"I take hundreds—terrible poor hand at neighbouring with people, I am—like my father. But I'm here to work—getting handles for tools. There's no wood for light tools like alder. You know the old rhyme—
'When aller's leaf is so big as a penny,
The stick will wear so tough as any.'
That's true enough, for I've proved it."
"Set to work and I'll watch you, if I may."
"Proud, I'm sure. And I'll see you home after. But there's no haste. I was thinking that bare, dark corner in the garden at Undershaugh might do very nice for ferns—if you'd care——?"
"The very thing! How kind to think of it. I love the garden and the flowers. But none else cares about them. D'you think you could get me one of they king ferns? But I suppose that would be too much to ask."
"I'll get you more than one."
"I'll try to plant 'em then, but I'm not very clever."
"I'll come and make a bit of a rockery myself, if—if you like."
"'Like!" I should love it. But 'tis very good of you to bother about a stupid girl."