dark earth, that he must
know many strange and wonderful things which went on there; but, like
all people of really wide experience, he was singularly modest and
retiring in his behaviour, and appeared on the border the first mild day
in spring after his disappearance, with no fuss at all, and as if he had
done nothing remarkable.

Pennie's jackdaw, a forward bird, who hopped about with an air of
understanding everything, was one day found perched on the tortoise's
shell with the evident intention of making some searching inquiries.
Methuselah, however, had very prudently drawn in his head, and Jack was
both baffled and disgraced.

Next to the animals in point of interest came the Wilderness. This was
a part of the garden shut off from the rest by a shrubbery, and given up
to the children as their very own. Here they messed and muddled to
their hearts' content, carried out a great many interesting designs, and
reared quantities of mustard and cress; once they each had a garden, but
Nancy, Ambrose, and David had lately struck out the bold idea of joining
their plots of ground and digging a well. It was a delightful
occupation, and when the hole got deep it was pleasant to see how the
small frogs and other slimy reptiles crawled about at the bottom; but,
after much heated labour, there were no signs of water. Interest
flagged then, and the well was deserted, until the ever-ready Pennie
suggested the game of Joseph and his brethren, and it became a favourite
amusement to lower Dickie down in a basket amongst the frogs and newts.
Dickie was both small and brave, two very necessary qualities for her
part, for the basket was narrow, and wobbled about a good deal in its
descent; but she was used to perilous positions, and had a soul above
fear.

The Wilderness was certainly very interesting; nevertheless at a certain
time in the summer it was completely forsaken, and that was when the hay
was down. Then everyone must help to get it in; and there could be no
lessons done, for even Miss Grey was in the hay-field. Then the excited
children, with flushed faces, worked as hard as though the whole matter
depended on them alone, and even Dickie, with tiny rake and sturdy legs
planted wide apart, did brave service. Then the maids, with sun-bonnets
tilted well forward on their foreheads, came out to toss a little hay,
and giggle a great deal, and say how hot it was; then the surly Andrew
threw sour looks of scorn at them, and