + +"I know you're a thief, and I shall take you up to Mr Brownsmith," I +said, "and here he comes." + +"If you don't let go," he cried with a sudden access of fury, "I'll just +come down and I'll--" + +He did not finish his threat. I daresay it would have been something +very dreadful, but I was not in the least frightened as I held on; but +as he clung to the big quaint coping of the wall he suddenly gave two or +three such tremendous kicks that one of them, aided by his getting his +free foot on my shoulder, was given with such force that I was driven +backwards, and after staggering a few steps, caught my heel and came +down in a sitting position upon the path. + +I leaped to my feet again, but only just in time to hear a scuffling +noise on the top of the wall, the sound of some one dropping on the +other side, and then _pat, pat, pat_, steps fast repeated, as my +prisoner ran away. + +"Ah!" I exclaimed, with a stamp of the foot in my disappointment. + +"Chiv-ee! Why, ho! Where are yer?" + +"Here, Shock!" I cried in answer to the shout on my right, and the boy +came running up. + +"Got him?" + +"No," I replied. "He climbed up the wall and kicked me backwards. +Didn't you catch one?" + +"No. They skiddled off like rabbuts, and the one I tried to run down +dodged me in the dark, and when I heerd him he was close up to the fence +t'other side, and got away. Didn't I give it some of 'em though!" + +"Oh! I do wish we had caught one," I exclaimed; and then I felt as if I +did not wish so, especially as the boy I had chased was George Day. + +"They didn't get the pears," said Shock suddenly; and now it struck me +that we had suddenly grown to be wonderfully talkative, and the best of +friends. + +"No," I replied, "I don't think they got the pears. Let's go and see." + +We trudged off, I for my part feeling very stiff, and as if all the +excitement had gone out of the adventure; and in a minute we were +feeling about under the pear-trees, and kicking against fallen fruit. + +"Here she is," said Shock suddenly. "Big bag. Stodge full." + +I ran to him, and was in the act of passing my hands over the bulging +bag when I uttered a faint cry of horror, for something soft seemed to +have dropped upon my back, and a voice from out of the darkness +exclaimed: + +"What are you boys doing here?" + +At the same moment I knew that it was one of the cats that had leaped +upon my back, and Old Brownsmith who was speaking. + +"We have been after some boys who were stealing the pears, sir," I said. + +"Were they?" cried the old man sternly; "and I've come and caught them. +You, Shock, bring that bag up to the door." + +Shock seized and shouldered the bag, and we followed the old gentleman +to the house; but though I spoke two or three times he made no reply, +and I felt too much hurt by his suspicions to say more. + +There was a large house lantern alight in the kitchen, as if the old +gentleman had been about to bring it down the garden with him and had +altered his mind, and the first thing he did was to open the lantern, +take out the candle in his fingers, and hold it up so as to look at each +of us in turn, frowning and suspicious, while we shrank and half-closed +our eyes, dazzled by the light. + +Then he turned his attention to the big bag which Shock had placed upon +the table, the top of which opened out, and a pear or two rolled upon +the floor as soon as it was released. + +"Humph! Pillow-case, eh?" said the old man, and his face brightened as +if the suspicion was being cleared away. "Who heard 'em?" + +"I did, sir," I cried; and I told him how I had wakened up Shock, and of +our fight; but I did not mention George Day's name, and I did not mean +to do so unless I was asked, for it seemed to be so shocking for a boy +like that to be charged with stealing fruit. + +"Humph! Ought to have caught some of the dogs! but I say, did you hit +'em hard?" + +"As hard as I could, sir," I replied innocently. + +"Hah! aha! That's right. Young scoundrels. Spoilt a basket of pears +that were not ripe. Young dogs! I'll put glass bottles all along the +walls, and see how they like that. There, be off to bed." + +I hesitated. + +"Well," he said, "what is it?" + +"You don't think it was I who went to steal the pears, sir?" I said +uneasily. + +"My good boy, no!" he said. "Pooh! nonsense! Looked like it at first. +Caught you dirty-handed. Good night!" + +He turned away, and I ran into the yard, where Shock was slowly going +back to his hole in the straw. + +"Good night, Shock!" I said. + +He stopped without turning round, and did not reply. It was as if the +sulky morose fit had come over him again, but it did not last, for he +half turned his head and said: + +"I hit one on 'em such a crack on the nut." + +Then he went to the ladder and climbed up into the loft, and I stood +listening to him as he nestled down in amongst the straw. Then Old +Brownsmith came to the back-door with the lantern and called me in to go +up to my room. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +LEARNING MY LESSONS. + +Next morning the old gentleman talked at breakfast-time about the +police, and having the young scoundrels sent to prison. Directly after, +he went down the garden with me and nine cats, to inspect the damages, +and when he saw the trampling and breaking of boughs he stroked a +tom-cat and made it purr, while he declared fiercely that he would not +let an hour pass without having the young dogs punished. + +"They shall be caught and sent to prison," he cried. + +"Poor old Sammy then.--I'll have 'em severely punished, the young +depredators.--Grant, you'd better get a sharp knife and a light ladder, +and cut off those broken boughs--the young villains--and tell Ike to +bring a big rake and smooth out these footmarks. No; I'll tell him. +You get the knife. I shall go to the police at once." + +I cut out the broken boughs, and Ike brought down the ladder for me and +smoothed over the footmarks, chatting about the events of the past night +the while. + +"He won't get no police to work, my lad, not he. Forget all about it +directly. Makes him a bit raw, o' course," said Ike, smoothing away +with the rake. "Haw! haw! haw! Think o' you two leathering of 'em. I +wish I'd been here, 'stead of on the road to London. Did you hit 'em +hard?" + +"Hard as I could," I said. "I think Shock and I punished them enough." + +"So do I. So do he. Rare and frightened they _was_ too. Why, o' +course boys will steal apples. I dunno how it is, but they always +would, and will." + +"But these were pears," I said. + +"All the same, only one's longer than t'other. Apples and pears. He +won't do nothing." + +Ike was right, for the matter was soon forgotten, and Mrs Dodley his +housekeeper used the pillow-case as a bag for clothes-pegs. + +Those were bright and pleasant days, for though now and then some +trouble came like a cloud over my life there was more often plenty of +sunshine to clear that cloud away. + +My uncles came to see me, first one and then the other, and they had +very long talks with Mr Brownsmith. + +One of them told me I was a very noble boy, and that he was proud of me. +He said he was quite sure I should turn out a man. + +"Talks to the boy as if he felt he might turn out a woman," Old +Brownsmith grumbled after he was gone. + +It was some time after before the other came, and he looked me all over +as if he were trying to find a hump or a crooked rib. Then he said it +was all right, and that I could not do better. + +One of them said when he went away that he should not lose sight of me, +but remember me now and then; and when he had gone Old Brownsmith said, +half aloud: + +"Thank goodness, I never had no uncles!" Then he gave me a comical +look, but turned serious directly. + +"Look here, Grant," he said. "Some folk start life with their gardens +already dug up and planted, some begin with their bit of ground all +rough, and some begin without any land at all. Which do you belong to?" + +"The last, sir," I said. + +"Right! Well, I suppose you are not going to wait for one uncle to take +a garden for you and the other to dig it up?" + +"No," I said sturdily; "I shall work for myself." + +"Right! I don't like boys to be cocky and impudent but I like a little +self-dependence." + +As the time went on, Old Brownsmith taught me how to bud roses and +prune, and, later on, to graft. He used to encourage me to ask +questions, and I must have pestered him sometimes, but he never seemed +weary. + +"It's quite right," he used to say; "the boy who asks questions learns +far more than the one who is simply taught." + +"Why, sir?" I said. + +"Well, I'll tell you. He has got his bit of ground ready, and is +waiting for the seed or young plant to be popped in. Then it begins to +grow at once. Don't you see this; he has half-learned what he wants to +know in the desire he feels. That desire is satisfied when he is told, +and the chances are that he never forgets. Now you say to me--What is +the good of pruning or cutting this plum-tree? I'll tell you." + +We were standing in front of the big red brick wall one bright winter's +day, for the time had gone by very quickly. Old Brownsmith had a sharp +knife in his hand, and I was holding the whetstone and a thin-bladed saw +that he used to cut through the thicker branches. + +"Now look here, Grant. Here's this plum-tree, and if you look at it you +will see that there are two kinds of wood in it." + +"Two kinds of wood, sir?" + +"Yes. Can't you tell the difference?" + +"No, sir; only that some of the shoots are big and strong, and some are +little and twiggy." + +"Exactly: that is the difference, my lad. Well, can you see any more +difference in the shoots?" + +I looked for some moments, and then replied: + +"Yes; these big shoots are long and smooth and straight, and the little +twiggy ones are all over sharp points." + +"Then as there is too much wood there, which had we better cut out. +What should you do?" + +"Cut out the scrubby little twigs, and nail up these nice long shoots." + +"That's the way, Grant! Now you'll know more about pruning after this +than Shock has learned in two years. Look here, my lad; you've fallen +into everybody's mistake, as a matter of course. Those fine long shoots +will grow into big branches; those little twigs with the points, as you +call them, are fruit spurs, covered with blossom buds. If I cut them +out I should have no plums next year, but a bigger and a more barren +tree. No, my boy, I don't want to grow wood, but fruit. Look here." + +I looked, and he cut out with clean, sharp strokes all those long shoots +but one, carefully leaving the wood and bark smooth, while to me it +seemed as if he were cutting half the tree away. + +"You've left one, sir," I said. + +"Yes, Grant, I've left one; and I'll show you why. Do you see this old +hard bough?" + +I nodded. + +"Well, this one has done its work, so I'm going to cut it out, and let +this young shoot take its place." + +"But it has no fruit buds on it," I said quickly. + +"No, Grant; but it will have next year; and that's one thing we +gardeners always have to do with stone-fruit trees--keep cutting out the +old wood and letting the young shoots take the old branches' place." + +"Why, sir?" I asked. + +"Because old branches bear small fruit, young branches bear large, and +large fruit is worth more than twice as much as small. Give me the +saw." + +I handed him the thin-bladed saw, and he rapidly cut out the old hard +bough, close down to the place where it branched from the dumpy trunk, +and then, handing me the tool, he knelt down on a pad of carpet he +carried in his tremendous pocket. + +"Now look here," he said; and taking his sharp pruning-knife he cut off +every mark of the saw, and trimmed the bark. + +I looked on attentively till he had ended. + +"Well," he said, "ain't you going to ask why I did that?" + +"I know, sir," I said. "To make it neat." + +"Only partly right, Grant. I've cut that off smoothly so that no rain +may lodge and rot the place before the wound has had time to heal." + +"And will it heal, sir?" + +"Yes, Grant. In time Nature will spread a ring of bark round that, +which will thicken and close in till the place is healed completely +over." + +Then he busily showed me the use of the saw and knife among the big +standard trees, using them liberally to get rid of all the scrubby, +crowded, useless branches that lived upon the strength of the tree and +did no work, only kept out the light, air, and sunshine from those that +did work and bear fruit. + +"Why it almost seems, sir," I said one day, "as if Nature had made the +trees so badly that man was obliged to improve them." + +"Ah, I'm glad to hear you say that, my lad," he said; "but you are not +right. I'm only a gardener, but I've noticed these things a great deal. +Nature is not a bungler. She gives us apple and plum trees, and they +grow and bear fruit in a natural and sufficient way. It is because man +wants them to bear more and bigger fruit, and for more to grow on a +small piece of ground than Nature would plant, that man has to cut and +prune." + +"But suppose Nature planted a lot of trees on a small piece of ground," +I said, "what then?" + +"What then, Grant? Why, for a time they'd grow up thin and poor and +spindly, till one of them made a start and overtopped the others. Then +it would go on growing, and the others would dwindle and die away." + +The time glided on, and I kept learning the many little things about the +place pretty fast. As the months went on I became of some use to my +employer over his accounts, and by degrees pretty well knew his +position. + +It seemed that he had been a widower for many years, and Mrs Dodley, +the housekeeper and general servant all in one, confided to me one day +that "Missus's" bonnets and shawls and gowns were all hanging up in +their places just as they had been left by Mrs Brownsmith. + +"Which it's a dead waste, Master Grant," she used to finish by saying, +"as there's several as I know would be glad to have 'em; but as to +that--Lor' bless yer!" + +It was not often that Mrs Dodley spoke, but when she did it was to +inveigh against some oppression or trouble. + +Candles were a great burden to the scrupulously clean woman. + +"Tens I says," she confided to me one day, "but he will have eights, and +what's the consequence? If I want to do a bit of extry needle-work I +might light up two tens, but I should never have the heart to burn two +eights at once, for extravagance I can't abear. Ah! he's a hard master, +and I'm sorry for you, my dear." + +"Why?" I said. + +"Ah! you'll find out some day," she said, shaking her head and then +bustling off to her work. + +I had not much companionship, for Ike was generally too busy to say a +word, and though after the pear adventure Shock did nothing more +annoying to me than to stand now and then upon his head, look at me +upside down, and point and spar at me with his toes, we seemed to get to +be no better friends. + +He took to that trick all at once one day in a soft bit of newly dug +earth. He was picking up stones, and I was sticking fresh labels at the +ends of some rows of plants, when all at once he uttered a peculiar +monkey-like noise, down went his head, up went his heels, and I stared +in astonishment at first and then turned my back. + +This always annoyed Shock; but one day when he stood up after his quaint +fashion I was out of temper and had a bad headache, so I ran to him, and +he struck at me with his feet, just as if they had been hands, only he +could not have doubled them up. I was too quick for him though, and +with a push drove him down. + +He jumped up again directly and repeated the performance. + +I knocked him down angrily. + +He stood up again. + +I knocked him down again. + +And so on, again and again, when he turned and ran off laughing, and I +went on with my work, vexed with myself for having shown temper. + +Every now and then a fit of low spirits used to attack me. It was +generally on washing-days, when Mrs Dodley filled the place with steam +early in the morning by lighting the copper fire, and then seeming to be +making calico puddings to boil and send an unpleasant soapy odour +through the house. + +Doors and chair backs were so damp and steamy then that I used to be +glad to go out and see Shock, whom I often used to find right away in +the little shed indulging in a bit of cookery of his own. + +If Shock's hands had been clean I could often have joined him in his +feasts, but I never could fancy turnips boiled in a dirty old sauce-pan, +nor tender bits of cabbage stump. I made up my mind that I would some +day try snails, but when I did join Shock on a soaking wet morning when +there was no gardening, and he invited me in his sulky way to dinner, +the only times I partook of his fare were on chat days. + +What are chat days? Why, the days when he used to have a good fire of +wood and stumps, and roast the chats, as they called the little refuse +potatoes too small for seed, in the ashes. + +They were very nice, though there was not much in one. Still they were +hot and floury, and not bad with a bit of salt. + +Wet days, though, were always a trouble to me, and I used to feel a kind +of natural sympathy with Mr Brownsmith as he set his men jobs in the +sheds, and kept walking to the doors to see if the rain had ceased. + +"That's one thing I should like to have altered in nature," he said to +me with one of his dry comical looks. "I should like the rain to come +down in the night, my boy, so as to leave the day free for work. Always +work." + +"I like it, sir," I said. + +"No, you don't, you young impostor!" he cried. "You want to be playing +with tops or marbles, or at football or something." + +I shook my head. + +"You do, you dog!" he cried. + +I shook my head again. + +"No, sir," I said; "I like learning all about the plants and the +pruning. Ike showed me on some dead wood the other day how to graft." + +"Ah, I'll show you how to do it on live wood some day. There's a lot +more things I should like to show you, but I've no glass." + +"No," I said; "I've often wished we had a microscope." + +"A what, Grant?" + +"Microscope, sir, to look at the blight and the veins in the plants' +leaves." + +"No, no; I mean greenhouses and forcing-houses, where fruit and +vegetables and flowers are brought on early: but wait a bit." + +I did wait a bit, and went on learning, getting imperceptibly to know a +good deal about gardening, and so a couple of years slipped away, when +one day I was superintending the loading of the cart after seeing that +it was properly supported with trestles. Ike was seated astride one of +the large baskets as if it were a saddle, and taking off his old hat he +began to indulge in a good scratch at his head. + +"Lookye here," he exclaimed suddenly, "why don't you go to market?" + +"Too young," I said, with a feeling of eagerness flashing through me. + +"Not you," he said slowly, as he looked down at me and seemed to measure +me with his eye as one of my uncles did. "There's a much littler boy +than you goes with one of the carts, and I see him cutting about the +market with a book under his arm, looking as chuff as a pea on a shovel. +He ain't nothing to you. Come along o' me. I'll take an old coat for +wrapper, and you'll be as right as the mail. You ask him. He'll let +you come." + +Ike was wrong, for when I asked Old Brownsmith's leave he shook his +head. + +"No, no, boy. You're too young yet. Best in bed." + +"Too partickler by half," Ike growled when I let him know the result of +my asking. "He's jealous, that's what he is. Wants to keep you all to +hisself. Not as I wants you. 'Tain't to please me. You're young and +wants eddicating; well, you wants night eddication as well as day +eddication. What do you know about the road to London of a night?" + +"Nothing at all, Ike?" I said with a sigh. + +"Scholard as you are too," growled Ike. "Why, my figgering and writing +ain't even worth talking about with a pen, though I am good with chalk, +but even I know the road to London." + +"He'll let me go some day," I said. + +"Some day!" cried Ike in a tone of disgust. "Any one could go by day. +It's some night's the time. Ah! it is a pity, much as you've got to +learn too. There's the riding up with the stars over your heads, and +the bumping of the cart, and the bumping and rattle of other carts, as +you can hear a mile away on a still night before and behind you, and +then the getting on to the stones." + +"On to the stones, Ike?" I said. + +"Yes, of course, on to the paving-stones, and the getting into the +market and finding a good pitch, and the selling off in the morning. +Ah! it would be a treat for you, my lad. I'm sorry for yer." + +Ike's sorrow lasted, and I grew quite uneasy at last through being +looked down upon with so much contempt; but, as is often the case, I had +leave when I least expected it. + +We had been very busy cutting, bunching, and packing flowers one day, +when all at once Old Brownsmith came and looked at my slate with the +total of the flower baskets set down side by side with the tale of the +strawberry baskets, for it was in the height of the season. + +"Big load to-night, Grant," the old gentleman said. + +"Yes, sir; largest load you've sent up this year," I replied, in all my +newly-fledged importance as a young clerk. + +"You had better go up with Ike to-night, Grant," said the old man +suddenly. "You are big enough now, and a night out won't hurt you. +Here, Ike!" + +"Yes, master." + +"You'll want a little help to-morrow morning to stand by you in the +market. Will you have Shock?" + +"Yes, master, he's the very thing, if you'll send some one to hold him, +or lend me a dog-collar and chain." + +"Don't be an idiot, Ike," said Old Brownsmith sharply. + +"No, master." + +"Would you rather have this boy?" + +"Would I rather? Just hark at him!" + +Ike looked round at me as if this was an excellent joke, but Old +Brownsmith took it as being perfectly serious, and gave Ike a series of +instructions about taking care of me. + +"Of course you will not go to a public-house on the road." + +"'Tain't likely," growled Ike, "'less he gets leading me astray and +takes me there." + +"There's a coffee-shop in Great Russell Street where you can get your +breakfasts." + +"Lookye here, master," growled Ike in an ill-humoured voice, "ain't I +been to market afore?" + +"I shall leave him in your charge, Ike, and expect you to take care of +him." + +"Oh, all right, master!" said Ike, and then the old gentleman gave me a +nod and walked away. + +"At last, Ike!" I cried. "Hurrah! Why, what's the matter?" + +"What's the matter?" said Ike in tones of disgust; "why, everything's +the matter. Here, let's have a look at you, boy. Yes," he continued, +turning me round, and as if talking to himself, "it is a boy. Any one +to hear him would have thought it was a sugar-stick." + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +A NIGHT JOURNEY. + +It seemed to me as if starting-time would never come, and I fidgeted in +and out from the kitchen to the stable to see if Ike had come back, +while Mrs Dodley kept on shaking her at me in a pitying way. + +"Hadn't you better give it, up, my dear?" she said dolefully. "Out all +night! It'll be a trying time." + +"What nonsense!" I said. "Why, sailors have to keep watch of a night +regularly." + +"When the stormy wynds do blow," said Mrs Dodley with something between +a sniff and a sob. "Does Mrs Beeton know you are going?" + +"No," I said stoutly. + +"My poor orphan bye," she said with a real sob. "Don't--don't go." + +"Why, Mrs Dodley," I cried, "any one would think I was a baby." + +"Here, Grant," cried Mr Brownsmith, "hadn't you better lie down for an +hour or two. You've plenty of time." + +"No, sir," I said stoutly; "I couldn't sleep if I did." + +"Well, then, come and have some supper." + +That I was quite willing to have, and I sat there, with the old +gentleman looking at me every now and then with a smile. + +"You will not feel so eager as this next time, Master Grant." + +At last I heard the big latch rattle on the gate, and started up in the +greatest excitement. Old Brownsmith gave me a nod, and as I passed +through the kitchen Mrs Dodley looked at me with such piteous eyes and +so wrinkled a forehead that I stopped. + +"Why, what's the matter?" I asked. + +"Oh, don't ask me, my dear, don't ask me. What could master be +a-thinking!" + +Her words filled me with so much dread that I hurried out into the yard, +hardly knowing which I feared most--to go, or to be forced to stay at +home, for the adventure through the dark hours of the night began to +seem to be something far more full of peril than I had thought a ride up +to market on the cart would prove. + +The sight of Ike, however, made me forget the looks of Mrs Dodley, and +I was soon busy with him in the stable--that is to say, I held the +lantern while he harnessed "Basket," the great gaunt old horse whom I +had so nicknamed on account of the way in which his ribs stuck out +through his skin. + +"You don't give him enough to eat, Ike," I said. + +"Not give him enough to eat!" he replied. "Wo ho, Bonyparty, shove yer +head through. That's the way. Not give him enough to eat, my lad! +Lor' bless you, the more he eats the thinner he gets. He finds the work +too hard for him grinding his oats, for he's got hardly any teeth worth +anything." + +"Is he so old, then?" I asked, as I saw collar and hames and the rest +of the heavy harness adjusted. + +"Old! I should just think he is, my lad. Close upon two hunderd I +should say's his age." + +"Nonsense!" I said; "horses are very old indeed at twenty!" + +"Some horses; but he was only a baby then. He's the oldest horse as +ever was, and about the best; ain't you, Basket? Come along, old chap." + +The horse gave a bit of a snort and followed the man in a slow +deliberate way, born of custom, right out into the yard to where the +trestle-supported cart stood. Then as I held the lantern the great bony +creature turned and backed itself clumsily in between the shafts, and +under the great framework ladder piled up with baskets till its tail +touched the front of the cart, when it heaved a long sigh as if of +satisfaction. + +"Look at that!" said Ike; "no young horse couldn't have done that, my +lad;" and as if to deny the assertion, Basket gave himself a shake which +made the chains of his harness rattle. "Steady, old man," cried Ike as +he hooked on the chains to the shaft, and then going to the other side +he started. "Hullo! what are you doing here?" he cried, and the light +fell upon Shock, who had busily fastened the chains on the other side. + +He did not speak, but backed off into the darkness. + +"Got your coat, squire?" cried Ike. "That's well. Open the gates, +Shock. That's your sort. Now, then, `Basket,' steady." + +The horse made the chains rattle as he stuck the edges of his hoofs into +the gravel, the wheels turned, the great axle-tree rattled; there was a +swing of the load to left and another to right, a bump or two, and we +were out in the lane, going steadily along upon a lovely starlight +night. + +As soon as we were clear of the yard, and Shock could be heard closing +the gates and rattling up the bar, Ike gave his long cart-whip three +tremendous cracks, and I expected to see "Basket" start off in a +lumbering trot; but he paid not the slightest heed to the sharp reports, +and it was evidently only a matter of habit, for Ike stuck the whip +directly after in an iron loop close by where the horse's great +well-filled nose-bag was strapped to the front-ladder, beneath which +there was a sack fairly filled with good old hay. + +"Yes," said Ike, seeing the direction of my eyes, "we don't starve the +old hoss; do we, Bonyparty?" + +He slapped the horse's haunch affectionately, and Basket wagged his +tail, while the cart jolted on. + +The clock was striking eleven, and sounded mellow and sweet on the night +air as we made for the main road, having just ten miles to go to reach +the market, only a short journey in these railway times, but one which +it took the bony old horse exactly five hours to compass. + +"It seems a deal," I said. "I could walk it in much less time." + +"Well, yes, Master Grant," said Ike, rubbing his nose; "it do seem a +deal, five hours--two mile an hour; but a horse is a boss, and you can't +make nothing else out of him till he's dead. I've been to market with +him hunderds upon hunderds of times, and he says it's five hours' work, +and he takes five hours to do it in; no more, and no less. P'r'a'ps I +might get him up sooner if I used the whip; but how would you like any +one to use a whip on you when you was picking apples or counting baskets +of strawbys into a wan?" + +"Not at all," I said, laughing. + +"Well, then, what call is there to use it on a boss? He knows what he +can do, and he doos it." + +"Has Mr Brownsmith had him long?" + +"Has _Old_ Brownsmith had him long?" he said correctively. "Oh, yes! +ages. I don't know how long. He had him and he was a old boss when I +come, and that's years ago. He's done nothing but go uppards and +down'ards all his life, and he must know how long it takes by now, +mustn't he?" + +"Yes, I suppose so," I said. + +"Of course he do, my lad. He knows just where his orf forefoot ought to +be at one o'clock, and his near hind-foot at two. Why, he goes like +clockwork. I just winds him up once with a bit o' corn and a drink o' +water, starts him, and there's his old legs go tick-tack, tick-tack, and +his head swinging like a pendulow. Use 'is secon' natur', and all I've +got to do is to tie up the reins to the fore ladder and go to sleep if I +like, for he knows his way as well as a Christian. 'Leven o'clock I +starts; four o'clock he gets to the market; and if it wasn't for +thieves, and some one to look after the baskets, that old hoss could go +and do the marketing all hisself." + +It was all wonderfully fresh and enjoyable to me, that ride along the +quiet country road, with another market cart jolting on about a hundred +yards ahead, and another one as far behind, while no doubt there were +plenty more, but they did not get any closer together, and no one seemed +to hurry or trouble in the least. + +We trudged on together for some distance, and then Ike made a couple of +seats for us under the ladder by folding up sacks, on one of which I +sat, on the other he. Very uncomfortable seats I should call them now; +most enjoyable I thought them then, and with no other drawback than a +switch now and then from the horse's long tail, an attention perfectly +unnecessary, for at that time of night there were no flies. + +There was not much to see but hedgerows and houses and fields as we +jolted slowly on. Once we met what Ike called the "padrole," and the +mounted policeman, in his long cloak and with the scabbard of his sabre +peeping from beneath, looked to me a very formidable personage; but he +was not too important to wish Ike a friendly good-night. + +We had passed the horse-patrol about a quarter of a mile, when all at +once we heard some one singing, or rather howling: + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +This was repeated over and over again, and seemed as we sat there under +our basket canopy to come from some one driving behind us; but the +jolting of the cart and the grinding of wheels and the horse's trampling +drowned the sound of the following vehicle, and there it went on: + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +But the singer pronounced it _Do-ho-ver_; and then it went on over and +over again. + +"Yes," said Ike, as if he had been talking about something; "them +padroles put a stop to that game." + +"What game?" I said. + +"Highwaymen's. This used to be one of their fav'rite spots, from here +away to Hounslow Heath. There was plenty of 'em in the old days, with +their spanking horses and their pistols, and their `stand and deliver' +to the coach passengers. Now you couldn't find a highwayman for love or +money, even if you wanted him to stuff and putt in a glass case." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +"I wish you'd stopped there," said Ike, in a grumbling voice. "Ah, +those used to be days. That's where Dick Turpin used to go, you know-- +Hounslow Heath." + +"But there are none now?" I said, with some little feeling of +trepidation. + +"Didn't I tell you, no," said Ike, "unless that there's one coming on +behind. How much money have you got, lad?" + +"Two shillings and sixpence and some halfpence." + +"And I've got five and two, lad. Wouldn't pay to keep a blood-horse to +rob us, would it?" + +"No," I said. "Didn't they hang the highwaymen in chains, Ike?" + +"To be sure they did. I see one myself swinging about on Hounslow +Heath." + +"Wasn't it very horrible?" + +"I dunno. Dessay it was. Just look how reg'lar old Bonyparty goes +along, don't he--just in the same part of the road? I dessay he's +a-counting all the steps he takes, and checking of 'em off to see how +many more he's got to go through." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +"I say, I wish that chap would pass us--it worries me," cried Ike +pettishly. Then he went on: "Roads warn't at all safe in those days, my +lad. There was footpads too--chaps as couldn't afford to have horses, +and they used to hang under the hedges, just like that there dark one +yonder, and run out and lay holt of the reins, and hold a pistol to a +man's head." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +"Go agen then, and stop," growled Ike irritably. "Swep' all away, my +lad, by the road-police, and now--" + +"There's a man standing in the dark here under this hedge, Ike," I +whispered. "Is--is he likely to be a foot-pad?" + +"Either a footpad or a policeman. Which does he look like?" said Ike. + +"Policeman," I whispered. "I think I saw the top of his hat shine." + +"Right, lad. You needn't be scared about them sort o' gentlemen now. +As Old Brownsmith says, gas and steam-engines and police have done away +with them, and the road's safe enough, night or day." + +We jolted on past the policeman, who turned his bull's-eye lantern upon +us for a moment, so that I could see Basket's ribs and the profile of +Ike's great nose as he bent forward with his arms resting on his legs. +There was a friendly "good-night," and we had left him about a couple of +hundred yards behind, when, amidst the jolting of the cart and the +creaking of the baskets overhead, ike said suddenly: + +"Seem to have left that chap behind, or else he's gone to--" + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +"Why, if he ar'n't there agen!" cried Ike savagely. "Look here, it +worries me. I'd rayther have a dog behind barking than a chap singing +like that. I hates singing." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +"Look here," said Ike; "I shall just draw to one side and wait till +he've gone by. Steady, Bony; woa, lad! Now he may go on, and sing all +the way to Dover if he likes." + +Suiting the action to the word Ike pulled one rein; but Basket kept +steadily on, and Ike pulled harder. But though Ike pulled till he drew +the horse's head round so that he could look at us, the legs went on in +the same track, and we did not even get near the side of the road. + +"He knows it ain't right to stop here," growled Ike. "Woa, will yer! +What a obstin't hammer-headed old buffler it is! Woa!" + +Basket paid not the slightest heed for a few minutes. Then, as if he +suddenly comprehended, he stopped short. + +"Thankye," said Ike drily; "much obliged. It's my belief, though, that +the wicked old walking scaffold was fast asleep, and has on'y just woke +up." + +"Why, he couldn't go on walking in his sleep, Ike," I exclaimed. + +"Not go on walking in his sleep, mate! That there hoss couldn't! Bless +your 'art, he'd do a deal more wonderful things than that. Well, that +there chap's a long time going by. I can't wait." + +Ike looked back, holding on by the iron support of the ladder. + +"I carnt see nothing. Just you look, mate, your side." I looked back +too, but could see nothing, and said so. "It's strange," growled Ike. +"Go on, Bony." The horse started again, the baskets creaked, the wheels +ground the gravel, and the cart jolted and jerked in its own particular +springless way, and then all of a sudden: + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +Ike looked sharply round at me, as if he half suspected me of +ventriloquism, and it seemed so comical that I began to laugh. + +"Look here," he said in a hoarse whisper, "don't you laugh. There's +something wrong about this here." + +He turned the other way, and holding tightly by the ladder looked out +behind, leaning a good way from the side of the cart. + +"I can't see nothinct," he grumbled, as he drew back and bent forward to +pat the horse. "Seems rum." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." There was the song or +rather howl again, sounding curiously distant, and yet, odd as it may +seem, curiously near, and Ike leant towards me. + +"I say," he whispered, "did you ever hear of anything being harnted?" + +"Yes," I said, "I've heard of haunted houses." + +"But you never heerd of a harnted market cart, did yer?" + +"No," I said laughing; "never." + +"That's right," he whispered. + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +I burst out laughing, though the next moment I felt a little queer, for +Ike laid his hand on my shoulder. + +"Don't laugh, my lad," he whispered; "there's some'at queer 'bout this +here." + +"Why, nonsense, Ike!" I said. + +"Ah! you may say it's nonsense; but I don't like it." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +This came very softly now, and it had such an effect on Ike that he +jumped down from the shaft into the road, and taking his whip from the +staple in which it was stuck, he let the cart pass him, and came round +the back to my side. + +"Well?" I said; "is there a cart behind?" + +"I can't hear one, and I can't see one," he whispered; "and I says it's +very queer. I don't like it, my lad, so there." + +He let the cart pass him, went back behind it again, reached his own +seat, and climbed in under the ladder. + +Bump, jolt, creak, on we went, and all at once Basket kicked a flint +stone, and there was a tiny flash of fire. + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +There it was again, so loud that Ike seized the reins, and by main force +tried to stop the horse, which resisted with all its might, and then +stopped short with the baskets giving a jerk that threatened to send +them over the front ladder, on to the horse's back. + +Ike jumped down on one side and I jumped down on the other. I was not +afraid, but the big fellow's uneasiness had its effect upon me, and I +certainly felt uncomfortable. There was something strange about riding +along that dark road in the middle of the night, and this being my first +experience of sitting up till morning the slightest thing was enough to +put me off my balance. + +The horse went on, and Ike and I met at the back, looked about us, and +then silently returned to our seats, climbing up without stopping the +horse; but we had not been there a minute before Ike bounded off again, +for there once more, buzzing curiously in the air, came that curious +howling song: + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover." + +I slipped off too, and Ike ran round, whip in hand, and gripped my arm. + +"It was your larks," he growled savagely, as I burst into a fit of +laughing. + +"It wasn't," I cried, as soon as I could speak. "Give me the whip," I +whispered. + +"What for?" he growled. + +"You give me the whip," I whispered; and I took it from his hand, +trotted on to the side of the cart, and then reaching up, gave a cut +over the top of the load. + +"Stash that!" shouted a voice; and then, as I lashed again, "You leave +off, will yer? You'll get something you don't like." + +"Woa, Bony!" roared Ike with such vehemence that the horse stopped +short, and there, kneeling on the top of the high load of baskets, we +could dimly see a well-known figure, straw-hat and all. + +"You want me to come down, an' 'it you?" he cried, writhing. + +"Here, give me that whip," cried Ike fiercely. "How did you come +there?" + +"Got up," said Shock sulkily. + +"Who told you to come?" + +"No one. He's come, ain't he?" + +"That's no reason why you should come. Get down, you young dog!" + +"Sha'n't!" + +"You give's holt o' that whip, and I'll flick him down like I would a +fly." + +"No, no; don't hurt him, Ike," I said, laughing. "What were you making +that noise for, Shock?" + +"He calls that singing," cried Ike, spitting on the ground in his +disgust. "He calls that singing. He's been lying on his back, howling +up at the sky like a sick dog, and he calls that singing. Here, give us +that whip." + +"No, no, Ike; let him be." + +"Yes; he'd better," cried Shock defiantly. + +"Yes; I had better," cried Ike, snatching the whip from me, and giving +it a crack like the report of a gun, with the result that Basket started +off, and would not stop any more. + +"Come down," roared Ike. + +"Sha'n't!" cried Shock. "You 'it me, and I'll cut the rope and let the +baskets down." + +"Come down then." + +"Sha'n't! I ain't doing nothing to you." + +_Crack_! went the whip again, and I saw Shock bend down. + +"I'm a-cutting the cart rope," he shouted. + +"Come down." _Crack_! went the whip. + +Shock did not speak. + +"Will he cut the rope?" I whispered. + +"If he do we shall be two hours loading up again, and a lot o' things +smashed," growled Ike. Then aloud: + +"Are you a coming down? Get down and go home." + +"Sha'n't!" came from above us; and, like a good general, Ike accepted +his defeat, and climbed back to his place on the left shaft, while I +took mine on the right. + +"It's no good," he said in a low grumbling tone. "When he says he +won't, he won't, and them ropes is the noo 'uns. He'll have to go on +with us now; and I'm blest if I don't think we've lost a good ten +minutes over him and his noise." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover," came from over our heads. + +"Think o' me letting that scare me!" said Ike, giving his whip a vicious +_whisk_ through the air. + +"But it seemed so strange," I said. + +"Ay, it did. Look yonder," he said. "That's the norrard. It looks +light, don't it?" + +"Yes," I said. + +"Ah! it never gets no darker than that all night. You'll see that get +more round to the nor-east as we gets nigher to London." + +So it proved, for by degrees I saw the stars in the north-east pale; and +by the time we reached Hyde Park Corner a man was busy with a light +ladder putting out the lamps, and it seemed all so strange that it +should be broad daylight, while, as we jolted over the paving-stones as +we went farther, the light had got well round now to the east, and the +daylight affected Ike, for as, after a long silence, we suddenly heard +once more from the top of the baskets: + + "I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover!" + +Ike took up the old song, and in a rough, but not unmusical voice roared +out the second line: + + "I've been a-travelling all the world over." + +Or, as he gave it to match Do-ho-ver--"O-ho-ver." And it seemed to me +that I had become a great traveller, for that was London all before me, +with a long golden line above it in the sky. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +IN THE MARKET. + +I could almost have fancied that there was some truth in Ike's +declaration about old Basket or Bonyparty, as he called him, for +certainly he seemed to quicken his pace as we drew nearer; and so it was +that, as we turned into the busy market, and the horse made its way to +one particular spot at the south-east corner, Ike triumphantly pointed +to the church clock we had just passed. + +"What did I tell yer?" he exclaimed with a grim smile of satisfaction on +his countenance; "he picked up them lost ten minutes, and here we are-- +just four." + +What a scene it seemed to me. The whole place packed with laden cart, +wagon, and light van. Noise, confusion, and shouting, pleasant smells +and evil smells--flowers and crushed cabbage; here it was peas and mint, +there it was strawberries; then a whole wagon announced through the +sides of its piled-up baskets that the load was cauliflowers. + +For a time I could do nothing but gape and stare around at the bustling +crowd and the number of men busily carrying great baskets on the top of +porters' knots. Women, too, in caps, ready to put the same great pad +round forehead and make it rest upon their shoulders, and bear off great +boxes of fruit or baskets of vegetable. + +Here I saw a complete stack of bushel baskets being regularly built up +from the unloading of a wagon, to know by the scent they were early +peas; a little farther on, some men seemed to be making a bastion for +the defence of the market by means of gabions, which, to add to the +fancy, were not filled with sand, but with large round gravel of a pale +whitish-yellow, only a closer inspection showed that the contents were +new potatoes. + +The strawberries took my attention, though, most, for I felt quite a +feeling of sorrow for Old Brownsmith as I saw what seemed to me to be +such a glut of the rich red fruit that I was sure those which we had +brought up would not sell. + +How delicious they smelt in the old-fashioned pottles which we never see +now--long narrow cones, with a cross-handle, over which, when filled, or +supposed to be filled, for a big strawberry would block up the narrow +part of the cone at times, a few leaves were placed, and then a piece of +white paper was tied over with a bit of bast. Nowadays deep and shallow +punnets are the order of the day, and a good thing too. + +Flowers! There seemed to me enough to last London for a month; and I +was going, after a look round, to tell Ike that I was afraid we should +have to take our load back, when I felt a heavy thump on the back of my +head, which knocked off my cap. + +Nothing annoyed me more as a boy than for my cap to be knocked off. +Shock knew that, and it had been one of his favourite tricks, so that I +knew, as I thought, whence this piece of annoyance had come, and, +picking up the small hard cabbage that had been thrown, I determined to +avenge myself by sending it back with a good aim. + +True enough there was Master Shock, lying flat on his chest with his +chin resting in his hands, and his feet kicking up behind, now going up +and down, now patting together, for he had taken off his boots. + +Shock was having a good stare over the market from his elevated position +on the top of the baskets; and, taking a good aim as I thought, I threw +the little hard stale cabbage, and then dodged round the side of the +cart. I stood aghast directly after, beside a pile of baskets, and +watch a quarrel that had just begun a dozen yards away, where a big +red-faced man was holding a very fluffy white hat in his hand and +brushing it with his arm, and bandying angry words with a rough-looking +young market porter, who, with a great flat basket under one arm and his +other through a knot, was speaking menacingly-- + +"Don't you hit me again." + +"Yes, I will, and knock your ugly head off if you do that again," said +the man with the white hat. + +"Do what again?" + +"Do what again!