'Do you, sir? I'm proud to hear it.' 'Yes, I do,
Cobbs. Why do I like you, do you think, Cobbs?' 'Don't know, Master
Harry, I am sure.' 'Because Norah likes you, Cobbs.' 'Indeed, sir?
That's very gratifying.' 'Gratifying, Cobbs? It's better than millions
of the brightest diamonds to be liked by Norah.' 'Certainly, sir.'
'You're going away, ain't you, Cobbs?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Would you like
another situation, Cobbs?' 'Well, sir, I shouldn't object, if it was a
good 'un.' 'Then, Cobbs,' says he, 'you shall be our head-gardener when
we are married.' And he tucks her, in her little sky-blue mantle, under
his arm, and walks away.

"It was better than a picter, and equal to a play, to see them babies
with their long, bright, curling hair, their sparkling eyes, and their
beautiful light tread, a-rambling about the garden, deep in love. Boots
was of opinion that the birds believed they was birds, and kept up with
'em, singing to please 'em. Sometimes, they would creep under the Tulip
tree, and would sit there with their arms round one another's necks, and
their soft cheeks touching, a-reading about the prince and the dragon,
and the good and bad enchanters, and the king's fair daughter. Sometimes
he would hear them planning about having a house in a forest, keeping
bees and a cow, and living entirely on milk and honey. Once he came upon
them by the pond, and heard Master Harry say, 'Adorable Norah, kiss me,
and say you love me to distraction, or I'll jump in headforemost.' And
Boots made no question he would have done it, if she hadn't done as he
asked her.

"'Cobbs,' says Master Harry, one evening, when Cobbs was watering the
flowers, 'I am going on a visit, this present mid-summer, to my
grandmamma's at York.'

"'Are you, indeed, sir? I hope you'll have a pleasant time. I am going
into Yorkshire myself when I leave here.'

"'Are you going to your grandmamma's, Cobbs?'

"'No, sir. I haven't got such a thing.'

"'Not as a grandmamma, Cobbs?'

"'No, sir.'

"The boy looked on at the watering of the flowers for a little while and
then said, 'I shall be very glad, indeed, to go, Cobbs--Norah's going.'

"'You'll be all right then, sir,' says Cobbs, 'with your beautiful
sweetheart by your side.'

"'Cobbs,' returned the boy, flushing, 'I never let anybody joke about it
when I can prevent them.'

"'It wasn't a joke, sir,' says Cobbs, with humility--'wasn't so meant.'

"'I am glad of that, Cobbs, because I like you! you know,