58 THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 



"'That reads like neither!' said Bart, sitting up 

 with a start. 



"'No, both!' replied The Man from Everywhere, 

 opening his eyes and gazing first at Bart and then at 

 me with a quizzical expression. 



" Instantly curiosity was piqued, for compared to 

 this most domestic of travelled bachelors, the Lady 

 from Philadelphia was without either foresight or 

 resources. 



" ' You said that your riddle was to take three from 

 two and have four. My plan is very simple; just add 

 three to two and you have not only four but five! 

 Take a vacation from business, but stay at home ; do 

 your own garden improvements with your head and 

 a horse and cart and a pair of strong hands with a 

 pick and spade to help you out, for you can't, with 

 impunity, turn an office man, all of a sudden, into a 

 day labourer. As to hewing the knoll into terraces up 

 and down again, tear up that confounded plan. Restore 

 the ground on nature's lines, and you'll have a better 

 windbreak for your house and garden in winter than 

 the best engineer could construct, besides having a 

 retreat for hot weather where you can sit in your 

 bones without being observed by the neighbours!' 



" He spoke very slowly, letting the smoke wreaths 



