Ezra Brownsmith's boy, Sir Francis," I said. "He used to work with
me."

"Was he from the workhouse?"

"Yes, Sir Francis."

"Tell him not to do that again, and don't you encourage him. I don't
approve of it. Go on with your work."

I took the barrow handles and wheeled it away, biting my lips, for it
had suddenly struck me that Sir Francis thought that I was talking to a
boy who was my companion in the workhouse, and it seemed as if fate was
fixing the term pauper upon me so tightly that I should not be able to
get it removed.

Plenty of little annoyances occurred, but I put up with them; and not
the least was the appearance of Shock at the top of first one wall and
then another, but never near enough to speak to me.

He showed himself so often here and there that I used to go about the
garden feeling sure that he was watching me; and at last I found, to my
horror, that he had grown more bold, and used to get into the garden,
for one day I caught sight of him creeping on hands and knees among the
gooseberry bushes.

I started in pursuit, but stopped directly, feeling sure that if I did
so the act would result in trouble to us both, and determined to write
to Mr Ezra about him. I was glad I did so the next minute, for
Courtenay and Philip came down the garden to amuse themselves picking
gooseberries and eating them.

I was busy watering some celery that had been planted in trenches and
shaded from the hot sun.

To do this I had a barrel fitted on wheels in a sort of barrow. From
this I filled my can by dipping it, and when I had finished I had to go
down to the bottom of the garden to a good-sized pond and reverse the
process, dipping a bucket at some steps and filling the barrel.

I had filled my barrel once, and was busy dipping my can and thinking
about Shock and what would be the consequences if he were seen by the
two boys, when I suddenly found them by me, each with his cap full of
ripe gooseberries, which they were eating as they watched me; and after
giving his brother a look, Philip opened the annoyance by saying:

"Come, pauper, work away."

I took no notice, when a half-sucked gooseberry struck me on the arm.

It was a disgusting act on the young coward's part, but though in a
moment I felt on fire, I only wiped it off, when Courtenay threw one and
hit me on the face.

I wiped that away too, and raising my can stepped off the path on to the
bed to go to the trench, but not in time to avo