182 History of Gutta-Percha Willie.

 

her quills; but he could get her up into the tree,
and even something more, perhaps. He would
see about it—that is, he would think about it, for
how it was to be done he did not yet see.

Long ago, almost the moment he arrived, he had
set his wheel in order, and got his waking-machine
into working trim. And now more than ever he
enjoyed being pulled out of bed in the middle of
the night—especially in the fine weather ; for then,
in that hushed hour when the night is just melting
into the morn, and the earth looks as if she were
losing her dreams, yet had not begun to recognise
her own thoughts, he would not unfrequently go
out into the garden, and wander about for a few
thoughtful minutes.

The same night, when his wheel pulled him, he
rose and went out intothe garden. The night was .
at odds with morning which was which. An occa-
sional bat would flit like a doubtful shadow across
his eyes, but a cool breath of air was roaming
about as well, which was not of the night at all,
but plainly belonged to the morning. He wandered
to the bottom of the garden—to the clump of trees,
lay down where Agnes had been lying the night
before, and thought and thought until he felt in
himself how the child had felt when she longed to
bea bird. What could hedo tocontent her? He
knew every bough of the old trees himself, having
scrambled over them like a squirrel scores of times ;