"
Come-Back Stumper chuckled audibly, but Uncle Felix asked at once--
"And you, WEEDEN? What about yourself, I wonder?"
The Gardener replied without his usual hesitation. It was probably the
most direct reply he had ever made. No one could guess how much it
cost him. "Underground," he said. "My signs lies underground, sir.
Where the rain-drops 'ides theirselves on getting down and the grubs
keeps secret till they feel their wings. Where the potatoes and the
reddishes is," he added, touching his cap with a respectful finger. He
went on with a hint of yearning in his tone that made it tremble
slightly: "If I could find igsackly where and 'ow the potatoes gets
big down there"--he pointed to the earth--"or how my roses get colour
out of the dirt--I'd know it, wouldn't I, sir? I'd--'ave him, fair!"
The effort exhausted him, it seemed. So deeply was he moved that he
had almost gone contrary to his own nature in making such an explicit
statement. But he had said something very real at last. It was clear
that he was distinctly in the know. Living among natural growing
things, he was in touch with life in a deeper sense than they were.
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