--why, throw rotten cabbages at my hat." + +"I didn't." + +"Yes, you did." + +"No, I didn't." + +"Why, half-a-dozen here saw you do it. You've got hold of the wrong +man, my lad, for larks; so now, then!" + +I saw him stick on his white hat all on one side, and he looked very +fierce and severe; while I felt covered with shame and confusion, for I +knew that it was my cabbage that had done the mischief. + +_Whop_! + +That was another right in my ear, and I turned angrily upon Shock, +forgetting all about the man with the white hat and the half-conceived +idea of going up to him and telling the truth. But there was Shock +staring about him from a dozen feet above my head, and singing softly, +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Dover;" and the cabbage had struck +me on the other side, so that unless Shock had learned how to project +decayed cabbage after the fashion of boomerangs it could not have been +he. + +There was a group of bare-legged boys, though, away to my left--a set of +ragged objects who might have passed for Shock's brothers and cousins, +only that they were thin and unwholesomely pale, and extremely dirty, +while although Shock was often quite as dirty, his seemed to be the +wholesome dirt of country earth, and he looked brown, and healthy, and +strong. + +Then I became aware of the presence of Ike, who said with a grim smile: + +"Don't you heed them, my lad. I see one of 'em chuck it and then turn +round. Wait a bit and I shall get a charnce, and I'll drar my whip +round one of 'em in a way as'll be a startler." + +A quick busy-looking man came bustling up just then, had a chat with +Ike, and hurried off, carrying away my companion; and as soon as he had +gone a bruised potato struck the side of the cart, and as I changed my +position a damaged stump of a cauliflower struck Basket on the flank, +making him start and give himself a shake that rattled all the chains of +the harness before resettling down to the task of picking the corn out +of the chaff in his well-filled nose-bag. + +My first idea was to call Shock down from where he was see-sawing his +legs to and fro till his feet looked like two tilt-hammers beating a +piece of iron, and then with his help attack the young vagabonds who +were amusing themselves by making me a target for all the market refuse +they could find. + +Second thoughts are said to be best, and I had sense enough to know that +nothing would be gained by a struggle with the young roughs. So, +gaining knowledge from my previous experience, I changed my position so +as to get in the front of some sturdy-looking men who were all standing +with their hands in their pockets chinking their money. I had yet to +learn that they were costermongers waiting for prices to come down. + +Directly after _whiz_! came something close by my head and struck one of +the men in the face, with the result that he made a dash at the boys, +who darted away in and out among the baskets, whooping and yelling +defiance; but one ran right into the arms of a man in uniform, who gave +him three or four sharp cuts with a cane and sent him howling away. + +This episode was hardly over before Ike was back, and he nodded as he +said: + +"He's coming direckly to sell us off." + +"Shall you be able to sell the things, then, this morning?" + +"Sell 'em! I should just think we shall; well too. There's precious +little in the market to-day." + +"Little!" I exclaimed. "Why, I thought there would be too much for +ours to be wanted." + +"Bless your young innocence! this is nothing. Bad times for the +costers, my boy; they'll get nothing cheap. Here you, Shock, as you are +come, help with these here ropes; and mind, you two, you look after +these new ropes and the sacks." + +"Look after them!" I said innocently. + +"Yes," said Ike with a queer look; "they gets wild and into bad habits +in London--walks away, they does--and when you go and look for 'em, +there you finds 'em in marine store-shops in the dirty alleys." + +Shock and I set to work helping to unfasten the ropes, which were laced +in and out of the basket-handles, and through the iron stays, and +beneath the hooks placed on purpose about the cart, after which the +ropes were made into neat bunches by Ike, who passed them from hand to +elbow over and over and tied them in the middle, and then in a row to +the ladder of the cart. + +The baskets were just set free when the busy-looking man came back along +with a tall red-nosed fellow. I noticed his red nose because it was the +same colour as a book he held, whose leather cover was like a bad +strawberry. He had a little ink-bottle hanging at his buttonhole and a +pen in his mouth, and was followed by quite a crowd of keen-looking men. + +"Now, Jacob," said the little man, and clapping his hand upon the thin +man's shoulder he stepped up on to the top of a pile of barge-baskets, +whose lids were tied down with tarred string over the cauliflowers with +which they were gorged. + +Then, as I stared at him, he put his hands on either side of his mouth +and seemed to go mad with satisfaction, dancing his body up and down and +slowly turning round as he yelled out: + +"Strawby's! strawby's! strawby's!" over and over again. + +I looked up at Ike, whose face was as if cut out of mahogany, it was so +solid; then I looked round at the people, but there wasn't a smile. +Nobody laughed but Shock, who grinned silently till he saw me watching +him, and then he looked sulky and turned his back. + +Just then Ike, who seemed as solemn as a judge, climbed up the wheel and +on to the cart with another man following him; and as the crowd +increased about our cart I realised that everything was being sold by +auction, for the busy man kept shouting prices quickly higher and +higher, and then giving a tap with a pencil on a basket, entering +something in a memorandum-book, while his red-nosed clerk did the same. + +I stared to see how quickly it was all done, Ike and the strange man +handing down the baskets, which were seized and carried away by porters +to carts standing at a distance; and I wondered how they would ever find +out afterwards who had taken them, and get the money paid. + +But Ike seemed to be quite satisfied as he trampled about over the +baskets, which were handed rapidly down till from being high up he was +getting low down, before the busy-looking man began to shout what +sounded to me like, "Flow--wow--wow--wow!" as if he were trying to +imitate barking like a dog. + +Half the crowd went away now, but a fresh lot of men came up, and first +of all baskets full of flowers were sold, then half-baskets, then so +many bunches, as fast as could be. + +Again I found myself wondering how the money would be obtained, and I +thought that Old Brownsmith would be sure to be cheated; but Ike looked +quite easy, and instead of there being so many things in the market that +ours would not sell, I found that the men around bought them up eagerly, +and the baskets grew less in number than ever. + +I glanced round once or twice on that busy summer morning, to see the +street as far as I could grasp packed with carts, and to these a regular +throng of men were carrying baskets, while every here and there barrows +were being piled up with flowers. + +All about us too, as far as I could see by climbing up to the ladder +over Basket's back, men were shouting away as they sold the contents of +other carts, whose baskets were being handed down to the hungry crowds, +who were pushing and struggling and making way for the porters with the +heavy baskets on their heads. + +By degrees I began to understand that all this enormous quantity of +garden produce was being bought up by the greengrocers and +barrow-dealers from all over London, and that they would soon be driving +off east, west, north, and south, to their shops and places of business. + +I should have liked to sit perched up there and watching all that went +on, but I had to move to let Ike drag back the baskets; then I had to +help handing out bunches, till at last the crowd melted away, and the +busy man closed his book with a snap. + +"Very good this morning," he shouted to Ike; and then climbing down he +went off with his red-nosed clerk, and the people who were about +followed him. + +"Getting warm, mate?" said Ike, grinning at me. + +"Yes," I said; "the sun's so hot, and there's no wind here." + +"No, my lad; they builds houses to shut it out. Soon be done now. You +and Shock get down and hand up them baskets." + +He pointed to a pile that some men had been making, and these I found +all had "Brownsmith, Isleworth," painted upon them, and it dawned upon +me now that those which had been carried away would not be returned till +next journey. + +"That's it," said Ike. "Market-gardeners has to give a lot o' trust +that way." + +"But do they get the baskets all back again, Ike?" I said. + +"To be sure they do, my lad--Oh yes, pretty well." + +"But shall we get paid the money for all that's been sold this morning?" + +"Why, of course, my lad. That gentleman as sold for us, he's our +salesman; and he pays for it all, and they pay him. Don't you see?" + +I said "Yes," but my mind was not very clear about it. + +"We're all right there. Work away, Shock, and let's finish loading up, +and then we'll have our breakfast. Nice sort o' looking party you are, +to take anywhere to feed," he grumbled, as he glanced at Shock, whose +appearance was certainly not much in his favour. + +It was much easier work loading with empty baskets, and besides there +was not a full load, so that it was not very long before Ike had them +all piled up to his satisfaction and the ropes undone and thrown over +and over and laced in and out and hooked and tied and strained to the +sides of the cart. + +"That's the way we does it, squire," cried Ike; "haul away, Shock, my +lad. You've worked well. Old Bonyparty's had the best of it; this is +his rest and feeding time. You might leave him there hours; but as soon +as it's time to go home, away he starts, and there's no stopping him. + +"That's about it," he said, as he fastened off a rope. "That'll do. We +sha'n't want no more for this lot. Now don't you two leave the cart. +I'm going up to Mr Blackton, our salesman, you know, just to see if +he's anything to say, and then we'll go and have our braxfass. Don't +you chaps leave the cart." + +"I sha'n't go," I said, and I glanced at Shock, who climbed up to the +top of the baskets, and lay down flat on his face, so as to be away from +me as it seemed, but I could see him watching me out of one eye from +time to time. + +"I wonder whether he will ever be different," I thought to myself, as I +watched the selling of a huge load of beautifully white bunches of +turnips, as regular and clean as could be, when all at once I felt a +blow in my back, and looking sharply round, there were several of the +ragged boys who haunted the market grinning at me. + +There was no handy place for me to post myself again so as to stop the +throwing, and I had to content myself with looking at them angrily; but +that did no good, for they separated, getting behind baskets and stacks +of baskets, like so many sharpshooters, and from thence laid siege to +me, firing shots with bits of market refuse, and anything they could +find. + +I generally managed to dodge the missiles, but the boys were clever +enough to hit me several times, and with my blood boiling, and fingers +tingling to pull their ears or punch their dirty heads, I had to stand +fast and bear it all. + +Barelegged, barefooted, and as active as cats, I felt sure that if I +chased one he would dodge in and out and escape me, and as to throwing +back at them, I was not going to stoop to do that. + +"Dirty young vagabonds!" I said to myself, and I looked at them +contemptuously with as much effect as if I had directed my severe looks +at a market basket; and then I went and leaned against the end of the +cart, determined to take no notice of them, and wishing that Ike would +come back. + +The young rascals only grew more impudent though, and came nearer, two +in particular, and one of them, quite a little fellow with a big head +and two small dark shiny eyes, over which his shock head of hair kept +falling, ran right in, making charges at me, and striking at me with a +muddy little fist, while his companion made pokes with a stick. + +This was getting beyond bearing, for I was not a wild beast in a cage +unable to get away; but still I determined not to be led into any +disgraceful struggle with the dirty little blackguards. + +I was not afraid of them, for I was too angry for that, and nothing +would have given me greater satisfaction than to have come to blows. +But that would not do, I knew. + +I glanced round and saw that there were plenty of people about, but they +were all too busy with their own affairs to take much notice of me, so +that if I wanted to free myself from the pack of young ruffians I must +act for myself. + +The attack went on, and I should have fared worse, only that it soon +became evident that ammunition was running short; and failing this, the +boys began to throw words, while the two most daring kept making rushes +at me and then shrank back ready to throw themselves down if I should +strike at them. + +All at once I thought of Ike's great cart-whip, and in the full +confidence that I could make it crack as loudly and as well as its +master I determined to give it a good whish or two in the air. + +It was stuck high up in one of the staples in the front of the cart, +and, determined to climb up and reach it down, I turned and raised one +foot to a spoke of the great wheel, when the two foremost boys uttered a +yell and made a furious onslaught upon me. + +They were too late, for in an instant I had seen the object of their +advance. There was no doubt about it. They were keeping my attention +from what was going on upon the other side, where one of their +companions had been stealing along under cover of some baskets, and was +just in the act of untying one of the coils of nearly new rope, which +had not been required and hung from the ladder. + +The young thief had that moment finished, and slipped his arm through, +catching sight of me at the same time, and darting off. + +I did not stop to think. In one flash I realised that I had been left +in charge of the cart, and had been so poor a sentry that I had allowed +the enemy to get possession of something that I ought to have protected, +and thinking of what Ike would say, and later on of Old Brownsmith, I +ran off after the thief. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + +But not without shouting to Shock, whom I suddenly remembered. + +"Shock--Shock!" I cried; "look out for the cart." Not that I supposed +that the boys I left behind would run off with it and the old horse; but +there were more coils of rope swinging from the ladder, and there were +the sacks and Ike's old coat and whip. + +I thought of all this in an instant as I ran, followed by the yells of +the young plunderer's companions. + +I was not far behind, but he was barefoot, used to the place, knew every +inch of the ground, and while I slipped and nearly went down twice over, +he ran easily and well, pad--pad--pad--pad over the stones. He doubled +here and went in and out of the carts and wagons, dodged round a stack +of baskets there, threaded his way easily among the people, while I +tried to imitate him, and only blundered against them and got thrust +aside. Then I nearly knocked over a basket of peas built up on the top +of other baskets like a pillar, and at last nearly lost my quarry, for +he darted in at the door of a herbalist's shop; and as I went panting +up, sure now of catching him, I suddenly awakened to the fact that there +was a door on the other side out by which he had passed. + +As luck had it, when I darted round I just caught sight of him +disappearing behind a cabbage wagon. + +This time, as he disappeared, I tried to bring a little strategy to +bear, and running round another way by which I felt sure he would go, I +was able to make up all my lost ground, for I came plump upon him. + +"Stop, you young thief!" I panted as I made a snatch at the rope and +his arm. + +It was like catching at an eel. Just as I thought I had him he dodged +aside, dived under a horse, and as I ran round the back of the cart, not +caring to imitate his example, he was a dozen yards away, going in and +out of stalls and piles of vegetables. + +I lost sight of him then, and the next minute saw him watching me round +a corner, when I again gave chase, hot, panting, and with a curious +aching pain in my legs; but when I reached the corner he had gone, and I +felt that I had lost him, and, thoroughly disheartened, did not know +which way to turn. I was about to go despondently back to the cart, +when, giving a final glance round, I saw him stealing away beyond some +columns. + +He had not seen me, and he was walking; so, keeping as much out of sight +as I could, and rejoicing in the fact that I had recovered my breath, I +hurried on. + +All at once I heard a shrill warning cry, and looking to my right saw +the two young ruffians who had been the most obnoxious, while at the +same moment I saw that the warning had taken effect, the boy I chased +having started off afresh. + +"I will catch you," I muttered through my teeth; and, determined not to +lose sight of him again, I ran on, in and out among carts and vans, +jostling and being jostled, running blindly now, for my sole thought was +to keep that boy in view, and this I did the more easily now, that +feeling at last that he could not escape me in the market, he suddenly +crossed the road, ran in and out for a minute in what seemed like an +archway, and then ran as hard as he could along a wide street and I +after him. + +Suddenly he turned to the right into a narrow street, and along by a +great building. At the end of this he turned to the right again, past +the front and nearly to the bottom of the street, when he turned to the +left and followed a wide street till it became suddenly narrow, and +instead of being full of people it was quite empty. + +Here he darted into a covered way with columns all along the side, +running very fast still, and I suppose I was too, and gradually +overtaking him, but he reached the end of the street before I could come +up with him, and as he turned the corner I felt quite despairing once +more at seeing him pass out of sight. + +It was only a matter of moments before I too turned the corner, and +found myself in the dirtiest busiest street I had ever seen, with +unpleasant-looking people about, and throngs of children playing over +the foul pavement and in the road. + +My boy seemed quite at home there and as if he belonged to the place. I +noticed that as I ran after him, wondering whether it would be of any +use to call to them to stop him, though if I had determined that it +would be I had not the breath, as I panted on at a much slower rate now, +and with the perspiration streaming down my face. + +I kept losing sight of him, there were so many people grouped about the +pavement along which he ran, while I kept to the road, but he went in +and out among them as easily as a dog might have run, till all at once I +saw him dive in amongst a number of men talking at the entrance of a +narrow archway with a public-house on one side, and as I ran up I found +that it was a court, down which I caught a glimpse of the boy with the +rope still over his arm. + +I stopped for nothing but dashed in after him, the men giving way at +first, but as I blundered in my haste against one rough-looking fellow, +he roared out savagely: + +"Now, then, where are you running to?" and made a snatch at my collar. + +I eluded him by making quite a bound in my alarm, and nearly falling +over the leg of another, who thrust it out to trip me up. I escaped a +fall, however, and entered the court, which seemed to be half full of +children, just in time to see my boy slip into a house nearly at the +bottom, on the left. + +He stopped for a moment to look back to see if I was coming, and then he +disappeared, and my heart gave a bound, for in my excitement I felt that +I had succeeded, and that I had traced the young thief to his lair. + +I did not think about anything else, only that the children all stopped +their games and set up a kind of yell, while it seemed to me that the +men who were at the entrance of the court were all following me slowly +with their hands thrust down low in their pockets, and it struck me for +the moment that they were all coming down to see the capture of the +thief. + +I was in happy ignorance just then that I had followed the boy into one +of the vilest and most dangerous parts of London in those days,--to wit +a Drury Lane court, one of the refuges of some of the worst characters +in that district. + +In this ignorance I was still observant, and noticed that the doors on +each side of the dirty court stood wide open, while the yell set up by +the children brought people to some of the open windows. + +That was all seen in a glance, as I made for the open door at the end, +before which a boy of my own size ran as if to stop me; but even if I +had wished to stop just then I could not, and I gave him a sharp push, +the weight of my body driving him back into a sitting position as I +stumbled in from the pavement, up a couple of stone steps, and on to the +boards of the narrow passage, which seemed, by contrast to the bright +sunshine outside, quite dark. + +I did not stop, but went on as if by instinct to the end, passed a +flight of steps leading down to the cellar kitchen, up which came a +noisome odour that turned me sick, and began to ascend the stairs before +me. + +Then I paused for a moment with my hand on a sticky balustrade and +listened. + +Yes! I was quite right, for up above me I could hear the stairs +creaking as if some one was going up; and to make me the more sure that +the boy had not entered a room I could hear his hoarse panting, +accompanied by a faint whimpering cry, as if every moment or two he kept +saying softly, "Oh!" + +That satisfied me, and as fast as I could I went up one flight and then +another of dirty creaking stairs and found myself on the first floor. +Then up another flight, dirtier, more creaking, and with the woodwork +broken away here and there. + +Up another flight worse still, and by the light of a staircase window I +could see that the plaster ceiling was down here and there, showing the +laths, while the wall was blackened by hands passing over it. On the +handrail side the balusters were broken out entirely in the most +dangerous way; but all this seemed of no consequence whatever, for there +was the boy still going on, evidently to the very top of the house. + +All at once there was silence above me, and I thought he must have gone, +but he was only listening, and as he heard me coming he uttered a faint +cry, and went on up whimpering, evidently so much exhausted by the long +chase that he could hardly drag himself up higher. + +By this time I was up to the second floor, where there were a couple of +battered doors and another staircase window nearly without glass, the +broken panes being covered with paper pasted on, or else, fortunately +for the inhabitants of the noisome place, left open for the air to blow +through. + +I ought to have stopped; in fact I ought never to have gone; but I was +too much excited by my chase to think of anything but getting hold of +that boy and shaking him till he dropped our new rope; and now as I +began to toil breathlessly up the last flight I knew that my task was +done, for my young enemy could hardly crawl, and had begun to sob and +whine, and I could just make out: + +"You'd best let me be--I--I--ain't--I ain't done--done--" + +I heard no more, only that doors were being thrown open, and there was a +buzz of voices below, with heavy footsteps in the passage. + +Still that did not seem to have anything to do with me, so intent was I +on my pursuit up those last two flights of stairs, which seemed to be +steeper, more broken, and more difficult to climb than those which had +gone before. In fact the boy above me was dragging himself up, and I +had settled down into a walk, helping myself on by the dirty hand-rail, +and panting so hoarsely that each breath came to be a snore. My heart, +too, throbbed heavily, and seemed to be beating right up into my throat. + +I had gained on my quarry, so that we were on the last flight together, +and this gave me the requisite strength for the last climb, for I knew +that he could go no further. + +Half-way up and there was a sloping ceiling above, in which was a +blackened skylight, across which was a string and some dirty white +garments hanging to dry, while to right and to left there were doors +that had been painted black for reasons full of wisdom; and as my head +rose higher I saw the boy who had literally crawled up on to the +landing, rise up, with the rope still upon his arm, and fling himself +against the farthest of these two doors. + +It flew open with a crash, and then seemed to be banged to heavily, but +it was against me, for, summoning up all my remaining strength, I +reached the top, and imitating the boy's action, the door came back upon +my hands, and was dashed open again. + +I almost tumbled in, staggering forward, and hardly able to keep upon my +legs, so that I nearly reached the middle of the room before I was aware +that the boy was cowering down in a corner upon our rope, and that a big +scowling stubble-chinned man had just risen dressed from a bed on which +he had lain, to catch me by the shoulders in a tremendous grip, and hold +me backwards panting like some newly captured bird. + +I noticed that the man wore a great sleeved waistcoat, breeches, and +heavy boots, and that his low forehead was puckered up into an ugly +scowl, with one great wrinkle across it that seemed like another mouth +as he forced me right back against the wall, and held me shivering +there. + +"Here, shet that there door, Polly," he said in a low harsh growl, like +the snarl of a wild beast. Then to me: + +"Here, what d'yer mean a-comin' in here, eh?" + +He accompanied his words with a fierce shake that made the back of my +head tap against the wall. + +For a few moments the man's savage look seemed to fascinate me, and I +felt horribly alarmed, as I could think for the moment about nothing but +the Ogre and Hop-o'-my-thumb, and wonder whether he was going to take +out a big knife and threaten me. I was still panting and breathless +with my exertions, and there was a curious pain in my legs, mingled with +a sensation as if they were going to double up under me, but I made an +effort to be brave as the great heavy-browed scoundrel gave me another +shake, and said:-- + +"D'yer hear? What d'yer mean by banging into my room like that 'ere?" + +I glanced at a sad-faced dull-eyed slatternly woman who had closed the +door, and then at the boy, who still crouched close up under the window, +whimpering like a whipped dog, but keenly watching all that was going on +with his sharp restless dark eyes; then, making a determined attempt to +be braver than I looked, I said as stoutly as I could: + +"I want our new rope. He stole our new rope." + +"Who stole yer noo rope!" cried the fellow, giving me another shake; +"what d'yer mean?" + +"He took our rope off the cart in Covent Garden this morning," I cried, +feeling angry now. + +"Why, he ain't been out o' the court this morning," said the fellow +sharply; "have yer, Micky?" + +"No, father," said the boy. + +"Jest up, ain't he, missus?" continued my captor, turning to the +heavy-eyed woman. + +"Yes, just up," said the woman in a low mechanical voice, and then with +more animation, "Let him go, Ned." + +"You mind yer own business," said the fellow savagely; then to me, "Now, +then, d'yer hear that?" + +"I don't care; he did," I said firmly. "He stole our rope--that's it, +you give it me directly." + +"What! that?" he cried. "You're a nice un, you are. Why, that's my +rope, as 'longs to my donnerkey-cart. Don't you come lying here." + +"I tell you that's our rope, and I saw him steal it," I cried, growing +stronger now. "You let me go, and give me my rope, or I'll tell the +police." + +"Why, you never had no rope, yer young liar!" he cried. + +"It's my master's rope," I said, struggling to get free. "I will have +it." + +"What! yer'd steal it, would yer? Yer'd tell the polliss, would yer!" +growled the fellow, tightening his grip; "I'll soon see about that. +Here you, Micky, bring that there rope here." + +The boy struggled to his feet, and came slowly to us with the rope, +which the man scanned eagerly. + +"I don't want to make no mistakes," he growled. "Let's see it. If it's +your rope, you shall have it, but--now then! d'yer hear?" + +This was to the boy, who took advantage of my helpless position to give +me a couple of savage kicks in the leg as he stood there; but as he had +no shoes on, the kicks did not do much harm. + +"Why, o' course it is our rope," growled the fellow. "Gahn with you, +what d'yer mean by coming here with a tale like that?" + +He gave me a shake, and the woman interfered. + +"Let him go, Ned," she said, "or ther'll be a row." + +The man took one hand from my shoulder, and doubled his great fist, +which he held close to the woman's face in a menacing way. Then turning +sharply he made believe to strike me with all his might right in the +mouth, when, as I flinched, he growled out with a savage grin: + +"Ah! yer know'd yer deserved it. Now I dunno whether I'm going to keep +yer here, or whether I shall let yer go; but whichever I does, don't you +go a sweering that this here's your rope, a cause it's mine. D'yer +hear, mine?" + +The door was kicked open at that moment, and a couple of the +rough-looking fellows I had seen at the entrance to the court stood half +inside, leaning against the door-posts and looking stolidly on. + +I was about to appeal to them for help, but my instinct told me that +such an application would be in vain, while their first words told me +how right I was. + +"Give it him, Ned. What's he a-doin' here?" said one. + +"See if he's got any tin," said the other. + +"Ah! make him pay up," said the first. + +"'Ow much have yer got, eh?" said my captor, giving me a shake, which +was the signal for the boy to kick at me again with all his might. + +"Gahn, will yer," cried the man, "or I'll wrap that rope's end round +yer." + +The woman just then made a step forward and struck at the boy, who +dodged the blow, and retreated to the far end of the room, the woman +shrinking away too as the man growled: + +"Let him alone; will yer?" + +I seized the opportunity to wrench myself partly away, and to catch hold +of the rope, which the man had now beneath one of his feet. + +"Ah, would yer!" he shouted, tearing the rope away from me. "Comes up +here, mates, bold as brass, and says it's his'n." + +I felt more enraged and mortified now than alarmed, and I cried out: + +"It is our rope, and that boy stole it; and I'll tell the police." + +"Oh! yer will, will yer?" cried my captor. "We'll see about that. +Here, what money have yer got?" + +"I've only enough for my breakfast," I cried defiantly. "Give me my +rope and let me go." + +"Oh yes, I'll let yer go," he cried, as I wrestled to get away, fighting +with all my might, and striving to reach the rope at the same moment. + +"Look out, Ned," said one of the men at the door, grinning. "He'll be +too much for yer;" and the other uttered a hoarse laugh. + +"Ah, that he will!" cried the big fellow, letting me get hold of the +rope, and, tightening his grasp upon my collar, he kicked my legs from +under me, so that I fell heavily half across the coil, while he went +down on one knee and held me panting and quivering there, perfectly +helpless. + +The boy made another dart forward, and I saw the woman catch at him by +the head, but his shortly-cropped hair glided through her hands, and he +would have reached me had not the man kicked out at him and made him +stop suddenly and watch for another chance. + +"Who's got a knife?" growled the man now savagely as he turned towards +the two fellows at the door; "I'll soon show him what it is to come here +a-wanting to steal our cart-ropes. Chuck that there knife here." + +He rose as he spoke, and planted one foot upon my chest. Then catching +the pocket-knife thrown to him by one of the men at the door, he opened +it with a great deal of show and menace, bending down to stare savagely +in my eyes as he whetted the blade upon the boot resting on my chest. + +Of course I was a good deal alarmed, but I knew all the while that this +was all show and that the great ruffian was trying to frighten me. I +was in a desperately bad state, in an evil place, but it was broad +daylight, and people had seen me come in, so that I did not for a moment +think he would dare to kill me. All the same, though, I could not help +feeling a curious nervous kind of tremor run through my frame as he +flourished the knife about and glared at me as if pondering as to what +he should do next. + +"I wish Ike were here," I thought; and as I did so I could not help +thinking how big and strong he was, and how little he would make of +seizing this great cowardly ruffian by the throat and making him let me +go. + +"Now, then," he cried, "out wi' that there money." For answer, I +foolishly showed him where it was by clapping my hand upon my pocket, +when, with a grin of satisfaction, he tore my hand away, thrust in his +great fingers, and dragged it out, spat on the various coins, and thrust +them in his own pocket. + +"What d'yer say?" he cried, bending down again towards me. + +"The police shall make you give that up," I panted. + +"Says we're to spend this here in beer, mates," he said, grinning, while +the woman stood with her eyes half shut and her arms folded, looking on. + +The two men at the door laughed. + +"Now, then," said the big fellow, "since he's come out genteel-like with +his money, I don't think I'll give him the knife this time. Get up with +yer, and be off while your shoes are good." + +He took his great boot off my chest, and I started up. + +"I wouldn't give much for yer," he growled, "if yer showed yer face here +agen." + +He accompanied this with such a menacing look that I involuntarily +shrank away, but recovering myself directly I seized the coil of rope +and made for the door. + +"What!" roared the great ruffian, snatching the rope, and, as I held on +to it, dragging me back. "Trying to steal, are you?" + +"It's mine--it's ours," I cried passionately. + +"Oh! I'll soon let yer know about that," he cried. "Look here, mates; +this is our rope, ain't it?" + +"Yes," said one of them: "I'll swear to it." + +"It's mine," I cried, tugging at it angrily. + +"Let go, will yer--d'yer hear; let go." + +He tugged and snatched at it savagely, and just then the boy leaped upon +me, butting at me, and striking with all his might, infuriating me so by +his cowardly attack, that, holding on to the rope with one hand, I swung +round my doubled fist with the other and struck him with all my might. + +It must have been a heavy blow right in the face, for he staggered back, +caught against a chair, and then fell with a crash, howling dismally. + +"Look at that, now," cried the big ruffian. "Now he shall have it." + +"Serves him right!" said the woman passionately. + +"Let the boy go, Ned, or you'll get into trouble." + +"I'll get into trouble for something then," cried the fellow savagely, +as he hurt me terribly by jerking the rope out of my hand and catching +me by the collar, when I saw the two men at the open door look round, +and I heard a familiar growl on the stairs that made my heart leap with +joy. + +"Ike!--Here!--Ike!" I shouted with all my might. + +"Hold yer row," hissed the great ruffian in a hoarse whisper, and +clapping one hand behind my head he placed the other upon my mouth. + +He dragged me round, half-choked and helpless, and then he said +something over his shoulder to the woman, while I fought and struggled, +and tried hard to shout again to Ike, whose heavy feet I could hear in +the midst of a good deal of altercation on the stairs. + +As I struggled to get free I saw that the window was opened and the rope +thrown out. Then the window was quickly shut, and I was dragged towards +the door. + +"Here, you be off outer this," whispered the great ruffian, with his +lips close to my ear. "You cut; and don't you--" + +He stopped short, holding me tightly, and seemed to hesitate, his eyes +glaring round as if in search of some place where he could hide me, not +knowing what to do for the best. + +"Shut the door, mates," he said quickly; and the two men dragged the +door to after them as they stood outside. + +"Just you make half a sound, and--" + +He put his lips close to my ear as he said this, and closed the great +clasp-knife with a sharp click which made me start; while his eyes +seemed to fascinate me as he bent down and glared at me. + +It was only for a moment, though, and then I managed to slip my face +aside and shouted aloud: + +"Ike!" + +There was a rush and a scuffle outside, and the woman said in an +ill-used tone: + +"I told yer how it would be." + +"You hold--" + +He did not finish, for just then one of the men outside growled--plainly +heard through the thin door: + +"Now, then, where are yer shovin' to?" + +"In here," roared a voice that sent a thrill of joy through me. + +"Now, then, what d'yer want?" cried the big fellow, thrusting me behind +him as Ike kicked open the door and strode into the room. + +"What do I want?" he roared. "I want him and our cart-rope. Now, then, +where is it?" + +There was a fierce muttering among the men, and they drew together while +the boy and the woman cowered into one corner of the attic. + +"Oh! you're not going to scare me," cried Ike fiercely. "There's the +police just at hand if I wants help. Now then, where's that rope?" + +"What rope?" growled the ruffian. "I don't know about no ropes." + +"They threw it out of the window, Ike," I cried. + +"That's a lie," snarled the man. "There ain't never been no ropes +here." + +"There has been one," I cried, feeling bold now; "but they threw it out +of the window." + +"Well, of all--" began one of the men, who had crossed the room with his +companion to the big ruffian's side. + +"You go on down, my lad," whispered Ike in a low deep voice. "Go on, +now." + +"But are you coming?" I whispered back. + +"You may depend on that," he said, as if to himself, "if they'll let me. +Go on." + +I moved towards the open door, when one of the men made a dash to stop +me; but Ike threw put one leg, and he fell sprawling. At the same +moment my enemy made a rush at Ike, who stepped back, and then I saw his +great fist fly out straight. There was a dull, heavy sound, and the big +ruffian stopped short, reeled, and then dropped down upon his hands and +knees. + +"Quick, boy, quick! You go first," whispered Ike, as I stopped as if +paralysed; "I'll foller." + +His words roused me, and I ran out of the room. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +WHAT BECAME OF THE ROPE. + +I nearly fell headlong down as I reached the stairs, for my foot went +through a hole in the boards, but I recovered myself and began to run +down as fast as I dared, on account of the rickety state of the steps, +while Ike came clumping down after me, and we could hear the big +ruffian's voice saying something loudly as we hurried from flight to +flight. + +There were knots of women on the different landings and at the bottom of +the stairs, and they were all talking excitedly; but only to cease and +look curiously at us as we went by. + +There was quite a crowd, too, of men, women, and children in the court +below as we left the doorway; but Ike's bold manner and the decided way +in which he strode out with me, looking sharply from one to the other, +put a stop to all opposition, even if it had been intended. + +There were plenty of scowling, menacing looks, and there was a little +hooting from the men, but they gave way, and in another minute we were +out of the court and in the dirty street, with a troop of children +following us and the people on either side looking on. + +"But, Ike," I said in a despairing tone, "we haven't got the rope after +all." + +"No," he said; "but I've got you out o' that place safe, and I haven't +got much hurt myself, and that's saying a deal. Talk about savages and +wild beasts abroad! why, they're nothing." + +"I didn't see any policemen, Ike," I said, as I thought of their power. + +"More didn't I," he replied with a grim smile. "They don't care much +about going down these sort o' places; no more don't I. We're well out +of that job, my lad. You didn't ought to have gone." + +"But that boy was running off with the best cart rope, Ike," I said +despondently, "and I was trying to get it back, and now it's gone. What +will Mr Brownsmith say?" + +"Old Brownsmith won't say never a word," said Ike, as we trudged on +along a more respectable street. + +"Oh, but he will," I cried. "He is so particular about the ropes." + +"So he be, my lad. Here, let's brush you down; you're a bit dirty." + +"But he will," I said, as I submitted to the operation. + +"Not he," said Ike. "Them police is in the right of it. I'm all of a +shiver, now that bit of a burst's over;" and he wiped his brow. + +"You are, Ike?" I said wonderingly. + +"To be sure I am, my lad. I was all right there, and ready to fight; +but now it's over and we're well out of it, I feel just as I did when +the cart tipped up and all the baskets come down atop of you." + +"I am glad you feel like that," I said. + +"Why?" he cried sharply. + +"Because it makes me feel that I was not such a terrible coward after +all." + +"But you were," he said, giving me a curious look. "Oh, yes: about as +big a coward as ever I see." + +I did not understand why I was so very great a coward, but he did not +explain, and I trudged on by him. + +"I say, what would you have done if I hadn't come?" + +"I don't know," I said. "I suppose they would have let me go at last. +They got all my money." + +"They did?" + +"Yes," I said dolefully; "and then there's the rope. What will Mr +Brownsmith say?" + +"Nothin' at all," said Ike. + +"But he will," I cried again. + +"No he won't, because we'll buy a new one 'fore we goes back." + +"I thought of that," I said, "but I've no money now." + +"Oh, all right! I have," he said. "We may think ourselves well out of +a bad mess, my lad; and I don't know as we oughtn't to go to the police, +but we haven't no time for that. There'll be another load o' strawb'ys +ready by the time we get back, and I shall have to come up again +to-night. Strawb'ys sold well to-day. No: we've no time for the +police." + +"They deserve to be taken up," I said. + +"Ay, they do, my boy; but folks don't get all they deserve." + +"Or I should be punished for letting that boy steal the rope." + +"Hang the rope!" he said crustily. "I mean, hang the boy or his father, +and that's what some of 'em'll come to," he cried grimly, "if they don't +mind. They're a bad lot down that court. Lor' a mussy me! I'd sooner +live in one of our sheds on some straw, with a sack for a pillow, than +be shut up along o' these folk in them courts." + +"But they wouldn't have hurt me, Ike?" I said. + +"I dunno, my lad. P'r'aps they would, p'r'aps they wouldn't. They +might have kept you and made a bad un of yer. Frightened you into it +like." + +I shook my head. + +"Ah! you don't know, my lad. How much did they get?" + +"Two shillings and ninepence halfpenny," I said dolefully. + +"And a nearly new rope. Ah, it's a bad morning's work for your first +journey." + +"It is, Ike," I said; "but I didn't know any better. How did you know +where I was?" + +"How did I know? Why, Shock saw you and followed you, and come back and +fetched me, when I was staring at the cart and wondering what had gone +of you two." + +"Where is he now?" I asked. + +"What, Shock? Oh, I don't know. He's a queer chap. P'r'aps they've +got him instead of you." + +I stopped short and looked at him, but saw directly that he was only +joking, and went on again: + +"You don't think that," I said quickly; "for if you did you would not +have come away. Do you think he has gone back to the cart?" + +"Oh, there's no knowing," he replied. "P'r'aps when we get back there +won't be any cart; some one will have run away with it. They're rum uns +here in London." + +"Why, you haven't left the cart alone, Ike," I cried. + +"That's a good one, that is," he exclaimed. "You haven't left the cart +alone! Why, you and Shock did." + +"Yes," I said; "but--" + +"There, come and let's see," he said gruffly. "We should look well, we +two, going back home without a cart, and old Bonyparty took away and cut +up for goodness knows what and his skin made into leather. Come along." + +We walked quickly, for it seemed as if this was going to be a day all +misfortunes; but as we reached the market again I found that Ike had not +left the cart untended, for a man was there by the horse, and the big +whip curved over in safety from where it was stuck. + +"Seen anything of our other boy?" said Ike as we reached the cart. + +"No," was the reply. + +"Hadn't we better go back and look for him?" I said anxiously. + +"Well, I don't know," said Ike, rubbing one ear; "he ain't so much +consequence as you." + +"I've been to Paris and I've been to Do-ho-ver." + +"Why, there he is," I cried; and, climbing up the wheel, there lay Shock +on his back right on the top of the baskets, and as soon as he saw my +face he grinned and then turned his back. + +"He's all right," I said as I descended; and just then there was a +creaking noise among the baskets, and Shock's head appeared over the +edge. + +"Here y'are," he cried. "That there tumbled out o' window, and I +ketched it and brought it here." + +As he spoke he threw down the coil of nearly new rope, and I felt so +delighted that I could have gone up to him and shaken hands. + +"Well, that's a good un, that is," said Ike with a chuckle. "I am 'bout +fine and glad o' that." + +He took the rope and tied it up to the ladder again, and then turned to +me. + +"Come along and get some breakfast, my lad," he said. "I dessay you're +fine and hungry." + +"But how about Shock?" + +"Oh, we'll send him out some. Here, you, Shock, look after the cart and +horse. Don't you leave 'em," Ike added to the man; and then we made our +way to a coffee-house, where Ike's first act, to my great satisfaction, +was to procure a great mug of coffee and a couple of rolls, which he +opened as if they had been oysters, dabbed a lump of butter in each, and +then put under his arm. + +"He don't deserve 'em," he growled, "for coming; but he did show me +where you was." + +"And he saved the rope," I said. + +Ike nodded. + +"You sit down till I come back, my lad," he said; and then he went off, +to return in a few minutes to face me at a table where we were regaled +with steaming coffee and grilled haddocks. + +"This is the best part of the coming to market, my lad," he said, "only +it's a mistake." + +"What is?" I asked. + +"Haddocks, my lad. They're a trickier kind o' meat than bloaters. I +ordered this here for us 'cause it seemed more respectable like, as I'd +got company, than herrin'; but it's a mistake." + +"But this is very nice," I said, beginning very hungrily upon the hot +roll and fish, but with a qualm in my mind as to how it was to be paid +for. + +"Ye-es," said Ike, after saying "soup" very loudly as he took a long sip +of his coffee; "tidyish, my lad, tidyish, but you see one gets eddicated +to a herring, and knows exactly where every bone will be. These things +seems as if the bones is all nowhere and yet they're everywhere all the +time, and so sure as you feel safe and take a bite you find a sharp +pynte, just like a trap laid o' purpose to ketch yer." + +"Well, there are a good many little bones, certainly," I said. + +"Good many! Thick as slugs after a shower. There's one again, sharp as +a needle. Wish I'd a red herrin', that I do." + +"I say, Ike," I said suddenly, as I was in the middle of my breakfast, +"I wish I could make haste and grow into a man." + +"Do you, now?" he said with a derisive laugh. "Ah! I shouldn't wonder. +If you'd been a man I s'pose you'd have pitched all those rough uns out +o' window, eh?" + +"I should have liked to be able to take care of myself," I said. + +"Without old Ike, eh, my lad?" + +"I don't mean that," I said; "only I should like to be a man." + +"Instead o' being very glad you're a boy with everything fresh and +bright about you. Red cheeks and clean skin and all your teeth, and all +the time to come before you, instead of having to look back and think +you're like an old spade--most wore out." + +"Oh, but you're so strong, Ike! I should like to be a man." + +"Like to be a boy, my lad, and thank God you are one," said old Ike, +speaking as I had never heard him speak before. "It's natur', I s'pose. +All boys wishes they was men, and when they're men they look back on +that happiest time of their lives when they was boys and wishes it could +come over again." + +"Do they, Ike?" I said. + +"I never knew a man who didn't," said Ike, making the cups dance on the +table by giving it a thump with his fist. "Why, Master Grant, I was +kicked about and hit when I was a boy more'n ever a boy was before, but +all that time seems bright and sunshiny to me." + +"But do you think Shock's happy?" I said; "he's a boy, and has no one +to care about him." + +"Happy! I should just think he is. All boys has troubles that they +feels bad at the time, but take 'em altogether they're as happy as can +be. Shock's happy enough his way or he wouldn't have been singing all +night atop of the load. There, you're a boy, and just you be thankful +that you are, my lad; being a boy's about as good a thing as there is." + +We had nearly finished our breakfast when Ike turned on me sharply. + +"Why, you don't look as if you was glad to be a boy," he said. + +"I was thinking about what Mr Brownsmith will say when he knows I've +been in such trouble," I replied. + +"Ah, he won't like it! But I suppose you ain't going to tell him?" + +"Yes," I said, "I shall tell him." + +Ike remained silent for a few minutes, and sat slowly filling his pipe. + +At last, as we rose to go, after Ike had paid the waitress, he said to +me slowly: + +"Sometimes doing right ain't pleasant and doing wrong is. It's quite +right to go and tell Old Brownsmith and get blowed up, and it would be +quite wrong not to tell him, but much the nystest. Howsoever, you tell +him as soon as we get back. He can't kill yer for that, and I don't +s'pose he'll knock yer down with the kitchen poker and then kick you +out. You've got to risk it." + +I did tell Old Brownsmith all my trouble when we reached home, and he +listened attentively and nodding his head sometimes. Then he said +softly, "Ah!" and that was all. + +But I heard him scold Master Shock tremendously for going off from his +work without leave. + +Shock had been looking on from a distance while I was telling Old +Brownsmith, and this put it into his head, I suppose, that I had been +speaking against him, for during the next month he turned his back +whenever he met me, and every now and then, if I looked up suddenly, it +was to see him shaking his fist at me, while his hair seemed to stand up +more fiercely than ever out of his crownless straw hat like young +rhubarb thrusting up the lid from the forcing-pot put on to draw the +stalks. