s black
currants, and no better."

"Ah, you'll see," cried Norman.

"Oh yes, I shall see, sir. I ain't been a gardener for five-and-twenty
years without knowing which is the blade of a spade and which is the
handle."

"Of course you haven't," said Tim.

"Thankye, Master 'Temus. You always was a gentleman as understood me,
and when we gets there--if ever we does get there, which I don't
believe, for I don't think as there is any there, and master as good as
owned to it hisself, no later nor yes'day, when he laughed at me, and
said as he didn't know yet where he was a-going--I says, if ever we does
get there, and you wants to make yourself a garden, why, I'll help yer."

"Thankye, Sam, you shall."

"Which I will, sir, and the other young gents, too, if they wants 'em
and don't scorn 'em, as they used to do."

"Why, when did we scorn gardens?" said the other two boys in a breath.

"Allus, sir; allus, if you had to work in 'em. But ye never scorned my
best apples and pears, Master Norman; and as for Master Raffle, the way
he helped hisself to my strorbys, blackbuds, and throstles was nothing
to 'em."

"And will again, Sam, if you grow some," cried Rifle.

"Don't I tell yer it ain't to be done, sir," said Sam, giving his whip a
vicious whish through the air, and making the horse toss its head,
"Master grow taters? Tchah! not he. You see if they don't all run away
to tops and tater apples, and you can't eat they."

"Don't be so prejudiced."

"Me, sir--prejudiced?" cried the gardener indignantly. "Come, I do like
that. Can't yer see for yourselves, you young gents, as things won't
grow here proper?"

"No!" chorused the boys.

"Look at the flowers everywhere. Why, they're lovely," cried Norman.

"The flowers?" said Sam, contemptuously. "Weeds I call them. I ain't
seen a proper rose nor a love-lies-bleeding, nor a dahlia."

"No, but there are plenty of other beautiful flowers growing wild."

"Well, who wants wild-flowers, sir? Besides, I want to see a good
wholesome cabbage or dish o' peas."

"Well, you must plant them first."

"Plaint 'em? It won't be no good, sir."

"Well, look at the trees," said Rifle.

"The trees? Ha! ha! ha!" cried Sam, with something he meant for a
scornful laugh. "I have been looking at 'em. I don't call them trees."

"What do you call them, then?" said Norman.

"I d'know. I suppose they thinks they're trees, if so be as they can
think, but look at 'em. Who