good comp'ny too," he said, "when you can
follow their carryings on, and know what they're up to."

Lilac watched him thoughtfully as his large hand moved carefully amongst
the flowers, cutting the best blossoms and adding them to the nosegay,
which now began to take the shape of a large fan.

While he had been talking of the bees his face had lost its dullness; he
had not looked stupid at all, and scarcely ugly. She would try and make
him speak again.

"The blossoms is over now," she remarked, looking at the trees in the
orchard; "but there's been a rare sight of 'em this year."

"There has so," answered Peter. "It'll be a fine season for the fruit
if so be as we get sun to ripen it. The birds is the worst," he went
on. "I've seen them old jaypies come out of the woods yonder as thick
as thieves into the orchard. I don't seem to care about shootin' 'em,
and scarecrows is no good."

What a long sentence for Peter!

"Do they now?" said Lilac sympathisingly. "An' I s'pose," stroking Tib
on the head, "they don't mind Tib neither?"

"Not they," said Peter, with something approaching a chuckle. "They're
altogether too many for _her_."

"She's not a _pretty_ cat," said Lilac doubtfully.

"Well, n-no," said Peter, turning round to look at Tib with some regret
in his tone. "She ain't not to say exactly pretty, but she's a rare one
for rats. Ain't ye, Tib?"

As if in reply Tib rose, fixed her front claws in the ground, and
stretched her long lean body. She was not pretty, the most favourable
judge could not have called her so. Her coat was harsh and wiry, her
head small and mean, with ears torn and scarred in many battles. Her
one eye, fiercely green, seemed to glare in an unnaturally piercing
manner, but this was only because she was always on the lookout for her
enemies--the rats. To complete her forlorn appearance she had only half
a tail, and it was from this loss that her friendship with Peter dated,
for he had rescued her from a trap.

He seemed now to feel that her character needed defence, for he went on
after a pause:

"She'll sit an' watch for 'em to come out of the ricks by the hour,
without ever tasting food. Better nor any tarrier she is at it."

"Ben says the rats is awful bad," said Lilac. "They're that bold
they'll steal the eggs, and scare off the hens when they're setting."

"They do that," replied Peter, shaking his head. "The poultry wants
seeing to badly; but Bella she don't