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +THE GARDENER SURGEON. + +"People sneer at gardening and gardeners, Grant," said the old gentleman +to me one day. "Perhaps you may take to some other occupation when you +grow older; but don't you never be ashamed of having learned to be a +gardener." + +"I'm sure I never shall," I said. + +"I hope you will not, my boy, for there's something in gardening and +watching the growth of trees and plants that's good for a lad's nature; +and if I was a schoolmaster I'd let every boy have a garden, and make +him keep it neat. It would be as good a lesson as any he could teach." + +"I like gardening more and more, sir," I said. + +"That's right, my boy. I hope you do, but you've a deal to learn yet. +Gardening's like learning to play the fiddle; there's always something +more to get hold of than you know. I wish I had some more glass." + +"I wish you had, sir," I said. + +"Why, boy?--why?" he cried sharply. + +"Because you seem as if you'd like it, sir," I said, feeling rather +abashed by his sharp manner. + +"Yes, but it was so that I should be able to teach you, sir. But wait a +bit, I'll talk to my brother one of these days." + +Time glided on, and as I grew bigger and stronger I used now and then to +go up with Ike to the market. He would have liked me to go every time, +but Mr Brownsmith shook his head, and would only hear of it in times of +emergency. + +"Not a good task for you, Grant," he used to say. "I want you at home." + +We were down the garden one morning after a very stormy night, when the +wind had been so high that a great many of the fruit-trees had had their +branches broken off, and we were busy with ladder, saw, and knife, +repairing damages. + +I was up the ladder in a fine young apple-tree, whose branch had been +broken and was hanging by a few fibres, and as soon as I had fixed +myself pretty safely I began to cut, while when I glanced down to see if +Old Brownsmith was taking any notice I saw that he was smiling. + +"Won't do--won't do, Grant," he said. "Cutting off a branch of a tree +that has been broken is like practising amputation on a man. Cut lower, +boy." + +"But I wanted to save all that great piece with those little boughs," I +said. + +"But you can't, my lad. Now just look down the side there below where +you are cutting, and what can you see?" + +"Only a little crack that will grow up." + +"Only a little crack that won't grow up, Grant, but which will admit the +rain, and the wet will decay the tree; and that bough, at the end of two +or three years, instead of being sound and covered with young shoots, +will be dying away. A surgeon, when he performs an amputation, cuts +right below the splintered part of the bone. Cut three feet lower down, +my lad, and then pare all off nice and smooth, just as I showed you over +the pruning. + +"That's the way," he said, as he watched me. "That's a neat smooth +wound in the tree that will dry up easily after every shower, and nature +will send out some of her healing gum or sap, and it will turn hard, and +the bark, just as I showed you before, will come up in a new ring, and +swell and swell till it covers the wood, and by and by you will hardly +see where the cut was made." + +I finished my task, and was going to shoulder the ladder and get on to +the next tree, when the old gentleman said in his quaint dry way: + +"You know what the first workman was, Grant?" + +"Yes," I said, "a gardener." + +"Good!" he said. "And do you know who was the first doctor and +surgeon?" + +"No," I said. + +"A gardener, my boy, just as the men were who first began to improve the +way in which men lived, and gave them fruit and corn and vegetables to +eat, as well as the wild creatures they killed by hunting." + +"Oh, yes!" I said, "I see all that, but I don't see how the first +doctor and surgeon could have been a gardener." + +"Don't you?" he said, laughing silently. "I do. Who but a gardener +would find out the value of the different herbs and juices, and what +they would do. You may call him a botanist, my lad, but he was a +gardener. He would find out that some vegetables were good for the +blood at times, and from that observation grew the whole doctrine of +medicine. That's my theory, my boy. Now cut off that pear-tree +branch." + +I set the ladder right, and proceeded to cut and trim the injury, +thinking all the while what a pity it was that the trees should have +been so knocked about by the storm. + +"Do you know who were the best gardeners in England in the olden times, +Grant?" said the old gentleman as he stood below whetting my knife. + +"No, sir,--yes, I think I do," I hastened to add--"the monks." + +"Exactly. We have them to thank for introducing and improving no end of +plants and fruit-trees. They were very great gardeners--famous +gardeners and cultivators of herbs and strange flowers, and it was thus +that they, many of them, became the doctors or teachers of their +district, and I've got an idea in my head that it was on just such a +morning as this that some old monk--no, he must have been a young monk, +and a very bold and clever one--here, take your knife, it's as sharp as +a razor now." + +I stooped down and took the knife, and hanging my saw from one of the +rounds of the ladder began to cut, and the old gentleman went on: + +"It must have been after such a morning as this, boy, that some monk +made the first bold start at surgery." + +I looked down at him, and he went on: + +"You may depend upon it that during the storm some poor fellow had been +caught out in the forest by a falling limb of a tree, one of the boughs +of which pinned him to the ground and smashed his leg." + +"An oak-tree," I said, quite enjoying the fact that he was inventing a +story. + +"No, boy, an elm. Oak branches when they break are so full of tough +fibre that they hang on by the stump. It is your elm that is the +treacherous tree, and snaps short off, and comes down like thunder." + +"An elm-tree, then," I said, paring away. + +"Yes, a huge branch of an elm, and there the poor fellow lay till some +one heard his shouts, and came to his help." + +"Where he would be lying in horrible agony," I said, trimming away at +the bough. + +"Wrong again, Grant. Nature is kinder than that. With such an injury +the poor fellow's limb would be numbed by the terrible shock, and +possibly he felt but little pain. I knew an officer whose foot was +taken off in a battle in India. A cannon-ball struck him just above the +ankle, and he felt a terrible blow, but it did not hurt him afterwards +for the time; and all he thought of was that his horse was killed, till +he began to struggle away from the fallen beast, when he found that his +own leg was gone." + +"How horrible!" I said. + +"All war is horrible, my boy," he said gravely. "Well, to go on with my +story. I believe that they came and hoisted out the poor fellow under +the tree, and carried him up to the old priory to have his broken leg +cured by one of the monks, who would be out in his garden just the same +as we are, Grant, cutting off and paring the broken boughs of his apple +and pear trees. Then they laid him in one of the cells, and his leg was +bound up and dressed with healing herbs, and the poor fellow was left to +get well." + +"And did he?" I said. + +"Then the gardener monk went out into the garden again and continued to +trim off the broken branches, sawing these and cutting those, and +thinking all the while about his patient in the cell. + +"Then the next day came, and the poor fellow's relatives ran up to see +him, and he was in very great agony, and they called upon the monks to +help him, and they dressed the terrible injury again, and the poor +fellow was very feverish and bad in spite of all that was done. But at +last he dropped off into a weary sleep, and the poor people went away +thinking what a great thing it was to have so much knowledge of healing, +while, as soon as they had gone the monk shook his head. + +"Next day came, and the relatives and friends were delighted, for the +pain was nearly all gone, and the injured man lay very still. + +"`He'll soon get well now,' they said; and they went away full of hope +and quite satisfied; but the monk, after he had given the patient some +refreshing drink, went out into his garden among his trees, and then +after walking about in the sunny walk under the old stone wall, he +stopped by the mossy seat by the sun-dial, and stood looking down at the +gnomon, whose shadow marked the hours, and sighed deeply as he thought +how many times the shadow would point to noon before his poor patient +was dead." + +"Why, I thought he was getting better," I said. + +"Carry your ladder to the next tree, Grant," said the old gentleman, +"and you shall work while I prattle." + +I obeyed him, and this time I had a great apple-tree bough to operate +upon with the thin saw. I began using the saw very gently, and +listening, for I seemed to see that monk in his long grey garment, and +rope round his waist, looking down at the sun-dial, when Old Brownsmith +went on slowly: + +"He knew it could not be long first, for the man's leg was crushed and +the bone splintered so terribly that it would never heal up, and that +the calm sense of comfort was a bad sign, for the limb was mortifying, +and unless that mortification was stopped the man must die." + +"Poor fellow!" I ejaculated, for the old man told the story with such +earnestness that it seemed to be real. + +"Yes, poor fellow! That is what the monk said as he thought of all the +herbs and decoctions he had made, and that not one of them would stop +the terrible change that was going on. He felt how helpless he was, and +at last, Grant, he sat down on the mossy old stone bench, and covering +his face with his hands, cried like a child." + +"But he was a man," I said. + +"Yes, my lad; but there are times when men are so prostrated by misery +and despair that they cry like women--not often--perhaps only once or +twice in a man's life. My monk cried bitterly, and then he jumped up, +feeling ashamed of himself, and began walking up and down. Then he went +and stood by the great fish stew, where the big carp and tench were +growing fatter as they fed by night and basked in the sunshine among the +water weeds by day; but no thought came to him as to how he could save +the poor fellow lying in the cell." + +Old Brownsmith stopped to blow his nose on a brown-and-orange silk +handkerchief, and stroke two or three cats, while I sawed away very +slowly, waiting for what was to come. + +"Then he went round by where one apple-tree, like that, had lost a +bough, and whose stump he had carefully trimmed--just as you are going +to trim that, Grant." + +"I know," I cried, eagerly; "and then--" + +"You attend to your apple-tree, sir, and let me tell my story," he said, +half gruffly, half in a good-humoured way, and I sawed away with my thin +saw till I was quite through, and the stump I had cut off fell with such +a bang that the cats all jumped in different directions, and then stared +back at the stump with dilated eyes, till, seeing that there was no +danger, one big Tom went and rubbed himself against it from end to end, +and the others followed suit. + +"All at once, as he stood staring at the broken tree, an idea flashed +across his brain, Grant." + +"Yes," I said, pruning-knife in hand. + +"He knew that if he had not cut and trimmed off that branch the limb +would have gone on decaying right away, and perhaps have killed the +tree." + +"Yes, of course," I said, still watching him. + +"Isn't your knife sharp enough, my lad?" said Old Brownsmith dryly. + +"Yes, sir," I said; and I went on trimming. "Well, he thought that if +this saved the tree, why should it not save the life of the man?" and he +grew so excited that he went in at once and had a look at the patient, +and then went in to the prior, who shook his head. + +"`Poor fellow,' he said; `he will die.' + +"`Yes,' said the young monk, `unless--' + +"`Unless--' said the prior. + +"`Yes, unless,' said the young monk; and he horrified the prior by +telling him all his ideas, while the other monks shook their heads. + +"`It could not be done,' they said. `It would be too horrible.' + +"`There is no horror in performing an act like that to save a man's +life,' said the young monk; `it is a duty.' + +"`But it would kill the poor fellow,' they chorused. + +"`He will die as it is,' said the young monk. `You said as much when I +came in, and I am sure of it.' + +"`Yes,' said the prior sadly, `he will die.' + +"`This might save his life,' said the young monk; but the old men shook +their heads. + +"`Such a thing has never been done,' they said. `It is too horrible.' + +"`And even if it saved his life he would only have one leg.' + +"`Better have no legs at all,' said the young monk, `than die before his +time.' + +"`But it would be his time,' said the old monks. + +"`It would not be his time if I could save his life,' said the young +monk. + +"But still the old monks shook their heads, and said that no man had +ever yet heard of such a thing. It was too terrible to be thought of, +and they frowned very severely upon the young monk till the prior, who +had been very thoughtful, exclaimed:-- + +"`And cutting the limb off the apple-tree made you think that?' + +"The young monk said that it was so. + +"`But a man is not an apple-tree,' said the oldest monk present; and all +the others shook their heads again; but, oddly enough, a few minutes +later they nodded their heads, for the prior suddenly exclaimed:-- + +"`Our brother is quite right, and he shall try.' + +"There was a strange thrill ran through the monks, but what the prior +said was law in those days, Grant, and in a few minutes it was known all +through the priory that Brother Anselm was going to cut off the poor +swineherd's leg. + +"Then--I say, my boy, I wish you'd go on with your work. I can't talk +if you do not," said Old Brownsmith, with a comical look at me, and I +went on busily again while he continued his story. + +"When Brother Anselm had obtained the prior's leave to try his +experiment he felt nervous and shrank from the task. He went down the +garden and looked at the trees that he had cut, and he felt more than +ever that a man was, as the monks said, not an apple-tree. Then he +examined the places which looked healthy and well, and he wondered +whether if he performed such an operation on the poor patient he also +would be healthy and well at the end of a week, and he shook his head +and felt nervous." + +"If you please, Mr Brownsmith," I said, "I can't go on till you've +done, and I must hear the end." + +He chuckled a little, and seating himself on a bushel basket which he +turned upside down, a couple of cats sprang in his lap, another got on +his shoulder, and he went on talking while I thrust an arm through one +of the rounds of the ladder, and leaned back against it as he went on. + +"Well, Grant," he said, "Brother Anselm felt sorry now that he had leave +to perform his experiment, and he went slowly back to the cell and +talked to the poor swineherd, a fine handsome, young man with fair curly +brown hair and a skin as white as a woman's where the sun had not tanned +him. + +"And he talked to him about how he felt; and the poor fellow said he +felt much better and much worse--that the pain had all gone, but that he +did not think he should ever be well any more. + +"This set the brother thinking more and more, but he felt that he could +do nothing that day, and he waited till the next, lying awake all night +thinking of what he would do and how he would do it, till the cold time +about sunrise, when he had given up the idea in despair. But when he +saw the light coming in the east, with the glorious gold and orange +clouds, and then the bright sunshine of a new day, he began to think of +how sad it would be for that young man, cut down as he had been in a +moment, to be left to die when perhaps he might be saved. He thought, +too, about trees that had been cut years before, and which had been +healthy and well ever since, and that morning, feeling stronger in his +determination, he went to the cell where the patient lay, to talk to +him, and the first thing the poor fellow said was:-- + +"`Tell me the truth, please. I'm going to die, am I not?' + +"The young monk was silent. + +"`I know it,' said the swineherd sadly. `I feel it now.' + +"Brother Anselm looked at him sadly for a few minutes and then said to +him:-- + +"`I must not deceive you at such a time--yes; but one thing might save +your life.' + +"`What is that?' cried the poor fellow eagerly; and he told him as +gently as he could of the great operation, expecting to see the patient +shudder and turn faint. + +"`Well,' he said, when the monk had ended, `why don't you do it?' + +"`But would you rather suffer that--would you run the risk?' + +"`Am I not a man?' said the poor fellow calmly. `Yes: life is very +sweet, and I would bear any pain that I might live.' + +"That settled the matter, and the monk went out of the cell to shut +himself up in his own and pray for the space of two hours, and the old +monks said that it was all talk, and that he had given up his horrible +idea; but the prior knew better, and he was not a bit surprised to see +Anselm coming out of his cell looking brave, and calm, and cool. + +"Then he took a bottle of plant juice that he knew helped to stop +bleeding, and he got ready his bandages, and his keenest knives, and his +saw, and a bowl of water, and then he thought for a bit, and ended by +asking the monks which of them would help him, but they all shrank away +and turned pale, all but the prior, who said he would help, and then +they went into the poor fellow's cell." + +Old Brownsmith stopped here, and kept on stroking one of the cats for +such a long time, beginning at the tip of his nose and going right on to +the end of his tail, that I grew impatient. + +"And did he perform the operation?" I said eagerly. + +"Yes, bravely and well, but of course very clumsily for want of +experience. He cut off the leg, Grant, right above where the bone was +splintered, and all the terrible irritation was going on." + +"And the poor fellow died after all?" I said. + +"No, he did not, my lad; it left him terribly weak and he was very low +for some days, but he began to mend from the very first, and I suppose +when he grew well and strong he had to make himself a wooden leg or else +to go about with a crutch. About that I know nothing. There was the +poor fellow dying, and there was a gardener who knew that if the broken +place were cut Nature would heal it up; for Nature likes to be helped +sometimes, my boy, and she is waiting for you now." + +"Yes, sir, I'll do it directly," I said, glancing at the stump I had +sawn off, and thinking about the swineherd's leg, and half-wondering +that it did not bleed; "but tell me, please, is all that true?" + +"I'm afraid not, Grant," he said smiling; "but it is my idea--my theory +about how our great surgeons gained their first knowledge from a +gardener; and if it is not true, it might very well be." + +"Yes," I said, looking at him wonderingly as he smoothed the fur of his +cats and was surrounded by them, rubbing themselves and purring loudly, +"but I did not know you could tell stories like that." + +"I did not know it myself, Grant, till I began, and one word coaxed out +another. Seriously, though, my boy, there is nothing to be ashamed of +in being a gardener." + +"I'm not ashamed," I said; "I like it." + +"Gardeners can propagate and bring into use plants that may prove to be +of great service to man; they can improve vegetables and fruits--and +when you come to think of what a number of trees and plants are useful, +you see what a field there is to work in! Why, even a man who makes a +better cabbage or potato grow than we have had before is one who has +been of great service to his fellow-creatures. So work away; you may do +something yet." + +"Yes," I cried, "I'll work away and as hard as I can; but I begin to +wish now that you had some glass." + +"So do I," said the old gentleman. + +"There!" I said, coming down the ladder, "I think that will heal up +now, like the poor swineherd's leg. It's as smooth as smooth." + +"Let me look," said a voice behind me; and I started with surprise to +find myself face to face with a man who seemed to be Old Brownsmith when +he was, if not Young Brownsmith, just about what he would have been at +forty. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +BROTHER SOLOMON. + +The new-comer went slowly up the ladder, looked at my work, and then +took out a small knife with a flat ivory handle, came down again, +stropped the knife on his boot, went up, and pared my stump just round +the edge, taking off a very thin smooth piece of bark. + +"Good!" he said as he wiped his knife, came down, and put the knife +away; "but your knife wanted a touch on a bit o' Turkey-stone. How are +you, Ezra?" + +Old Brownsmith set down some cats gently, got up off the bushel basket +slowly, and shook hands. + +"Fairly, Solomon, fairly; and how are you?" + +"Tidy," said the visitor, "tidy;" and he stared very hard at me. "This +is him, is it?" + +"Yes, this is he, Solomon. Grant, my lad, this is my brother Solomon." + +I bowed after the old fashion taught at home. + +"Shake hands. How are you?" said Mr Solomon; and I shook hands with +him and said I was quite well, I thanked him; and he said, "Hah!" + +"He has just come up from Hampton, Grant--from Sir Francis Linton's. +He's going to take you back." + +"Take me back, sir!" I said wonderingly. "Have--have I done anything +you don't like?" + +"No, my lad, no--only I've taught you all I can; and now you will go +with him and learn gardening under glass--to grow peaches, and grapes, +and mushrooms, and all kinds of choice flowers." + +I looked at him in a troubled way, and he hastened to add: + +"A fine opportunity for you, my boy. Brother Solomon is a very famous +gardener and takes prizes at the shows." + +"Oh! as to that," said Brother Solomon, "we're not much. We do the best +we can." + +"Horticultural medals, gold and bronze," said Old Brownsmith, smiling. +"There!--you'll have to do so as well, Grant, my lad--you will have to +do me credit." + +I crept close to him and half-whispered: + +"But must I go, sir?" + +"Yes, my lad, it is for your benefit," he said rather sternly; and I +suppose I gave him such a piteous look that his face softened a little +and he patted my shoulder. "Come," he said, "you must be a man!" + +I seemed to have something in my throat which I was obliged to swallow; +but I made an effort, and after a trial or two found that I could speak +more clearly. + +"Shall I have to go soon, sir?" + +"Yes: now," said Old Brownsmith. + +"Not till I've had a look round," said Brother Solomon in a slow +meditative way, as he took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, +staring about him at the trees and bushes, and then, as a cat gave a +friendly rub against his leg, he stooped down after the fashion of his +brother, picked it up, and held it on his arm, stroking it all the time. + +I had not liked the look of Brother Solomon, for he seemed cold, and +quiet, and hard. His face looked stiff, as if he never by any chance +smiled; and it appeared to me as if I were going from where I had been +treated like a son to a home where I should be a stranger. + +"Yes," he said after looking about him, as if he were going to find +fault, "I sha'n't go back just yet awhile." + +"Oh no! you'll have a snap of something first, and Grant here will want +a bit of time to pack up his things." + +Old Brownsmith seemed to be speaking more kindly to me now, and this +made me all the more miserable, for I had felt quite at home; and though +Shock and I were bad friends, and Ike was not much of a companion, I did +not want to leave them. + +Old Brownsmith saw my looks, and he said: + +"You will run over now and then to see me and tell me how you get on. +Brother Solomon here never likes to leave his glass-houses, but you can +get away now and then. Eh, Solomon?" + +"P'r'aps," said Brother Solomon, looking right away from us. "We shall +see." + +My heart sank as I saw how cold and unsympathetic he seemed. I felt +that I should never like him, and that he would never like me. He had +hardly looked at me, but when he did there was to me the appearance in +his eyes of his being a man who hated all boys as nuisances and to make +matters worse, he took his eyes off a bed of onions to turn them +suddenly on his brother and say: + +"Hadn't he better go and make up his bundle?" + +"Yes, to be sure," said Old Brownsmith. "Go and tell Mrs Dodley you +want your clean clothes, my boy; and tell her my brother Solomon's going +to have a bit with us." + +"And see whether your boy has given my horse his oats, will you?" said +Brother Solomon. + +I went away, feeling very heavy-hearted, and found Shock in the stable, +in the next stall to old Basket, watching a fine stoutly-built cob that +had just been taken out of a light cart. The horse's head-stall had +been taken off, and a halter put on; and as he munched at his oats, +Shock helped him, munching away at a few that he took from one hand. + +I was in so friendly a mood to every one just then that I was about to +go up and shake hands with Shock; but as soon as he saw me coming he +dived under the manger, and crept through into old Basket's stall, and +then thrust back his doubled fist at me, and there it was being shaken +menacingly, as if he were threatening to punch my head. + +This exasperated me so that in an instant the honey within me was turned +to vinegar, and I made a rush round at him, startling our old horse so +that he snorted and plunged; but I did not catch Shock, for he dived +back through the hole under the manger into the next stall. Then on +under the manger where Brother Solomon's horse was feeding, making him +start back and nearly break his halter, while Shock went on into the +third stall, disturbing a hen from the nest she had made in the manger, +and sending her cackling and screaming out into the yard, where the cock +and the other hens joined in the hubbub. + +As I ran round to the third stall I was just in time to see Shock's legs +disappearing, as he climbed up the perpendicular ladder against the +wall, and shot through the trap-door into the hay-loft. + +"You shall beg my pardon before I go," I said between my teeth, as I +looked up, and there was his grubby fist coming out of the hole in the +ceiling, and being shaken at me. + +I rushed at the ladder, and had ascended a couple of rounds, when bang +went the trap-door, and there was a bump, which I knew meant that Shock +had seated himself on the trap, so that I could not get it up. + +"Oh, all right!" I said aloud. "I sha'n't come after you, you dirty +old grub. I'm going away to-day, and you can shake your fist at +somebody else." + +I had satisfied myself that Brother Solomon's horse was all right, so I +now strode up to the house and told Mrs Dodley to spread the table for +a visitor, and said that I should want my clean things as I was going +away. + +"What! for a holiday?" she said. + +"No; I'm going away altogether," I said. + +"I know'd it," she cried angrily; "I know'd it. I always said it would +come to that with you mixing yourself up with that bye. A nasty dirty +hay-and-straw-sleeping young rascal, as is more like a monkey than a +bye. And now you're to be sent away." + +"Yes," I said grimly; "now I'm to be sent away." + +She stood frowning at me for a minute, and then took off her dirty apron +and put on a clean one, with a good deal of angry snatching. + +"I shall just go and give Mr Brownsmith a bit of my mind," she said. +"I won't have you sent away like that, and all on account of that bye." + +"No, no," I said. "I'm going away with Mr Brownsmith's brother, to +learn all about hothouses I suppose." + +"Oh, my dear bye!" she exclaimed. "You mustn't do that. You'll have to +be stoking and poking all night long, and ketch your death o' cold, and +be laid up, and be ill-used, and be away from everybody who cares for +you, and and I don't want you to go." + +The tears began to run down the poor homely-looking woman's face, and +affected me, so that I was obliged to run out, or I should have caught +her complaint. + +"I must be a man over it," I said. "I suppose it's right;" and I went +off down the garden to say "Good-bye" to the men and women, and have a +few last words with Ike. + +As I went down the garden I suddenly began to feel that for a long time +past it had been my home, and that every tree I passed was an old +friend. I had not known it before, but it struck me now that I had been +very happy there leading a calm peaceable life; and now I was going away +to fresh troubles and cares amongst strangers, and it seemed as if I +should never be so happy again. + +To make matters worse I was going down the path that I had traversed +that day so long ago, when I first went to buy some fruit and flowers +for my mother, and this brought back her illness, and the terrible +trouble that had followed. Then I seemed to see myself up at the window +over the wall there, at Mrs Beeton's, watching the garden, and Shock +throwing dabs of clay at me with the stick. + +"Poor old Shock!" I said. "I wonder whether he'll be glad when I'm +gone. I suppose he will." + +I was thinking about how funny it was that we had never become a bit +nearer to being friendly, and then I turned miserable and choking, for I +came upon half a dozen of the women pulling and bunching onions for +market. + +"I've come to say good-bye," I cried huskily. "I'm going away." + +"Oh! are you?" said one of them just looking up. "Good luck to you!" + +The coolness of the rough woman seemed to act as a check on my +sentimentality, and I went on feeling quite hurt; and a few minutes +later I was quite angry, for I came to where the men were digging, and +told them I was going away, and one of them stopped, and stared, and +said: + +"All right! will yer leave us a lock of yer hair?" + +I went on, and they shouted after me: + +"I say, stand a gallon o' beer afore you go." + +"There's nobody cares for me but poor Mrs Dodley," I said to myself in +a choking voice, and then my pride gave me strength. + +"Very well," I exclaimed aloud; "if they don't care, I don't, and I'm +glad I'm going, and I shall be very glad when I'm gone." + +That was not true, for, as I went on, I saw this tree whose pears I had +picked, and that apple-tree whose beautiful rosy fruit I had put so +carefully into baskets. There were the plum-trees I had learned how to +prune and nail, and whose violet and golden fruit I had so often watched +ripening. That was where George Day had scrambled over, and I had hung +on to his legs, and there--No; I turned away from that path, for there +were the two brothers slowly walking along with the cats, looking at the +different crops, and I did not want to be seen then by one who was so +ready to throw me over, and by the other, who seemed so cold and hard, +and was, I felt, going to be a regular tyrant. + +"And I'm all alone, and not even a cat to care about me," I said to +myself; and, weak and miserable, the tears came into my eyes as I +stopped in one of the cross paths. + +I started, and dashed away a tear or two that made me feel like a girl, +for just then there was a rustle, and looking round, there was one of +Old Brownsmith's cats coming along the path with curved back, and tail +drooped sidewise, and every hair upon it erect till it looked like a +drooping plume. + +The cat suddenly rushed at me, stopped short, tore round me, and then +ran a little way, and crouched, as if about to make a spring upon me, +ending by walking up in a very stately way to rub himself against my +leg. + +"Why, Ginger, old fellow," I said, "are you come to say good-bye?" + +I don't think the cat understood me, but he looked up, blinked, and +uttered a pathetic kind of _mew_ that went to my heart, as I stooped +down and lifted him up in my arms to hug him to my breast, where he +nestled, purring loudly, and inserting his claws gently into my jacket, +and tearing them out, as if the act was satisfactory. + +He was an ugly great sandy Tom, with stripes down his sides, but he +seemed to me just then to be the handsomest cat I had ever seen, and the +best friend I had in the world, and I made a vow that I would ask Old +Brownsmith to let me have him to take with me, if his brother would +allow me to include him in my belongings. + +"Will you come with me, Ginger?" I said, stroking him. The cat purred +and went on, climbing up to my shoulder, where there was not much room +for him, but he set his fore-paws on my shoulder, drove them into my +jacket, and let his hind-legs go well down my back before he hooked on +there, crouching close to me, and seeming perfectly happy as I walked on +wondering where Ike was at work. + +I found him at last, busy trenching some ground at the back of Shock's +kitchen, as I called the shed where he cooked his potatoes and snails. + +As I came up to the old fellow he glanced at me surlily, stopped +digging, and began to scrape his big shining spade. + +"Hullo!" he said gruffly; and the faint hope that he would be sorry died +away. + +"Ike," I said, "I'm going away." + +"What?" he shouted. + +"I'm going to leave here," I said. + +"Get out, you discontented warmint!" he cried savagely, "you don't know +when you're well off." + +"Yes, I do," I said; "but Mr Brownsmith's going to send me away." + +"What!" he roared, driving in his spade, and beginning to dig with all +his might. + +"Mr Brownsmith's going to send me away." + +"Old Brownsmith's going to send you away?" + +"Yes." + +"Why, what have you been a-doin' of?" he cried more fiercely than ever, +as he drove his spade into the earth. + +"Nothing at all." + +"He wouldn't send you away for doing nothing at all," cried Ike, giving +an obstinate clod that he had turned up a tremendous blow with his +spade, and turning it into soft mould. + +"I'm to go to Hampton with Mr Brownsmith's brother," I said, "to learn +all about glass-houses." + +"What, Old Brownsmith's brother Sol?" + +"Yes," I said sadly, as I petted and caressed the cat. + +"He's a tartar and a tyrant, that's what he is," said Ike fiercely, and +he drove in his spade as if he meant to reach Australia. + +"But he understands glass," I said. + +"Smash his glass!" growled Ike, digging away like a machine. + +"I'm going to-day," I said after a pause, and with all a boy's longing +for a sympathetic word or two. + +"Oh! are you?" he said sulkily. + +"Yes, and I don't know when I shall get over here again." + +"Course you don't," growled Ike, smashing another clod. I stood patting +the cat, hoping that Ike would stretch out his great rough hand to me to +say "Good-bye;" but he went on digging, as if he were very cross. + +"I didn't know it till to-day, Ike," I said. + +"Ho!" said Ike with a snap, and he bent down to chop an enormous +earthworm in two, but instead of doing so he gave it a flip with the +corner of his spade, and sent it flying up into a pear-tree, where I saw +it hanging across a twig till it writhed itself over, when, one end of +its long body being heavier than the other, it dropped back on to the +soft earth with a slight pat. + +Still Ike did not speak, and all at once I heard Old Brownsmith's voice +calling. + +"I must go now, Ike," I said, "I'll come back and say `Good-bye.'" + +"And after the way as I've tried to make a man of yer," he said as if +talking to his mother earth, which he was chopping so remorselessly. + +"It isn't my fault, Ike," I said. "I'll come over and see you again as +soon as I can." + +"Who said it war your fault?" + +"No one, Ike," I said humbly. "Don't be cross with me." + +"Who is cross with yer?" cried Ike, cleaning his spade. + +"You seemed to be." + +"Hah!" + +"I will come and see you again as soon as I can," I repeated. + +"Nobody don't want you," he growled. + +"Grant!" + +"Coming, sir," I shouted back, and then I turned to Ike, who dug away as +hard as ever he could, without looking at me, and with a sigh I hurried +off, feeling that I must have been behaving very ungratefully to him. +Then there was a sense as of resentment as I thought of how calmly +everybody seemed to take my departure, making me think that I had done +nothing to win people's liking, and that I must be a very unpleasant, +disagreeable kind of lad, since, with the exception of Mrs Dodley and +the cat, nobody seemed to care whether I went away or stayed. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +A COLD START IN A NEW LIFE. + +Brother Solomon loitered about the garden with Old Brownsmith, and it +was not until we had had an early tea that I had to fetch down my little +box to put in the cart, which was standing in the yard with Shock +holding the horse, and teasing it by thrusting a barley straw in its +nostrils and ears. + +As I came down with the box, Mrs Dodley said "Good-bye" very warmly and +wetly on my face, giving as she said: + +"Mind you send me all your stockings and shirts and I'll always put them +right for you, my dear, and Goodbye." + +She hurried away, and as soon as my box was in the cart I ran down the +garden to say "Good-bye" to Ike; but he had gone home, so I was told, +and I came back disappointed. + +"Good-bye, Shock!" I said, holding out my hand; but he did not take it, +only stared at me stolidly, just as if he hated me and was glad I was +going; and this nettled me so that I did not mind his sulkiness, and +drawing myself up, I tried hard to smile and look as if I didn't care a +bit. + +Brother Solomon came slowly towards the cart, rolling the stalk of a +rosebud in his mouth, and as he took the reins he said to one of the +chimneys at the top of the house: + +"If I was you, Ez, I'd plant a good big bit with that winter lettuce. +You'll find 'em go off well." + +I knew now that he was talking to his brother, but he certainly seemed +to be addressing himself to the chimney-pot. + +"I will, Sol, a whole rood of 'em," said Old Brownsmith, "and thank ye +for the advice." + +"Quite welkim," said Brother Solomon to the horse's ears. "Jump up." + +He seemed to say this to Shock, who stared at him, wrinkled up his face, +and shook his head. + +"Yes, jump up, Grant, my lad," said Old Brownsmith. "Fine evening for +your drive." + +"Yes, sir," I said, "good-bye; and say good-bye to Ike for me, will you, +please?" + +"Yes, to be sure, good-bye; God bless you, lad; and do your best." + +And I was so firm and hard just before, thinking no one cared for me, +that I was ready to smile as I went away. + +That "God bless you!" did it, and that firm pressure of the hand. He +did like me, then, and was sorry I was going; and though I tried to +speak, not a word would come. I could only pinch my lips together and +give him an agonised look--the look of an orphan boy going off into what +was to him an unknown world. + +I was so blinded by a kind of mist in my eyes that I could not +distinctly see that all the men and women were gathered together close +to the cart, it being near leaving time; but I did see that Brother +Solomon nodded at one of the gate-posts, as he said: + +"Tlck! go on." + +And then, as the wheels turned and we were going out of the gate, there +was a hoarse "_Hooroar_!" from the men, and a shrill "_Hurray_!" from +the women; and then--_whack_! + +A great stone had hit the panel at the back of the cart, and I knew +without telling that it was Shock who had thrown that stone. + +Then we were fairly off, with Brother Solomon sitting straight up in the +cart beside me, and the horse throwing out his legs in a great swinging +trot that soon carried us past the walls of Old Brownsmith's garden, and +past the hedges into the main road, on a glorious evening that had +succeeded the storm of the previous night; but, fast as the horse went, +Brother Solomon did not seem satisfied, for he kept on screwing up his +lips and making a noise, like a young thrush just out of the nest, to +hurry the horse on, but it had not the slightest effect, for the animal +had its own pace--a very quick one, and kept to it. + +I never remember the lane to have looked so beautiful before. The great +elm-trees in the hedgerow seemed gilded by the sinking sun, and the +fields were of a glorious green, while a flock of rooks, startled by the +horse's hoofs, flew off with a loud cawing noise, and I could see the +purply black feathers on their backs glisten as they caught the light. + +The wheels spun round and seemed to form a kind of tune that had +something to do with my going away, while as the horse trotted on and +on, uttering a snort at times as if glad to be homeward bound, my heart +seemed to sink lower and lower, and I looked in vain for a sympathetic +glance or a word of encouragement and comfort from the silent stolid man +at my side. + +"But some of them were sorry I was going!" I thought with a flash of +joy, which went away at once as I recalled the behaviour of Ike and +Shock, towards whom I felt something like resentment, till I thought +again that I was for the second time going away from home, and this time +among people who were all as strange as strange could be. + +At any other time it would have been a pleasant evening drive, but +certainly one wanted a different driver, for whether it was our crops at +Old Brownsmith's, or the idea that he had undertaken a great +responsibility in taking charge of me, or whether at any moment he +anticipated meeting with an accident, I don't know. All I do know is +that Mr Solomon did not speak to me once, but sat rolling the +flower-stalk in his mouth, and staring right before him, aiming straight +at some place or another that was going to be my prison, and all the +while the sturdy horse trotted fast, the wheels spun round, and there +was a disposition on the part of my box to hop and slide about on the +great knot in the centre made by the cord. + +Fields and hedgerows, and gentlemen's residences with lawns and gardens, +first on one side and then on another, but they only suggested +hiding-places to me as I sat there wondering what would be the +consequences if I were to slip over the back of the seat on to my box +when Mr Solomon was not looking, and then over the back of the cart and +escape. + +The idea was too childish, but it kept coming again and again all +through that dismal journey. + +All at once, after an hour's drive, I caught sight of a great white +house among some trees, and as we passed it Mr Solomon slowly turned +round to me and gave his head a jerk, which nearly shook off his hat. +Then he poked it back straight with the handle of his whip, and I +wondered what he meant; but realised directly after that he wished to +draw my attention to that house as being probably the one to which we +were bound, for a few minutes later, after driving for some distance by +a high blank wall, he stuck the whip behind him, and the horse stopped +of its own accord with its nose close to some great closed gates. + +On either side of these was a brick pillar, with what looked like an +enormous stone egg in an egg-cup on the top, while on the right-hand +pillar there was painted a square white patch, in the centre of which +was a black knob looking out of it like an eye. + +I quite started, so wrapped was I in thought, when Mr Solomon spoke for +the first time in a sharp decided way. + +"Pop out and pull that bell," he said, looking at it as if he wondered +whether it would ring without being touched. + +I hurriedly got down and pulled the knob, feeling ashamed the next +moment for my act seemed to have awakened the sleepy place. There was a +tremendous jangling of a great angry-voiced bell which sounded hollow +and echoing all over the place; there was the rattling of chains, as +half a dozen dogs seemed to have rushed out of their kennels, and they +began baying furiously, with the result that the horse threw up his head +and uttered a loud neigh. Then there was a trampling, as of some one in +very heavy nailed boots over a paved yard, and after the rattling of +bolts, the clang of a great iron bar, and the sharp click of a big lock, +a sour-looking man drew back first one gate and then the other, each +fold uttering a dissatisfied creak as if disliking to be disturbed. + +The horse wanted no driving, but walked right into the yard and across +to a large open shed, while five dogs--there were not six--barked and +bayed at me, tugging at their chains. There was a large Newfoundland-- +this was before the days of Saint Bernards--a couple of spotted +coach-dogs, a great hound of some kind with shortly cropped ears, and +looking like a terrier grown out of knowledge, and a curly black +retriever, each of which had a great green kennel, and they tugged so +furiously at their chains that it seemed as if they would drag their +houses across the yard in an attack upon the stranger. + +"Get out!" shouted Mr Solomon as the sour-looking man closed and +fastened the doors; but the dogs barked the more furiously. "Here, come +along," said Mr Solomon to me, and he took me up to the great +furious-looking hound on whose neck, as I approached, I could see a +brass collar studded with spikes, while as we closed up, his white teeth +glistened, and I could see right into his great red mouth with its black +gums. + +"Hi, Nero!" cried Mr Solomon, as I began to feel extremely nervous. +"Steady, boy. This is Grant. Now, Grant, make friends." + +There was a tremendous chorus of barks here, just as if Nero was out of +patience, and the other four dogs were savage because he was going to be +fed with the new boy before them; but as Mr Solomon laid his hand on +the great fierce-looking beast's head it ceased barking, and the others +stopped as well. + +"He won't hurt you now," said Mr Solomon. "Come close." + +I did not like the task, for I was doubtful of the gardener's knowledge, +but I did go close up, and the great dog began to smell me from my toes +upwards, and subsided into a low growl that sounded like disappointment +that he was not to eat me. + +"Pat him now," said Mr Solomon. + +I obeyed rather nervously, and the great dog threw up his head and began +striking at me with one great paw, which I found meant that it was to be +taken, and I gave it a friendly shake. + +Hereupon there was a chorus of short sharp whining barks and snaps from +the other dogs, all of which began to strain at their chains with +renewed vigour. + +"Go and pat 'em all," said Mr Solomon; "they'll make friends now." + +I went to the great shaggy Newfoundland, who smelt me, and then threw +himself up on his hind legs, and hanging against his chain put out his +tongue in the most rollicking fashion, and offered me both his hands--I +mean paws--in token of friendship. Then the retriever literally danced, +and yelped, and jumped over his chain, favouring me with a lick or two +on the hand, while the two spotted coach-dogs cowered down, licked my +boots, and yelped as I patted them in turn. + +Only so many dogs, who barked again as I left them, but it seemed to do +me good, and I felt better and readier to help Mr Solomon when he +called me to aid in unharnessing the horse, which trotted of its own +free-will into its stable, while we ran the cart back into the shed, and +lifted my box out on to the stones. + +"That'll be all right till we fetch it," said Mr Solomon in his quiet +dry way, and he led the way into the stable, where, as I was thinking +how hard and unfriendly he seemed, he went up to the horse, patted it +kindly, and ended by going to a bin, filling a large measure with oats; +and taking them to the horse, which gave a snort of satisfaction as they +were turned into its manger. + +"Shall I get a pail of water for him, sir?" I said. + +He looked at me and nodded, and I went out to a great pump in the middle +of the yard with a hook on its spout, upon which I was able to hang the +stable pail as I worked hard to throw the long handle up and down. + +"Wages!" said Mr Solomon, taking the pail from me and holding it for +the horse to drink. + +For the moment I felt confused, not knowing whether he meant that as a +question about what wages I required, but he turned his back, and by +degrees I found that he meant that the corn and water were the horse's +wages. + +He busied himself about the horse for some minutes in a quiet +punctilious way, for the sour-looking man had gone, and as I waited +about, the great yard seemed with its big wall and gates, and +dog-kennels, such a cold cheerless place that the trees had all turned +the shabby parts of their backs to it and were looking the other way. +Everything was very prim and clean and freshly painted, and only in one +place could I see some short grass peeping between the stones. There +was a patch of moss, too, like a dark green velvet pin-cushion on the +top of the little penthouse where the big bell lived on the end of a +great curly spring, otherwise everything was carefully painted, and the +row of stabling buildings with rooms over looked like prisons for horses +and their warders, who must, I felt, live very unhappy lives. + +There was one door up in a corner of the great yard, right in the wall, +and down towards this, from where it had grown on the other side, there +hung a few strands of ivy in a very untidy fashion, and it struck me +that this ivy did not belong to the yard, or else it would have been +clipped or cut away. + +In summer, with the warm glow of the setting sun in the sky, the place +looked shivery and depressing, and as I waited for Mr Solomon I found +myself thinking what a place it must be in the winter when the snow had +fallen and drifted into the corners, and how miserable the poor dogs +must be. + +Then as I stood looking at my box and wondering what Shock was doing, +and whether he had gone to his home or was sleeping in the loft, and why +Ike was so surly to me, and what a miserable piece of business it was +that I should have to leave that pleasant old garden and Old Brownsmith, +I suddenly felt a hand laid upon my shoulder. + +I started and stared as I saw Mr Solomon's cold, stern face. + +"Come along," he said; and he led the way to that door in the corner +that seemed to me as if it led into an inner prison. + +I shivered and felt depressed and cold as we went towards the door, and, +to make matters worse, the dogs rattled their chains and howled in +chorus as if, having made friends, they were very sorry for me. The big +hound, Nero, seemed the most sorrowful of all, and putting his head as +high as he could reach he uttered a deep hollow howl, that to my excited +fancy sounded like "Poooooor boooooy!" just as Mr Solomon, with a face +as stern as an executioner's might have been as he led someone to the +Tower block, threw open the great door in the wall and said shortly: + +"Go on!" + +I went on before him, passed through in a wretched, despairing way, +wishing I had been a boy like Shock, who was not ashamed to run away, +and then, as I took a few steps forward, I uttered a loud "Oh!" