My Ambition Grows 39 



the midst of an accidental conversation held in the middle of 

 the road late in September that second year, when my in- 

 structor, a calm, middle-aged woman, but old and established 

 in garden ways, suddenly broke in upon my fusilade with the 

 query, " Have you had your garden long ?" 



"No," said I, "only two summers of garden and two win- 

 ters of catalogues." 



" I thought so," she replied enigmatically. I scented some- 

 thing wrong. 



"What made you think so?" demanded I. 



"Because you take it so hard," and mischief lurked under 

 her innocent smile. 



The blow staggered me for a moment, but I recovered, and 

 answered jauntily: "The second summer is always hard on 

 teething babes, and I am cutting a lot of wisdom teeth this 

 year." 



