The gardener was right. The fight was a lesson for the boys, who kept
at a distance from me, during the next few days, while our scratches and
bruises grew faint and began to heal.
We had expected they would have been off to school; but for some reason,
illness I believe, the holidays were extended for a month, and so they
stayed, but I was pretty well left in peace.
My first hint of Sir Francis' return was given by that gentleman
himself, who came upon me suddenly as I was busy in the peach-house. I
was painting away at the branches that had become infected with a
tiresome kind of blight, when I heard a sharp quick step behind me, and
my heart quailed, for I felt that it was Sir Francis about to take me to
task for my encounter with his sons.
I kept busily on with my work, in the faint, hope that he might pass me
and say nothing, but he stopped short, and looked on as I busied myself
with my brush and the poisonous decoction that was to kill the insects.
I was in agony, for I felt that he was looking me through and through,
and when he did speak at last I gave quite a jump.
"Hah!" he exclaimed, "rather hard upon the insects. Well, Grant, how
are you getting on?"
"Very well, Sir Francis, I think," I said.
"Seen any more of that boy?"
"Yes, Sir Francis," I said, colouring.
"Climbed up the wall, has he?"
"I don't know, Sir Francis," I replied; "but he has got into the garden
lately."
"That's right, my lad, be frank," he said. "I know he has got into the
garden. I caught my young gentleman and took him to task. He says he
came because you were here."
"I'm afraid that is why he did come, Sir Francis," I said.
"Did you tell him to come?"
"No, Sir Francis. We were never very friendly."
"Ho!" he said, and he walked on looking at the peaches for a few
minutes, and then went away, leaving me to wipe the cold perspiration
off my forehead, for I had fully expected a severe scolding.
I finished my task in the peach-house, and then went to see how the
celery was getting on, for I found that when Mr Solomon gave me a task
he expected me to continue to watch, whatever it was.
"So that I may feel that when I have put anything in your hands it will
be properly done," he said more than once; so, feeling that I was
responsible for the success of the celery plants, I was on my way to the
bottom garden by the pond, thinking of the encounter I had when I was
busy watering there that day, when, as I turned down one of the alleys
of the garden, I saw a man in the distance digging up a piece of ground
with a broad spade, and turning over the soil in that easy regular way,
levelling it as he went, that experienced gardeners acquire.
There was something in his way of digging that seemed familiar, and I
stopped and stared. The man stopped too, and glanced in my direction;
but he only scraped his spade and went on, while, as soon as I had seen
his profile I ran up to him and held out my hand.
"Why, Ike!" I cried, "is that you?"
He paused for a few moments, ran his hand over his nose, involuntarily,
I'm sure, glanced down at first one leg, and then the other, after which
he went on digging.
"Yes," he said; "it's me."
"Why, what are you doing here?"
"Digging," he said gruffly, and, turning up a spadeful of earth, he gave
it a blow with the spade, as if he were boxing its ears, and levelled it
smoothly.
"I know that," I cried; "but how is it you're here?"
"Got took on."
"Oh! I am glad," I cried.
He looked up at me sidewise, and drove his spade in again.
"No, you ain't," he said gruffly.
"Indeed I am, Ike," I cried, "though you wouldn't say good-bye."
"Now--now--now--now!" he cried; "don't go on that how."
"Did you come this morning?" I said.
"Been here 'most a week."
"And I didn't know! But why did you leave Mr Brownsmith?"
"I left Old Brownsmith because I wanted to leave him."
"Did you have a quarrel, Ike?"
"Quarrel? No! What should I want to quarrel for?"
"But why did you leave?"
"'Cause I liked. Man ain't a slave, is he?"
"I am glad you're here, though, Ike," I cried.
"Not you," he said sourly, as he thrust and chopped and levelled the
soil.
"Indeed but I am," I cried. "Yes, sir, coming," I shouted, for I heard
Mr Solomon asking for me.
I went to him, and he set me to water the pots that had been plunged
under the big wall; but on going to the pump in the middle of the big
walk, where the well was that we used for this garden, I found the
handle swing loosely up and down.