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +I LOOK ROUND. + +My ejaculation made Mr Solomon look completely changed, for, as I +glanced back at him, I could see that there was a twinkle in his eyes +and a little dent or two about the corners of his lips, but as he saw me +looking wonderingly at him he became cold and stern of aspect again. + +"Well," he said shortly, "will that do?" + +"Do, sir!" I cried excitedly; "is this your garden?" + +"Master's," he said, shortly. + +"Your master's garden?" + +"And your master's, too," he said. "Well, will it do?" + +"Do!" I cried; "it's lovely. I never saw such a beautiful garden in my +life. What a lawn! what paths! what flowers!" + +"What a lot o' work, eh? What a lot to do?" + +"Yes," I said; "but what a place!" + +After that cold cheerless yard I seemed to have stepped into a perfect +paradise of flowers and ornamental evergreens. A lawn like green velvet +led up to a vast, closely-clipped yew hedge, and down to a glistening +pool, full of great broad lily leaves, and with the silver cups floating +on the golden surface, for the water reflected the tints in the skies. +Here and there were grey-looking statues in nooks among the evergreens, +and the great beauty of all to me was that there was no regularity about +the place; it was all up and down, and fresh beauties struck the eye at +every glance. Paths wandered here and there, great clumps of ornamental +trees hid other clumps, and patches of soft velvet turf were everywhere +showing up beds in which were masses of flowers of every hue. There +were cedars, too, that seemed to be laying their great broad boughs upon +the grass in utter weariness--they were so heavy and thick; slopes that +were masses of rhododendrons, and when I had feasted my eyes for a time +on one part Mr Solomon led me on in his serious way to another, where +fresh points of beauty struck the eye. + +"It's lovely," I cried. "Oh! Mr Solomon, what a garden!" + +"Mr Brownsmith, not Mr Solomon," he said rather gruffly; and I +apologised and remembered; but I must go on calling him Mr Solomon to +distinguish him from my older friend. + +"I never saw such a place," I added; "and it's kept so well." + +"Tidyish--pretty tidy," he said coldly. "Not enough hands. Only nine +and me--and you--but we do our best." + +"Why, it's perfection!" I cried. + +"No it ain't," he said gruffly. "Too much glass. Takes a deal o' time. +I shall make you a glass boy mostly." + +"Make me--a what, sir?" + +"Glass boy. You'll see." + +I said "Oh," and began to understand. + +"Was it like this when you came?" I said. + +I was very glad I said it, for Mr Solomon's mouth twitched, then his +eyes closed, and there were pleasant wrinkles all over his face, while +he shook himself all over, and made a sound, or series of sounds, as if +he were trying to bray like a donkey. I thought he was at first, but it +was his way of laughing, and he pulled himself up short directly and +looked quite severe as he smoothed the wrinkles out of his face as if it +were a bed, and he had been using a rake. + +"Not a bit," he said. "Twenty years ago. Bit of garden to the house +with the big trees and cedars. All the rest fields and a great +up-and-down gravel pit." + +"And you made it like this?" I cried with animation. + +He nodded. + +"Like it?" he asked. + +"Like it!" I cried. "Oh!" + +"Come along," he said. "This is the ornamental. Useful along here." + +I followed him down a curving path, and at a turn he gave his head a +jerk over his right shoulder. + +"House!" he said. + +I looked in the indicated direction, and could see the very handsome +long, low, white house, with a broad green verandah in the front, and a +great range of conservatories at one end, whose glass glistened in the +evening light. The house stood on a kind of terrace, and lawn, and +patches of flowers and shrubs sloped away from it down into quite a +dell. + +"Old gravel, pits," said Mr Solomon, noticing the way I gazed about the +place. "Come along." + +He walked up to a great thick yew hedge with an archway of deep green in +it, and as soon as we were through he said shortly: + +"Useful." + +I stared with wonder, for though I was now in a fruit and vegetable +garden it was wonderfully different to Old Brownsmith's, for here, in +addition to exquisite neatness, there was some attempt at ornamentation. +As soon as we had passed under the green arch we were on a great grass +walk, beautifully soft and velvety, with here and there stone seats, and +a group of stone figures at the farther end. Right and left were +abundance of old-fashioned flowers, but in addition there were neatly +trained and trimmed fruit-trees by the hundred, not allowed to grow high +like ours, but tied down as espaliers, and full of the promise of fruit. + +Away right and left I could see great red brick walls covered with more +fruit-trees spread out like fans, or with one big stem going straight up +and the branches trained right and left in straight lines. + +Everywhere the garden was a scene of abundance: great asparagus beds, +trim and well-kept rows of peas laden with pods, scarlet-runners running +at a tremendous rate up sticks; and lower down, quite an orchard of big +pyramid pear and apple trees. + +"Like it?" said Mr Solomon, watching me narrowly. + +"I can't tell you how much, sir!" I cried excitedly. "I never thought +to see such a garden as this." + +"Ain't half seen it yet," he replied. "Come and see the glass." + +He led me towards where I could see ranges of glass houses, looking +white and shining amongst the trees, and as we went on he pointed to +different plots of vegetables and other objects of interest. + +"Pump and well," he said. "Deep. 'Nother at the bottom. Dry in +summer; plenty in the pools. Frames and pits yonder. Nobody at home +but the young gents. Wish they weren't," he added in a growl. "Limbs, +both of them. Like to know where you are to live?" he said. + +"Yes, sir. Is it at the house?" + +"No. Yonder." + +He pointed to a low cottage covered with a large wisteria, and built +almost in the middle of the great fruit and vegetable garden, while +between it and the great yew hedge lay the range of glass houses. + +"You can find your way?" + +"Yes, sir," I said, feeling damped again by his cold manner. "Are you +going?" + +"Yes, now." + +"Shall I fetch my box, sir?" + +"No; I told Tom to take it to the cottage. You would like to look round +and see where you'll work? Don't want to begin to-night, eh?" + +"Yes, sir, I'm ready, if you like," I said. + +"Humph!" he ejaculated. "Well, perhaps we'll go and look at the fires +by and by. You're my apprentice now, you know." + +"Am I, sir?" + +"Yes; didn't Brother Ezra tell you?" + +I shook my head. + +"Don't matter. Come to learn glass. There's the houses; go and look +round. I'll call you when supper's ready." + +I don't know whether I felt in good spirits or bad; but soon ceased to +think of everything but what I was seeing, as, being about to become a +glass boy, I entered one of the great hothouses belonging to the large +range of glass buildings. + +A warm sweet-scented puff of air saluted me as I raised the copper latch +of the door, and found myself in a great red-tiled vinery, with long +canes trained from the rich soil at the roots straight up to the very +ridge, while, with wonderful regularity, large bunches like inverted +cones of great black grapes hung suspended from the tied-in twigs. +There were rows of black iron pipes along the sides from which rose a +soft heat, and the effect of this was visible in the rich juicy-looking +berries covered with a pearly bloom, while from succulent shoot, leaf, +and tendril rose the delicious scent that had saluted me as soon as I +entered the place. + +From this glass palace of a house, as it seemed to me, I went down into +a far hotter place, where the walls were whitewashed and the glass roof +very low. There was a peculiar odour of tan here, and as I closed the +door after me the atmosphere felt hot and steamy. + +But the sight that greeted my eyes made me forget all other sensations, +for there all along the centre were what seemed to be beautiful, +luxuriant aloes; and as I thought of the old story that they bloomed +only once in a hundred years, I began to wonder how long it was since +one of these spiky-leaved plants had blossomed, and then I cried +excitedly: + +"Pine-apples!" + +True enough they were, for I had entered a large pinery where fruits +were ripening and others coming on in the most beautiful manner, while +what struck me most was the perfection and neatness of all the place. + +Then I found myself in another grape-house where the vines bore oval +white grapes, with a label to tell that they were Muscats. Then I went +on into a long low house full of figs--small dumpy fig-trees in pots, +with a peculiar odour rising from them through the hot moist air. + +Again I was in a long low place something like the pinery, and here I +was amongst melons--large netted-skinned melons of all sizes, some being +quite huge, and apparently ready to cut. + +I could have stayed in these various houses for hours, but I was anxious +to see all I could, and I passed on over the red-tiled floor to a door +which opened at once into the largest and most spacious house I had +seen. + +Here the air was comparatively cool, and there was quite a soft breeze +from the open windows as I walked along between little trees that formed +a complete grove, with cross paths and side walks, and every long leaf +looking dark and clear and healthy. + +I could not keep back an exclamation of delight as I stopped in one of +the paths of this beautiful little grove; for all about me the trees +were laden with fruit in a way that set me thinking of the garden +traversed by Aladdin when in search of the wonderful lamp. + +I was in no magic cave, it is true, but I was in a sort of crystal +palace of great extent, with here and there beautiful creepers running +along rods up the sides and across close to the roof, while my trees +were not laden with what looked like bits of coloured glass, but the +loveliest of fruit, some smooth and of rich, deep, fiery crimson; others +yellowish or with russet gold on their smooth skins, while others again +were larger and covered with a fine down, upon which lay a rich soft +carmine flush. + +I had seen peaches and nectarines growing before, trained up against +walls; but here they were studded about beautiful little unsupported +trees, and their numbers and the novelty of the sight were to me +delightful. + +I began to understand now why Old Brownsmith had arranged with his +brother for me to come; and, full of visions of the future and of how I +was going to learn how to grow fruit in this perfection, I stopped, +gazing here and there at the ripe and ripening peaches, that looked so +beautiful that I thought it would be a sin for them to be picked. + +In fact, I had been so long amongst fruit that, though I liked it, I +found so much pleasure in its production that I rarely thought of eating +any, and though this sounds a strange thing for a boy to say, it is none +the less perfectly true. In fact, as a rule, gardeners rather grudge +themselves a taste of their own delicacies. + +I must have been in this house a full quarter of an hour, and had only +seen one end, and I had turned into a cross walk of red tiles looking to +right and left, when, just beyond the stem of one peach-tree whose fruit +was ripening and had ripened fast, I saw just as it had fallen one great +juicy peach with a bruise on its side, and a crack through which its +delicious essence was escaping. Pale creamy was the downy skin, with a +bloom of softest crimson on the side beyond the bruise and crack, and +making a soft hissing noise as I drew in my breath--a noise that I meant +to express, "Oh, what a pity!"--I stooped down and reached over to pick +up the damaged fruit, and to lay it upon one of the open shelves where I +had seen a couple more already placed. + +I heard no step, had seen no one in the place, but just as I leaned over +to get the fruit there was a swishing sound as of something parting the +air with great swiftness, and I uttered a cry of pain, for I felt a +sensation as if a sharp knife had suddenly fallen upon my back, and that +knife was red hot, and, after it had divided it, had seared the flesh. + +I had taken the peach in my hand when the pain made me involuntarily +crush it before it fell from my fingers upon the rich earth; and, +grinding my teeth with rage and agony, I started round to face whoever +it was that had struck me so cruel a blow. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +MASTER PHILIP. + +"What! I caught you then, did I?" cried a sharp unpleasant voice. +"Just dropped upon you, did I, my fine fellow? You scoundrel, how dare +you steal our peaches!" + +The speaker was a boy of somewhere about my own age, and as I faced him +I saw that he was thin, and had black hair, a yellowish skin, and dark +eyes. He was showing his rather irregular teeth in a sneering smile +that made his hooked nose seem to hang over his mouth, while his +high-pitched, harsh, girlish voice rang and buzzed in my ears in a +discordant way. + +I did not answer; I felt as if I could not speak. All I wanted to do +was to fly at him and strike out wildly, while something seemed to hold +me back as he stood vapouring before me, swishing about the thin, black, +silver-handled cane he carried, and at every swish he cut some leaf or +twig. + +"How dare you strike me?" I cried at last furiously, and I advanced +with my teeth set and my lists clenched, forgetting my position there, +and not even troubling myself in my hot passion to wonder who or what +this boy might be. + +"How dare I, you ugly-looking dog!" he cried, retreating before me a +step or two. "I'll soon let you know that. Who are you, you thief?" + +"I'm not a thief," I shouted, wincing still with the pain. + +"Yes, you are," he cried. "How did you get in here? I've caught you, +though, and we shall know now where our fruit goes when we get the +blame. Here, out you come." + +The boy caught me by the collar, and I seized him by the arms with a +fierce, vindictive feeling coming over me; but he was very light and +active, and, wresting himself partly free, he gave the cane a swing in +the air, raised it above his head, and struck at me with all his might. + +I hardly know how it all occurred in the hurry and excitement, but I +know that I gave myself a wrench round, driving him back as I did so, +and making a grasp at the cane with the full intention of getting it +from him and thrashing him as hard as I could in return for his blow. + +He missed his aim: I missed mine. My hand did not go near the cane; the +cane did not come down as he intended upon my back, but with a fierce +swish struck the branch of one of the peaches, breaking it so that it +hung by the bark and a few fibres, while three or four of the ripe fruit +fell with heavy thuds upon the ground. + +"There, now you've done it, you young rough!" he cried viciously. "Come +out." + +His dark eyes glowed, and he showed his white teeth as he struck at me +again and again; but I avoided the blows as I wrestled with him, and at +last my sturdy strength, helped by the work I had had in Old +Brownsmith's garden, told, and I got hold of the cane, forced open his +hand, and wrested it away. + +I remember very well the triumphant feeling that came over me as I +raised the cane and was in the act of bringing it down with all my +might, when there was a strong hand from behind upon my shoulder, and +another caught my arm, ran down it to the wrist and hand, wrested the +cane away, and swung me round. + +It was Mr Solomon, looking very red in the face, and frowning at me +severely. + +"What are you doing?" he cried. "Do you know who that is?" + +"He struck me with the cane." + +"He was stealing peaches." + +"I was not; I was picking one up." + +"He was stealing them. Just look what he has done." + +"I did not do it, Mr Solomon," I cried. "It was he." + +"Oh, what a cracker, Brownie! I came and caught him at it; and because +I said he was a thief he hit at me with that cane." + +"How did he get the cane? Why, it's yours," said Mr Solomon; "and I +believe you broke that young peach." + +"Get out! It was he. Take him to the police. I caught him at it." + +Mr Solomon stooped and picked up the bruised and fallen peaches, laid +them on a shelf, and then took out his knife and cut away the broken +bough neatly. + +Then he stood and looked at it for a moment, and the sight of the damage +roused up a feeling of anger in him, for he turned sharply. + +"Here, you be off!" he said, advancing on the boy with the cane under +his arm. + +For answer the boy snatched the cane away. "What do you say?" he cried +haughtily. + +"I say you be off out of my glass-houses, Master Philip. I won't have +you here, and so I tell you." + +"How dare you talk to me like that?" cried the boy. + +"Dare! I'll dare a deal more than that, young fellow, if you are not +off," cried Mr Solomon, who was a great deal more excited and animated +than I should have imagined possible. "I'm not going to have my fruit +spoiled like this." + +"Your fruit indeed! I like that," cried the boy. "Yours?" + +"See what you've done to my Royal George!" + +"See what I've done to your Royal George!"--mockingly. + +"Now be off," cried Mr Solomon. "Serves me right for not keeping the +houses locked up. Now, then, you be off out." + +"Sha'n't," said the boy. "I shall stop here as long as I like. You +touch me if you dare. If you do I'll tell papa." + +"I shall tell him myself, my lad," cried Mr Solomon. + +"You forget who I am," cried the boy. + +"I don't know anything about who you are when my show of fruit's being +spoiled," replied Mr Solomon. "A mischievous boy's a boy doing +mischief to me when I catch him, and I won't have him here." + +"Turn him out, then," cried the boy; "turn out that rough young +blackguard. I came in and caught him picking and stealing, and I gave +him such a one." + +He switched his cane as he spoke, and looked at me so maliciously that I +took a step forward, but Mr Solomon caught me sharply by the shoulder +and uttered a low warning growl. + +"I don't believe he was stealing the fruit," said Mr Solomon slowly. +"He has got a good character, Master Philip, and that's what you haven't +been able to show." + +"If you talk to me like that I'll tell papa everything, and have you +discharged." + +"Do!" said Mr Solomon. + +"And I'll tell papa that you are always having in your friends, and +showing 'em round the garden. What's that beggar doing in our +hothouses?" + +"I'm not a beggar," I cried hotly. + +"Hold your tongue, Grant," said Mr Solomon in a low growl as he trimmed +off a broken twig that had escaped him at first. + +"It was lucky I came in," continued the boy, looking at me tauntingly. +"If I hadn't come I don't know how many he wouldn't have had." + +"Mr Brownsmith," I said, as I smarted with pain, rage, and the desire +to get hold of that cane once more, and use it, "I found a peach lying +on the ground, and I was going to pick it up." + +"And eat it?" said the gardener without looking at me. + +"Eat it! No," I said hotly, "I can go amongst fruit without wanting to +eat it like a little child." + +I looked at him indignantly, for he seemed to be suspecting me, he was +so cold and hard, and distant in his manner. + +"Mr Brownsmith always trusted me amongst his fruit," I said angrily. + +"Humph!" said Mr Solomon, "and so you weren't going to eat the peach?" + +"He was; I saw him. It was close up to his mouth." + +"It is not true," I cried. + +"He isn't fit to be trusted in here, and I shall tell papa how I saved +the peaches. He won't like it when he hears." + +"I won't stop a day in the place," I said to myself in the heat of my +indignation, for Mr Solomon seemed to be doubting me, and I felt as if +I couldn't bear to be suspected of being a thief. + +My attention was taken from myself to the boy and Mr Solomon the next +moment, for there was a scene. + +"Now," said Mr Solomon, "I want to lock up this house, young gentleman, +so out you go." + +"You can come when I've done," said the boy, poking at first one fruit +and then another with the cane, as he strutted about. "I'm not going +yet." + +He was in the act of touching a ripe nectarine when Mr Solomon looked +as if he could bear it no longer, and he snatched the cane away. + +"Here, you give me my cane," cried the boy. "You be off out, sir." + +"Sha'n't!" + +"Will you go?" + +"No. Don't you push me!" + +"Walk out then." + +"Sha'n't. It's our place, and I sha'n't go for you." + +"Will you go out quietly?" + +"No, I shall stop as long as I like." + +"Once more, Master Philip, will you go?" + +"No!" yelled the boy; "and you give me back my cane." + +"Will you go, sir? Once more." + +"Send that beggar away, and not me," cried the boy. + +"I shall stop till I choose to go, and I shall pick the peaches if I +like." + +Mr Solomon looked down at him aghast for a few moments, and then, as +the boy made a snatch at his cane, he caught him up, tucked him under +his arm, and carried him out, kicking and struggling with all his might. + +I followed close behind, thoroughly enjoying the discomfiture of my +enemy, and was the better satisfied for seeing the boy thrown down +pretty heavily upon a heap of mowings of the lawn. + +"I'll pay you for this," cried the boy, who had recovered his cane; and, +giving it a swish through the air, he raised it as if about to strike +Mr Solomon across the face. + +I saw Mr Solomon colour up of a deeper red as he looked at the boy very +hard; and then he said softly, but in a curious hissing way: + +"I shouldn't advise you to do that, young sir. If you did I might +forget you were Sir Francis' boy, and take and pitch you into the +gold-fish pond. I feel just as if I should like to do it without." + +The boy quailed before his stern look, and uttered a nasty sniggering +laugh. + +"I can get in any of the houses when I like, and I can take the fruit +when I like, and I'll let papa know about your beggars of friends +meddling with the peaches." + +"There, you be off," said the gardener. "I'll tell Sir Francis too, as +sure as my name's Brownsmith." + +"Ha--ha--ha! There's a name!" cried the boy jeeringly. "Brownsmith. +What a name for a cabbage-builder, who pretends to be a gardener, and is +only an old woman about the place! Roberts's gardener is worth a +hundred Sol Brownsmiths. He grows finer fruit and better flowers, and +you'll soon be kicked out. Perhaps papa will send you away now." + +Mr Solomon bit his lips as he locked the door, for he was touched in a +tender place, for, as I found out afterwards, he was very jealous of the +success of General Roberts's gardener. + +His back was turned, and, taking advantage of this, the boy made a dash +at me with his cane. + +This was too much in my frame of mind, and I went at him, when the head +gardener turned sharply and stood between us. + +"That'll do," he cried sternly to us both. + +"All right!" said the boy in a cool disdainful manner. "I'll watch for +him, and if ever he comes in our garden again I'll let him know. I'll +pay the beggar out. He is a beggar, isn't he, old Solomon?" + +"Well, if I was asked which of you was the young gentleman, and which +the ill-bred young beggar, I should be able to say pretty right," +replied the gardener slowly. + +"Oh! should you? Well, don't you bring him here again, or I'll let him +know." + +"You'd better let him know now, boy, for he's going to stop." + +"What's he, the new boy?" said the lad, as if asking a very innocent +question. "Where did you get him, Brownsmith? Is he out of the +workhouse?" + +Mr Solomon smiled at the boy's malice, but he saw me wince, and he drew +me to his side in an instant. I had been thinking what a cold, hard man +he was, and how different to his brother, who had been quite fatherly to +me of late; but I found out now that he was, under his stern outward +seeming, as good-hearted as Old Brownsmith himself. + +He did not speak, but he laid one hand upon my shoulder and pressed it, +and that hand seemed to say to me: + +"Don't take any notice of the little-minded, contemptible, spoiled cub;" +and I drew a deep breath and began to feel that perhaps after all I +should not want to go away. + +"I thought so," cried the boy with a snigger--"he's a pauper then. Ha, +ha, ha! a pauper! I'll tell Courtenay. We'll call him pauper if he +stops here." + +"And that's just what he is going to do, Master Philip," said the head +gardener, who seemed to have recovered his temper; "and that's what, +thank goodness, you are not going to do. And the sooner you are off +back to school to be licked into shape the better for you, that is if +ever you expect to grow into a man. Come along, my lad, it's getting +late." + +"Yes, take him away," shouted the boy as I went off with Mr Solomon, my +blood seeming to tingle in my veins as I heard a jeering burst of +laughter behind me, and directly after the boy shouted: + +"Here, hi! Courtenay. Here's a game. We've got a new pauper in the +place." + +Mr Solomon heard it, but he said nothing as we went on, while I felt +very low-spirited again, and was thinking whether I had not better give +up learning how to grow fruit and go back to Old Brownsmith, and Ike, +and Shock, and Mrs Dodley, when my new guide said to me kindly: + +"Don't you take any notice of them, my lad." + +"Them?" I said in dismay. + +"Yes, there's a pair of 'em--nice pair too. But they're often away at +school, and Sir Francis is a thorough gentleman. They're not his boys, +but her ladyship's, and she has spoiled 'em, I suppose. Let 'em grow +wild, Grant. I say, my lad," he continued, looking at me with a droll +twinkle in his eye, "they want us to train them, and prune them, and +take off some of their straggling growths, eh? I think we could make a +difference in them, don't you?" + +I smiled and nodded. + +"Only schoolboys. Say anything, but it won't hurt us. Here we are. +Come in." + +He led the way into a plainly furnished room, where everything seemed to +have been scoured till it glistened or turned white; and standing by a +table, over which the supper cloth had been spread, was a tall, +quiet-looking, elderly woman, with her greyish hair very smoothly +stroked down on either side of her rather severe face. + +"This is young Grant," said Mr Solomon. + +The woman nodded, and looked me all over, and it seemed as if she took +more notice of my shirt and collar than she did of me. + +"Sit down, Grant, you must be hungry," said Mr Solomon; and as soon as +we were seated the woman, who, I supposed, was Mrs Solomon, began to +cut us both some cold bacon and some bread. + +"Master Philip been at you long?" said Mr Solomon, with his mouth full. + +"No, sir," I said; "it all happened in a moment or two." + +"I'm glad you didn't hit him," he said. "Eat away, my lad." + +The woman kept on cutting bread, but she was evidently listening +intently. + +"I'm glad now, sir," I said; "but he hurt me so, and I was in such a +passion that I didn't think. I didn't know who he was." + +"Of course not. Go on with your supper." + +"I hope, sir, you don't think I was going to eat that peach," I said, +for the thought of the affair made my supper seem to choke me. + +"If I thought you were the sort of boy who couldn't be trusted, my lad, +you wouldn't be here," said Mr Solomon quietly. "Bit more fat, +mother." + +I brightened up, and he saw it. + +"Why, of course not, my lad. Didn't I trust you, and send you in among +my choice grapes, and ripe figs, and things. There, say no more about +it. Gardeners don't grow fruit to satisfy their mouths, but their eyes, +and their minds, my lad. Eat away. Don't let a squabble with a +schoolboy who hasn't learned manners spoil your supper. We've never had +any children; but if we had, Grant, I don't think they would be like +that." + +"They make me miserable when they are at home," said Mrs Solomon, +speaking almost for the first time. + +"Don't see why they should," said Mr Solomon, with his voice sounding +as if his tongue were a little mixed up with his supper. "Why, they +don't come here." + +"They might be made such different boys if properly trained." + +"They'll come right by and by, but for the present, Grant, you steer +clear of them. They're just like a couple of young slugs, or so much +blight in the garden now." + +The supper was ended, and Mrs Solomon, in a very quiet, quick way, +cleared the cloth, and after she had done, placed a Bible on the table, +out of which Mr Solomon read a short chapter, and then shook hands with +me and sent me away happy. + +"Good night, my lad!" he said. "It's all strange to you now, and we're +not noisy jolly sort of people, but you're welcome here, and we shall +get on." + +"Yes," said Mrs Solomon in a very cold stern way that did not seem at +all inviting or kind. "Come along and I'll show you your bed-room." + +I followed her upstairs and into a little room with a sloping ceiling +and a window looking out upon the garden; and at the sight of the neat +little place, smelling of lavender, and with some flowers in a jug upon +the drawers, the depression which kept haunting me was driven away. + +Everything looked attractive--the clean white bed and its dainty +hangings, the blue ewer and basin on the washstand, the picture or two +on the wall, and the strips of light-coloured carpet on the white floor, +all made the place cheerful and did something to recompense me for the +trouble of having to leave what seemed to be my regular home, and come +from one who had of late been most fatherly and kind, to people who were +not likely to care for me at all. + +"I think there's everything you want," said Mrs Solomon, looking at me +curiously. "Soap and towel, and of course you've got your hair-brush +and things in your box there." + +She pointed at the corded box which stood in front of the table. + +"If there's anything you want you can ask. I hope you'll be very +clean." + +"I'll try to be, ma'am," I said, feeling quite uncomfortable, she looked +at me so coldly. + +"You can use those drawers, and your box can go in the back room. +Good-night!" + +She went away and shut the door, looking wonderfully clean and prim, but +depressing instead of cheering me; and as soon as she was gone I +uncorded my box, wondering whether I should be able to stay, and wishing +myself back at Isleworth. + +I had taken out my clothes and had reached the bottom of my box, anxious +to see whether the treasures I had there in a flat case, consisting of +pinned-out moths and butterflies, were all right and had not been shaken +out of place by the jolting of the cart, when there was a sharp tap at +the door and Mr Solomon came in. + +"Hullo!" he said; "butterflies and moths!--eh?" + +He spoke quite angrily, as it seemed to me, and chilled me, as I felt +that he would not like me to do such a thing as collect. + +"Hah!" he said. "I used to do that when I was a boy. There's lots +here; but don't go after them when you're at work." + +"No, sir," I said. + +"Thought I'd come up, my lad, as it's all strange to you. I haven't +much to say to you, only keep away from those boys. Let 'em talk, but +never you mind." + +"I'll try, sir." + +"That's right. Work to-morrow morning at six. You may begin sooner if +you like. I often, do. Breakfast at eight; dinner at twelve; tea at +five, and then work's supposed to be done. I generally go in the houses +then. Always something wants doing there." + +He stood thinking and looking as cold and hard as could be while I +waited for him to speak again; but he did not for quite five minutes, +during which time he stood picking up my comb and dropping it back into +the hair-brush. + +"Yes," he said suddenly, "I should go in for those late lettuces if I +was Ezra. He'd find a good sale for them when salads were getting +scarce. Celery's very good, but people don't like to be always tied +down to celery and endives--a tough kind of meat at the best of times. +If you write home--no, this is home now--if you write to Brother Ezra, +you say I hope he'll keep his word about the lettuces. Good-night!" + +I felt puzzled as soon as he had gone, and had not the slightest idea +how I felt towards the people with whom I was to pass months--perhaps +years. + +"I shall never like Mrs Solomon," I said to myself dolefully; "and I +shall only like him half and half--liking him sometimes and not caring +for him at others." + +I was very tired, and soon after I was lying in the cool sweet sheets +thinking about my new home, and watching the dimly-seen window; and then +it seemed to be all light and to look over Old Brownsmith's garden, +where Shock was pelting at me with pellets of clay thrown from the end +of a switch. And all the time he came nearer and nearer till the +pellets went right over my shoulder, and they grew bigger till they were +peaches that he kept sticking on the end of the switch, and as he threw +them they broke with a noise that was like the word _Push_! + +I wanted to stop him, but I could not till he threw one peach with all +his might, and the switch caught me across the back, and I retaliated by +taking it away and thrashing him. + +Then I woke with a start, and found I had been dreaming. I lay for a +few minutes after that in the darkness thinking that I would learn all I +could about fruit-growing as fast as possible, so as to know everything, +and get back to Old Brownsmith; and then all at once I found myself +sitting up in bed listening, with the sun shining in at one side of my +blind, while I was wondering where I was and how I had come there. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +I BEGIN WORK. + +Boys like sleep in the morning, but the desire to cuddle up for a few +minutes more and to go back to dreamland is not there on the first +morning at a new home or at a fresh school. + +On that particular morning I did not feel in the least sleepy, only +uncomfortably nervous; and, hearing voices through the wall, I jumped up +and dressed quickly, to find on going down that Mr Solomon was in the +kitchen putting on his thick boots. + +"Just coming to call you," he said, nodding. "Harpus five. Hah! change +coming," he cried, stamping his feet in his boots; "rain--rain. Come +along." + +He unbolted the door and I followed him out, drawing a breath of the +sweetly fragrant air as we stepped at once into the bright sunshine, +where the flowers were blooming and the trees were putting forth their +strength. + +But I had no opportunity for looking about the garden, for Mr Solomon +led the way at once to the stoke-holes down behind the glass-houses, +rattled open the doors, and gave a stoke here with a great iron rod, and +a poke there where the fires were caked together; while, without waiting +to be asked, I seized upon the shovel I saw handy and threw on some +coke. + +"Far back as you can, my lad," said Mr Solomon. "Seems a rum time of +year to be having fires; but we're obliged to keep up a little, +specially on cloudy days." + +This done, he led the way into one of the sunken pits where the melons +were growing, and after reaching in among them and snipping off a runner +or two he routed out a slug and killed it. + +Then turning to me: + +"First thing in gardening, Grant, is to look out for your enemies. +You'll never beat them; all you can do is to keep 'em down. Now look +here," he said, picking off a melon leaf and holding it before me, +"What's the matter with that?" + +"I don't see much the matter," I said, "only that the leaf looks specked +a little with yellow, as if it was unhealthy." + +"Turn it over," he said. + +I did, and looked at it well. + +"There are a few red specks on it--very small ones," I said. + +"Good eyes," he said approvingly. "That's what's the matter, my lad. +You've seen the greatest enemy we have under glass. Those red specks, +so small that you can hardly see them, cover the lower parts of the +leaves with tiny cobwebs and choke the growth while they suck all the +goodness out, and make the yellow specks on the top by sucking all the +sap from the leaves." + +"What, those tiny specks!" + +"Yes, those little specks would spoil all our melon plants if we did not +destroy them--melons, cucumbers, vines, peaches, and nectarines-- +anything almost under glass. But there's your gun and ammunition; load +up and shoot 'em. Never give them any rest." + +I looked at him wonderingly, for he was pointing at a syringe standing +in a pail of soapy-looking water. + +"Yes," he continued, "that's right--kill 'em when you can. If you leave +them, and greenfly, and those sort of things, alone till to-morrow, by +that time they're turned into great-grandfathers, and have got such a +family of little ones about 'em that your leaves are ten times worse." + +"But what are those red specks?" I said. + +"Red spider, boy. Now I'll show you. This is my plan to keep my plants +healthy: have a bucket of soap and water in every house, and a syringe +in it. Then you take it up as soon as you see the mischief and kill it +at once. It's all handy for you, same as it is to have a bit of matting +hanging up on a nail, ready to tie up the stem that wants it. Somebody +said, Grant, `A stitch in time saves nine,' it ought to have been, `A +washed leaf keeps off grief.' See here." + +He took the syringe, filled it, and sent a fine shower beneath the +leaves of the melons, where they were trained over a trellis, thoroughly +washing them all over. + +"Now you try," he said, and taking off my jacket I syringed away +vigorously, while with matting and knife he tied in some loose strands +and cut off others, so as to leave the vines neat. + +"That'll do for the present," he said; "but mind this, Grant, if ever +you see an enemy, shoot him while he's a single man if you can. Wait +till to-morrow, you'll have to shoot all his relations too." + +He led the way out of the pit, and round by the grounds, where different +men were at work mowing and sweeping, the short cut grass smelling +delicious in the morning air. He spoke to first one and then another in +a short business-like way, and then went on with me to one of the great +conservatories up by the house. + +"I might put you to that sort of work, Grant," he said, giving his head +a backward jerk; "but that wants no brains. Work under glass does. You +want to work with your hands and your head. Now we'll have a tidy up in +here. Sir Francis likes plenty of bright flowers." + +I should have liked to stop looking about as soon as we were in the +large glass building, which was one mass of bloom; but following Mr +Solomon's example I was soon busily snipping off dead flowers and +leaves, so as to make the various plants tidy; and I was extremely busy +in one corner over this when I suddenly found that Mr Solomon was +watching me, and that a big bell was ringing somewhere. + +"That's right," he said, nodding his head in a satisfied way. "That's +what I want. You don't know much yet, but you will. If I was to set +one of those men to do that he'd have knocked off half the buds, and-- +what have you been doing there?" + +"I tied up those two flower-stems," I said. "Wasn't it right, sir?" + +"Right and wrong, my lad," he said, whipping out his knife and cutting +them free. "Look here." + +He took a piece of wet matting--a mere strip--and tied them up again, +with his big fingers moving so quickly and cleverly that I wondered. + +"There, that's the way. Looks the same as you did it, eh?" + +"Yes," I said, smiling. + +"No, it isn't. You tied yours in front of the stem, with an ugly knot +to rub and fret it, and make a sore place when the windows were open. +I've put a neat band round mine, and the knot rests on the stick." + +"Oh, I see!" I cried. + +"Yes, Grant, there's a right way and a wrong way, and somehow the +natural way is generally the wrong. Never saw one tried, but I believe +if you took a savage black and told him to get up on a horse, he would +go on the wrong side, put his left foot in the stirrup, and throw his +right leg over, and come down sitting with his face to the tail. +Breakfast." + +"What! so soon?" I said. + +"Soon! Why, it's past eight." + +I was astounded, the time had gone so quickly; and soon after I was +saying "good morning" to Mrs Solomon, and partaking of the plain meal. + +"Well?" said Mrs Solomon in her cold impassive way. + +Mr Solomon was so busy with a piece of cold bacon and some bread that +he did not look up, and Mrs Solomon waited patiently till he raised his +head and gave her a nod. + +"I am glad," she said, giving a sigh as if she were relieved; and then +she turned to me and looked quite pleasantly at me, and taking my cup, +refilled it with coffee, and actually smiled. + +"Notice the missus?" said Mr Solomon, as, after a glance at his big +silver watch, he had suddenly said "Harpusate," and led the way to the +vineries. + +"Notice Mrs Brownsmith?" I said. + +"Yes; see anything about her?" + +"I thought she looked better this morning than she did last night. Was +she ill?" + +"Yes," he said shortly. "Get them steps." + +I fetched _them_ steps, and thought that a gardener might just as well +be grammatical. + +He opened them out, and opening his knife, cut a few strands of matting +ready, stuck them under one of his braces, after taking off his coat, +and then climbed up to the top to tie in a long green cane of the +grape-vine. + +"Hold the steps steady," he said; and then with his head in amongst the +leaves he went on talking. + +"Bit queer in the head," he said slowly, and with his face averted. +"Shied at you." + +I stared. His wife was not a horse, and I thought they were the only +things that shied; but I found I was wrong, for Mr Solomon went on: + +"I did, too. Ezra said a lot about you. Fine young shoot this, ain't +it?" + +I said it was, for it was about ten feet long and as thick as my finger, +and it seemed wonderful that it should have grown like that in a few +months; but all the time my cheeks were tingling as I wondered what Old +Brownsmith had said about me. + +"Sounded all right, but it's risky to take a boy into your house when +you are comfortable without, you see." + +I felt ashamed and hurt that I should have been talked of so, and +remained silent. + +"The missus said you might be dirty and awkward in the house. This cane +will be loaded next year if we get it well ripened this year, Grant. +That's why I'm tying it in here close to the glass, where it'll get +plenty of sun and air." + +"What! will that bear grapes next year, sir?" I said, for I felt +obliged to say something. + +"Yes; and when the leaves are off you shall cut this one right out down +at the bottom yonder." + +He tapped a beautiful branch or cane from the main stem, which was +bearing about a dozen fine bunches of grapes, and it seemed a pity; but +of course he knew best, and he began cutting and snapping out shoots and +big leaves between the new green cane and the glass. + +"She was afraid you'd be a nuisance to me, and said you'd be playing +with tops, and throwing stones, and breaking the glass. I told her that +Brother Ezra wouldn't send me such a boy as that; but she only shook her +head. `I know what boys are,' she said. `Look at her ladyship's two.' +But I said that you wouldn't be like them, and you won't, will you?" + +I laughed, for it seemed such a comical idea for me to be behaving as +Mrs Solomon had supposed. + +"What are you laughing at?" he said, looking down at me. + +"I was thinking about what