linen-cupboard
here, wi' the hot pipes behind it, an' there's a clean shirt dried an'
warmed to his skin. He gets into that--the day bein' Sunday, as we'll
suppose--an' finishes his dressin', danderin' forth an' back from one
room to t'other; breakfast gettin' ready downstairs an' no hurry for
it--all his time his own, clean away to sundown. Up above the lower
window-sash here with the Prodigal Son in stained glass, and very
thoughtful of the architect, too--"

"It isn't stained glass," the child corrected; "it's what they call a
transparency."

"I hope you're mistaken. . . . I must try it from the outside before I
let 'Bias undress here. As I was sayin', through the upper pane he'll
see his cabbages comin' on at the back; an' in the front, under his
window, there's the bread-cart--"

"But you said 'twas Sunday."

"So I did. . . . Well, there's the milk-cart anyway, an' a boy janglin'
the cans. You can't think how pretty these shore-noises be to a
sailor-man. An' down in the town the church bell goin' for early
Communion, but he'll attend mornin' service later on. An', across the
road, there's the garden, full o' flowers, an' smellin'--an' a blessed
sense as he can pick an' choose an' take his time with it all."
Captain Cai had wandered to the front window. He let fall these last
words slowly, in a kind of reverie, as he gazed out on the garden over
which the twilight was fast gathering.

"With all this time on your hands, I reckon you won't be takin' a look
round the garden?" hazarded Fancy.

"Certainly. Why not?"

"Well, 'tis drawin' in dusk. But there! I wouldn' disappoint Mrs
Bosenna, if I was you."

"Eh?"

"She's been down in the garden this hour and more, waitin' for you to
take her by surprise."

"Oh--come now, I say!"

Fancy nodded her head. "I don't know as I blame her," she said
judicially. "She's curious to know what you look like, that's all; or
else she's curious for you to know what she looks like. Anyway, she's
down there, if you've a mind to be polite."

Seeing that he hesitated, the child led the way. Captain Cai followed
her in something of a tremor. Across the road they went and through the
garden-gate; and the sound of their footsteps on the flagged pathway
gave Mrs Bosenna warning. By the time they reached the second terrace
she was down on her knees again, packing the soil about the rose-bush,
which Dinah obediently held upright for her.

"Losh, here's visitors!"