"Confound! Ugh!" ejaculated the knight; and then, seeing Sanders coming slowly back, he played Spartan, and preserved outward composure, though there was a volcano of wrath smouldering within. He strutted off, with the gardener behind, fired a couple of shots at gardeners two and three, who were sweeping the lawn, and then entered into a general inspection of the garden. "How--Er-rum!--how is it that bed is not in flower, Sanders?" "Done blooming," said Sanders, gruffly. "Done blooming, Sir Hampton!" exclaimed the knight, facing round. "Done blooming, Sir Hampton," said the gardener, slowly; and he looked as expressionless as a big sunflower. "Take off that branch," said the knight, pointing to an overhanging bough; and it was solemnly lopped off. "Er-rum!" ejaculated the knight, when they had gone a little farther. "How is it that patch of lawn is brown?" "Grubs," said the gardener. "Grubs, Sir Hampton," said the knight, fiercely. "Grubs, Sir Hampton," said the corrected gardener. "Ha!" said Sir Hampton, and they went a little farther. "Those Wellingtonias are not growing, Sanders." "Two foot this year," said the gardener. "That's very slow." "Fast," said the gardener. "Fast, Sir Hampton," said the knight. "Fast, Sir Hampton," said the gardener, corrected again. "Er-rum! Ah! This won't do. This clump must be moved farther to the right," said Sir Hampton, pointing to a cluster of shrubs. "Kill 'em," said Sanders. "Then we'll set more," said the knight; and he went on to the farthest entrance of the garden, and the paths cut through the plantation, with a general desire exhibited in his every act, that as he had, so to speak, made the place and planted the grounds, it was absolutely necessary that he should have all the trees pulled up at stated intervals, to see how the roots were getting along. There was a small iron gate at the end of the plantation walk, and this the gardener opened for his master to pass through, closing it after him, and sticking the billhook in his breast. "Er-rum! Where are you going, Sanders?" said the knight, sharply. "Back," said Sanders--"'taint garden here." His domain extended no farther. "Come along this moment, sir; and stop till I dismiss you." The knight looked purple as the gardener slowly unlatched the gate, and followed him about a quarter of a mile, to where the estate joined that of the Trevors; and here, as they neared the pastures, angry voices were heard. "Quick, Sanders," cried Sir Hampton--"trespassers!" The next minute they were upon an angry group, consisting of Trevor, Pratt, Humphrey, a man with a sinister look and a mouth like a rat-trap, and a stumpy fellow, who was armed with a long plashing hook. "Er-rum! what's this?" exclaimed Sir Hampton, with the voice of authority. "These men of yours, Sir Hampton," said Humphrey, flushed and angry, "always trespassing across our ground." "My servants would do nothing of the sort, fellow," said Sir Hampton.