Bob Robinson’s Baby 161

“Did you buy it?” asked the rook simply.

““Oh—why—ah, well ; not precisely to say
bought it,” said the robin: “I’ve taken it
over—taken it over. Took a fancy to it,
y know—suitable site for my villa.”

“And you pay the gardener too?” said
the rook.

“Well—well—I haven’t exactly settled
with him as yet,” said the robin. “But of
course he'll be paid—fellow expects payment.
But he’s a terrible worry. Really doesn’t
understand the science of gardening. I’ve
had to speak to him at least a dozen
times to-day. You'd hardly credit the
tenerity of his ignorance. ‘Erthupp’, I
said to him only this very morning, as
I sat on the barrow, ‘what do you take
to be the vazszz date’ (favourite foreign
expression of mine: I’m extremely partial
to both varieties of fruit), ‘the razszx date of
a garden?’ What do you think the fellow
said? You'll never guess—‘ Flowers.’

“<Try again,’ said I.

“<¢Fruit, said he.

“°AN deetle nearer the mark this time,’ I

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