Mrs Brownsmith said," I replied. + +"Oh yes! To be sure," he continued. "You'll like her. She's a very +nice woman. A very good woman. I've known her thirty years." + +"Have you had any children, sir?" I said. + +"No," he replied, looking at me with a twinkle in his eye; "and yet I've +always been looking after nurseries--all my life." + +In about an hour he finished his morning work in the vinery, and I went +out with him in the garden, where he left me to tidy up a great bed of +geraniums with a basket and a pair of scissors. + +"I've got to see to the men now," he said. "By-and-by we'll go and have +a turn at the cucumbers." + +The bed I was employed upon was right away from the house in a sort of +nook where the lawn ran up amongst some great Portugal laurels. It was +a mass of green and scarlet, surrounded by shortly cropped grass, and I +was very busy in the hot sunshine, enjoying my task, and now and then +watching the thrushes that kept hopping out on to the lawn and then back +under the shelter of the evergreens, when I suddenly saw a shadow, and, +turning sharply, found that my friend of the peach-house had come softly +up over the grass with another lad very much like him, but a little +taller, and probably a couple of years older. + +"Hullo, pauper!" said the first. + +I felt my cheeks tingle, and my tongue wanted to say something very +sharp, but I kept my teeth closed for a moment and then said: + +"Good morning, sir!" + +He took no notice of this, but turned to his brother and whispered +something, when they both laughed together; and as I bent down over my +work I felt as if I must have looked very much like one of the scarlet +geraniums whose dead blossom stems I was taking out. + +Of course, a boy with a well-balanced brain and plenty of sound, honest, +English stuff in him ought to be able to treat with contempt the jeering +and laughter of those who are teasing him; but somehow I'm afraid that +there are very few boys who can bear being laughed at with equanimity. +I know, to be frank, I could not, for as those two lads stared at me and +then looked at each other and whispered, and then laughed heartily-- +well, no; not heartily, but in a forced way, I felt my face burn and my +fingers tingle. My mouth seemed to get a little dry, too, and the +thought came upon me in the midst of my sensations that I wanted to get +up and fight. + +The circumstances were rather exceptional, for I was suffering from two +sore places. One started from my shoulder and went down my back, where +there must have been the mark of the cane; the other was a mental sore, +caused by the word _pauper_, which seemed to rankle and sting more than +the cut from the cane. + +Of course I ought to have treated it as beneath my notice, but whoever +reads this will have found out before now that I was very far from +perfect; and as those two lads evidently saw my annoyance, and went on +trying to increase it, I bent over my work in a vicious way, and kept on +taking out the dead leaves and stems as if they were some of the enemies +Mr Solomon had been talking about in the pits. + +All at once, as I was bending down, I heard Courtenay, the elder boy, +say: + +"What did he say--back to school and be flogged?" + +"Yes," said Philip aloud; "but he didn't know. They only flog workhouse +boys and paupers." + +"I say, though," said Courtenay, "who is that chap grubbing out the +slugs and snails?" + +My back was turned, and I went on with my work. "What! that chap I +spoke to?" said Philip; "why, I told you. He's a pauper." + +"Is he?" + +"Yes, and Browny fetched him from the workhouse. Brought him home in +the cart. He's going to be a caterpillar crusher." + +I felt as if I should have liked to be a boy crusher, and have run at +him with my fists clenched, and drubbed him till he roared for mercy, +but I did not stir. + +"Then what's he doing here?" said Courtenay in a sour, morose tone of +voice. "He ought to be among the cabbages, and not here." + +This was as if they were talking to themselves, but meant for me to +hear. + +"Old Browny was afraid to put him there for fear he'd begin wolfing +them. I caught him as soon as he came. He got loose, and I found him +in the peach-house eating the peaches, but I dropped on to him with the +cane and made the beggar howl." + +"Old Browny ought to look after him," said Courtenay. + +"Don't I tell you he ran away. I expect Browny will have to put a +dog-collar and chain on him, and drive a stake down in the +kitchen-garden to keep him from eating the cabbages when he's +caterpillaring. These workhouse boys are such hungry beggars." + +"Put a muzzle on him like they do on a ferret," said Courtenay; and then +they laughed together. + +"Hasn't he got a rum phiz?" said Philip, who, I soon found, was the +quicker with his tongue. + +"Yes; don't talk so loud: he'll hear you. Just like a monkey," said +Courtenay; and they laughed again. + +"I say, is he going to stop?" said Courtenay. + +"I suppose so. They want a boy to scrape the shovels and light the +fires, and go up the hothouse chimneys to clear out the soot. He's just +the sort for that." + +"He'll have to polish Old Browny's boots, too." + +"Yes; and wash Mother Browny's stockings. I say, Court, don't he look a +hungry one?" + +"Regular wolf," said Courtenay; and there was another laugh. + +"I say," said Courtenay, "I don't believe he's a workhouse." + +"He is, I tell you; Browny went and bought him yesterday. They sell 'em +cheap. You can have as many as you like almost for nothing. They're +glad to get rid of 'em." + +"I wonder what they'd say to poor old Shock!" I thought to myself. +"I'm glad he isn't here." + +"I don't care," said Courtenay; "I think he's a London street boy. He +looks like it from the cut of his jib." + +I paid not the slightest heed, but my heart beat fast and I could feel +the perspiration standing all over my face. + +"I don't care; he's a pauper. I wonder what Old Browny will feed him +on." + +"Skilly," said Courtenay; and the boys laughed again. All at once I +felt a push with a foot, and if I had not suddenly stiffened my arms I +should have gone down and broken some of the geraniums, but they +escaped, and I leaped to my feet and faced them angrily. + +"Here, what's your name?" said Courtenay haughtily. + +I swallowed my annoyance, and answered: + +"Grant." + +"What a name for a boy!" said Courtenay. "I say, Phil, isn't his hair +cut short. He ought to have his ears trimmed too. Here, where are your +father and mother?" + +I felt a catch in my throat as I tried to answer steadily: + +"Dead." + +"There, I told you so," cried Philip. "He hasn't got any father or +mother. Didn't you come out of the workhouse, pauper?" + +"No," I said steadily, as my fingers itched to strike him. + +"Here, what was your father?" said Courtenay. + +I did not answer. + +"Do you hear? And say `sir' when you speak," cried Courtenay with a +brutal insolent manner that seemed to fit with his dark thin face. "I +say, do you hear, boy?" + +"Yes," I replied. + +"Yes, _sir_, you beggar," cried Courtenay. "What was your father?" + +"He don't know," cried Philip grinning. "Pauper boys don't know. +They're all mixed up together, and they call 'em Sunday, Monday, +Tuesday, or names of streets or places, anything. He doesn't know what +his father was. He was mixed up with a lot more." + +"I'll make him answer," said Courtenay. "Here, what was your father?" + +"An officer and a gentleman," I said proudly. + +"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Philip, dancing about with delight, and hanging on +to his brother, who laughed too. "Here's a game--a gardener's boy a +gentleman! Oh my!" + +I was sorry I had said those words, but they slipped out, and I stood +there angry and mortified before my tormentors. + +"I say, Court, don't he look like a gentleman? Look at the knees of his +trousers, and his fists." + +"Never mind," said Courtenay, "I want to bat. Look here, you, sir, can +you play cricket?" + +"Yes," I said, "a little." + +"Yes, _sir_, you beggar; how many more times am I to tell you! Come out +in the field. You've got to bowl for us. Here, catch!" + +He threw a cricket-ball he had in his hand at me with all his might, and +in a nasty spiteful way, but I caught it, and in a jeering way Philip +shouted: + +"Well fielded. Here, come on, Court. We'll make the beggar run." + +I hesitated, for I wanted to go on with my work, but these were my +master's sons, and I felt that I ought to obey. + +"What are you standing staring like that for, pauper?" cried Philip. +"Didn't you hear Mr Courtenay say you were to come on and bowl?" + +"What do you want, young gentleman?" said a voice that was very welcome +to me; and Mr Solomon came from behind the great laurels. + +"What's that to you, Browny? He's coming to bowl for us in the field," +said Courtenay. + +"No, he is not," said Mr Solomon coolly. "He's coming to help me in +the cucumber house." + +"No, he isn't," said Philip; "he's coming to bowl for us. Come along, +pauper." + +I threw the ball towards him and it fell on the lawn, for neither of the +boys tried to catch it. + +"Here, you, sir," cried Courtenay furiously, "come and pick up this +ball." + +I glanced at Mr Solomon and did not stir. + +"Do you hear, you, sir! come and pick up this ball," said Courtenay. + +"Now, pauper, look alive," said Philip. + +I turned and stooped down over my work. + +"I say, Court, we're not going to stand this, are we?" + +"Go into the field and play, boys," said Mr Solomon coldly; "we've got +to work." + +"Yes, paupers have to work," said Courtenay with a sneer. + +"If I thought that worth notice, young fellow, I'd make you take that +word back," said Mr Solomon sternly. + +"Yes, it's all right, Courtenay; the boy isn't a pauper." + +"You said he was." + +"Yes, but it was a mistake," sneered Philip; "he says he's a gentleman." + +The two boys roared with laughter, and Mr Solomon looked red. + +"Look here, Grant," he said quietly, "if being a gentleman is to be like +these two here, don't you be one, but keep to being a gardener." + +"Ha, ha, ha!--ho, ho, ho!" they both laughed. "A gentleman! Pretty +sort of a gentleman." + +"Pauper gentleman," cried Philip maliciously. "Yes, I daresay he has +got a title," said Courtenay, who looked viciously angry at being +thwarted; and he was the more enraged because Mr Solomon bent down and +helped me at the bed, taking no notice whatever of the orders for me to +go. + +"Yes," said Philip; "he's a barrow-net--a wheelbarrow-net. Ha, ha, ha!" + +"With a potato-fork for his crest." + +"And ragged coat without any arms," said Philip. + +"And his motto is `Oh the poor workhouse boy!'" cried Courtenay. + +"There, that will do, Grant," said Mr Solomon. "Let these little boys +amuse themselves. It won't hurt us. Bring your basket." + +"Yes, take him away, Browny," cried Philip. + +"Ah, young fellows, your father will find out some day what nice boys +you are! Come along, Grant and let these young _gentlemen_ talk till +they're tired." + +"Yes, go on," cried Philip; while I saw Courtenay turn yellow with rage +at the cold bitter words Mr Solomon used. "Take away your pauper--take +care of your gentleman--go and chain him up, and give him his skilly. +Go on! take him to his kennel. Oh, I say, Courtenay--a gentleman! What +a game!" + +I followed Mr Solomon with my face wrinkled and lips tightened up, till +he turned round and looked at me and then clapped his hand on my +shoulder. + +"Bah!" he said laughing; "you are not going to mind that, my lad. It +isn't worth a snap of the fingers. I wish, though, you hadn't said +anything about being a gentleman." + +"So do I, sir," I said. "It slipped out, though, and I was sorry when +it was too late." + +"Never mind; and don't you leave your work for them. Now come and have +a look at my cucumber house, and then--ha, ha, ha! there's something +better than skilly for dinner, my boy." + +I found out that Mr Solomon had another nature beside the one that +seemed cold. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +SIR FRANCIS AND A FRIEND. + +The next few days passed pleasantly enough, for I saw very little of the +two young gentlemen, who spent a good deal of their time in a meadow +beyond the garden, playing cricket and quarrelling. Once there seemed +to have been a fight, for I came upon Philip kneeling down by a +watering-pot busy with his handkerchief bathing his face, and the state +of the water told tales of what had happened to his nose. + +As he seemed in trouble I was about to offer him my services, but he +turned upon me so viciously with, "Hullo! pauper, what do you want?" +that I went away. + +The weather was lovely, and while it was so hot Mr Solomon used to do +the principal part of his work in the glass houses at early morn and in +the evening. + +"Makes us work later, Grant," he used to say apologetically; "but as +it's for our own convenience we ought not to grumble." + +"I'm not going to grumble, sir," I said laughing; "all that training and +tying in is so interesting, I like it." + +"That's right," he said, patting me on the shoulder; "always try and +like your work; take a pride in it, my man, and it will turn up trumps +some time or another. It means taking prizes." + +I had not seen Sir Francis yet, for he had been away, and I could not +help feeling a little nervous about our first meeting. Still I was +pretty happy there, and I felt that in spite of a few strong sensations +of longing to be back at the old garden with Ike and Shock, I was +getting to like my new life very much indeed, and that as soon as the +two boys had gone back to their school I should be as happy as could be. + +I was gradually getting to like Mr Solomon, and Mrs Solomon grew more +kind to me every day. The men about the garden, too, were all very +civil to me, and beyond a little bit of good-humoured banter from them +now and then I had no cause for complaint. + +My great fear was that they would catch up the name young Philip had +bestowed upon me. That they knew of it I had pretty good evidence, for +one day when I was busy over one of the verbena beds--busy at a task Mr +Solomon had set me after the sun had made the peach-house too hot, a big +bluff gardener came and worked close by me, mowing the grass in a shady +part under some trees. + +"It's dry, and cuts like wire," he said, stopping to wipe his scythe and +give it a touch with the stone, making the blade ring and send forth +what always sounded to be pleasant music to me. + +"Oughtn't you to cut it when the dew is on?" I said. + +"Yes, squire, if you can," he replied; "but there is so much grass we +can't get over it all in the early morning." + +He went on mowing, and I continued my task of pegging down the long +shoots of the beautiful scarlet, crimson, and white flowers, just as Mr +Solomon had instructed me, when all at once he came and looked on, +making me feel very nervous; but he nodded and went away, so I supposed +he was satisfied, and I worked on again as cheerfully as could be, till +all at once I felt the blood flush up in my face, for the voice of young +Philip Dalton came unpleasantly grating on my ear, as he said: + +"Hullo, Bunce, mowing again?" + +"Yes, Master Philup, mowin' again." + +"Why, you've got the pauper there!" cried Philip. "I say, did you know +he was a pauper?" + +"No," said Bunce, "I didn't know. Do you want your legs ampytated?" + +"No, stoopid, of course I don't." + +"Then get outer the way or I shall take 'em off like carrots." + +"Get out!" said Philip, as I saw that he was watching me. "I say, +though, did you know that he was a pauper, and lived on skilly?" + +"No," said the gardener quietly; and I felt as if I must get up and go +away, for now I knew I should be a mark of contempt for the whole staff +who worked in the garden. + +"He was," said Philip. + +"Pauper, was he?" said Bunce, making his scythe glide round in a half +circle. "I shouldn't ha' thought it." + +"Oh but he was or is, and always will be," said the boy maliciously. +"Once a pauper always a pauper. Look at him." + +"I've been a looking at him," said Bunce slowly, for he was a big +meditative man, and he stood upright, took a piece of flannel from the +strap that supported his whetstone sheath, and wiped the blade of the +scythe. + +"Well, can't you see?" cried my tormentor, watching me as I worked away +and assumed ignorance of his presence. + +"No," said Bunce sturdily; "and seeing what a long, yellow, +lizardly-looking wisp you are, Master Phil, if you two changed clothing +I should pick you out as the pauper." + +"How dare you!" cried the boy fiercely. + +"Mind the scythe," shouted Bunce; "d'yer want to get cut?" + +"You insolent old worm chopper, how dare you call me a pauper?" + +"I didn't call you a pauper," said Bunce chuckling; "did I, Grant?" + +"No," I said. + +"You're a liar, you pauper!" cried the boy, who was furious. "I'll tell +papa--I'll tell Sir Francis, and you shall both be discharged, you +blackguards." + +"I'm just going to mow there, squire," said Bunce, sharpening away at +his scythe. + +"Then you'll wait till I choose to move." + +"If you don't get out of the way I shall take the soles off your boots," +said Bunce, putting back his rubber. + +"I'll speak to papa about your insolence," cried the boy, with his eyes +flashing and his fists clenched; and I thought he was going to strike +Bunce. + +"Well," said a sharp ringing voice, "speak to him then. What is it?" + +I started to my feet, and Bunce touched his cap to a tall elderly +gentleman with closely-cut grey hair and a very fierce-looking white +moustache, whose keen eyes seemed to look me through and through. + +"I said, what is it, Phil?" cried the newcomer, whom I felt to be Sir +Francis before Philip spoke. + +"This fellow called me a pauper, pa!" + +Sir Francis turned sharply on Bunce, who did not seem in the slightest +degree alarmed. + +"How dare you call my son a pauper, sir?" he said sternly. + +"I--" + +"Stop!" cried Sir Francis. "Here, you boy, go away and wait till I call +you. Not far." + +"Yes, sir," I said; and I walked away thinking what a fierce quick man +he seemed, and not knowing then that he was one of the magistrates. + +A minute later he called to me to go back, and as soon as I had reached +him, with Philip by his side and Bunce before him, Philip stepped back +and held up his fist at me menacingly. + +He thought the movement was unobserved by his stepfather; but Sir +Francis, who was an old Indian officer, noted the act, as he showed us +directly after. + +"Now, boy," he said, "what's your name?" + +"Grant, Sir Francis." + +"Well, Grant, did this under-gardener call Master Philip a pauper?" + +I told him exactly what had occurred, and Sir Francis turned sharply on +his step-son. + +"You were already self-condemned, Philip," he said sternly. "I saw you +threaten this boy with your fist. The way to win respect from those +beneath you in station is to treat them with respect." + +"But, papa--" + +"Hold your tongue, sir," said Sir Francis sternly. + +"I had eight hundred men in my regiment, and all the band came from one +of the unions, and better fellows could not be found. My lad," he +continued, "I dare say you know that pauper only means poor. It is no +disgrace to be poor. Philip, go indoors." + +"That's a flea in his ear," said Bunce chuckling, as Sir Francis went +one way, Philip the other. "What do you think of the master?" + +"He seems very sharp and angry," I said, returning to my work. + +"He's all that," said the man; "but he's a reg'lar gentleman. He always +drops on to them two if he catches 'em up to their larks. Nice boys +both of 'em." + +That word _pauper_ rankled a good deal in my breast, for it was quite +evident to me that Sir Francis thought I was from one of the unions, and +I had had no opportunity of showing him that I was not. + +"But I will show him," I said to myself angrily. "He sha'n't see +anything in me to make him believe it. It's too bad." + +I was busy, as I said that, arranging a barrowful of plants in rows, +where they were to be surrounded with earth, "plunged," as we called it, +under the shelter of a wall, where they would get warmth and sunshine +and grow hardy and strong, ready for taking in to the shelter of the +greenhouse when the weather turned cold. + +It was some days since I had seen Philip; but, weakly enough, I let the +memory of that word rankle still. + +To carry out my task I had to fetch a pot at a time from the large wide +barrow, and set them down in the trench that had been cut for them. +This necessitated stooping, and as I was setting one down a lump of +something caught me so smartly on the back that I nearly dropped the +flower-pot and started upright, looking round for the thrower of the +piece of clay, for there it was at my feet. + +I could not see, but I guessed at once that it was Philip, though it +might have been Courtenay hiding behind some gooseberry bushes or the +low hornbeam hedge, about twenty yards away. + +"I won't take any notice of the ill-bred young cubs," I said to myself +angrily; and I stooped and arranged the pot in its place and went back +for another, when _whack_! came another well-aimed piece, and hit me on +the side of the cap. + +"You--" + +I stopped myself, as I banged down the pot in a rage--stopped words and +act, for I was going to run towards the spot whence the clay seemed to +have come. + +"It's only play after all," I said to myself. "I'll show them, pauper +or no, that I'm above being annoyed by such a trifle as that." + +I moved a couple more pots, when something whizzed by my ear, and then I +was hit on the shoulder by a little raw potato. + +I wanted to run round to the back of the hornbeam hedge, which had been +planted to shelter plants and not sharpshooters, but I restrained +myself. + +"Playing cricket makes them take such good aim," I thought to myself, as +a piece of clay hit me on the back again; and I worked hard to finish my +task so as to get to the pit from which I was fetching the pots down to +the grass walk where I was; and I had got to the last pot, when, in +stooping to put it in its place, _plop_ came a soft lump of clay on the +nape of my neck, and began to slip under my collar. + +Down went the pot, and my cap on to the plant, and I turned sharp round, +certain now that the missiles had been sent, not from the shelter hedge +nor the gooseberry bushes, but from the wall, and there, sure enough, +with his head and shoulders above the top, was my assailant. + +My angry look changed to a bland smile as I saw the ragged straw hat +with the hair standing out of the top, and the grubby face of Shock +looking at me with his eyes twinkling and the skin all round wrinkled, +while the rest of his face was sour. + +"Why, Shock!" I cried; "who'd have thought of seeing you? How did you +get there?" + +"Clum up." + +"Did Mr Brownsmith send you?" + +He shook his head. + +"How is it you are here, then?" + +"Hooked it." + +"Why, you haven't run away?" + +"I jest have, though." + +"But you are going back?" + +He shook his head with all his might. + +"I've sin you lots o' times," he said. + +"When?" + +"Yes'day. Day afore, and day afore that." + +"What! have you been here three days?" Shock nodded. + +"Where have you slept, then?" + +"Haystack." + +"And what have you had to eat?" + +"Bread. Lots o' things I fun' in the fields. Rabbud." + +"Who's that boy?" said a sharp voice that well knew; and Shock's head +disappeared. + +"Mr Ezra Brownsmith's boy, Sir Francis," I said. "He used to work with +me." + +"Was he from the workhouse?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis." + +"Tell him not to do that again, and don't you encourage him. I don't +approve of it. Go on with your work." + +I took the barrow handles and wheeled it away, biting my lips, for it +had suddenly struck me that Sir Francis thought that I was talking to a +boy who was my companion in the workhouse, and it seemed as if fate was +fixing the term pauper upon me so tightly that I should not be able to +get it removed. + +Plenty of little annoyances occurred, but I put up with them; and not +the least was the appearance of Shock at the top of first one wall and +then another, but never near enough to speak to me. + +He showed himself so often here and there that I used to go about the +garden feeling sure that he was watching me; and at last I found, to my +horror, that he had grown more bold, and used to get into the garden, +for one day I caught sight of him creeping on hands and knees among the +gooseberry bushes. + +I started in pursuit, but stopped directly, feeling sure that if I did +so the act would result in trouble to us both, and determined to write +to Mr Ezra about him. I was glad I did so the next minute, for +Courtenay and Philip came down the garden to amuse themselves picking +gooseberries and eating them. + +I was busy watering some celery that had been planted in trenches and +shaded from the hot sun. + +To do this I had a barrel fitted on wheels in a sort of barrow. From +this I filled my can by dipping it, and when I had finished I had to go +down to the bottom of the garden to a good-sized pond and reverse the +process, dipping a bucket at some steps and filling the barrel. + +I had filled my barrel once, and was busy dipping my can and thinking +about Shock and what would be the consequences if he were seen by the +two boys, when I suddenly found them by me, each with his cap full of +ripe gooseberries, which they were eating as they watched me; and after +giving his brother a look, Philip opened the annoyance by saying: + +"Come, pauper, work away." + +I took no notice, when a half-sucked gooseberry struck me on the arm. + +It was a disgusting act on the young coward's part, but though in a +moment I felt on fire, I only wiped it off, when Courtenay threw one and +hit me on the face. + +I wiped that away too, and raising my can stepped off the path on to the +bed to go to the trench, but not in time to avoid a large over-ripe +gooseberry which smashed as it struck me in the ear and began to trickle +down. + +I was in such a rage that the roar of laughter from my two tyrants half +maddened me, and I watered that celery in a way that washed some of the +roots quite bare. + +They were waiting for me when I got back to the tub, and, emboldened by +the patient way in which I bore their insults, they kept on pelting me +with the over-ripe fruit till I had it in my hair, my eyes, and down +within the collar of my shirt. + +I ground my teeth with rage, and felt that I could bear it no longer, +but I made no sign. + +Then they pelted me with words too, inventing ridiculous names, asking +me about the workhouse food, and at last I determined to bear it no +longer, but go straight up to the house and show Sir Francis the state I +was in and beg him to put a stop to this annoyance. + +But just then it flashed upon my mind that Sir Francis and her ladyship +had gone out the day before to stay somewhere for a fortnight, and this +explained the boldness of the two young ruffians, who had never behaved +so outrageously before. + +"If I go and tell Mr Solomon," I thought, "he will only tell me I was +foolish to take any notice;" and at last, writhing with annoyance, I +emptied the barrel and trundled it down to the pond, hoping to leave my +tormentors behind. + +But no; they followed me and continued their assaults as soon as they +had replenished their caps with the gooseberries that were abundant on +the bushes, over-ripe many of them, and of monstrous size. + +"Did you ever see such a coward?" said Philip. + +"Like all these paupers," cried Courtenay. "Ha! ha! ha! right in the +ear." + +I stamped with rage for his words were true about his aim, though I did +not feel cowardly, for I was working hard to do my duty and keep my +hands from my assailants. + +"Give him one in the eye," said Philip. "Bet you twopence, Court, I hit +him first in the eye." + +They went on pelting and I went on filling my barrel, dipping with the +bucket and pouring it in, and a dozen times over it was all I could do +to keep from discharging the contents of the pail in Courtenay's face. + +Full at last, and I was ready to go up the garden again. + +I glanced round in the hope of seeing Mr Solomon or Bunce or one of the +other gardeners; but they were all busy in the upper gardens, while I +was quite shut in here with my tormentors. + +"Here, let's get some more shot, Court," cried Philip. "I'll serve the +sneaking coward out for getting me in that row with pa." + +"Wait a bit," said his brother; "look at him. He goes down just like a +monkey. He's going to wash his gooseberry face." + +He was quite right, for I had laid my cap aside and stooped down at the +dipping place to wash off some of the seedy, sticky pulp before going +back. + +"Dirty brute!" said Philip. "I never saw such a coward in my life." + +I ought to have been on my guard and not have given them the opportunity +which I did, for as I stooped down there, crouching on my heels, I +placed a great temptation in Courtenay Dalton's way. For as I stooped +right down, scooping up the water with one hand to bathe my face, I +suddenly felt a sharp thrust from a foot on my back, and before I could +save myself I was head over heels in the deep water. + +It was not so deep but that I got my footing directly, and seizing the +post at the side tried to struggle out, when amidst shouts of laughter +Philip cried: + +"Give him another dowse. That's the way to wash a pauper clean." + +I was half-blind with the water, as Courtenay thrust my hand from the +post, and in I went again, to come up red hot instead of cold. + +He thrust me in again and I went right under; but my rage was not +quenched, and, taught by my experience, I made a rush as if to spring +out on to the dipping-place but instead of doing so I caught at a branch +of a willow by the side and sprang out. + +"Shake yourself, dog!" cried Courtenay, roaring with laughter. + +"Fetch him a towel," cried Philip. "A towel for the clean pauper. Give +him another ducking, Courtenay." + +He ran at me, but in those moments I had forgotten everything in my +thirst to be revenged on my cowardly persecutors. + +Philip only seemed to be something in my way as I made at his brother, +and throwing out one fist, he went down amongst the willows, while the +next minute I was striking at Courtenay with all my might. + +He was a bigger boy than I. Taller and older, and he had had many a +good fight at school no doubt; but my onslaught staggered him, and I +drove him before me, striking at him as he reached the handles of my +water-barrow, and he fell over them heavily. + +This only enraged him, and he sprang up and received my next blow right +in the face, to be staggered for the moment. + +Then I don't know what happened, only that my arms were going like +windmills, that I was battering Courtenay, and that he was battering me; +that we were down, and then up, and then down again, over and over, and +fighting fiercely as a couple of dogs. + +I think I was getting the best of it, when I began to feel weak, and +that my adversary was hitting me back and front at once. + +Then I realised that Philip had attacked me too, and that I was getting +very much the worst of it in a sort of thunderstorm which rained blows. + +Then the blows only came from one side, for there was a hoarse panting +and the sound of heavy blows and scuffling away from me, while I was +hitting out again with all my might at one boy instead of two. + +All at once there was a crash and the rattle of an iron handle, and +Courtenay went down. He had caught against the pail and fallen. + +This gave me time to glance round and see in a half-blinded way that +Philip was fighting with some other boy, who closed with him, and down +they went together. + +"Yah! yah! Cowards! cowards!" cried a voice that I well knew; and I saw +giddily that Courtenay and Philip were running up the path, and that +Shock was standing beside me. + +"Well done!" cried another voice. "What a licking you two give 'em!" + +Shock started, and ran, darting among the bushes, while I sat down on a +barrow-handle, feeling rather thick and dizzy. + +"I was coming to stop it. Two to one's too bad; but that ragged chap +come out at young Phil, and my word, he did give it him well. Are you +much hurt, my lad?" + +"No, not much, Mr Bunce," I said, staring at him in rather a confused +way. + +"Here, I'll get some water," he said; and he went and dipped a pailful. +"Bathe your face in that." + +I did so, and felt clearer and refreshed directly. + +"Go on," he said; "keep it up. It will stop the bleeding. What! have +you been in the pond?" + +"Yes," I said; "they've been pelting me this last half hour, and then +they pushed me in." + +"The young rips!" cried Bunce. "Never mind. I'm as pleased as if some +one had given me a sovereign." + +"Yes," I said dismally; "and they'll tell Sir Francis, and I shall have +to go." + +"Not you," said Bunce. "They're awful curs, but they're beaten, and +they won't tell." + +"Hallo! what's all this?" said Mr Solomon, coming up. + +Bunce told him. + +"And did he thrash 'em well?" said Mr Solomon, looking rather angry, +"the pair of them?" + +"No. They were too strong both at once, but that Ragged Jack of a chap +that's been hanging about--him as I told you of this morning--he come +out and tackled young Phil when he was on Grant's back, and my word +those two have gone off with their tails between their legs. Licked, +sir, licked out and out." + +"I suppose I shall be sent away, sir," I said, wringing the water out of +my shirt-sleeves. + +"I suppose you won't," said Mr Solomon sharply. "I've seen a deal, my +lad, and I wondered you didn't have a turn at them before. I didn't +think you'd got the stuff in you, to tell you the truth." + +"Oh, but he had!" said Bunce. "I wish you'd ha' seen." + +"Well, I'm sorry," said Mr Solomon. "No, I'm not; I'm glad. They'll +leave you alone now. There, go and change your things. It was time you +did strike. Here, I'll go with you, or you'll frighten the missus into +fits. I say," he shouted back, "keep a sharp look-out for that boy, and +catch him if you can. I must have him stopped." + +"Poor old Shock!" I thought, as I felt grateful to him for what he had +done. + +The next minute I was at the gardener's cottage, being scolded and wiped +by Mrs Solomon, who said she had never seen such a sight in her life, +and who was not happy till she had me down-stairs in dry things, bathing +one of my eyes, putting a leech on the other, and carefully strapping up +a cut on the back of my head. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +I HAVE A DIFFICULT TASK. + +The gardener was right. The fight was a lesson for the boys, who kept +at a distance from me, during the next few days, while our scratches and +bruises grew faint and began to heal. + +We had expected they would have been off to school; but for some reason, +illness I believe, the holidays were extended for a month, and so they +stayed, but I was pretty well left in peace. + +My first hint of Sir Francis' return was given by that gentleman +himself, who came upon me suddenly as I was busy in the peach-house. I +was painting away at the branches that had become infected with a +tiresome kind of blight, when I heard a sharp quick step behind me, and +my heart quailed, for I felt that it was Sir Francis about to take me to +task for my encounter with his sons. + +I kept busily on with my work, in the faint, hope that he might pass me +and say nothing, but he stopped short, and looked on as I busied myself +with my brush and the poisonous decoction that was to kill the insects. + +I was in agony, for I felt that he was looking me through and through, +and when he did speak at last I gave quite a jump. + +"Hah!" he exclaimed, "rather hard upon the insects. Well, Grant, how +are you getting on?" + +"Very well, Sir Francis, I think," I said. + +"Seen any more of that boy?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis," I said, colouring. + +"Climbed up the wall, has he?" + +"I don't know, Sir Francis," I replied; "but he has got into the garden +lately." + +"That's right, my lad, be frank," he said. "I know he has got into the +garden. I caught my young gentleman and took him to task. He says he +came because you were here." + +"I'm afraid that is why he did come, Sir Francis," I said. + +"Did you tell him to come?" + +"No, Sir Francis. We were never very friendly." + +"Ho!" he said, and he walked on looking at the peaches for a few +minutes, and then went away, leaving me to wipe the cold perspiration +off my forehead, for I had fully expected a severe scolding. + +I finished my task in the peach-house, and then went to see how the +celery was getting on, for I found that when Mr Solomon gave me a task +he expected me to continue to watch, whatever it was. + +"So that I may feel that when I have put anything in your hands it will +be properly done," he said more than once; so, feeling that I was +responsible for the success of the celery plants, I was on my way to the +bottom garden by the pond, thinking of the encounter I had when I was +busy watering there that day, when, as I turned down one of the alleys +of the garden, I saw a man in the distance digging up a piece of ground +with a broad spade, and turning over the soil in that easy regular way, +levelling it as he went, that experienced gardeners acquire. + +There was something in his way of digging that seemed familiar, and I +stopped and stared. The man stopped too, and glanced in my direction; +but he only scraped his spade and went on, while, as soon as I had seen +his profile I ran up to him and held out my hand. + +"Why, Ike!" I cried, "is that you?" + +He paused for a few moments, ran his hand over his nose, involuntarily, +I'm sure, glanced down at first one leg, and then the other, after which +he went on digging. + +"Yes," he said; "it's me." + +"Why, what are you doing here?" + +"Digging," he said gruffly, and, turning up a spadeful of earth, he gave +it a blow with the spade, as if he were boxing its ears, and levelled it +smoothly. + +"I know that," I cried; "but how is it you're here?" + +"Got took on." + +"Oh! I am glad," I cried. + +He looked up at me sidewise, and drove his spade in again. + +"No, you ain't," he said gruffly. + +"Indeed I am, Ike," I cried, "though you wouldn't say good-bye." + +"Now--now--now--now!" he cried; "don't go on that how." + +"Did you come this morning?" I said. + +"Been here 'most a week." + +"And I didn't know! But why did you leave Mr Brownsmith?" + +"I left Old Brownsmith because I wanted to leave him." + +"Did you have a quarrel, Ike?" + +"Quarrel? No! What should I want to quarrel for?" + +"But why did you leave?" + +"'Cause I liked. Man ain't a slave, is he?" + +"I am glad you're here, though, Ike," I cried. + +"Not you," he said sourly, as he thrust and chopped and levelled the +soil. + +"Indeed but I am," I cried. "Yes, sir, coming," I shouted, for I heard +Mr Solomon asking for me. + +I went to him, and he set me to water the pots that had been plunged +under the big wall; but on going to the pump in the middle of the big +walk, where the well was that we used for this garden, I found the +handle swing loosely up and down. + +I went and told Mr Solomon that there was no water to be had there. + +"I thought as much!" he cried angrily. "I saw those boys jerking the +handle about yesterday. Here, Bunce!" + +Bunce was sent off with a message, and I went about some other task, +glad to find that Ike was there at work, for somehow I liked him, though +I did not know why, since he was always very gruff and snappish with me. +But still it seemed as if he had come to Hampton because I was there. + +The next morning, after breakfast, as I went down the garden I found +that Mr Solomon was by the well talking to a man who carried a basket +of tools. + +As I approached he put them down, Mr Solomon helped him, and together +they lifted up a great stone in the pathway, which covered the mouth of +the well. + +There is something very attractive and yet repellent about a well, at +least to me. I always want to look down it and listen to the peculiar +echoing noise, and the whispers that seem to creep about its green wet +sides. + +It was so here, and while the man stood talking to Mr Solomon I went +down on one knee and peered into the well, to see, far down, a +glistening round of what looked like a mirror with my face in it, but in +a blurred indistinct way, for there was a musical splashing of water +falling from the sides, and as I bent lower the air seemed cold and +dank, while above it was sunny and warm. + +I started up suddenly, for just then I heard a laugh, and recalling the +way in which I had been thrust into the pond I did not care to risk a +kick from him who laughed, or from his companion. + +For, attracted by Bunce, who was carrying a long ladder, they asked him +if he was going to gather fruit, and on learning that the well was being +opened they, to use their own words, came to see the fun. + +Bunce laid the ladder along the path and went off again to his work, +while the two boys seemed to ignore my presence, and stood talking to +one another and waiting, Philip throwing stones, while Courtenay amused +himself by kicking a coil of rope that lay upon the path. + +"Here, Grant," cried Mr Solomon, turning upon me suddenly. "Run to the +cottage and get a candle and a box of matches." + +"Yes, sir," I said, going. + +"Yes sir, certainly sir, yes sir," said Philip in a mocking tone. + +"And, Grant," shouted Mr Solomon, "bring one of the men with you." + +"Bunce?" I said. + +"No, he's busy. Bring that new man, Isaac." + +I ran off to the cottage for the candle and matches, and Mrs Solomon +asked what they were for. + +"To see down in the well, I think," I said. + +"Oh yes, to be sure! the pump is broken. Tell master to be very +careful. Wells are very dangerous places. I once knew of a well where +four men tumbled down and never came up again." + +"We'll take care not to tumble," I cried laughing; and I ran off to find +Ike, who was digging away near where I had seen him before. + +"Eh! Good mornin'!" he said sourly. "Is it? I didn't know. Mornin's +seems always all alike to a man as has to dig." + +"But how well you're doing it, Ike! It's better dug than our men +generally dig it." + +"Be it?" he said dubiously: "Well, I have punished it pretty well. +Ground's very foul and full o' bear-bine." + +"Put down your spade and come along with me," I cried; "they're doing +something to the well." + +"All right, I'll come!" said Ike sourly. "Pay me my wage and I'm ready. +Night work or day work, it's all the same to me, and such is life. +'Tis a rum set out." + +"Don't grumble, Ike," I said, "on a morning like this." + +"Grumble! That ain't grumbling. But I say, young 'un, are you glad I +come?" + +"Why, of course I am, Ike." + +"So am I then. I s'pose I come o' purpose to work along o' you; but I +miss my hoss a deal. I say, Old Brownsmith didn't like it a bit; but +here I am; and did you know about young Shock?" + +"No: what about him? Have they caught him and sent him away?" + +"No: they've caught him and give him a decent suit of clothes, so stiff +he can't hardly move in 'em, and he's took on." + +"Shock is?" + +"To be sure he is; and if he behaves decent his fortun's made." + +"Oh, look here, my man," said Mr Solomon as we came up, "you had better +stop here and help. Lower down that ladder." + +Ike took hold of the ladder as if it were an enemy, gave me a nod, and I +went and stood at the foot, so as to hold it down, while Ike raised it +erect, and then, taking it by the rounds with his strong brown hands, he +lifted it as if it had been a feather, and, walking to the mouth of the +well, let the ladder glide softly down till he held the top in his +hands; then, swinging it about, he found a resting-place for the bottom +upon a piece of wood such as were fixed across the well every ten or a +dozen feet to support the pipe and other gear of the pump. + +"That do, master?" said Ike. + +"Yes," said Mr Solomon. "Now, Mr Grinling, you had better try her. +Here, stop, what are you going to do?" + +"Going down," said Courtenay. + +"Do you know that well is perhaps very foul?" cried Mr Solomon. + +"Then it's your place to keep it clean," said Philip sharply. "Go on +down, Court, or else I shall." + +"You won't, neither of you, go down while I'm here," said Mr Solomon +stoutly. + +"What right have you to interfere?" cried Courtenay: + +"Same right as any man has to interfere when he sees a young goose going +to throw away his life." + +"Oh rubbish!" said Courtenay. "Just as if I couldn't go down a ladder. +Here, stand aside." + +Mr Solomon did not stand aside, and he looked so very sturdy and firm +that Courtenay gave up and drew back with his brother, whispering and +waiting his opportunity. + +During this time the plumber had been rattling his tools in his basket, +and Mr Solomon turned to him again. + +"Ain't you going to try her?" he said. "That well hasn't been open +these two years." + +"Oh! she's right enough," said the plumber sourly. "It ain't the first +time I've been down a well." + +"But I don't think it's safe," said Mr Solomon. "What do you say?" he +continued, turning to Ike. + +"Looks right enough," said Ike, kneeling down and looking into the well. +Then rising, "but I wouldn't go down unless I didn't want to come up no +more." + +"Tchah!" ejaculated the plumber; and I knelt down once more to look for +the danger, but could see nothing but the dark whispering hole, with, at +a great depth below, the round disc of light representing the mouth of +the well. + +Just then something passed my head and fell down with, after a while, a +strange hollow _plash_ from below. + +"That'll do," said Mr Solomon angrily. "No more of that, please." + +"You mind your own business, Browny. Anyone would think you were the +master here." + +"Master or no, here's Sir Francis coming. Let's see whether he likes +you to be throwing stones down the well." + +Mr Solomon uttered a sigh of relief, for, as Sir Francis came along a +neighbouring path, the two lads slowly walked away. + +"That's a blessing," he said. "Now we can work in peace. You'll try +her first--won't you, plumber?" + +"All right, gardener. What are you scared about?" + +Mr Solomon looked at him angrily and then said: + +"I don't know that I'm scared about you, my man; but I don't want to +risk my life, or to send down one of my men to fetch you out." + +The plumber grunted, and I looked on wondering what the danger was, for +I knew nothing then about chemistry or foul gases; and I stared all the +more when the plumber took a ball of thin string from his jacket pocket, +tied the candle with a couple of half hitches, and then struck a match +and lit the wick. Then as soon as it was burning brightly, sheltered by +his hands from the breeze, he stooped down and held it in the well and +then lowered it down. + +We stood round watching the candle swing gently and the flame dance as +the plumber slowly unrolled the ball of string. + +At first the light looked very pale; but it grew brighter as it left the +sunshine near the mouth of the well and lit up the dark slimy-looking +old bricks, the rusty iron pipe, and the cross pieces of timber, while +far down I could now and then catch sight of the cylinder of the pump as +the candle began to swing now like a pendulum. It was very indistinct, +just gleaming now and then, while the walls glistened, and I realised +more and more what a horrible place it would be for anyone to fall into. + +I was full of imaginings of horror, and I fancied the fearful splash, +the darkness, the rising to the surface, and then the poor wretch-- +myself perhaps--striving to get my fingers in between the slippery +bricks, and getting no hold, and then--"There!