ere 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 pota