The Orchard 



And when he descended from his perch, where 

 he seemed to have lighted like an angel, the sheep- 

 dog hurried him away for a game which ended 

 disastrously, for presently Hookie came weeping 

 and declaring vengefully, as he held out a podgy 



little hand : 



" He's laid his teeth on me." 



Dear Hookie ! Later in the day we tried to 

 comfort him by reading " The Back of the North 

 Wind," as he sat up in bed. He thought over it, 

 turned the flavour of it round his tongue and pro- 

 nounced judgment : 



" There's too much bosom in that book." 



Our choice was bad. He was too young for 

 sentimentality. 



The sight of Hookie in the apple tree is an 

 enduring memory, and now often, in the early 

 morning and the twilight, dream-babies descend 

 from the pines and light in the fruit trees, which 

 there and then, whatever the season, burst into 

 blossom. 



79 