--what did I tell you?" +said Mr Solomon. + +"She's a foul un, and no mistake," growled Ike. + +"Oh! that's nothing," said the plumber. "I've been down worse wells +than that." + +I was puzzled, for it seemed to me that the candle must be bad. As I +had watched it the flame grew brighter and brighter as it reached the +darkness, and then it burned more palely, grew smaller, and then all at +once it turned blue and went out. + +He drew it up, lit it again, and lowered it once more, and it seemed to +go down a little lower before it went out. + +He drew it up again, relit it, and once more sent it down; and this time +it went as far as the cylinder of the pump--which was fixed, I saw, on a +sort of scaffold or framework where the foot of the ladder rested. + +I was able to see all this before the light went out and was drawn up +again. + +"All right in a few minutes," said the plumber; and he unfastened the +candle, lowered down his basket of tools by means of the string, and +made it lodge on a bit of a platform close by the works of the pump. + +It was all very interesting to me to see how low down the pump was +fixed, and that the handle worked an iron rod up and down--a rod of +great length. + +The plumber took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, after +sticking the candle in his waist and the matches in his pocket, and +prepared to descend. + +"Why, you are not going down like that--are you?" said Mr Solomon. + +"I always do go down like that," said the man with a laugh. "How should +you go down-head first?" + +"No," cried Mr Solomon angrily; "but with a rope fastened to my waist, +and a couple of men to hold it." + +"D'yer think I'm a baby?" said the plumber, "or a little child?" + +"Worse," said Mr Solomon shortly. "You can make them do what's right." + +"Tchah! I know what I'm about, just as well as you know how to bud +roses." + +"I dare say you do," said Mr Solomon sternly; "but that well's got a +lot of foul gas in it, and you're not going down without a rope to hold +you." + +"Rubbish!" said the plumber, laughing; "I am." + +"And who's going to use the water agen if you're drowned in it?" said +Ike seriously. "It'll be all full o' white-lead and putty, and kill the +plarnts!" + +"You're very clever," said the plumber sharply; "but just mind your own +business." + +As he spoke he sat down with his legs in the well, but Mr Solomon +seized him by the collar. + +"You stop," he cried; "I won't have it. You don't go down that well +without a rope round you. Fetch Bunce," he said, addressing Ike. + +"If I can't do my work my own way," said the plumber sharply, "I sha'n't +do it at all." + +He started up, threw on his jacket, and went off after Ike, while Mr +Solomon stood thinking. + +"Such idiocy!" he exclaimed. "The well isn't safe, and he wants to run +unnecessary risks. I suppose he'll come back," he muttered. "Perhaps I +shall have to fetch him. Here, Grant, you stop here and don't leave the +mouth of the well for fear anyone should go near." + +He went after the men, and I lay down gazing into the dark hollow place, +wondering what the foul gas was like, and whether I could see it down +below; and I was just wishing that I had the candle and string to try +experiments, and wondering how far the light would go down now, when I +uttered a cry. + +My heart seemed to give a great leap, for somebody gave me a rough push +and it seemed as if I were going to be thrust down the well. + +"There's a coward!" cried Philip jeeringly. "Did you ever see such a +cur, Court? Thought he was going down." + +"Perhaps I did," I replied warmly, as I glanced from one to the other, +wondering whether it was to be war again; but they paid no further +attention to me, and began arguing between themselves. + +"You daren't!" said Philip. + +"Daren't!" cried Courtenay. "Why, I went down last time hanging to a +rope when it was cleaned out, and there was no water at the bottom." + +"But there is water now--twenty or thirty feet, and you daren't go +down." + +"Yes I dare." + +"Bet you sixpence you daren't." + +"Done!" cried Courtenay. "Mind I shall make you pay." + +"You daren't go." + +"All right; you'll see!" cried Courtenay; and to my horror he went close +to the mouth and looked down. + +"You can't go down," I said; "the well isn't safe." + +"Who spoke to you, pauper?" cried Philip sharply. And then with a +sniggering laugh, "It ain't safe, Courtenay. You can't go down, and +you'll have to pay me all the same." + +"I'm going down," said Courtenay. + +"You can't," I cried. "It's full of foul air." + +"You mind your own business, pauper," cried Courtenay. + +This repetition of the word pauper so enraged me that for the moment I +felt tempted to let him go down, but the next moment I shuddered at the +thought and cried: + +"It is my business. I was to keep everyone from going near." + +"Don't take any notice of the workus boy, Court. Go on down, if you +dare." + +"I dare," he said, laughing. + +"I tell you it isn't safe," I cried. + +"Do you want a punch on the head?" said Philip menacingly. + +"Yes, but you daren't give it me," I cried fiercely. + +"Never mind him," said Courtenay. "Look here, I'm only going to the +bottom of the ladder. I'm not going to slide down the pipe to the +water." + +As he spoke he sat down on the edge with his legs dangling over the +side. + +"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Philip, seating himself opposite to him and +kicking at his brother's feet. "You daren't go." + +"You say I daren't go again I'll take you by the scruff of the neck and +make you go down instead. I say, let's send the pauper down to swallow +the foul air." + +"There, I knew you daren't go," cried Philip. + +"I dare." + +"You daren't." + +"He shall not go," I cried; and I caught the lad by the collar. + +He gave himself a twist, and as he freed himself he struck me a savage +blow with his elbow right in the lower part of the chest. + +The blow took away my breath and made me stagger back in agony, and +gasping, while by the time I had recovered myself he had stepped on to +the ladder, gone down several rounds, and his head disappeared. + +"There, coward, what do you think of that?" cried Philip. + +I ran to the side with my heart throbbing painfully, and I felt as if my +eyes were wild and staring as I saw the lad go down about a dozen feet +and stop. + +"I say, Phil," he cried, with his voice echoing and sounding hollow, +"come down. It is so jolly and cool." + +"I'll go down when you've come up," said his brother. "That isn't far +enough. I don't call that anything." + +"Wait a bit. Don't be in a wax." + +"Come up, sir, pray come up," I cried. "There's foul air lower down. +The candle wouldn't burn." + +"Pitch him down if he don't hold his tongue, Phil," cried Courtenay. +"Here goes for a slide." + +He grasped the sides of the ladder, took his feet off the round on which +he stood, and throwing his legs round he began to slide slowly down. + +"I say, it's as cool as eating ices, Phil," he cried. "Come on down." + +Philip made no answer, but glanced at me, and I suppose my blanched and +horrified countenance startled him, for he too suddenly turned white and +exclaimed: + +"There, you've won, Court. I give in. Come back now." + +Too late! Courtenay slid slowly on for a few moments, then faster, and +then we saw his arms relax and he fell over backwards, while as I stood +on the brink gazing down I felt as if I had suddenly been turned to +stone. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +"WHAT SHALL WE DO?" + +I seemed to be standing there some time, but Mr Solomon afterwards told +me it was not a moment, before I looked up, and seeing him returning +with the plumber, ran towards them swiftly, shouting for help. + +The two men started running directly, and as we reached the well +together there was Philip lying upon the ground beside the path, face +downwards, and with his fingers thrust into his ears. + +"Now, then," shouted Mr Solomon to the plumber, as Ike came running up +straight across beds, bushes, everything. "Now, then, you said the well +was safe; go down and fetch him up." + +The plumber went upon one knee, seized the top of the ladder, and got up +again shaking his head. + +"I can't afford it," he said. "I've a wife and bairns at home." + +"I--I daren't go down," groaned Mr Solomon. "Man, man, what shall we +do?" + +"It scares me," growled Ike hoarsely; "but I've got no wife and no +bairns; and if Master Grant here says, `Go,' I'll go, though," he added +slowly, "it's going down into one's grave." + +"Can you see him, Grant?" cried Mr Solomon. + +"Yes; down on the wood," I said in a hoarse whisper; "he's lying across +a beam with his head down. What shall we do?" + +As I asked this piteously I raised my head, to see Philip close by me +kneeling on the gravel, his eyes half closed, his face of a yellowish +grey, his hands clenched, and his teeth chattering. + +No one spoke, and as I looked from one man to the other every face was +pale and stony-looking, for the men felt that to go down into that +carbonic acid gas was to give up life. + +I felt horribly frightened, and as if I were sinking somewhere. I +glanced round, and there was the beautiful garden all flowers and fruit, +with the glorious sunshine over all. Below me that terrible pit with +the falling whispering water, and a chill seeming to rise out of its +depths. + +As I looked I saw Shock coming towards us at a run, as if he divined +that something was the matter, and the sight of him made me think of Mr +Brownsmith's garden and my happy life there, and I gave a low sob as my +eyes filled with tears. + +I tell you I felt horribly frightened, and all this that has taken so +long to describe seemed to pass in a flash--almost as I started from +gazing down the well to my feet. + +"Tie the rope round me," I said huskily. "You can pull me up if I +fall." + +"Well done, young un!" shouted the plumber, catching up the coil of +rope. "I like pluck, I do." + +"You stand aside," cried Ike, snatching the rope from him and giving him +a rough thrust with his elbow. "I'll do this here." + +He ran the rope rapidly through his hands, and secured one end about my +chest. + +Then he made a running noose at the other end. + +"Look here," he cried. "You take this here noose in your hand, my lad; +there's plenty of rope to reach down double. When you gets to him put +it over his arm or his leg, or anywhere, and pull it tight. I'll take +care o' you, my boy, and have you up again like a shot." + +"Shake hands, Ike," I said, all of a tremble. + +"Ay, I will, boy." + +"Go, and God help you!" groaned Mr Solomon; and the next instant, with +the noose in my hand and just feeling the rope drag on my chest, I +stepped on to the ladder, clasped it as Courtenay had done, and let +myself slide down. + +As I went I looked up, and it seemed dark, for there was a ring of heads +round the top; but below as I looked it was still darker. + +Down, down, with a curious catching of the breath, and a strange +sensation of this not being real seizing me. Then I seemed to wake up +and find myself where the water was dripping, and the well whispering, +and still I slid down till I was on the slimy platform where the foot of +the ladder rested, but young Dalton was not there, but some ten feet +down, on the next crosspiece of timber. + +"Lower me down," I cried, and hanging by the rope I felt myself lowered +more and more, and that I was slowly spinning round; but as I swung to +and fro I caught at something I could dimly see, and found it was the +great slippery pipe that went down into the water, and guided myself by +that. + +Only about ten feet; but the distance in that curious state of dread +that made me feel as if my breath was painful and difficult, seemed ten +times as great. The rope seemed to be compressing the bones of my chest +tighter and tighter, and twice over I felt that I was in amongst the +foul air that I believed would kill me before I reached the crosspiece +on which the lad hung. + +The next minute I was seated astride the slippery piece of oak with the +water about half a dozen feet below me, and I saw that the least touch +would send Courtenay off. + +I remembered my lesson though, and, forgetting my dread in the +excitement, I slipped the rope over the hanging arm nearest to me, right +up to the shoulder, and was in the act of drawing it tight, when, as I +bent down, a curious choking sensation seized me, and all was blank. + +Ike told me what took place afterwards, for I knew nothing more till I +opened my eyes, and found that I was lying down, and several people +whose faces looked misty and confused were about me. + +I felt sick, and my head throbbed violently. There was a weight over me +too, and a curious feeling of confusion, in the midst of which a cool +hand was laid upon my fore-head, and I heard some one say: + +"He's coming round fast." + +I lay quite still for some time, and at last I exclaimed: + +"What's the matter--is anyone hurt?" + +"Lie still, my lad," said a strange voice. + +"I know," I cried excitedly. "Did you get him out?" + +"Yes, yes, he's all right, and so are you, Grant, my lad," said Mr +Solomon; and just then the room seemed to be darkened, and I heard Ike's +voice: + +"Is he coming to?" + +"Yes. He's all right." + +Then I felt that I was wrong about some one else, and that it was that +accident with the cart tipping up at Old Brownsmith's, and it was I who +was hurt. + +That all passed away like a cloud, and my full senses seemed to come +back. + +"Did you get Master Courtenay out?" I said. + +"Yes, my lad, he is quite safe," said a quick sharp voice, which its +owner seemed to me trying to make gentle, and turning my head I saw Sir +Francis. + +I tried to get up, but turned giddy. + +"Lie still, my lad," he said kindly. "Don't disturb him, Brownsmith. +Good-bye, my lad! I'll see you again." + +He shook hands with me and went to the door. + +"Well," he said sharply, "are you going to shake hands with the brave +fellow who saved your brother's life?" + +The next moment I saw young Philip at my side, and he took my hand in +his, which felt cold and damp like the tail of a cod-fish. + +"If he seems to change in any way," said the voice I had heard before, +"send for me directly; but I think he will be all right in an hour or +two. I'm going up to the house." + +"Who's that?" I said sharply. + +"The doctor, my lad," said Mr Solomon. + +"But I'm not ill," I said. "What was it? Did I fall into the water?" + +"Foul air overcame you, my lad. How do you feel?" + +"Yes, how do you feel?" said Mrs Solomon gently, as she took my hand. + +"I'm all right," I said, sitting up, and this time I didn't feel giddy. +"Only something seems to hurt my chest." + +"The rope cut you a bit, that's all. It will soon go off." + +Through the open door I could see Ike standing watching me attentively, +and as soon as he caught my eye he began to jerk his arm in the air as +if he were crying "Hooray!" + +Just then a head came slowly round the door-post, and I saw Shock +staring in at me; but as soon as he saw that I was looking his head was +snatched back. + +"How is he now?" said the plumber, coming to the door. + +"Oh, I am quite well," I said, in an irritable tone that was new to me, +and I got up; "I'm going out now." + +"You're well out of it, my lad," said the plumber. "I knowed a case +once where five chaps went down one after the other to save him as had +gone first, and they all fell to the bottom and died." + +"There, for goodness' sake, man, don't talk like that to the lad after +what he has gone through," said Mrs Solomon. + +"All right, mum," said the plumber; "but as I was going to say, I don't +think I shall have the heart to go down today, but I'll see how the air +is whether or no." + +"You're not going out," said Mrs Solomon. + +"Yes, please; it will do me good," I said; and the air did seem to +refresh me, as I followed them back to the well, where the plumber tried +it again by lowering down the lighted candle, to find it burn brightly +till it was down by the cross piece on which young Dalton had lain, +after which it went out directly. + +He tried it again and again, always with the same result. + +"It's got lower and lower," he said. "By to-morrow there won't be much +in. That young gent couldn't have been overcome by the bad air," he +continued. "It's my belief as he fell out of being frightened, and it's +lucky for him that he stopped where he did. If he'd gone a foot lower, +that doctor wouldn't have brought him round." + +"Well," said Mr Solomon rather impatiently, "what are you going to do?" + +"Kiver up the well for to-day, and come on tomorrow." + +"But we want water." + +"Can't help it; I couldn't go down and work there to-day. My nerves is +shook." + +"Suppose we put a rope round you." + +"Bless your heart, Mr Brownsmith, sir, I couldn't go down if you put +two ropes round me. I'm just going to lift out this here ladder, and +then p'r'aps your man will help me put on the stone." + +Mr Solomon grunted, and I looked on, shivering a little in spite of the +hot sunshine as I saw the ladder lifted out and laid down beside the +path by Ike, after which Mr Solomon himself helped to put the stone +back in its place before walking with the plumber towards the gate. + +"How was it all, Ike?" I said eagerly. + +"Oh, you'd better ask young Shock here." + +Shock, who was in a stiff suit of corduroys, looked at him sharply, spun +round, and ran off. + +"Y'ever see the likes o' him?" said Ike chuckling. "Puts me in mind of +a scared dog, he do, reg'lar." + +"But tell me," I said; "how was it? I don't remember." + +"Well, it were like this, you see," said Ike. "I were holding the rope +tightly and watching of you, and I see you slip on the noose, and +tightened it, and then all at once I shouted to the others, `Hook on,' I +says, `it's got him.' + +"I was on the watch for it, you see, and ready, and hauled at once. +Thank goodness, I am strong in the arm if I ain't in the head. So I +hauled, and they hauled, and so had you both up a few feet directly, one +at each end of the rope, and you two couldn't be civil to each other +even then, but must get quarrelling." + +"Quarrelling! Nonsense, Ike! I was insensible, and so was he." + +"I don't care; you was quarrelling and got yourselves tangled up +together, and the rope twissen round and round under one of them bits o' +wood as goes acrost." + +"Yes, I know," I said excitedly, for the thought made me shudder. + +"Well, there you was; and the more you was pulled the tighter you was, +just below the bottom of the ladder." + +"And what did you do, Ike?" + +"Well, I was going down, and was about handing the ropes to Old +Brownsmith's brother, when young Shock hops in on to the ladder like a +wild monkey a'most. Down he goes chattering like anything, and it was +no use to shout to him to have a rope. Afore we knowed it a'most, he +was down and lying flat on his stum. `Lower a bit,' he shouts, and we +lowered, and he untwisted you two and guided you both clear, and stopped +till you were both out, when he came out whistling as if nothing was the +matter." + +"A brave fellow!" I cried warmly. + +"That's what I said," cried Ike; "but the plumber said it was because he +didn't know there was any danger." + +"Well, Ike, what then?" + +"Oh, there's no more to tell, only that Sir Francis come and a doctor +was fetched, and the guv'nor said it would be a warning to them two +boys; and young shaver who went down's up at home getting all right, and +you've got all right, and that's all." + +That was not all, for I went down the garden--and found Shock, to thank +him for what he had done, but he only turned his back on me and then +walked away; while, feeling faint, I turned to go up to the cottage and +lie down till the sick sensation had gone off. + +I had gone about a dozen yards, when, _thump_! a worm-eaten baking pear, +half-grown, hit me on the back, and I did not need telling that it was +thrown by Shock. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +AT THE SAND-PIT. + +The plumber came and repaired the pump next day, going down the well +with a couple of men to hold the rope he had round his waist, and I +heard Mr Solomon grumbling and laughing a good deal about the care he +was taking. + +"If he does meet with an accident, Grant," he said, "it won't be his +fault this time. Why, you look poorly, my lad. Don't you feel well?" + +"I don't indeed, sir," I said; "my head swims, and things look strange +about me." + +"Ah! yes," he said. "Well, look here; you have a good idle for a day or +two." + +"But there are so many things want doing in the houses, sir," I said. + +"And always will be, Grant. Gardeners are never done. But let that +slide. I can get on without you for a day or two." + +"Have you heard how Mr Courtenay is?" I asked. + +"Yes, ever so much better, young whelp! Sir Francis has been giving his +brother a tremendous setting down, I hear; and I think they are going to +school or somewhere else at once." + +That day, as I was wandering about the kitchen-garden after a chat with +Ike, who had settled down to his work just as if he belonged to the +place, and after I had tried to have a few words with Shock, who puzzled +me more than ever, for he always seemed to hate me, and yet he had +followed me here, I heard some one shout, "Hi! halt!" + +I turned and saw Sir Francis beckoning to me, and I went up to him. + +"Better? Yes, of course. Boys always get better," he said. "Look +here. Behaved very well yesterday. Go on. I've said a word to +Brownsmith about you; but, look here: don't you tease my lads. Boys +will be boys, I know; but they are not in your station of life, and you +must not try to make companions of them." + +I made no answer: I could not, I was so taken aback by his words; and by +the time I had thought of saying that I had never teased either +Courtenay or Philip, and that I had always tried to avoid them, he was a +hundred yards away. + +"They must have been telling lies about me," I said angrily; and I +walked on to where Ike was digging, to talk to him about it and ask his +advice as to whether I should go and tell Sir Francis everything. + +"No," he said, stopping to scrape his spade when I had done. "I +shouldn't. It's kicks, that's what it is, and we all gets kicked more +or less through life, my boy; but what of it? He wouldn't think no +better of you for going and telling tales. Let him find it out. Sure +to, some day. Feel badly?" + +"Yes," I said, rather faintly. + +"Ah! sure to," said Ike, driving his spade into the ground. "But you +don't want no doctor. You swallowed a lot of bad air; now you swallow a +lot of good, and it'll be like lime on a bit o' newly dug ground. Load +or two would do this good. There's the ganger hollering after you." + +"Yes!" I cried, and I went towards where Mr Brownsmith was standing. + +"Look here, Grant," he said, looking very red in the face. "Sir Francis +has given me this to buy you a watch by and by. He says you're too +young to have one now, but I'm to buy it and keep it for you a year or +two. Five pounds." + +"I'm much obliged to him," I said rather dolefully; but I did not feel +at all pleased, and Mr Solomon looked disappointed, and I'm afraid he +thought I was rather a queer boy. + +At the end of the week I heard that Courtenay was better, but that he +was to go with his brother down to the seaside, and to my great delight +they went; and though I thought the lad might have said, "Thank you," to +me for saving his life, I was so pleased to find he was going, that this +troubled me very little, for it was as if a holiday time had just begun. + +The effects of my adventure soon passed away, and the days glided on +most enjoyably. There was plenty to do in the glass-houses, but it was +always such interesting work that I was never tired of it; and it was +delightful to me to see the fruit ripening and the progress of the +glorious flowers that we grew. Mr Solomon was always ready to tell or +show me anything, and I suppose he was satisfied with me, for he used to +nod now and then--he never praised; and Mrs Solomon sometimes smiled at +me, but not very often. + +The autumn was well advanced when one day Mr Solomon told me that he +had arranged for Ike, as he was a good carter, to go with the strongest +horse and cart to a place he named in Surrey, to fetch a good load of a +particular kind of silver sand for potting. + +"It's a long journey, Grant," he said; "and you'll have to start very +early, but I thought you would like to go. Be a change." + +"I should like it," I said. "Does Ike know I'm going?" + +"No; you can tell him." + +I went down to Ike, who was as usual digging, for he was the best +handler of a spade in the garden, and he liked the work. + +"Hullo!" he said surlily. + +"I'm to go with you for the sand, Ike," I cried. + +"Think o' that now!" he replied with a grim smile. "Why, I was just +a-thinking it would be like going off with the old cart and Bonyparty to +market, and how you and me went." + +"With Shock on the top of the load," I said laughing. + +"Ay, to be sure. Well, he's a-going this time to help mind the horse. +And so you are going too?" + +"Yes," I said mischievously, "to look after you, and see that you do +your work." + +"Gahn!" he growled, beginning to dig again. Look here, though; if you +ain't ready I shall go without you. + +"All right, Ike!" I said. "What time do you start?" + +"Twelve o'clock sees me outside the yard gates, my lad. Five arter sees +me down the road." + +"Do you know the way, Ike?" I said. + +"Do I know the way!" cried Ike, taking his spade close up to the blade +and scraping and looking at it as if addressing it. "Why, I was born +close to that san'-pit, and put Old Brownsmith's brother up to getting +some. I can show him where to get some real peat too, if he behaves +hisself." + +The trip to the sand-pit kept all other thoughts out of my head; and +though I was packed off to bed at seven for a few hours' rest, Mr +Solomon having promised to sit up so as to call me, I don't think I +slept much, and at last, when I was off soundly, I jumped up in a +fright, to find that the moon was shining full in at my window, and I +felt sure that I had overslept myself and that Ike had gone. + +I had not undressed, only taken off jacket, waistcoat, and boots; and I +softly opened my door and stole down in my stocking feet to look at the +eight-day clock, when, as I reached the mat, a peculiar odour smote on +my senses, and then there was the sound of a fire being tapped gently, +and Mrs Solomon said: + +"I think I'll go and wake him now." + +"I am awake," I said, opening the door softly, to find the table spread +for breakfast, and Mr Solomon in spectacles making up his gardening +accounts. + +"Just coming to call you, my lad," he said. "Half-past eleven, and Ike +has just gone to the stable." + +"And Shock?" I said. + +"The young dog! he has been sleeping up in the hay-loft again. Ike says +he can't keep him at their lodgings." + +I ran back upstairs and finished dressing, to come down and find that +Mr Solomon had taken out two basins of hot coffee and some bread and +butter for Ike and Shock, while mine was waiting. + +"Put that in your pocket, Grant," said Mrs Solomon, giving me a brown +paper parcel. + +"What is it?" I asked. + +"Sandwiches. You'll be glad of them by and by." + +I took the packet unwillingly, for I was not hungry then, and I thought +it a nuisance; for I had no idea then that I was providing myself with +that which would save my life in the peril that was to come. + +It was ten minutes to twelve when I went down to the yard, where all the +dogs were standing on their hind legs and straining at their chains, +eager to be patted and talked to, and strongly excited at the sight of +the horse being put to in the strong, springless cart. + +They howled and yelped and barked, begging in their way for a run, but +they were nearly all doomed to disappointment. + +"Just going to start without you," cried Ike in his surly way. + +"No, you were not," I said. "It isn't time." + +"'Tis by my watch," he growled as he fastened the chains of the cart +harness. "I don't pay no heed to no other time." + +"Bring as good a load as you can, and the coarser the better; but don't +hurry the horse," said Mr Solomon. "Give him his own time, and he'll +draw a very heavy load." + +"All right, master. I'll take care." + +"Got your shovel and pick?" + +"Shovel. Shan't want no pick; the sand comes down as soon as you touch +it. Now, then, Mars Grant, ready? May as well take a couple more +sacks." + +The sacks were put in, and we were ready for a start, when a yelp took +my attention, and I said: + +"I suppose you wouldn't like us to take Juno, sir?" + +"Oh, I don't know. Do the dog good. Do you want to take her?" + +"Yes," I said eagerly. + +The handsome, black, curly-haired retriever barked furiously, for she +saw that we were looking at her. + +Mr Solomon nodded, and I ran and unbuckled the dog's collar, having my +face licked by way of thanks. + +As I threw the chain over the kennel Juno bounded up at the horse and +then rushed at the gate, barking furiously. Then she rushed back, and +charged at all the other dogs, barking as if saying, "Come along, lads, +we're off." + +But the big gates were set open, Juno rushed out, there was a final word +or two from Mr Solomon, who said: + +"I sha'n't be surprised if you are very late." + +Then the dogs set up a dismal howl as the cart rumbled out over the +stones, and in chorus they seemed to say: + +"Oh what a shame!" + +Then I looked back, and saw Mr Solomon in the moonlight shutting the +gates, and I was trudging along beside Ike, close to the horse; and it +almost seemed, in the stillness of the night, with the cart rattling by +us and the horse's hoofs sounding loud and clear on the hard road, that +we were bound for Covent Garden. + +"But where's Shock?" I said all at once. + +Ike gave his head a jerk towards the cart, and I ran and looked over the +tailboard, to see a heap of sacks and some straw, but no Shock. In one +corner, though, there was a strongly made boot, and I took hold of that, +to find it belonged to something alive, for its owner began to kick +fiercely. + +"Better jump in, my lad," said Ike, and we did so, when, the seat having +been set right so as to balance the weight, Ike gave a chirrup, and we +went off at a good round trot. + +"Let him be," said Ike as I drew his attention to the heap of straw and +sacks. "He goes best when you let him have his own way. He'll go to +sleep for a bit, and I dessay we can manage to get on without him. His +conversation isn't so very entertaining." + +I laughed, and for about an hour we trotted on, the whole affair being +so novel and strange that I felt quite excited, and wondered that Ike +neither looked to right nor left, but seemed to be studying the horse's +ears. + +The fact was his thoughts were running in one particular direction, and +I soon found which, for he began in his morose way: + +"Just as if I should overload or ill-use a hoss! Look at old +Bonyparty." + +"What do you mean?" I said. + +"Why, him talking like that afore we started. I know what I'm about. +You'd better lie down and cover yourself over with some sacks. Get a +good sleep; I'll call you when we get there." + +"What, and miss seeing the country?" I cried. + +"Seeing the country! Lor', what a baby you are, Mars Grant! What is +there to see in that?" + +I thought a great deal; and a glorious ride it seemed through the +moonlight and under the dark shadows of the trees in the country lanes. +Then there was the dawn, and the sun rising, and the bright morning once +more, with the dew glittering on the grassy strands and hedgerows; and I +was so happy and excited that Ike said, with one of his grim smiles: + +"Why, anybody'd think you was going out for a holiday 'stead of helping +to load a sand cart." + +"It's such a change, Ike," I said. + +"Change! What sort o' change? Going to use a shovel 'stead of a spade; +and sand's easy to dig but awful heavy. Here, get up; are you going to +lie snoring there all day?" + +He leaned over me and poked with the butt of the whip handle at Shock, +but that gentleman only kicked and growled, and so he was left in peace. + +Just before eight o'clock, after a glorious morning ride through a hilly +country, we came to a pretty-looking village with the houses covered in +with slabs of stone instead of slates or tiles or thatch, and the soft +grey, and the yellow and green lichen and moss seemed to make the place +quaint and wonderfully attractive to me; but I was not allowed to sit +thinking about the beauty of the place, for Ike began to tell me of the +plan of our campaign. + +"Yon's the sand-hill," he said, pointing with his whip as he drew up at +a little inn. "We'll order some braxfass here; then while they're +briling the bacon we'll take the cart up to the pit and leave it, and +bring the horse back to stop in the stable till we want him again." + +The order was given, and then we had a slow climb up a long hill to +where, right at the top, the road had been cut straight through, leaving +an embankment, forty or fifty feet high, on each side, while, for +generations past, the sand had been dug away till the embankments were +some distance back from the road. + +"Just like being on the sea-shore," said Ike. "I see the ocean once. +Linkyshire cost. All sand like this. Rum place, ain't it?" + +"I think it's beautiful," I said as the cart was drawn over the yielding +sand, the horse's hoofs and the wheels sinking in deep, while quite a +cliff, crowned with dark fir-trees, towered above our heads. The face +of the sandy cliff was scored with furrows where the water had run down, +and here it was reddish, there yellow or cream colour, and then +dazzlingly white, while just below the top it was honey-combed with +holes. + +"San'-martins' nesties," said Ike, pointing with his whip. "There's +clouds of 'em sometimes. There they go." + +He pointed to the pretty white-breasted birds as they darted here and +there, and on we still went, jolting up and down in the sandy bottom, +where there was only a faint track, till we were opposite to a series of +cavern-like holes and the sand cliff towered up with pine-trees here and +there half-way down where the sand had given way or been undermined, and +they had glided down a quarter--half--three parts of the distance. In +short, it was a lovely, romantic spot, with a view over the pleasant +land of Surrey on our right, and on our left a cliff of beautiful +salmon-coloured sand, side by side with one that was quite white. + +"You won't get better sand than that nowheres," said Ike, standing up +and getting out of the cart, an example I followed. "Here we'll pitch, +Mars Grant, and--" + +Quickly and silently, as he gave me a comical look, he unhitched a chain +or two, unbuckled the belly-band, and let the shafts fly up. + +The result was that Shock's head went bang against the tail-board, and +then his legs went over it, and he came out with a curious somersault, +and stared about only half awake, and covered with straw and sacks. + +He jumped up angrily, and as soon as he saw that we were laughing at +him, turned his back, and kicked the sand at us like a pawing horse; but +Ike gave the whip a flick at him, and told him to put the sacks in the +cart. + +"No one won't touch them. Come along, old horse," he cried; and, +leading the way, the horse followed us with the reins tucked in its pad, +and we waded through the sand in which Juno rolled and tried to burrow +till we were out once more in the hard road, where the dog had to be +whistled for, consequent upon her having started a rabbit. + +We found her at last, trying to get into a hole that would have been a +tight fit for a terrier, and she came reluctantly away. + +The most delicious breakfast I ever tasted was ready at the little inn; +but Ike saw to his horse first, and did not sit down till it was +enjoying its corn, after a good rub down with a wisp of straw. Then the +way in which we made bread and bacon disappear was terrible, for the +journey had given us a famous appetite. + +Shock would not join us, preferring the society of the horse in the +stable, but he did not fare badly. I saw to that. + +At last after a final look at the horse, who was to rest till evening, +we walked back to the sand-pit, climbing higher and higher into the +sweet fresh air, till we were once more by the cart, when Ike laid one +hand upon the wheel and raised the other. + +"Look here, lads," he said; "that horse must have eight hours' rest +'fore tackling her load, and a stop on the way home, so let's load up at +once with the best coarse white--we can do it in half an hour or so-- +then you two can go rabbiting or bird-nesting, or what you like, while I +have a pipe and a sleep in the sand till it's time to get something to +eat and fetch the horse and go." + +"Where's a shovel?" I cried; and Shock jumped into the cart for +another. + +"Steady, lads, steady," said Ike; "plenty of time. Only best coarse +white, you know. Wait till I've propped the sharps and got her so as +she can't tilt uppards. That's your sort. She's all right now. We +don't want no more berryin's, Mars Grant, do we? Now, then, only the +best white, mind. Load away." + +He set the example, just where the beautiful white sand seemed to have +trickled, down from the cliff till it formed a softly rounded slope, and +attacking this vigorously we were not long before Ike cried: + +"Woa!" + +"But it isn't half full," I cried. + +"No, my lad. If it was," said Ike, "our horse couldn't pull it. That +stuff's twice as heavy as stones. There, stick in your shovels, and now +be off. Don't go far. You ought with that dog to find us a rabbit for +dinner." + +Shock's eyes flashed, and he looked quite pleased, forgetting to turn +his back, and seeming disposed for once to be friendly, as, with Juno at +our heels, we started up the sandy bottom on an expedition that proved +one of the most adventurous of our lives. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. + +LOST! + +Purple heath, golden gorse, and tufts of broom. Tall pines with +branches like steps to tempt you to climb. Regular precipices after +climbing above the sand-pit, from which you could jump into the soft +sand, and then slide and roll down to the bottom. Once I jumped upon a +little promontory high above the slope, and it gave way, and I slid down +on about a ton of matted root and earth and sand. + +Then we climbed to the sand-martins' nests, and slipped down or rolled +down, and climbed again, and along ledges, and thrust in our arms, but +nesting was over for the year, and the swift little birds made their +nurseries beyond our reach, for we did not find the bottom of one single +hole. + +Shock was full of fun, and shouted and threw sand at Juno, who barked, +and made believe to bite him, and rolled over and over with him down +some slope, to be half buried in the sand at the bottom. + +We soon forgot all about Ike, but we once smelt a whiff of tobacco, +which seemed to be mingled with the sweet scent of the pines in the hot +sunshine. + +There were butterflies, too, red admirals, that came flitting into the +sandy bottom, and settled on the face of the sandy cliff, but always +sailed away before we got near. Then we went out on to the wild +heathery waste to the south, and chased lizards in the dry short growth. +Then Shock uttered an excited cry and drew back Juno, who was sniffing, +and struck two or three rapid blows at something, ending by stooping and +raising a little writhing serpent by the tail. + +"Nedder," he said, and he crushed it beneath his heel. + +There were grasshoppers, too, by the thousand, and furze, and +stone-chats flitting from bush to bush, while sometimes a dove winged +its way overheard, or uttered its deep coo from the pine-wood at the +foot of the hill. + +Delicious blue sky overhead; a view all about that seemed to fade into a +delicious bluey pink; and the sweet warm odour of the earth rising to be +breathed and drunk in and enjoyed; the place seemed to me a very +paradise, and the dog appeared to enjoy it as much as I. + +Shock rarely spoke to me, but he did not turn his back. The boy was as +excited as the dog, going down on all-fours to push his way amongst the +heath and broom, and scratch some hole bigger where it was evident that +a rabbit had made his home. Then he was after a butterfly; then +stalking a bird, as if he expected to catch it without the proverbial +salt for its tail; and I'm afraid I was just as wild. + +I don't know that I need say _afraid_, for our amusement was innocent +enough, and you must remember that we were two boys, who resembled Juno, +the dog, in this respect that we were let loose for a time, and enjoying +the freedom of a scamper over the hills. + +We had gone some distance through the pines, when, as we turned back and +came to where they suddenly ended, and the earth down the slope seemed +to be covered with pine needles, and was all heather and short fine +furze, I sat down suddenly on the soft fir leaves, taking off my cap for +the sweet fresh breeze to blow through my hair. Shock flung himself +down on his chest, and the dog couched between us with her eyes +sparkling, her mouth open, and her tongue out and curled up at the end, +as she panted with fatigue and excitement. + +"I say," cried Shock all at once, with his face flushed, and his eyes +full of excitement, "don't let's go back--let's stop and live here. +I'll find a cave in the sand." + +"And what are we to live on?" I said. + +"Rabbits, and birds, and snails, and fish--there's a big pond down +there. Let's stop. There'll be nuts and blackberries, and whorts, and +pig-nuts, and mushrooms. There's plenty to eat. Let's stop." + +He looked up at me eagerly. + +"I can make traps for birds, and ketch rabbits, and--look, there she +goes." + +He started to his feet, for there was a bound and a rustle just below +us, as a rabbit suddenly found it was in danger, and darted away to find +out a place of refuge lower down the hill. + +"Hey, dog! on, dog!" cried Shock, clapping his hands; and Juno took up +the scent directly, running quickly in and out amongst, the furze and +heath, while Shock and I followed for about a quarter of a mile, when, +panting and hot, we came upon Juno carrying a fine rabbit in her mouth, +for this time she had overtaken it before one of the burrows was +reached. + +"Good dog!" cried Shock. "Dinner;" and, taking the rabbit by the hind +legs, the dog wagged her tail as if asking whether she had not done that +well, and followed us as we went back to where we had seen the holes in +the sandy cliff. + +We avoided the cut near which we knew that Ike would be having his nap, +and, making our way to the bottom of the cliff, we selected one of the +biggest of the holes, stooped and went in, and found that it widened out +to some ten or a dozen feet, and then ran back, thirty or forty. + +It seemed to be partly natural, partly to have been scooped out by hand, +while it certainly seemed just the place for us. + +"We'll stop here," cried Shock. "You go and get a lot of wood from up +a-top, where there's lots lying, while I skins the rabbud." + +"What are you going to do?" I said. + +"Make a fire and cook him for dinner." + +I was in no wise unwilling, for it seemed very good fun, and going out I +climbed up through a narrow gully and into the fir-wood, where I soon +found a good armful of wood, carried it to the edge of the cliff, just +over the mouth of the hole, and went back and got another and another. + +When I climbed down again I found Shock busy finishing his task, and as +I entered Juno was making a meal of the skin peppered with sand. + +Shock came out after sticking his knife in the cliff wall for a peg on +which to hang the rabbit, and we soon put the wood inside the hole, +where, Shock being provided with matches, we soon had a fire burning, +and from the way in which it drew into the cave it seemed as if there +must be a hole somewhere, and this I found in the shape of a crack in +the roof, through which the smoke rose. + +The novelty of the idea kept me from minding the smoke, and I entered +into the fun of keeping up the fire, feeding it with bits of wood, while +Shock skewered the rabbit on a neatly cut stick, and placed it where the +fire was clear of smoke, so that it soon began to hiss and assume a +pleasanter colour than the bluish-red that a skinned rabbit generally +wears. + +The fire burned freely, and Shock lay down on his chest and kicked his +heels about after the fashion practised when he was on the top of the +market cart. + +His face was a study, as he watched the progress of his cookery; while +Juno took the other side of the fire, couched, and watched the hissing +sputtering rabbit too, as if calculating how much she would get for her +share. + +I looked at them for a few minutes, and then, finding the smoke rather +too much for me, not being such an enthusiast about cooking as Shock, I +began to explore the sand-cave, to find it ended about a dozen paces in +from the fire, and that there was nothing more to see, while the place +was very smoky and very hot. + +"Here, come and watch the rabbud while I go and get some more wood," +shouted Shock to me. + +"No, thank you," I said. "You may watch the cooking. I'll get some +wood." + +I hung my jacket on a stone that stuck out of the wall and went out for +the wood, glad to be away from the heat and smoke, and after climbing up +among the firs I collected and brought back a good faggot, with which +the fire was fed till Shock declared the rabbit done. + +"Are you ready?" he said. + +"Ready!" I replied, as I looked at the half-raw, half-burned delicacy. +"No: I don't want any, Shock. You may have it." + +"You don't want none?" he said, staring at me with astonishment. + +"No: I've got some sandwiches in my pocket, and I shall eat them by and +by." + +"Oh, all right!" he said; and, taking his pocket-knife, he cut off the +rabbit's head and held it out to the dog. + +"There's your bit," he said. "Be off." + +Juno took the hot delicacy rather timorously; but she seemed to give the +donor a grateful look, and then trotted out into the sunshine, and lay +down to crunch the bones. + +The fire was nearly out, the fir-wood burning fiercely and quickly away; +but though it was a nuisance to me it seemed to find favour with Shock, +who set to work, like the young savage he was, tearing off and devouring +the rabbit, throwing the bones together, ready for the dog when she +should come back. I felt half disgusted, and yet hungry, so, going to +where I had hung my jacket, I thought I would get out the sandwiches +Mrs Solomon had cut for me; but as I turned round and looked at Shock I +felt that I should enjoy them better if I waited till he had done. + +So I leaned against the rough side of the sand-cave, watching him tear +away at the bones, holding a piece in one hand, the remains of the +rabbit in the other. + +I remember it all so well--him sitting there with just a faint blue curl +of smoke rising from the embers, and beyond him, seen as it were in a +rugged frame formed by the low entrance of the hole, was the lovely +picture of hill and vale, stretching far as the eye could reach, and all +bright in the sunshine, and with the bare sky beyond. + +I was just thinking what a rough-looking object Shock seemed as he sat +there just in the entrance to the hole, and wishing that, now he had a +good situation and was decently clothed, he would become like other +boys, when I saw Juno come slowly towards Shock, wagging her tail and +showing her teeth as if asking for more bones, but she suddenly whisked +round and darted away, as, with a noise like a dull clap of thunder, +something seemed to shut out the scene from the mouth of the hole, I +felt a puff of heat and smoke in my face, and all was darkness. + +I stood there as if petrified for a minute, I should think, quite unable +to make out what was the matter, and panting for breath. + +Then the thought came like a flash, that a quantity of sand had fallen, +and blocked up the mouth of the cave. + +For a moment or two I felt as if I should fall. Then the instinct of +self-preservation moved me to act, and with my hands stretched out +before me I went quietly towards the entrance. + +"Shock! Shock!" I cried, but there was no reply, and it sounded as if +my voice was squeezed up in a narrowed space; then I seemed to hear a +rustling noise as I stepped forward, I was kicked violently in the shins +and fell forward with my hands plunging into a mass of soft sand, and to +my horror I found that I was lying upon my companion, who was half +buried. + +The perspiration stood out all over me as I leaped to my feet; and then +went down again to find that Shock was kicking frantically, and a +moment's