94 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



in roses, and prefer pink to crimson. Well, it 

 could not be helped. 



Obi was coming through the fields towards the 

 garden ; he had something in his hand. " Was 

 it? Could it be?" thought Tommy- Anne. 

 Yes, he was carrying a bunch of early wild roses, 

 and in a second they came flying over the fence 

 toward her, and Obi turned into the cart track 

 that led to the barnyard. 



" Thank you, thank you e-v-e-r so much ! " 

 called Tommy-Anne, waving her handkerchief 

 as a joy signal. " Where d-i-d you get them ? " 



Obi did not seem to hear the question. A 

 great change had come over him since he had 

 been allowed to study at Happy House (for this 

 was the name Tommy-Anne had given her 

 home). She noticed that he was very deaf in 

 working hours, but recovered his hearing entirely 

 on holidays. 



" Now I have enough for a bouquet," she said, 

 unfastening the wild roses, which were tied with 

 more than a 'yard of stout string into a turnip- 

 like lump, and doing them up prettily with a 

 red bud stuck in here and there ; " I wonder 

 why Obi made such a cabbagey bouquet." 



44 He made it to throw well," said a thin voice 

 close to her ear. 44 If you tried to throw yours, 



