86 MAEY'S GAEDEN AND HOW IT GEEW 



back yard" He gave a little grunt of disgust. "It 

 is not Peter Trommel that wwuld do such wicked- 

 ness ! " 



"Mr. Trommel " The old man started guiltily 

 and thrust the paper in haste within a capacious 

 apron pocket. 



"Good morning, good morning ! " he said hastily. 



"I came over to say good-by, Mr. Trommel. I 'm 

 going away for a whole week ! " announced Mary, 

 delightedly. "Did you know it? " 



"The Herr Papa said something to me of it," ad- 

 mitted Mr. Trommel. 



"We are going away on business, father and I," 

 she said with dignity. "He wanted mother to go, 

 but she would n't, so I have to go and take care of 

 him ; there has to be some one, you know." 



Mr. Trommel nodded appreciatively. 



"Father says I'm his 'second-best' ! " added Mary. 



"The second is one more than the first," agreed 

 Herr Trommel. "I am glad the Herr Papa is to have 

 so good superintendence ; but the plants and I will 

 miss you, Liebchen ! " 



"That is what is on my mind," said the under-gar- 

 dener, growing suddenly serious and fixing troubled 

 brown eyes on the old man's face. "Do you think 