investigation told me that he could not extricate himself. + +Seizing one of his legs, which as I grasped by the ankle and clasped it +to my side, kept giving spasmodic jerks, I dragged with all my might, +and found I could not move him; but as I dragged again he seemed to give +a tremendous throb, and I went backwards, followed, it seemed to me in +the darkness, by a quantity of soft sand; but Shock was free, for I +could feel him by me lying on his face, and as I turned him over he +uttered a groan. + +And now a horrible sensation of fear came over me as I thoroughly +realised that I was buried alive in that sand-cave. I felt that my +climbing about on the top of the cliff had loosened or cracked the +compressed sand. Shock and I had jumped about over it when we threw +down the wood we had gathered, and that seemed to be the explanation of +the mishap. + +But I had no time to think of this now, for the thought that perhaps +Shock was killed, suffocated, came over me with terrible force, and I +bent over him, feeling his face, his heart, and hands. + +His heart was beating fast, and his hands were warm, but though I spoke +to him over and over again, in the darkness, there was no answer, and +with a cry of despair I threw myself on my knees, when all at once he +shouted: + +"Hullo!" + +"Shock," I cried, "I'm here." + +"What yer do that for?" he cried fiercely. + +"I didn't do anything." + +"Yes, yer did," he cried. "Yer threw a lump o' sand on my head. I'm +half blind, and my ears is full. Just wait till I gets hold on yer, +I'll pay yer for it." + +Then he began panting, and spitting, and muttering about his eyes, and +at last--"Here, where are yer?" + +"I'm here, close by you," I said. "Don't you understand? The sand has +fallen and shut us in." + +There was silence for a few minutes--a terrible painful silence to me, +as I felt that I was face to face with death. Then Shock seemed to have +grasped the situation, for he said coolly enough: + +"Like the rabbuds. Well, we shall have to get out." + +"Yes, but how?" I cried. + +"Same's they do. Scratch yer way, and make a hole. I don't mind, do +you?" + +"Mind!" I said, "it's horrible." + +"Is it?" he replied quietly. "Why?" + +"Don't you see--" + +"No," he said sharply, "not werry well. I can a little." + +"But I mean, don't you understand?" I cried in an awe-stricken choking +voice, "that if we don't get out soon, we shall die." + +"What, like when you kills a rabbud or a bird?" + +"Yes." + +"Get out!" he cried in contemptuous tones. "I hadn't finished my +rabbud, and my eyes is half full of sand still." + +"Never mind the rabbit," I said angrily, "let's try and dig our way +out." + +"Let Ikey do it," he said, "he's got the shovels." + +"But will he find out where we are," I cried, for I must own to being +terribly unnerved, and ready to marvel at Shock's coolness. + +"Why, of course he will," said Shock. "I say, don't you be frightened. +You don't mind the dark, do you?" + +"I don't mind the dark," I replied, "but it's horrible to be shut in +here." + +"Why, it's only sand," he said, "only sand, mate." + +"But it nearly smothered you," I cried. "It would have smothered you if +I hadn't pulled you out." + +"Yes, but that was because it fell atop of my head and held me down, +else it wouldn't. I thought it was your games." + +I had never heard Shock talk like this before. Our mutual distress +seemed to have made us friends, and I felt ready to shake hands with him +and hold on by his arm. + +"I say," he cried, his voice sounding, like mine, more and more +subdued--at least so it seemed to me--"I say, I weren't looking; it +didn't go down on the dog too--did it?" + +"No, Shock, I saw her run away." + +There was a few moments' silence and then he said: + +"Well, I am glad of that. I likes dorgs, and we was reg'lar good +friends." + +"Hark!" I said; "is that Ike digging?" + +"No," he said; "it was some more sand tumbled down, I think." + +I knew he was right, for there was a dull thud, and then another; but +whether inside or outside I could not tell. It made me tremble though; +for I wondered whether I should be able to struggle out if part of the +roof came down upon my head. + +All at once Shock began to whistle--not a tune, but something of an +imitation of a blackbird; and as I was envying him his coolness in +danger I heard a scratching noise and saw a line of light. Then there +was another scratch and a series of little sparkles. Another scratch, +and a blue flame as the brimstone on the end caught fire; and then, as +the splint of wood burned up, I could see in the midst of a ring of +light the face of Shock, looking very intent as he bent over the burning +match, and held to it the wick of a little end of a common tallow +candle. + +"I allus carries a bit o' candle out of the lanthorns," he said, showing +his teeth; and then he held up the light, and I could see that the +opening to the cave was completely closed up, just as if the roof had +all come down, and the cave we were in was not half the size it was at +first, a slope of sand encroaching on the floor. I felt chilled, for I +felt that it would be impossible to tunnel through that sand. + +"Now, then," said Shock coolly, "that there's the way--ain't it? Well, +we don't want no light to see to do that; so you put it out 'case we +wants it agen, and put it in yer pocket. I'll go down on my knees and +have first scratch, and when I'm tired you shall try, and we'll soon get +through it. We won't wait for Ike." + +I longed to keep the candle burning, but what Shock said seemed to be +right; so I put it out, and as I did so I saw the boy begin to scratch +away as hard as he could at the sand in the direction of the entrance, +and then in the dark I could hear him panting away like some wild +animal. + +"I say," he cried at last. + +"Yes," I said. + +"It don't seem no good. More you pulls it away, more it comes down. +It's like dry water, and runs all through your hands." + +"Let me have a try," I said. + +"All right. You go where I did, and keep straight on." + +Keep straight on! It was, as he said, like grasping at water; and the +more I tore at it, in the hope of making a tunnel through, the more it +came pouring down, till in utter despair I gave it up and told Shock it +was no good. + +"Never mind," he said. "It's dry and warm. I've been in worse places +than this is, where you couldn't keep the rain out. Let's sit down and +talk. I say I wish I'd got the rest o' my rabbud." + +I didn't answer, for, hot, weary, and despairing at our position, I was +lying down on the sand with my hands covering my face. + +I don't know how long a time passed, for I felt confused and strange; +but I was aroused by Shock, who exclaimed suddenly: + +"Here, I want to get out of this. Let's have another try at scratching +a hole." + +I heard him move, and then he struck a light again so as to see where to +begin. + +"Must know, you see," he said. "If I get scratching at the wrong side, +it would take so long to get out." + +In spite of my trouble I could not help feeling amused, there seemed to +be something so droll in the idea of Shock burrowing his way right into +the hill and expecting to get out; but the next moment I was listening +to him and watching the tiny spark at the end of the burned match die +out. + +Rustle, rustle, rustle, he went on, and every now and then there was a +loud panting such as some wild animal would make. Then I uttered a cry +of fear, for I felt a quantity of sand strike me and I bounded aside, +for it seemed that the top was coming down. + +"What's matter?" cried Shock, stopping short. + +"Nothing," I said as I realised the cause of my fright. "Some of the +sand hit me." + +"What! some as I chucked behind me?" + +"Yes." + +The scratching and tearing went on again, and I felt the sand scattered +over me several times, but the fear did not attack me again. + +All at once there was a soft rushing noise, and Shock uttered a yell +which seemed to make my heart leap. + +"Shock!" I cried, "Shock!" but there was no answer, only a scuffling +noise. "Shock! where are you?" + +The scuffling noise continued, and their there was a loud panting, a cry +of "Oh!" and my companion staggered by me. + +"Shock!" I cried. + +"Oh! I say," he groaned, "I've got it all in my eyes agen. A lot come +down and buried me. I sha'n't do it no more." + +He uttered a series of strange gasps and cries, shaking himself, +spitting, and stamping on the ground. + +"I swallowed lots o' sand, I think, and it come down on my back horrid. +You try now." + +I hesitated, but felt that I must not be cowardly if I wished for us to +escape; and so I asked him to light a match again. + +He did so, and by its feeble light I saw where to work, and also that, +the place seemed to be filling up with the sand, and that we had not +half so much room as we had at first. + +Then out went the light, and with a desperate haste I went down on my +hands and knees and began to tear at and throw the sand behind me, +filling up our prison more and more, but doing nothing towards our +extrication, for as fast as I drew the sand away from the tunnel more +came; and at last, just as I began to think that I was making a little +progress, I heard a rustling, dribbling sound, some hard bits of +adhesive sand fell upon my head, and I instinctively started back, as +there was a rush that came over my knees, and I knew that if I had +remained where I was, tunnelling, I should have been buried. + +"What, did you get it?" cried Shock, laughing. + +I was so startled that I did not answer. + +"Oh! he's buried!" cried Shock in a wild tone; and he threw himself by +me, and began to tear at the sand. "Mars Grant, Mars Grant," he cried +excitedly. "Don't leave me here alone." + +"I'm not there, Shock," I said. "I jumped back." + +"Then what did yer go and pretend as you was buried in the sand for?" +cried the boy savagely. + +I did not reply, and I heard him go as far from me as he could, +muttering and growling to himself, and in spite of my position I could +not help thinking of what a curious and different side I was seeing of +Shock's character. I had always found him so quiet and reserved, and +yet it was evident that he could talk and think like the best of us, and +somehow it seemed as if in spite of the way in which he turned away he +had a sort of liking for me. + +This idea influenced me so that I felt a kind of pity for my companion +in misfortune. That was a good deal in the direction of liking him in +return. I felt sorry that I had frightened him, and at last after a +good deal of thinking I said to him: + +"Shock!" + +"Hullo!" + +"I'm sorry I made you think I was buried." + +"Are yer?" + +"Yes. Will you shake hands?" + +"What for?" + +This staggered me, and I could make no reply, and so we remained silent +for some time. + +"Here, let's see," said Shock all at once. "Where's that there candle?" + +"Here it is," I said, and as he struck a light I held the scrap of +little more than an inch long to the flame, and it burned up so that we +could examine our position, and we soon found that our prison was +reduced to about half its size. + +"It's of no use to try and dig our way out, Shock," I said despairingly, +as I extinguished the candle. "We shall only bring down more sand and +cover ourselves in." + +"Like Old Brownsmith's toolips," said Shock, laughing. "I say, should +we come up?" + +"Don't talk like that," I said angrily. "Don't you understand that we +are buried alive." + +"Course I do," he said. "Well, what on it?" + +"What of it?" I said in agony, as the perspiration stood upon my brow. + +"Yes, what on it? They'll dig us out like we do the taters out of a +clamp. What's the good o' being in a wax. I wish I'd some more +rabbud." + +I drew in a long breath, and sat down as far from the sealed-up opening +as I could get, and listened to the rustling trickling noise made by the +sand every now and then, as more and more seemed to be coming in, and I +knew most thoroughly now that our only course was to wait till Ike +missed us, and came and dug us out. + +"And that can't be long," I thought, for we must have been in here two +or three hours. + +All at once I heard a peculiar soft beating noise, and my heart leaped, +for it sounded like the quick strokes of a spade at regular intervals. + +"Hear that, Shock?" I cried. + +"Hear what?" he said, and the noise ceased. + +"Somebody digging," I cried joyfully. + +"No. It was me--my feet," he said, and the sound began again, as I +realised that he must be lying in his old attitude, kicking his legs up +and down. + +If I had any doubt of it I was convinced the next moment, for he burst +out: + + "I've been to Paris, and I've been to Do-ho-ver, + I've been a travelling all the world o-ho-ver. + Over and over, and over, and o-ho-ver, + So drink up yer licker and turn the bowl o-ho-ver." + +"Don't, don't, don't, Shock," I cried passionately. "I can't bear it;" +and I again covered my face with my hands, and crouched lower and lower, +listening to the trickling of the sand that seemed to be flowing in like +water to take up all the space we had left. + +Suddenly I started, for a hand touched me. + +"Is that you, Shock?" + +"Yes. Mind my coming and sitting along o' you? I ain't so werry dirty +now." + +"Mind? no," I said: "it will be company." + +"Yes," he said. "It's werry dark and werry quiet like, ain't it?" + +"Yes, very." + +"Ain't Ike a long time?" + +"Yes," I said despairingly, for I began to wonder whether we should be +found. + +"I'd ha' came shovelling arter him 'fore now. I say, ain't you tired?" + +"Tired!" I said. "No, I never thought of feeling tired shut up in this +horrible place. Let's try if we can't get out by the way the smoke +went." + +"I've been trying," said Shock; "but it's too high up. You can't reach +it." + +"Not if you stood on my shoulders?" + +"No," he said. "I looked when you had hold of the candle, and if you +did try you'd only pull the sand down atop of your head." + +I knew it, and heaved a deep sigh. + +Then there was a long silence, and I was roused out of thoughts about +how we had enjoyed ourselves that morning, and how little we had +imagined that we should have such a termination to our holiday, by a +heavy breathing. + +I listened, and there it was quite loud as if some animal were near. + +"Do you hear that, Shock?" I whispered. + +There was no answer. + +"Shock!" I said, "do you hear that noise?" + +No answer, and I understood now that in spite of our perilous position +he had fallen fast asleep. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. + +FINDING A TREASURE. + +"Can't be time to get up yet," I thought, and I turned over on my soft +bed. It was too dark, and I was dozing off again when a loud snorting +gasp made me start and throw off the clothes that lay so heavy on me. + +Then I stopped short, trembling and puzzled. Where was I? It was very +dark. That was not clothes, but something that slipped and trickled +through my fingers as I grasped at it. My legs felt heavy and numbed, +and this darkness was so strange that I couldn't make it out. + +Was I asleep still? I must have been to sleep--heavily asleep, but I +was awake now, and--what did it mean? + +A curious feeling of horror was upon me, and I lay perfectly still. I +could not stir for some minutes, and then it all came like a flash, and +I knew that I must have lain listening for some time to Shock breathing +heavily, and then insensibly have fallen asleep, and for how long? + +That I could not of course tell, but so long that the sand had gone on +trickling in till it had nearly covered me, as I lay nearest to the +opening. It had been right over my chest, and sloped up and away from, +me, so that my legs were deeply buried, and it required quite a struggle +to get them free, while to my horror as I dragged them out from beneath +the heavy weight more sand came down, and one hard lump rolled down and +up against me sufficiently hard to give me pain. + +There was the same terrible silence about me, and it seemed to grow +deeper. A short time before I had heard Shock breathing hard, but now +his breath came softly, and then seemed to cease. + +That silence had lasted some time, when all at once it was broken by my +companion as I knelt there in the soft sand. + +"Mars Grant! I say. You awake?" + +"Yes." + +"What yer doing of?" + +"I am saying my prayers." + +There was another silence here, and then Shock said softly: + +"What yer praying for?" + +"For help and protection in this terrible place," I cried passionately; +and I crouched down lower as I bowed myself and prayed that I might see +the sunshine and the bright sky once again--that I might live. + +Just then a hand was laid upon my shoulder, and I felt Shock's lips +almost touch my ear as he whispered softly: + +"I say--I want to say my prayers too." + +"Well," I said sternly, "pray." + +There was again that silence that seemed so painful, and then a low +hoarse voice at my side said slowly: + +"I can't. I 'most forgets how." + +"Shock," I cried, as I caught at his hands, which closed tightly and +clung to mine; and for the first time it seemed to come to me that this +poor half-wild boy was only different to myself in that he had been left +neglected to make his way in life almost as he pleased, and that in +spite of his wilful ways and half-savage animal habits it was more the +want of teaching than his fault. + +I seemed to feel brighter and more cheerful as we sat together soon +after, discussing whether we should light the candle again, and all at +once Shock exclaimed: + +"I say." + +"What, Shock?" + +"I won't shy nothing at you no more." + +"It does not seem as if you will ever have the chance, Shock," I cried +dolefully. + +"Oh, I don't know, mate," he said; and at that word "mate" I seemed to +feel a curious shrinking from him; but it passed off directly. + +"Shall I light the candle?" he said after a pause. + +"Yes, just for one look round," I said. "Perhaps we can find a way +out." + +The candle was lit, and I started as I saw how much the sand had crept +in during the time that we had been asleep. It had regularly flowed in +like water, and as we held the candle down there was one place where it +trickled down a slope, just as you see it in an egg-boiler or an +old-fashioned hour-glass. + +We looked all round; went to the spot where the hole ended in what was +quite hard sandy rock. Then we looked up at the top, where we could +dimly make out the crack or rift through which the smoke had gone, but +there was no daylight to be seen through it, though of course it +communicated with the outer air. + +Then we had a look at the part where we had come in, but there the sand +was loose, and we had learned by bitter experience that to touch it was +only to bring down more. + +"I say," said Shock, as we extinguished the scrap of candle left, part +of which had run down on Shock's hand; "we're shut up." + +"Shut up!" I said indignantly; "have you just found that out?" + +"Well, don't hit a fellow," he cried. "I say, have a bit?" + +"Bit of what?" I cried, as I realised how hungry I had grown. + +"Taller," he said. "Some on it run down. There ain't much; two or +three little nobbles. I'll give yer a fair whack." + +"Why, you don't mean to eat that, you nasty fellow," I cried. + +"Don't!" he said; "but I do. Here's your half. I've eat worse things +than that." + +"Why, Shock," I cried, as a flash of hope ran through me, "I forgot." + +"Forgot what?" he cried. "Way out?" + +"No," I said gloomily; "but my sandwiches--bread and meat Mrs Solomon +cut for me." + +"Bread and meat!" he shouted. "Where is it?" + +"In my jacket. I hung it on a stone in the side somewhere here. Light +a match." + +_Crick--crick--crack_ went the match; then there was a flash, and the +sputtering bubbling blue flame of the sulphur, for matches were made +differently in those days, when paraffin had not been dreamed of for +soaking the wood. + +Then the light burned up clearly, and Shock held the splint above his +head, and we looked round. + +"There ain't no jacket here," said Shock dolefully. "What did yer say +bread and meat for?" he continued, as the match burned out and he threw +it down. "It's made me feel so hungry. I could eat a bit o' you." + +"I can't understand it, Shock," I said. + +"I wish I'd got some snails or some frogs," he muttered. "I could eat +'em raw." + +"Don't," I said with a shudder. + +"I knowed a chap once who eat two live frogs. Put 'em on his tongue-- +little uns, you know--and swallowed 'em down. He said he could feel 'em +hopping about inside him after. Wasn't he a brute?" + +"Don't talk to me," I cried, as I went feeling about the wall, with my +head in a state of confusion. "I know I had the jacket in here." + +"Have you got it on?" he said. + +"No--no--no! I hung it on a bit of sharp stone that stuck out of the +wall somewhere, and I can't feel the place. It's so puzzling being in +the dark. I don't know which is front and which is back now." + +"Front's where the soft sand is," said Shock. + +"Of course," I cried, feeling half stupefied all the time. "Then this +is the front here. I hung it on the stone and it was just above my +head." + +I walked about on the soft sand, feeling about above my head, and all +over the face of the cave side for a long time in vain; and then with my +head swimming I sank down in despair, and leaned heavily back, to utter +a cry of pain. + +"What's matter?" cried Shock, coming to me. + +"I've struck the back of my head against a sharp stone," I cried, +turning round to feel for the projecting piece. + +"Why, it's here, Shock. This is the piece I hung my jacket on, but it +has sunk down. No, no," I cried; "I forgot; it is the bottom of the +hole that has filled up. The sand has come up all this way. Keep +back." + +I had turned on my hands and knees and was tearing out the sand just +below the projecting piece of sand-rock. + +"What yer doing?" cried Shock. "You'll make more come down and cover us +up." + +"My jacket is buried down here," I cried, and I worked away feeling +certain that I should find it, and at last, in spite of the sand coming +down almost as fast as I tore it out, I scratched and scraped away till, +to my great delight, I got hold of a part of the jacket and dragged it +out. + +"Hurrah!" I cried. "I've got it." + +"And the bread and meat?" cried Shock. "Oh, give us a bit; I am so +bad." + +"No," I said despairingly. + +"What! yer won't give me a bit?" he cried fiercely. + +"It isn't here," I said. "It was in my pocket, but it's gone. Stop!" +I cried; "it was a big packet and it must have come out." + +I plunged my arms into the soft sand again, and worked away for long, +though I was ready to give up again and again, and my fingers were +getting painfully sore, but I worked on, and at last, to my great +delight, as I dug down something slipped slowly down on to the back of +my hands--I had dug down past it, and the sand had brought it out of the +side down to me. + +"Here it is!" I cried, standing up and shaking the sand away from the +paper as I tore it open. + +Shock uttered a cry like a hungry dog as he heard the paper rustle, and +then I divided the sandwiches in two parts and wrapped one back in the +paper. + +"What yer doin'?" cried Shock. + +"Saving half for next time," I said. "We mustn't eat all now." + +Shock growled, but I paid no heed, and gave him half of what I had in my +hands, and then putting the parcel with the rest right at the end where +the sand did not fall, I sat down and we ate our gritty but welcome +meal. + +We tried round the place again and again, using up the candle till the +wick fell over and dropped in the sand; and then first one match and +then another was burned till we were compelled to give up all hope of +escaping by our own efforts. + +Refreshed and strengthened by the food, Shock expressed himself ready +for a new trial at digging his way out. + +"I can do it," he said. "I'll soon get through." + +Soon after he was clinging to me, hot, panting, and trembling in every +limb, after narrowly escaping suffocation, and when I wanted to take up +the task where he had left off, he clung to me more tightly and would +not let me go from his side. + +"Yer can't do it," he said hoarsely. "Sand comes down and smothers yer. +Faster yer works, faster it comes. Let Ike bring the shovels." + +There was no other chance. I felt that, and sat down beside Shock and +talked and tried to cheer him up; and when I broke down he roused up and +tried to cheer me. Then I talked to him about stories I had read, where +people had been buried alive, and where they were always dug out at +last, and when I was weary he took his turn, showing me that in his +rough way he could talk quickly and in an interesting way about catching +birds and rats. How at times he had caught rats with his hands, and had +been bitten by them. + +"But," he added, with a laugh, "I served 'em out for it--I bit them +after I'd skinned and cooked 'em." + +"How horrible!" I said. + +"Horrible! Why? They'd lived on our fruit and corn till they were fat +as fat, I like rat." + +Then we grew tired, and as soon as we ceased talking a curious sensation +of fear came over us. I say us, for more than once I knew that Shock +felt it, by his whispering to me in an awe-stricken tone: + +"I never know'd as being in the dark was like this before. It's darker +like, much darker, you know than being in one of the lofts under the +straw." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY. + +HOW WE WERE RESCUED. + +It is all confused at times as I try to recall it. Some of our +adventure stands out clear to me, as if it took place only yesterday, +while other parts seem strange and dreamy, and I know now that we both +dozed a great deal in the warm close place like a pair of animals shut +up for their winter sleep. + +We soon finished our food, for we were in such good hope of soon being +dug out that we had not the heart to save a part of it in our hungry +state. Then we slept again, and woke, and slept again, till waking and +sleeping were mixed up strangely. The horror seemed to wear off a great +deal, only when Shock started up suddenly and began talking loudly about +something I could not understand, my feeling of fear increased. + +How time went--when it was night and when it was day--I could not tell; +and at last almost our sole thought was about what we should eat when we +got out again. + +At last I felt too weak and helpless to do more than lie still and try +to think of a prayer or two, which at times was only half uttered before +I dropped asleep. + +Then I woke to think of Mr Solomon and the garden, and fell asleep +again. And then I recall trying to rouse up Shock, who seemed to be +always sleeping; and while I was trying feebly to get him to speak to me +again I seem to have gone to sleep once more, and everything was like +being at an end. + +At first I had suffered agonies of fear and horror. At last all seemed +to fade, as it were, into a dreamless sleep. + +"It was like this here," Ike told me afterwards. "I lay down and made +myself comfortable, and then after smoking a pipe I went off asleep. +When I woke up I heerd you two a chiveying about and shouting, but it +was too soon to move, so I went asleep again. + +"Then I woke up and looked about for you, and shouted for you to come +down and have something to eat, and bring up the horse again, for I +thought by that time he'd have had a good rest. + +"I shouted again, but I couldn't make you hear, so I went up higher and +hollered once more, and then Juno came trotting up to me and looked up +in my face. + +"I asked her where you two was, but she didn't say anything of course, +so I began to grow rough, and I said you might find your way back, my +lads; and I went down to the public, ordered some tea and some briled +ham; see to my horse having another feed and some water, and then, as +you hadn't come down, I had my tea all alone in a huff. + +"Then I finished, and you hadn't come, so I says, `Well, that's their +fault, and they may go without.' But all the same I says to myself, +`Well, poor chaps, they don't often get a run in the country!' and that +made me a bit soft like, and I pulled a half-quartern loaf in two and +put all the briled ham that was left in the middle, and tied it up in a +clean hankychy for you to eat going home. + +"Then I pays for the eating and the horse, harnessed him up, after a +good rub down his legs, and whistled to Juno, who was keeping very close +to me, and we went up the hill to the sand-pit again. + +"I shouted and hollered again, and then, as it was got to be quite time +we started, I grew waxy, and pulls out my knife and cuts a good ash +stick out of the hedge for Master Shock, for I put it down to him for +having led you off. + +"Still you didn't come, and though I looked all about there was nothing +fresh as I could see, only sand everywhere; and at last I says to +myself, `I sha'n't wait with that load to get out of the pit here,' and +so I started. + +"Nice tug the hoss had, but she brought it well out on to the hard road, +and there I rested just a quarter of an hour, giving a holler now and +then. + +"`I'm off!' I says at last, `and they may foller. Come on, Juno,' I +says; but the dog wasn't there. + +"That made me more waxy, and I shouted and whistled, and she come from +out of the sand-pit and kept looking back, as if she wanted to know why +you two didn't come. She follered the cart, though, right enough; and +feeling precious put out, I went on slowly down the hill; stopped in the +village ten minutes, and then, knowing you could find out that I'd gone +on, I set to for my long job, and trudged on by the hoss. + +"It was a long job, hour after hour, for I couldn't hurry--that little +looking load was too heavy for that. And so I went on, and eight +o'clock come, and nine, and ten, and you didn't overtake me, and then it +got to be twelve o'clock; and at last, reg'lar fagged out, me and hoss, +we got to the yard just as it was striking four, and getting to be day. + +"I put the hoss up, and saw Juno go into her kennel, but I was too tired +to chain her, and I lay down in the loft on some hay and went off to +sleep. + +"I didn't seem to have been asleep above ten minutes, but it was eight +o'clock when Old Brownsmith's brother stirs me up with his foot, and I +sat up and stared at him. + +"`Where's young Grant and the boy?' he says. + +"`What! ain't they come?' I says, and I told him. + +"`And you've left the dog behind too,' he says, quite waxy with me. + +"`No,' I says; `she come home along o' me and went into her kennel.' + +"`She's not there now,' he says. + +"`Then,' says I, `she's gone back to meet 'em.' + +"`Then there's something wrong,' he says sharply; `and look here, Ike, +if you've let that boy come to harm I'll never forgive you.' + +"`Why, I'd sooner come to harm myself,' I says. `It's larks, that's +what it is.' + +"`Well,' he says, `I'll wait till twelve o'clock, and if they're not +back then you must come along with me and find 'em, for there is +something wrong.' + +"I never cared a bit about you, my lad, but I couldn't sleep no more, +and I couldn't touch a bit o' breakfast; and when twelve o'clock came, +Mrs Old Brownsmith's brother's wife had been at me with a face as white +as noo milk, and she wanted us to go off before. + +"We was off at twelve, though, in the light cart and with a fresh horse; +and though I expected to see you every minute along the road, we got +back to the public, and asked for you, and found that you hadn't been +seen. + +"Then we put up the hoss and went and looked about the sand-pits, and +could see nothing of you there, and we didn't see nothing of the dog. +Then we went over the common and searched the wood, and there was no +sign. + +"Then back we was at the sand-pits, and there was the sand everywhere, +but nothing seemed to say as it had fallen down. There was some holes, +and we looked in all of 'em, but we couldn't tell that any of 'em had +filled up. Last of all, it was getting dark, when we heard a whine, and +saw Juno come out of the fir-wood on the top with a rabbit in her mouth. + +"But that taught us nothing, and we coaxed her down to the public again, +and drove home. + +"`I've got it,' I says, as we stood in the stable-yard: `that boy +Shock's got him on to it, and they've gone off to Portsmouth to be +sailors.' + +"Old Brownsmith's brother looked at me and shook his head, but I stack +to it I was right; and he said he'd go down to Portsmouth and see. + +"But he didn't, for next day he goes over to Isleworth, and as I was +coming out of the garden next night he was back, and he stops me and +takes me to the cottage. + +"`Good job,' he says, `as Sir Francis ain't at home, for he thought a +deal of that boy.' + +"`Warn't my fault,' I says; but he shook his head, and took me in, and +there sat Old Brownsmith's brother's wife, with a white face and red +eyes as if she had been crying, and Old Brownsmith himself. + +"Well, he gives me a long talking to, and I told him everything about +it; and when I'd done I says again as it warn't my fault, and Old +Brownsmith turns to his brother and he says, as fair as a man could +speak, `It warn't his fault, Solomon; and if it's as he says, Grant's +that sort o' boy as'll repent and be very sorry, and if he don't come +back before, you'll get a letter begging your pardon for what he's done, +or else I shall. You wait a couple of days.' + +"I dunno why, but I was reg'lar uncomf'table about you, my lad, and I +didn't understand Juno stopping away so, for next day she was gone +again, but next night she was back. Next day she was gone again, and +didn't come back, and on the fourth, when I was down the garden +digging--leastwise, I wasn't digging, for I was leaning on my spade +thinking, up comes Old Brownsmith's brother with his mouth open, and +before he could say a word I says to him, `Stop!' I says; `I've got +it,' for it come to me like a flash o' lightning. + +"`What?' he says. + +"`Them boys is in that sand-pit, covered over!' I says. + +"`That's it!' he says. `I was coming to say I thought so, and that we'd +go over directly.' + +"Bless your heart, my boy, I was all of a shiver as I got into the light +cart alongside Old Brownsmith's brother and six shovels and four spades +in the bottom of the cart as I felt we should want, and I see as Old +Brownsmith's brother had got a flask o' something strong in his +breast-pocket. Then I just looked and saw that Juno warn't there, and +we were off. + +"My hye, how that there horse did go till we got to the little public. +We stopped once to give her mouth a wash out and a mouthful of hay, and +then we were off again, never hardly saying a word, but as we got to the +public we pulls up, and Old Brownsmith's brother shouts to the landlord, +`Send half-a-dozen men up to the sand-pit directly. Boys buried.' + +"You see he felt that sure, my lad, that he said that, and then we drove +on up the hill, with the horse smoking, and a lot of men after us. + +"First thing we see was Juno trotting towards us, and she looked up and +whined, and then trotted back to a place where it was plain enough, now +we knew, a great bit of the side had caved down and made a slope, and +here Juno began scratching hard, and as fast as she scratched the more +sand come down. + +"I looked, at Old Brownsmith's brother, and he looked at me, and we +jumped out, slipped off our coats and weskits, took a shovel apiece, and +began to throw the sand away. + +"My head was all of a buzz, for every shovelful I threw out I seemed to +see your white gal's face staring at me and asking of me to work harder, +and I did work like a steam-engyne. + +"Then, one by one, eight men come up, and we set 'em all at work; but +Old Brownsmith's brother, the ganger, you know, stops us after a bit. + +"`This is no use!' he says; `we're only burying of 'em deeper.' + +"Right he was, for the sand kept crumbling down from the top as soon as +ever we made a bit of space below, and twice over some one called out +`_Warning_!' and we had to run back to keep from being buried, while I +got in right up to the chest once. + +"`There's hundreds o' tons loose,' says the old--the ganger, you know; +`and we shall never get in that way.' He stopped to think, but it made +me mad, for I knowed you must be in there, and I began digging again, +wondering how it was that Juno hadn't found you before, and 'sposed the +sand didn't hold the scent, or else the rabbits up above 'tracted her +away. + +"`I can see no other way,' said the ganger at last. `You must dig, my +lads. Go on. I'll get on the top, and see how much more is loose. +Take care. You,' he said to a tall, thin lad of sixteen--`you stand +there; and as soon as you see any sand crumbling down, you shout.' + +"The men began to dig again, and at the end of a minute the lad shouted, +and we had to scuttle off, or we should have been buried, and things +looked worse than ever. We'd been digging and shovelling back the +sloping bank, but it grew instead of getting less, and this made me +obstint as I dug away as hard as I could get my shovel down. + +"All at once I hears a shout from the ganger. `Come up here, Ike,' he +says; and I shouldered my spade, and had to go a good bit round 'fore I +could climb up to him, and I found him twenty or thirty foot back from +the edge, among some furze. + +"`Look here,' he says; `I was hunting for cracks when I slipped down +here.' + +"I looked, and I saw a narrow crack, 'bout a foot wide, nearly covered +with furze. + +"`Now, listen,' he says, and he kneeled down and shouted, and, sure +enough, there was a bit of a groan came up. + +"`Echo!' I says. + +"`No,' he says. `Listen again,' and he shouted, and there was a sort of +answer. + +"`They're here,' he says excitedly. `Hi! Juno, Juno!' The dog came +rushing up, and we put her to the hole or crack, and she darted into it, +went down snuffling, and came back again barking. We sent her down +again, and then she didn't come back, and when we called we could hear +her barking, but she didn't come to us, and at last we felt that she +couldn't get back. + +"`What's to be done?' said the ganger. `We can't get down there.' + +"`Dig down,' I says. + +"`No, no,' says he. `If we do we shall smother them.' + +"`That boy, then, you sot to look out--send him down.' + +"`Go and bring him,' says the ganger; `and--oh, we have no rope. Bring +the reins; they're strong and new.' + +"Five minutes after, the boy was up with us, and he said he'd go down if +we'd put the reins round him like a rope, and so we did, and after we'd +torn some furze away he got into the hole feet first, and wriggled +himself down till only his head was out. + +"`Goes down all sidewise,' he says, `and then turns round.' + +"`Will you go, my lad? The dog's down there, and we'll hold on to the +reins, and have you out in a minute, if you shout.' + +"`And 'spose the sand falls?' + +"`Why, we've got the reins to trace you by, and we'll dig you out in a +jiffy,' I says. + +"`All right!' he says, and he shuffled himself down and went out of +sight, and he kept on saying, `all right! all right!' and then all at +once, quickly, `I've slipped,' he says, as if frightened. `There's no +bottom. I'm over a big hole.' + +"Just then, my lad, the rein had tightened, but we held on. + +"`Pull me up!' he says, and we pulled hard, and strained the reins a +good deal, and at last he come up, looking hot and scared. + +"`I couldn't touch bottom,' he says, `and the dog began to bark loudly.' + +"`I see,' says the ganger, `the dog slipped there, and can't get out. +We must have a rope; you, Ike, take the reins, and drive down to the +village and get a stout cart-rope. Bring two.' + +"The landlord of the inn had just come up, and he said he'd got plenty, +and he'd go with me, and so he did, and in a quarter of an hour we'd +been down and driven back with two good strong new ropes. + +"There was no more digging going on, it was no use; but while we'd been +gone they'd chopped away the furze, cutting through it with spades, so +that the hole, which was a big crack, was all clear. + +"`Now, then,' says Old Brownsmith's brother, `go down again, my boy. +With this stout rope round we can take care of you,' but the boy shook +his head, he'd been too much scared last time. + +"`Who'll go?' says the ganger. `A sovereign for the man who goes down +and fetches them up.' + +"The chaps talked together, but no one moved. + +"`It'll cave in,' says one of 'em. + +"`You must cut a way down, Ike,' says the ganger. `I'm too stout, or +I'd go down myself.' + +"`Nay,' I says, `if they're down there, and you get digging, you'll bury +'em. P'r'aps I could squeedge myself down. Let's try.' + +"So they ties the rope round me, and I lets myself into the hole, which +was all sand, and roots to hold it a bit together. + +"`It's a tight fit,' I says, as I wriggled myself down with my face to +the ganger, but I soon found that wouldn't do, and I dragged myself out +again and took off my boots, tightened my strap, and went down the other +way. + +"That was better, but it was a tight job going all round a corner like a +zigger-me-zag, as you calls it, or a furnace chimney; and as I scrouged +down with my eyes shut, and the sand and stones scuttling down after me, +I began to wonder how I was going to get up again. + +"`Here!' I shouts, `I shall want two ropes. See if you can reach down +the other.' + +"I put up my hand as far as I could reach, and the thin boy put a loop +round his foot and come down, shutting out the light, till he could +reach my hand, and I got hold of the second rope, and went scuttling +farther, till all at once I found it like the boy had said--my legs was +hanging and kicking about. + +"`Here's in for it now,' I says to myself; and I wondered whether I +should be buried; but I shouts out, `Lower away,' and I let myself +slide, and then there was a rush of falling sand and I was half +smothered as I swung about, but they lowered down, and directly after I +touched bottom with my feet, and Juno was jumping about me and barking +like mad. + +"`Found 'em?' I heard the ganger shout from up in daylight, and I began +to feel about for you; and, Lor'! there has been times when I've longed +for a match, when I've wanted a pipe o' tobacco; but nothing like what I +longed then, so as to see where I was, for it was as black as pitch. + +"But I felt about with the dog barking, and followed to where she was, +and feeling about, I got hold of you two boys cuddled up together as if +you was asleep, and nearly covered up with sand. + +"I puts my hands to my mouth, and I yells out as loud as I could: `I've +got 'em!' and there came back a `Hooray!' sounding hollow and strange +like, and then I s'pose it was the sand had got in my eyes so as they +began to water like anything. + +"But I knelt down trembling all over, for I was afraid you was both +dead, and I can't a-bear touching dead boys. I never did touch none, +but I can't a-bear touching of 'em all the same. + +"Then I felt something jump up in my throat, as if I'd swallowed a new +potato, only upside down like, other way on, you know, the tater coming +up and not going down for when I got feeling you about you was both +warm. + +"`Out o' the way, dog,' I says, for she kept licking of you both, and I +feels to find out which was you, and soon found that out, because Shock +had such a rough head; and then I says to myself, `Which shall I send up +first?' + +"I did think o' sending Shock, so as to make him open the hole a bit +more; but I thought p'raps the top'd fall in with sending the first one +up, and you was more use than Shock, so I made the rope, as was loose, +fast round your chest, and then I shouts to 'em as I lifted you up. + +"`Haul steady,' I shouts, and as the rope tightened hoisted you more and +more, till you went up and up, and I was shoving your legs, then your +feet, and then you was dragged away from me, and I was knocked down flat +by 'bout hunderd ton o' sand coming on my head. I didn't weigh it, so +p'r'aps there warn't so much. + +"I was made half stupid; but I heerd them cheering, and I knowed they'd +got you out, for they shouted down the hole for the next, and I had to +drag the rope I had out of the sand before I fastened it round Shock, +who give a bit of a groan as soon as I touched him, and I wished I'd +heerd you groan too. + +"`Haul away,' I shouted, and I walked right up a heap of sand, as they +hauled at Shock, and as soon as they'd dragged him away from me, and he +was going up, I jumped back, expecting some more sand to fall, and so it +did, as they hauled, whole barrowfuls of it. + +"Then come some more shouting, and Old Brownsmith's brother roared down +the hole:-- + +"`All right. Safe up.' + +"`All right, is it?' I says, scratching the sand out o' my head, `and +how's me and the dog to come?' + +"They seemed to have thought of that, for the ganger shouts down the +crooked hole--`How are we to get down the rope to you?' + +"`I d'know,' I says; and I stood there in the dark thinking and +listening to the buzzing voices, and wondering what to do. + +"`Wonder how nigh I am to the hole,' I says to myself; and I walked up +quite a heap o' sand and tried if I could touch anything, but I +couldn't. + +"Then I thought of the dog. + +"`Hi, Juno!' I says, and she whined and come to me, and I took hold of +her. + +"`Here, you try if you can't get out, old gal,' I says; and I believe as +she understood me as I lifted her up and helped her scramble up, and +somehow I got her right with her stomach on my head. Then I lifted her +shoulders up as high as I could reach, as I stood on the heap o' sand, +and she got her legs on my head, and my! how she did scratch, and then +the sand began to come down, and I knowed she could reach the top. Next +moment she'd got one of her hind paws on my hand as I reached up high, +and then there was a rush and scramble, and I heard another shouting of +`Hooray!' while the sand come down so that I had to get right as far +away as I could. + +"`What shall we do now?' says the ganger, shouting to me:-- + +"`Send the dog down again with the two ropes round her.' + +"`Right!' he says; and then in a minute there was a scuffling and more +rushing, and Juno come down with a run, to begin barking loudly as she +fell on the soft sand. + +"`There you are, old gal,' I says, patting her, as I took off one rope, +and felt that the other was fast round her. `Up you go again.' I +lifted her up and shouted to 'em to haul, and in half a minute she was +gone, and I was alone in the dark, but with the rope made fast round my +chest. + +"`Are you ready?' shouts the ganger. + +"`Ay!' I says. `Pull steady, for I'm heavier than the dog.' + +"They began to haul as I took tight hold of the rope above my head, and +up I went slowly with the sand being cut away by the tight line, and +coming thundering down on me at an awful rate, just as if some one was +shooting cart loads atop of me. + +"`Steady!' I yelled; and they pulled away slowly, while I wondered +whether the rope would give way. But it held, and I felt my head bang +against the sand, and some more fell. Then, as I kicked my legs about, +I felt myself dragged more into the hole, and I tried to help myself; +but all I did was to send about a ton of sand down from under me. Then +very slowly I was hauled past an elbow in the hole, and I was got round +towards the other when a lot more sand fell from beneath me, and then, +just as I was seeing daylight, there was a sort of heave above me, and +the top came down and nipped me fast just about the hips. + +"`Haul! my lads, haul!' the ganger shouted, and they hauled till I felt +most cut in two, and I had to holler to 'em to stop. + +"`I shall want my legs,' I says. `They ain't much o' ones, but useful!' + +"There was nothing for it but to begin digging, for they could see my +face now, and they began watching very carefully that the sand didn't +get over my head, when, all at once, as they dug, there was a slip, and +the sand, and the roots, and stones all dropped down into the hole +below, and I was hauled out on to the top safe and sound, 'cept a few +scratches, and only a bit of the sleeve of my shirt left. + +"There, you know the rest." