toes, and these he absolutely
loved, a cold potato for breakfast or tea being with him a thorough
relish.

"Make yourself at home, Grant, my boy," he said kindly. "I want you to
settle down quickly. We shall have to work hard, but you'll enjoy your
meals and sleep all the better."

I thanked him, and tried to do as he suggested, and to eat as if I
enjoyed my meal; but I did not in the least, and I certainly did not
feel in the slightest degree at home.

"What time did you go to bed over yonder, Grant?" said the old
gentleman.

"Ten o'clock, sir."

"And what time did you get up?"

"Eight, sir."

"Ugh, you extravagant young dog!" he cried. "Ten hours' sleep! You'll
have to turn over a new leaf. Nine o'clock's my bedtime, if we are not
busy, and I like to be out in the garden again by four or five. What do
you say to that?"

I did not know what to say, so I said nothing.

We did not sit very long over our tea, for there was the cart to load up
with flowers for the morning's market, and soon after I was watching Ike
carefully packing in the great baskets along the bottom of the cart, and
then right over the shafts upon the broad projecting ladder, and also
upon that which was fitted in at the back.

"You keep account, Grant," said Old Brownsmith to me, and I entered the
number of baskets and their contents upon my slate, the old gentleman
going away and leaving me to transact this part of the business myself,
as I believe now, to give me confidence, for he carefully counted all
the baskets and checked them off when he came back.

Ike squinted at me fiercely several times as he helped to hoist in
several baskets, and for some time he did not speak, but at last he
stopped, took off his hat, drew a piece of cabbage leaf from the crown,
and carefully wiped his bald head with it, looking comically at me the
while.

"Green silk," he said gruffly, as he replaced the leaf. "Nature's own
growth. Never send 'em to the wash. Throw 'em away and use another."

I laughed at the idea, and this pleased Ike, who looked at me from top
to toe.

"You couldn't load a cart," he said at last.

"Couldn't I?" I replied. "Why not? It seems easy enough."

"Seems easy! of course it does, youngster. Seems easy to take a spade
and dig all day, but you try, and I'm sorry for your back and jyntes."

"But you've only got to put the baskets in the cart," I argued.

"Only got to put the baskets in the cart!" grumbled Ike.