Mr. James bounces up. “Claire” ses he “that hidge of yours is taking a jolly long time to dig.” Mrs. Wolley looked turribly alarmed. “He was probably sum gardiner or groom” ses she “Did you spake to him Claire deer?” “_No!_” ses Miss Claire wid emfasis. “Yet you let him take little Billy?” ses Mr. James. “Am I me brother’s kaper?” ses she flushing round on thim all. “I won’t have Claire badgered” ses the auld gintleman. “Is she rayspunsible for the silly thricks of the yung ass in there? He’s the very one who whin I refoosed to move out of the rode to let his infernal masheen go by drove it rite under me horse’s nose, almost upsetting me. Billy” ses he, “if I heer of your taking any more rides or spaking to the man over there I’ll whip you. You under stand sir?” “Yessir” whimpered the preshus lamb and flew to me arms for comfut. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XIII ANOTHER DAY “Are you bizzy, Delia” arsks Mr. John, cumming into me kitchen wid a barskit. “I’m oop to me eers sor” ses I. I wus setting on the ice crame freezer, thrying to cool aff, after making the crame for loonch. “Wud you like to make sum monney” ses he. “Shure darlint” ses I. “I’m tired of this gardin bisiness,” ses he. “Now these are seeds.” He set the barskit down befure me. “Theyve joost arrived. Heres a book giving fool instruckshuns how to plant thim. You go ahed,” ses he “and plant thim whin you git a chance. I’d suggest” ses he “that you do it in the airly marning, but me brother James who cuts the lons at those unairthly ours wud see you, so do it whenever the feeld is cleer. And heres a dollar.” “Thank you sor” ses I. I set to wark at wance imtying the seeds from there respictible packages into me bred pan. Then I give them all a good mixup thegither. The book I shuved aside wid scorn. “Anny wan I’m thinking but a doom eediot cud plant seeds in the grownd” ses I to mesilf, “and what wud I be arfter needing instroockshuns for?” Joost thin Miss Claire cum in to guv me the orders os I tuk it for the day. Shes a bit flustered and oopset. “O Delia” ses she “what _do_ you think. A cupple of papa’s frinds have cum up frum town, and we’ll have to kape thim for loonch. What have we got?” “See for yersilf” ses I, biling over wid rage. Company indade on Winsdy, wid the tale ind of the ironing to finish, and seeds to be planted in the gardin. “O deer!” ses she “there is’nt a thing hardly. What will we do? I’m sure none of those trade people will deliver in time. What did you plan to give us to-day Delia?” “Its _hash_ ye’ll get and be thankful” ses I. “But theres no cold meat aven” ses she in disthress. “I’ll attind to that” ses I. “But——” “Now see here Miss Claire, its no time I have for argying wid me hands boorsting wid wark this marning. Will you be going or shull I?”