Part 13 (1/2)

Aleck noticed both scents when he threw open histo let the perfuarden; but the kitchen s and door were open, and the odour of the roses was regularly ousted by that of the food

”My word! It does sood,” said the boy to hiave vent to the interjection ”O!” instead, for the movement of the articulations just in front of his ears caused a sharp pain

”That's nice!” muttered Aleck ”How's a fellow to eat with his jaw all stiff like that?”

This reht with it other lass, and the reflection he saw there ain

”Oh, my!” he said, softly ”How it hurts! My face feels stiff all over I do look a sight Can't go down to breakfast like this, I know; I'll stop here, and Jane will bringthe fact that it was late, the boy dressed hurriedly, casting glances from time to time at the birds which sailed over froing a deep trench for celery, and treating the soft earth when he drove in the spade in so slow and tender a way that it see it

Aleck noted this, and grinned and hurt hi wonderfully light-hearted; ”he alorks as if he thought it ood final look at the old ardener In fact he had pursued the former avocation entirely in the past, in coetables in his garden patch--not to sell to his neighbours, the fishi+ng folk of the tiny ha, but to ”swap” them, as he terardener happened to be enjoying hi shoals of fish, the durability of nets, and the like, when they suddenly discovered the fact that a party of men had landed on the shore from His Majesty's shi+p Conqueror, stolen up to the town in the darkness, and, after surrounding the little inn with a network of men, drawn the said net closer and closer, and ended by tra the the last war, and not a ular avocation Consequently there was a vacancy for a gardener at the Den, and it was afterwards filled up by Fisher the spade and dealing so tenderly with his Mother Earth when Aleck looked out of the

”I wonder old Jane hasn't been up to see how I aardener did his spade

”I wonder how Master Aleck is,” said Jane, just about the saood long sleep for hurts”

”I know,” said Aleck to himself; ”I can't call down the stairs, because uncle would hear I daresay he's asleep I'll tell old Ness to go round to the kitchen door and say she is to come up No, I won't; he'd come close up and seefish How good it s some up at once How _aht this before he started, for there was a sharp rap at the door, the handle rattled, and the old captain ca up, Aleck, boy?” he said ”Ah, that's right--dressed Cory”

”I a his uncle's warrasp; ”but I can't coesture towards his battered face

”Well, you don't look your best, Aleck, lad,” said the old ; ”but you are no invalid Neverloth, the boy followed his uncle downstairs, Jane hurriedly appearing in the little breakfast-roo with satisfaction on seeing Aleck

”Ah, that's right, Jane!” said the captain, cheerfully,”master” in such an amiable frame of mind

”Fried fish?”

”Yes, sir; brill”

”So, Aleck?”

”No, sir,” put in the er was over here with it as soon as it was light He knocked and woke ot it yes'day”

”No wonder,” said the captain, s out of your head, eh, Aleck?”

”Yes, uncle; one of the fisherht Shows you have friends as well as foes in Rockabie”

The breakfast went on, and after the first mouthfuls the boy's jaorked hly, when his uncle suddenly exclai to do to-day, my boy?”