108 



" Now, Joseph, you must come another time. I am 

 busy now. I cannot talk with you, move, please. You 

 will be drenched if you stand there. ' ' 



Finding me resolute, and observing my now really for- 

 midable weapon, he beat a sullen retreat. As he passed 

 through the shed Mr. Felix said something to him. What 

 it was I never knew, but I soon saw Joseph slinking out 

 of our gate. 



Finishing this house, I moved on to the violets. But 

 they looked so badly, that I called Mr. Felix from the 

 pump. 



" What can we do with them ? " 



"Do with them? nothing, they are entirely spoiled. 

 You had best shut up the house for the next two months. 

 You can do nothing with it. It is a great pity ! There 

 must be upward of two thousand flowers on the plants." 



Just, then Johnny, who was standing on the snow out- 

 side, called through the glass : 



" See, mother, there aint any more sheets. We have 

 covered the heliotrope and the violets. But we can't cover 

 any more." 



" Take them off the violets and shade this house," said 

 Mr. Felix. 



Accordingly the children made the change. 



" Now, Mrs. Gilman, let us see how great the damage 

 is, and what we can do to repair it. So we went over the 

 whole place and that night I had carried out his direction. 