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. + +"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF ALL THIS?" + +I did know the rest; how Shock and I lay for a fortnight at the little +country inn carefully tended before we were declared fit to go back +home, for the doctor was not long in bringing us back to our senses; +and, save that I used to wake with a start out of my sleep in the dark, +fancying I was back in the pit, I was not much the worse. Shock was +better, for he looked cleaner and fresher, but he objected a great deal +to our nurse brushing his hair. + +I was just back and feeling strong again, when one day Sir Francis came +down into the pinery, and stopped and spoke to me. He said he had heard +all about my narrow escape, and hoped it would be a warning to me never +to trust myself in a sand-pit again. + +He was very kind after his manner, which was generally as if he thought +all the world were soldiers, and I was going up to my dinner soon, after +I had stopped for a bit of a cool down in one of the other houses, when, +to my great disgust, I saw Courtenay and Philip back, and I felt a kind +of foreboding that there would soon be some more troubles to face. + +I was quite right, for during the rest of their stay at home they seemed +to have combined to make my life as wretched as they possibly could. + +I was often on the point of complaining, but I did not like to do so, +for it seemed to be so cowardly, and besides, I argued to myself that I +could not expect all sunshine. Old Brownsmith used to have me over to +spend Sundays with him, and his brother and Mrs Solomon were very kind. +Ike sometimes went so far as to say "Good-morning" and "good-night," +and Shock had become so friendly that he would talk, and bring me a good +moth or butterfly for my case. + +I went steadily on collecting, for Mr Solomon said, as long as the work +was done well he would rather I did amuse myself in a sensible way. + +The consequence was that I often used to go down the garden of a night, +and my collection of moths was largely increased. + +I noticed about this time that Sir Francis used to talk a good deal to +Shock, and by and by I found from Ike that the boy was going regularly +to an evening-school, and altering a great deal for the better. +Unfortunately, Ike, with whom he lodged, was not improving, as I had +several opportunities of observing, and one day I took him to task about +it. + +"I know the excuse you have, Ike," I said, "that habit you got into when +going backwards and forwards to the market; but when you had settled +down here in a gentleman's garden, I should have thought that you would +have given it up." + +"Ah, yes," he said, as he drove in his spade. "You're a gent, you see, +and I'm only a workman." + +"I'm going to be a workman too, Ike," I said. + +"Ay, but not a digger like me. They don't set me to prune, and thin +grapes, and mind chyce flowers. I'm not like you." + +"It does not matter what any one is, Ike," I said. "You ought to turn +over a new leaf and keep away from the public-house." + +"True," he said, smashing a clod; "and I do turn over a noo leaf, but it +will turn itself back." + +"Nonsense!" I said. "You are sharp enough on Shock's failings, and you +tell me of mine. Why don't you attend to your own?" + +"Look here, young gent," he cried sharply, "do you want to quarrel just +because I like a drop now and then?" + +"Quarrel! No, Ike. I tell you because I don't want to see you +discharged." + +"Think they would start me if they knowed, lad?" + +"I'm sure of it," I said earnestly. "Sir Francis is so particular." + +"Then," he said, scraping his spade fiercely, "it won't do. I want to +stop here. I'll turn over a noo leaf." + +One day in the next autumn, as I was carefully shutting in a pill-box a +moth that I had found, a gentleman who was staying at the house caught +sight of me and asked to see it. + +"Ah, yes!" he said. "Goat-moth, and a nice specimen. Do you sugar?" + +"Do I sugar, sir?" I said vacantly. "Yes, I like sugar, sir." + +"Bless the lad!" he said, laughing. "I mean sugar the trees. Smear +them with thick sugar and water or treacle, and then go round at night +with a lantern; that's the way to catch the best moths." + +I was delighted with the idea and was not long before I tried it, and as +luck would have it, there was an old bull's-eye lantern in the +tool-house that Mr Solomon used when he went round to the furnaces of a +night. + +I remember well one evening, just at leaving-off time, taking my bottle +of thick syrup and brush from the tool-house shelf, and slipping down +the garden and into the pear-plantation where the choice late fruit was +waiting and asking daily to be picked. + +Mr Solomon was very proud of his pears, and certainly some of them grew +to a magnificent size. + +I was noticing how beautiful and tawny and golden some of them were +growing to be as I smeared the trunk of one and then of another with my +sweet stuff, and as it was a deliciously warm still evening, I was full +of expectation of a good take. + +I had just finished when all at once I heard a curious noise, which made +me think of lying in the dark in the sand-cave listening to Shock's hard +breathing; and I gave quite a shudder as I looked round, and then turned +hot and angry. + +I knew what the noise was, and had not to look far to find Ike lying +under a large tree right away from the path fast asleep, and every now +and then uttering a few words and giving a snort. + +"Ike!" I said, shaking him. "Ike! wake up and go home." + +But the more I tried the more stupid he seemed to grow, and I stood at +last wondering what I had better do, not liking the idea of Mr Solomon +hearing, for it was certain to mean a very severe reprimand. It might +mean discharge. + +It seemed such a pity, too, and I could not help thinking that this bad +habit of Ike's was the reason why he had lived to fifty and never risen +above the position of labourer. + +I tried again to wake him, but it was of no use, and just then I heard +Mr Solomon shout to me that tea was waiting. + +I ran up the garden quickly for fear Mr Solomon should come down and +see Ike, and as I went I made up my mind that I would get the key of the +gate into the lane and come down after dark and smuggle him out without +anyone knowing. + +"Well, butterfly boy," said Mrs Solomon, smiling in her half-serious +way, "we've been waiting tea these ten minutes." + +I said I was very sorry, and though I felt a little guilty as I sat down +I soon forgot all about Ike in my pleasant meal. + +Then I felt frightened as I heard some laughing and shouting, and +started and listened, for it struck me that Courtenay and Philip might +be going down the garden, and if they should see poor Ike in such a +state, I knew that they would begin baiting and teasing him, when he +would perhaps fly in a passion such as I had seen him in once before, +when he abused me, and apologised the next day, saying that it wasn't +temper, but beer. + +The sound died away, and then it seemed to rise again nearer to us. + +"Ah!" said Mr Solomon, "I'm sorry for those who have boys." + +"No, you are not, Solomon," said his wife, cutting the bread and butter. + +"Well, such boys as them." + +"Ah!" said Mrs Solomon. "That's better." + +That seemed a long tea-time, and it appeared to be longer still before I +could get away, for Mr Solomon had a lot of things to ask me about the +grape-house and pit. I kept glancing at the wall where the key hung on +a nail, and though another time I might easily have taken it, on this +particular occasion it seemed as if I could not get near the place +unobserved. + +At last my time came; Mrs Solomon had gone into the back kitchen, and +Mr Solomon to his desk in the parlour. I did not lose a moment, but, +snatching the key from the nail, I slipped it in my pocket, caught my +cap from the peg, and slipped out. + +I was not going to do any wicked act, but somehow I felt as if all this +was very wrong, and I found myself running along the grass borders, +leaping over the gravel paths, so that my footsteps should not be heard, +and in this way I reached the tool-house, where, quite at home in the +darkness, and making no more noise than jingling a hanging spade against +the bricks, I reached up on to the corner shelf and found my lantern and +matches. + +There was the little lamp inside already trimmed, and I soon had it +alight and darkened by the shade, slipped it in my pocket, and then +started down the long green walk by the big wall where the espaliers +were trained, and the wall was covered with big pear-trees. + +"I feel just like a robber," I said to myself as I stole along to find +Ike and turn him out. + +Then I stopped short, for there was a scrambling noise on one side. + +"He is awake and trying to get over the wall," I said to myself, and +setting down my lantern by one of the big trees, I went forward towards +the great pear-tree, whose branches would make a ladder right to the +top. + +It was very dark, and the great wall made it seem blacker as I stole on +over the soft green path meaning to make sure that Ike had gone over +quite safely, and then go to my moth-hunting. + +"It's as well not to speak to him," I thought. + +Then I stopped again, for if it was Ike he was either talking to himself +or had some one whispering to him. + +"It can't be Ike," I thought, for after the whispering some one jumped +down on the soft bed, and then some one else followed--_crash_. + +There was a scuffle here, and some one uttered an ejaculation of pain as +if he had hurt himself in jumping, while the other laughed, and then +they whispered together. + +It was not Ike going away then, but two people come over the wall to get +at the great choice pears that were growing on my left. + +"What a shame," I thought; and as I recalled a similar occurrence at Old +Brownsmith's I wished that Shock were with me to help protect Sir +Francis' choice fruit. + +I ought to have slipped off back and told Mr Solomon, who would have +made the gardener come from the lower cottage; but I did not think of +that; I only listened and heard one of the thieves whisper to the other: + +"Get up; you aren't hurt. Come along." + +Then there was a rustling as they forced their way among the bushes, and +went bang up against an espalier. This they skirted, coming close to me +as I stood in the shadow of a pear-tree. + +"Come along quick!" I heard; and then the two figures went on rustling +and crashing among the black-currant bushes, so that I could smell the +peculiar herbaceous medicine-scent they gave out. + +I knew as well as if I had been told where they were going, and that was +to a double row of beautiful great pears that were just ready to pick, +and which I had noticed that morning, and again when I was sugaring the +trees close by. + +At first I had taken them for men, but by degrees, by the tone of their +whispers and the faint sight I got of them now and then as they passed +an open place, I knew that they were boys. + +A few minutes before I had felt excited and nervous; then I felt less +alarm. My first idea was to frighten them by shouting for the different +men about the place; but as soon as I was sure that they were boys, a +curiously pugnacious sensation came over me, and I determined to see if +I couldn't catch one of them and drag him up to Mr Solomon, for I felt +sure that I should only have one to fight with, the other would be sure +to run as hard as he could go. + +I stopped short again with an unpleasant thought in my mind. Surely +this could not be Shock with some companion. + +No, it could not be he, I felt sure, and I was rather ashamed of having +thought it as I crept on after the two thieves, so that I was quite near +them when, as I expected they would, they stopped by the little thick +heavily-laden trees. + +"Look out! hold the bag and be quick," was whispered; and then there was +snapping of twigs, the rustling of leaves, and a couple of dull thuds as +two pears fell. + +"Never mind them," was whispered in the same tone. "There's no end of +'em about." + +I crept nearer with my teeth grinding together, for it seemed to be such +a shameful thing to clear those pears from the tree in that way, and +then I grew furious, for one whispered something to the other, and the +tree being stripped was shaken, and then _thump, thump, thump_, one +after another the beautiful fruit fell. + +They scuffled about, and I was so close now that I could hear the pears +banged and bruised one upon another as they were thrown into a bag. +Then I felt as if I could bear it no longer. The pears were as if they +were my own, and making a dash at the faintly seen figure with the bag I +struck him a blow with all my might, and that, the surprise, and the +weight of my body combined were sufficient to send him over amongst the +black currants, while I went at the other, and in a blind fury began +laying on to him with my fists as hard as I could. + +He tried to get away, but I held on to him, and this drove him to fight +desperately, and for some minutes we were up and down, fighting, +wrestling, and hanging on to each other with all the fury of bitter +enemies. + +I was beaten down to my knees twice over. I struggled up again though, +and held on with the stubbornness of a bull-dog. + +Then being stronger than I he swung me round, so that I was crushed up +against the trunk of one of the trees, but the more he hurt me the more +angry I grew, and held on, striking at him whenever I could get an arm +free. I could hear him grinding his teeth as he struggled with me, and +at last I caught my feet in a currant bush, for even then I could tell +it by the smell, and down I went. + +But not alone. I held on to him, and dragged him atop of me. + +"Let go!" he cried hoarsely, as he struck me savagely in the face; and +when the pain only made me hang on all the more tightly he called out to +his companion, who had taken no farther part in the fray: + +"Here, Phil, Phil. Come on, you sneak." + +I felt as if I had been stunned. Not by his blow, but by his words, as +for the first time I realised with whom I had been engaged. + +A rustling noise on my left warned me that some one else was coming; but +I let my hands fall to my side, for I had made a grievous mistake, and +must strike no more. + +In place now of my hanging on to Courtenay, he was holding me, and +drawing in his breath he raised himself a little, raised one hand and +was about to strike me, but before he could, Philip seemed to seize me +by the collar, and his brother too, but in an instant I felt that it was +a stronger grip, and a hoarse gruff voice that I knew well enough was +that of Sir Francis shouted out, "Caught you, have I, you young +scoundrels." + +As he spoke he made us rise, and forced us before him--neither of us +speaking--through the bushes and on to the path, a little point of light +appearing above me, and puffs of pungent smoke from a cigar striking my +face. + +"I've got t'other one," said a rough voice that I also recognised, and I +cried out involuntarily: + +"Ike--Ike!" + +"That's me, lad. I've got him fast." + +"You let me go. You hurt me," cried Philip out of the darkness. + +"Hurt yer? I should think I do hurt you. Traps always does hurt, my +fine fellow. Who are you? What's your name?" + +"Bring him here," cried Sir Francis; and as Ike half carried, half +dragged Philip out from among the trees on to the broad green walk, Sir +Francis cried fiercely: + +"Now, then! What's the meaning of all this!" + +I heard Philip give a gasp as I opened my lips to speak, but before I +could say a word Courtenay cried out quickly: + +"Phil and I heard them stealing the pears, and we came down to stop +them--didn't we, Phil?" + +"Yes: they pounced upon us in the dark." + +"I am knocked about," cried Courtenay. + +"What a wicked lie!" I exclaimed, as soon as I could get my breath. + +"Lie, sir, lie!" cried Sir Francis fiercely, as he tightened his grasp +upon my collar. "Why, I saw you come creeping along with that dark +lantern, and watched you. You had no business down here, and yet I find +you along with this fellow, who has no right to be in the garden now, +assaulting my sons." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. + +CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. + +"Now, sir," cried Sir Francis angrily, "have the goodness to explain +what you were doing there." + +This was to Ike, who seemed stupid and confused. The excitement of the +fight had roused him up for a few minutes; but as soon as that was over +he yawned very loudly, and when Sir Francis turned fiercely upon him and +asked him that question he said aloud: + +"Eh?" + +"Answer me, you scoundrel!" cried Sir Francis. "You heard what I said." + +"Eh? Hah, yes. What had I been a-doing--heigh--ho--hum! Oh, how +sleepy I am! What had I been a-doing here? What I been doing, Mars +Grant?" + +"You were asleep," I said on being appealed to; and I spoke angrily, for +I was smarting under the accusation and suspicion of being a thief. + +"Asleep!" cried Ike. "To be sure. That's it. Asleep I was under the +bushes there. Dropped right off." + +"You repeat your lesson well," said Sir Francis. "Pray, go up to the +house--to the library, you boys--you, sir, follow me." + +Courtenay and Philip went on in advance, Sir Francis followed, and we +were bringing up the rear when Ike exclaimed in remonstrance: + +"That ain't fair, master. You ought to sep'rate them two or a nyste bit +of a tale they'll make up between them." + +"You insolent scoundrel!" roared Sir Francis. + +"All right, sir; scoundrel it is, just as you like. Wonder who'll tell +the truth, and who won't?" + +"Hold your tongue, Ike!" I said angrily. + +_Plop_! + +That strange sound was made by Ike, who struck his mouth with his hand +as if to stop it up and prevent more words coming. + +Meanwhile we were going up the garden, and came suddenly upon a spot of +fire which kept glowing and fading, and resolved itself into Mr +Solomon's evening pipe in the kitchen-garden middle walk. + +"Hallo! young gentlemen!" he exclaimed; and then, seeing his master: +"Anything the matter, Sir Francis?" + +"Matter!" cried Sir Francis, who was in a great passion. "Why are you, +my head gardener, not protecting my place with the idle scoundrels I +pay? Here am I and my sons obliged to turn out of an evening to keep +thieves from the fruit." + +"Thieves! What thieves?" cried Mr Solomon. "Why, Isaac, what are you +doing here?" + +"Me!" said Ike. "Don't quite know. Thought I'd been having a nap. The +master says I've been stealing o' pears." + +"Silence!" cried Sir Francis. "You, Brownsmith, see that those two +fellows come straight up to the library. I hold you answerable for +their appearance." + +Sir Francis went on first and we followed, to find ourselves, about ten +minutes later, in the big library, with Sir Francis seated behind a +large table, and a lamp and some silver candlesticks on table and +mantel-piece, trying to make the gloomy room light. + +They did not succeed, but there was light enough to show Courtenay and +Philip all the better for running up to their rooms and getting a wash +and brush, while I was ragged, dirty and torn, bruised and bleeding, for +I could not keep my nose from giving forth tokens of the fierce fight. + +Courtenay was not perfect, though, for his mouth looked puffy and his +eyes were swelling up in a curious way that seemed to promise to reduce +them to a couple of slits. + +I glanced at Mr Solomon, and saw that he was looking very anxious, and +as our eyes met his lips moved, and he seemed to be saying to me: "How +could you do such a disgraceful thing?" but I smiled at him and looked +him full in the eyes without flinching, and he appeared to be more +cheerful directly. + +"Attention!" cried Sir Francis as if he were drilling his men; but there +was no more fierceness. The officer and angry master had given place to +the magistrate, and he cleared his throat and proceeded to try the case. + +There was a little shuffling about, and Philip whispered to Courtenay. + +"Silence!" cried Sir Francis. "Now, Courtenay, you are the elder: tell +me what you were doing down the garden." + +"We were up by the big conservatory door, papa," said Courtenay +boldly--"Phil and I--and we were talking together about getting some +bait for fishing, when all at once there came a whistle from down the +garden, and directly after some one seemed to answer it; and then, +sir--`what's that?' said `Phil,' and I knew directly." + +"How did you know?" cried Sir Francis. + +"Well, I guessed it, sir, and I said it was someone after the fruit; and +I asked Phil if he'd come with me and watch and see who it was." + +"And he did?" + +"Yes, sir; and we went down the garden and couldn't hear or see +anything, and we went right to the bottom, and as we were coming back we +heard the pear-trees being shaken." + +"How did you know it was the pear-trees, sir?--it was dark." + +"It sounded like pear-trees, sir, and you could hear the big pears +tumbling on the ground." + +"Well, sir?" + +Courtenay spoke out boldly and well. He did not hesitate in the least; +and I could not help feeling what a ragged dejected-looking object I +seemed, and how much appearances were against me. + +"I said to Phil that we ought to try and catch the thieves, and he said +we would, so we crept up and charged them, and I had this boy, and I +suppose Phil brought that man, but it was so dark I could not see what +he did." + +"Well, sir?" + +"Well, papa, this boy knocked me about shamefully, and called me all +sorts of names." + +"And you knocked him about too, I suppose?" said Sir Francis. + +"Yes, I suppose I did, sir. He hurt me, and I was in a passion." + +"Now, Philip, what have you to say?" + +Philip looked uneasy as he glanced at his brother and then at Sir +Francis. + +"Well, go on, sir." + +"We were up by the big con--" + +"Yes, yes, we have heard all about that," cried Sir Francis. + +"Yes, pa; and we heard whistles, and Courtenay said, `What's that?'" + +"I thought it was you said `What's that?'" + +"No, pa, it was Courtenay," cried the boy quickly: "he said it. And +then I wanted to go down and catch the thieves, and Courtenay came too, +and we could hear them shaking down the pears. Then I went one way and +Courtenay went the other, and I saw that new labourer--that man--" + +"Fine eyes for his age," said Ike in a low growl. + +"How dare you speak, sir, till you are called upon for your defence!" +cried Sir Francis. + +"Oh, all right, your worship!" growled Ike. "On'y you know how dark it +weer." + +"Silence, man!" + +_Plop_! + +That was Ike's hand over his mouth again to enforce silence. + +"Go on, Philip," said Sir Francis quietly. + +"Yes, pa," cried the boy excitedly. "As soon as I saw that man shaking +down the big pears I ran at him to try and catch him." + +"You should ha' took off your cap, young un, and ketched me like a +butterfly," growled Ike. + +"Will you be silent, sir!" + +_Plop_! + +"He struck me, then, in the chest, pa, and knocked me right down in +among the bushes." + +"No, he did not," I exclaimed indignantly; "it was I." + +"It was not; it was that man," cried Philip; and Ike burst out into a +hearty laugh. + +"Am I to order you out of the room, sir?" cried Sir Francis, severely. + +"All right, your worship! No," cried Ike. + +_Plop_! + +"Now, Philip, go on." + +"Yes, pa. I'm not very strong, and he shook me and banged me about ever +so; but I was determined that I would not let him go, and held on till +we heard you come; and then instead of trying to get away any more he +turned round and began to drag me towards you, pretending that he had +caught me, when I had caught him, you know." + +"Go and sit down," said Sir Francis. "You boys talk well." + +"Yes, papa, we are trying to tell you everything," said Philip. + +"Thank you," said Sir Francis, and then he turned to me and looked me +all over. + +"Well, sir," he said, "your appearance and the evidence are very much +against you." + +"Yes, Sir Francis," I said; "very much indeed." + +"Well, what have you to say?" + +I could not answer for some moments, for my feelings of indignation got +the better of me, but at last I blurted out: + +"I went down the garden Sir Francis, to try and catch some moths." + +"With this, eh?" said Sir Francis picking up something from the floor, +and placing my old dark lantern on the table. + +"Yes, Sir Francis," I said. "I am making a collection." + +"Where is it, then?" + +"Down at the cottage, Sir Francis." + +"Humph!" ejaculated Sir Francis. "Have you seen his collection, +Brownsmith?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis; he has a great many--butterflies and moths." + +"Humph! Sugar the trees, eh?" + +"Yes, sir," I said quickly. + +"And do you know that he goes down the garden of a night?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis, often," said Mr Solomon. + +"Isn't it enough to tempt him to take the pears?" + +"No, Sir Francis," replied Mr Solomon boldly. "I might just as well +say to you, `Isn't it enough to tempt him to take the grapes or the +peaches to trust him among them alone.'" + +"He did steal the peaches when he first came. I caught him at it," +cried Philip viciously. + +"No, you did not, young gentleman," said Mr Solomon sternly; "but I saw +you cut two bunches of grapes one evening--the Muscat of Alexandria--and +take them away." + +"Oh what a wicked story!" cried Philip, angrily. + +"Call it what you like, young gentleman," said Mr Solomon; "but it's a +fact. I meant to speak to Sir Francis, for I hate the choice fruit to +be touched till it's wanted for the house; but I said to myself he's +only a schoolboy and he was tempted, and here are the young gentleman's +nail scissors, Sir Francis, that he dropped in his hurry and left +behind." + +As Mr Solomon spoke he handed a pair of pearl-handled scissors--a pair +of those spring affairs with a tiny knife-blade in each handle--and in +the midst of a dead silence laid them on the table before Sir Francis. + +"Those are not mine," said Philip hastily. + +"Humph!" ejaculated Sir Francis, picking them up and examining them. "I +shall have to order you out of the room, man, if you make that noise," +he cried, as he turned to Ike. + +"I weer on'y laughin', your worship," said Ike. + +"Then leave off laughing, sir," continued Sir Francis, "and have the +goodness to tell me what you were doing down the garden. Were you +collecting moths with a dark lantern?" + +"Me, your honour! not I." + +"What were you doing, then?" + +"Well, your honour's worship, I was having a bit of a sleep--tired, you +see." + +"Oh!" exclaimed Sir Francis. "Now, look here, Grant, you knew that man +was down the garden." + +"Yes, Sir Francis." + +"And didn't you go to join him?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis." + +"To get a lot of my pears?" + +"No, Sir Francis." + +"Then why did you go?" he thundered. + +I was silent. + +"Do you hear, sir?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis." + +"Then speak, sir." + +I remained silent. + +"Will you tell me why you went down the garden to join that man?" + +I looked at poor Ike, and felt that if I spoke it would be to get him +discharged, so I preferred to remain silent, and said not a word. + +"Will you speak, sir?" cried Sir Francis, beating the table with his +fist. + +"I can't tell you, Sir Francis." + +"You mean you won't, sir?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis." + +"Why not tell the whole truth, Grant?" said Mr Solomon, reproachfully. + +"Because I can't, sir," I replied sadly. + +"Be silent, Brownsmith," cried Sir Francis fiercely. + +"He's too good a mate to tell," said Ike stoutly. "Here, I may as well +make a clean breast of it, and here it is. I'm an old soldier, sir, +and--well, theer, it got hold of me at dinner-time. 'Stead of having +anything to eat I had a lot to drink, having had some salt herrin' for +breakfast, and I suppose I took too much." + +"Herring, my man?" + +"No, your worship, beer; and I went to sleep down among the bushes. +There, that's the honest truth, Mr Brownsmith's brother. Fact as +fact." + +"I believe you, Ike," said Mr Solomon. "He's a very honest workman, +Sir Francis." + +"Thank ye; I call that handsome, I do," said Ike. + +"Stop! this is getting very irregular," cried Sir Francis. "Now, Grant, +once more. Did you not go down the garden thinking you would get some +of those pears?" + +"No, Sir Francis." + +"To meet that man, and let him take them away?" + +"No, Sir Francis." + +"Do you mean to tell me, sir, that you did not go down to join that +man?" + +"I did go down to join him, Sir Francis," I replied. "I saw him asleep +and tipsy in among the black currants and I left him there, and took +this key to-night to wake him up and let him out by the gate in the +wall." + +"Why not through the coach-yard?" + +"Because I was afraid he would meet Mr Solomon Brownsmith, and get into +disgrace for drinking." + +"Thankye, Mars Grant, thankye kindly," said Ike. + +"Silence!" + +_Plop_! + +"A nice tale?" said Sir Francis. "We are getting to the bottom of a +pretty state of things." + +Just then I saw Courtenay look at Philip as if he were uneasy. Then I +glanced at Sir Francis and saw him gnawing at his moustache. + +"Lookye here, sir," said Ike sturdily. "Is it likely as we two would +take the fruit? Why, we're always amongst it, and think no more of it +than if it was so much stones and dirt. We ain't thieves." + +"Look here," said Sir Francis, suddenly taking a tack in another +direction, "you own that you beat my son--my stepson," he added +correctively, "in that way?" + +"Yes, Sir Francis," I said, "I didn't know who he was in the dark." + +"You couldn't see him?" + +"Only just, Sir Francis; and I hit him as hard as I could." + +"And you, my man, do you own that you struck my other stepson as hard as +you could in the chest?" + +"No!" cried Ike fiercely; and to the surprise of all he threw off his +jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeve, displaying a great red-brown mass +of bone and muscle, and a mighty fist. "Lookye here, your worship. See +there. Why, if I'd hit that boy with that there fist as hard as ever I +could, there wouldn't be no boy now, only a coroner's inquess. Bah! I +wonder at you, Sir Francis! There's none of my marks on him, only where +I gripped his arms. Take off your jacket, youngster, and show your pa." + +"How dare you!" cried Philip indignantly. + +"Take off your jacket, sir!" roared Sir Francis, and trembling and +flushing, Philip did as he was told, and at a second bidding rolled up +his sleeves to show the marks of Ike's fingers plainly enough. + +Ike said nothing now, but uttered a low grunt. + +"He did hit me," cried Philip excitedly. + +"No; I hit you," I cried, "when I rushed at you first. I followed you +after I'd heard you scramble over the wall." + +"Oh!" cried Philip with an indignant look. + +"You heard them scramble over the wall?" said Sir Francis sharply. + +"Yes, Sir Francis. I think it was by the big keeping-pear that is +trained horizontally--that large old tree, the last in the row." + +Sir Francis sat back in his chair for a few moments in silence; and +Courtenay said to his brother in a whisper, but loud enough for everyone +to hear: + +"Did you ever hear anyone go on like that!" + +Sir Francis took no notice, but slowly rose from his seat, crossed the +room, opened the French window that looked out upon the lawn, and then +said: + +"Hand me a candle, Brownsmith." + +The candle was placed in his hands, and he walked with it right out on +to the lawn and then held it above his head. + +Then, walking back into the room, he took up another candlestick. + +"Let everyone stay as he is till I come back." + +"Do you mean us to stay here, papa--with these people?" said Courtenay +haughtily. + +Sir Francis stopped short and looked at him sternly without speaking, +making the boy blench. Then he turned away without a word, and followed +by Mr Solomon bearing a lighted candle, which hardly flickered in the +still autumn evening, he went on down the garden. + +"Haw--haw--haw!" laughed Ike as soon as we were alone. "You're a pair +o' nice uns--you are! But you're ketched this time," he added. + +"How dare you speak to us, sir!" cried Courtenay indignantly. "Hold +your tongue, sir!" + +"No use to hold it now," said Ike laughing. "I say, don't you feel +warm?" + +"Don't take any notice of the fellow, Court," cried Phil; "and as for +pauper--" + +"You leave him to me," said Courtenay with a vindictive look. "I'll +make him remember telling his lies of me--yes, and of you too. He shall +remember to-night as long as he lives, unless he asks our pardon, as +soon as Sir Francis comes back and owns that it was he who was taking +the pears." + +I turned away from them and spoke to Ike, who was asking me about my +hurts. + +"Oh! they're nothing," I said--"only a few scratches and bruises. I +don't mind them." + +The two boys were whispering eagerly together, and I heard Philip say: + +"Well, ask him; he'd do anything for money." + +"Look here," said Courtenay. + +I believe he was going to offer to bribe us; but just then there was the +sound of voices in the garden and Sir Francis appeared directly after, +candle in hand, closely followed by Mr Solomon, and both of them +looking very serious, though somehow it did not have the slightest +effect on me, for I was watching the faces of Courtenay and Philip. + +"Shut that window, Brownsmith," said Sir Francis, as he set down his +candle and went back to his chair behind the table. + +Mr Solomon shut the window, and then came forward and set down his +candle in turn. + +"Now," said Sir Francis, "we can finish this business, I think. You +say, Grant, that you heard someone climb over the wall by the big +trained pear-tree?" + +"I heard two people come over, sir, and one of them fell down, and, I +think, broke a small tree or bush." + +"Yes," said Sir Francis, "a bush is broken, and someone has climbed over +by that big pear-tree." + +"I digged that bit along that wall only yesterday," said Ike. + +"Be silent, sir," cried Sir Francis; "stop. Come forward; set a candle +down on the floor, Brownsmith." + +It was done. + +"You, Isaac, hold up one of your feet--there, by the candle. No, no, +man; I want to see the sole." + +Ike held up a foot as if he were a horse about to be shod, and growled +out: + +"Fifteen and six, master, and warranted water-tights." + +"That will do, my man," said Sir Francis, frowning severely as if to +hide a smile; and Ike put down his great boot and went softly back to +his place. + +"Now you, Grant," said Sir Francis. + +I walked boldly to the candle and held up my heavily-nailed garden +boots, so that Sir Francis could see the soles. + +"That will do, my lad," he said. "Now you, Courtenay, and you, Philip." + +They came forward half-puzzled, but I saw clearly enough Sir Francis' +reasons, Ike's remark about the fresh digging having given me the clue. + +"That will do," said Sir Francis; and as the boys passed me to go back +to their places I heard Philip utter a sigh of relief. + +"What time did you hear these people climb over the wall, Grant?" said +Sir Francis. + +"I can't tell exactly, Sir Francis," I replied. "I think it must have +been about eight o'clock." + +"What time is it now, Courtenay?" said Sir Francis. The lad clapped his +hand to his pocket, but his watch was not there. + +"I've left it in the bed-room," he said hastily; and he turned to leave +the library, but stopped as if turned to stone as he heard Sir Francis +thunder out: + +"You left it hanging on the Easter Beurre pear-tree, sir, when you +climbed down with your brother--on one of the short spurs, before you +both left your foot-marks all over the newly-dug bed. Courtenay +Dalton--Philip Dalton, if you were my own sons I should feel that a +terrible stain had fallen upon my name." + +The boys stood staring at him, looking yellow, and almost ghastly. + +"And as if that proof were not enough, Courtenay, Dalton; when you fell +and broke that currant bush--" + +"It was Phil who fell," cried the boy with a vicious snarl. + +"The truth for the first time," said Sir Francis. Then bitterly: "And I +thought you were both gentlemen! Leave the room." + +"It was Phil who proposed it all, papa," cried Courtenay appealingly. + +"Ah, you sneak!" cried Philip. "I didn't, sir. I was as bad as he was, +I suppose, and I thought it good fun, but I shouldn't have told all +those lies if he hadn't made me. There, they were all lies! Now you +can punish me if you like." + +"Leave the room!" said Sir Francis again; and he stood pointing to the +door as the brothers went out, looking miserably crestfallen. + +Then the door closed, and the silence was broken by a sharp cry, a +scuffle, the sound of blows, and a fall, accompanied by the smashing of +some vessel on the stone floor. + +Sir Francis strode out into the hall, and there was a hubbub of voices, +and I heard Philip cry passionately: + +"Yes; I did hit him. He began on me, and I'll do it again--a coward!" + +Then there was a low murmur for a few minutes, and Sir Francis came back +into the library and stood by the table, with the light shining on his +great silver moustache; and I thought what a fine, handsome, fierce old +fellow he looked as he stood frowning there for quite a minute without +speaking. Then, turning to Mr Solomon, he said quickly: + +"I beg your pardon, Brownsmith. I was excited and irritable to-night, +and said what I am sorry for now." + +"Then don't say any more, Sir Francis," replied Mr Solomon quietly. +"I've been your servant--" + +"Faithful servant, Brownsmith." + +"Well, Sir Francis, `faithful servant,'" said Mr Solomon smiling, +"these twenty years, and you don't suppose I'm going to heed a word or +two like that." + +"Thank you, Brownsmith," said Sir Francis, and he turned to Ike and +spoke sharply once more. + +"What regiment were you in, sir?" + +"Eighth Hoozoars, Captain," said Ike, drawing himself up and standing at +attention. + +"Colonel," whispered Mr Solomon. + +"All right!" growled Ike. + +"Well, then, Isaac Barnes, speaking as one old soldier to another, I +said words to you to-night for which I am heartily sorry. I beg your +pardon." + +"God bless you, Colonel! If you talk to me like that arterward, you may +call me what you like." + +"Eh?" cried Sir Francis sharply; "then I will. How dare you then, you +scoundrel, go and disgrace yourself; you, an ex-British soldier--a man +who has worn the king's uniform--disgrace yourself by getting drunk? +Shame on you, man, shame!" + +"Go on, Colonel. Give it to me," growled Ike. "I desarve it." + +"No," said Sir Francis, smiling; "not another word; but don't let it +occur again." + +Ike drew his right hand across one eye, and the left over the other, and +gave each a flip as if to shake off a tear, as he growled something +about "never no more." + +I hardly heard him, though, for I was trembling with agitation as I saw +Sir Francis turn to me, and I knew that my turn had come. + +"Grant, my lad," he said quietly; "I can't tell you how hurt and sorry I +felt to-night when I believed you to be mixed up with that contemptible +bit of filching. There is an abundance of fruit grown here, and I +should never grudge you sharing in that which you help to produce. I +was the more sorry because I have been watching your progress, and I was +more than satisfied: I beg your pardon too, for all that I have said. +Those boys shall beg it too." + +He held out his hand, and I caught it eagerly in mine as I said, in +choking tones. + +"My father was an officer and a gentleman, sir, and to be called a thief +was very hard to bear." + +"It was, my lad; it was," he said, shaking my hand warmly. "There, +there, I'll talk to you another time." + +I drew back, and we were leaving the room, I last, when, obeying an +impulse, I ran back. + +"Well, my lad?" he said kindly. + +"I beg your pardon, Sir Francis; but you said that they should beg my +pardon." + +"Yes," he said hotly; "and they shall." + +"If you please, Sir Francis," I said, "I would rather they did not." + +"Why, sir?" + +"I think they have been humbled enough." + +"By their own conduct?" said Sir Francis. "Yes, you are right. I will +not mention it again." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. + +AFTER SEVEN YEARS. + +Sir Francis, as I afterwards learned, did not insist upon the matter, +but the very next day, as I was in the peach-house, I heard the door +open, and I felt anything but comfortable as I saw Courtenay enter the +place and come slowly up to me. + +I was prepared for anything, but I had no cause for expecting war. He +had come in peace. + +"We're going away directly after lunch," he said in a low, surly tone, +as if he resented what he was saying. "I'll--, I'll--there! I'll try-- +to be different when I come back again." + +He turned and went hurriedly out of the place, and he had not been gone +long when the door at the other end clicked, and I found, as soon as he +who entered had come round into sight, that it was Philip. + +He came up to me in a quick, impetuous way, as if eager to get his task +over, and as our eyes met I could see that he had evidently been +suffering a good deal. + +"I'm going away this afternoon," he said quickly. "I wish I hadn't said +and done all I have. I beg--" + +He could not finish, but burst into a passionate fit of sobbing, and +turned away his face. + +"Good-bye!" I said. "I shall not think about it any more." + +"Then we'll shake hands," he cried--"some day--next time we meet." + +We did shake hands next time we met, but when Philip Dalton said those +words he did not know it would be seven years first. But so it was. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +I never knew exactly how it happened, but I believe one of my uncles was +influenced to take some part in the affair, and Sir Francis did all the +rest. What I do know is that about three months after the young Daltons +had gone I was on my way to a clergyman's house, where I stayed a year, +being prepared for my future career; and when I had been with the +Reverend Hartley Dallas a year I was able to join the Military College +at Woolwich, where I went through the regular course, and in due time +obtained my commission in the artillery. + +I had not long been in the service before the Crimean war broke out, and +our battery was one of the first despatched to the seat of war, where, +in company with my comrades, I went through that terrible period of +misery and privation. + +One night I was in charge of a couple of guns in a rather dangerous +position near the Redan, and after repairing damages under fire my lads +had contrived to patch up a pretty secure shelter with sand-bag and +gabion, ready for knocking down next day, but it kept off the rain, and +where we huddled together there was no mud under our feet, though it was +inches deep in the trench. + +It was a bitter night, and the tiny bit of fire that we had ventured to +make in the hole we had scooped underground hardly kept the chill from +our half-frozen limbs. Food was not plentiful, luxuries we had none, +and in place of the dashing-looking artillerymen in blue and gold people +are accustomed to see on parade, anyone who had looked upon us would +have seen a set of mud-stained, ragged scarecrows, blackened with +powder, grim looking, but hard and full of fight. + +I was seated on an upturned barrel, hugging my sheepskin-lined greatcoat +closer to me, and drawing it down over my high boots, as I made room for +a couple of my wet, shivering men, and I felt ashamed to be the owner of +so warm a coat as I looked at their well-worn service covering, when my +sergeant put in his head and said: + +"Captain of the company of foot, sir, would be glad if you could give +him a taste of the fire and a drop of brandy; he's half dead with the +cold." + +"Bring him in," I said; and I waited, thinking about home and the old +garden at Isleworth and then of that at Hampton; I didn't know why, but +I did. And then I was thinking to myself that it was a good job that we +had the stern, manly feeling to comfort us of our hard work being our +duty, when I heard the _slush, slush, slush, slush_, sound of feet +coming along the trenches, and then my sergeant said: + +"You'll have to stoop very low to get in, sir, but you'll find it warm +and dry. The lieutenant's inside." + +"Yes, come in," I said; and my men drew back to let the fresh corner get +a bit of the fire. + +"It's awfully kind of you," he said, as he knelt down, took off his +dripping gloves, and held his blue fingers to the flame. "What a night! +It isn't fit for a dog to be out in. 'Pon my soul, gunner, I feel +ashamed to come in and get shelter, and leave my poor boys in the +trench." + +"Get a good warm then, and let's thaw and dry one of them at a time. +I'm going to turn out soon." + +"Sorry for you," he said. "Brandy--thanks. It's worth anything a night +like this. I've got some cigars in my breast-pocket, as soon as my +fingers will let me get at them." + +He had taken off his shako, and the light shone full upon his face, +which I recognised directly, though he did not know me, as he looked up +and said again: + +"It's awfully kind of you, gunner." + +"Oh! it's nothing," I said, "Captain Dalton--Philip Dalton, is it not?" + +"Yes," he said; "you know me?" + +"To be sure," I replied; "but you said that next time we met we'd shake +hands." + +He sank back and his jaw dropped. + +"You remember me--Grant? How is Sir Francis?" + +"Remember you!" he said, seizing my hand, "Oh! I say, what a young +beast I was!" + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +I learned more than once that he and his brother turned out fine, manly +soldiers, and did their duty well in that hard-fought campaign. I tried +also to do mine, and came back one of the last to leave the Crimea, +another grade higher in my rank. + +During my college life I often used to go over and see the brothers +Brownsmith, to be warmly welcomed at every visit; and if ever he got to +know that I was going to Isleworth to spend Sunday, Ike used to walk +over, straighten his back and draw himself up to attention, and salute +me, looking as serious as if in uniform. He did not approve of my going +into the artillery, though. + +"It's wrong," he used to say; and in these days he was back at +Isleworth, for Mr Solomon had entered into partnership with his +brother, and both Ike and Shock had elected to follow him back to the +old place. + +"Yes," he would say, "it's wrong, Mars Grant, I was always drew to you +because your father had been a sojer; but what would he have said to you +if he had lived to know as you turned gunner?" + +"What would you have had me, then? You must have artillerymen." + +"Yes, of course, sir; but what are they? You ought to have been a +hoozoar:-- + + "`Oh, them as with jackets go flying, + Oh, they are the gallant hoozoars,'" + +he sang--at least he tried to sing; but I went into the artillery. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +By the way, I did not tell you the name of the sergeant who ushered +Philip Dalton into my shelter that night. His name was John Hampton, as +fine a soldier as ever stepped. He joined the artillery when I got my +commission. Poor Shock, for I knew him better by that name; he followed +me with the fidelity of a dog; he always contrived something hot for me +when we were almost starving, and any day he would have gone without +that I might eat. And I believe that he would have fought for me to the +death. + +Poor Shock! The night when I was told that he could not live, after +being struck down by a piece of shell, I knelt by him in the mud and +held his hand. He just looked up in my face and said softly: + +"Remember being shut up in the sand-pit, sir, and how you prayed? If +you wouldn't mind, sir--once again?" + +I bent down lower and lower, and at last--soldier--hardened by horrors-- +grown stern by the life I led--I felt as if I had lost in that rough, +true man the best of friends, and I cried over him like a child! + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Brownsmith's Boy, by George Manville Fenn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROWNSMITH'S BOY *** + +***** This file should be named 21293.txt or 21293.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/9/21293/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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