BOOK OF THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 17 



gotten himself, but the truth was Julie thought more of 

 her dogs and horses than even of himself, he sometimes 

 thought, almost, but not quite; "ha! ha! really, 

 don't you know !" While, judging by the comparative 

 behaviour of dog and man, the balance was decidedly 

 in favour of Jupiter. But you see I never like men who 

 dress like ladies, I had lost my young plants, and I love 

 dogs from mongrel all up the ladder (lap dogs excepted), 

 so I may be prejudiced. 



After Bertel had .carefully removed the splintered 

 glass from the earth, so that I could take account of 

 my damaged stock, about half seemed to be redeem- 

 able ; but even those poor seedlings looked like soldiers 

 after battle, a limb gone here and an eye missing there. 



At supper father, Evan, and I were silent and cere- 

 moniously polite, neither referring to the day's disasters, 

 and I could see that the boys were regarding us with 

 open-eyed wonder. When the meal was almost finished, 

 the bell of the front door rang and Effie returned, bearing 

 a large, ornamental basket, almost of the proportions of 

 a hamper, with a card fastened conspicuously to the 

 handle, upon which was printed "With apologies from 

 Jupiter!" Inside was a daintily arranged assortment 

 of hothouse vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, egg- 

 plant eggs, artichokes, with a separate basket in one 



