80 THE FIRST-RATE GARDENER*. 



The first thing he asked me was where 

 I was going to sleep. I told him I'd got a 

 bed at a publichouse near the park gate. 

 "You don't sleep there," said he, with a 

 merry smile ; " that is, if you can bend your 

 knees a bit, for my spare bed's none of the 

 longest. And come/' said he, " you must 

 want something to eat and drink. I'm just 

 going to tea, and I've a bit of cold meat and 

 a keg of home-brewed in the cellar ; so you 

 shall not want." 



"A cup of tea and a clear head, if you 

 please," said I ; " and with all my heart I'll 

 make myself as welcome here as you shall 

 be in my cottage at Birdwood, if you will 

 but come and see me there." 



While the women-folks were getting the 

 tea, he took me into his room, where he was 

 busy when I came to the door. He was 

 looking through his multiply ing-glasses at a 

 little insect he'd found among some seeds 

 just come over sea. He was drawing it; 

 "But," said he, "Til clear all this away, 

 and we'll sit and have a chat ; and I'll send 

 for your things, and tell them at the public- 

 house you're going to sleep here." I thanked 

 him, but begged him not to clear the table, 



