ond 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 si