CHAPTER XV 



SETTING OUT PRIVET CUTTINGS 



[May] 



A RE N'T they fine? " said Mary, laying her "flat " 

 ^-^- on the empty sand of the bench beside her 

 square of privet cuttings and looking admiringly at 

 the prosperous young shoots. 



"Very fine," agreed Herr Trommel, without look- 

 ing around. 



"Now we dig away the sand," remarked Mary, dis- 

 tinctly, for Mr. Trommel's back was turned on the 

 operation, "and we begin at the side where there 

 is n't anything, and then we dig underneath so ! 

 I'm undermining them, Mr. Trommel," she explained. 

 "The roots must be tangled in the sand, and you 

 know that when you 're having your hair combed 

 it does n't hurt so much if people will only begin and 

 comb out the ends first." 



124 



