"And such fine ones," said Miss Mary. "They make me regret mine more and more."
"If you please, Miss, these are yours," said Phil, blushing scarlet and stammering a little.
"Mine! How so?"
"'Twas I that picked up the seeds and planted them in my garden," said Phil, taking courage. "I didn't feel easy about them—not just right in my mind, you know—and granny said she mistrusted I ought to have carried the seeds in, and I know it, and it has been like the little nail Miss Isabel spoke of, all the time tormenting me. So I asked Mr. Regan, and he said it would do them no harm to move them, if you'll please to accept them, Miss, and excuse me for not bringing them before. And I didn't bring them all, because Mr. Regan said I'd better wait and see if these do well. And so there they are, Miss, and I'm a thousand times obliged to you."
Phil's grammar was rather "mixed up," as the boys say, but his meaning was clear.
Miss Mary was very much pleased.
As for Miss Isabel, it would be the truth to say that she was more pleased than if any one had given her a hundred dollars. She had a good many hundreds of dollars already, but she did not often see such direct results of her teaching.
"But, Phil, I cannot consent to take all the pansies," said Miss Mary when she had looked at and admired the flowers. "True, I furnished the seed, but then all the work and care has been yours. In such cases the rule is that the one who furnishes the seed shall have half the crop, so one half of these plants are honestly yours. You must take them back again."
"I didn't move them all, as I told you, Miss," said Phil. "Mr. Regan said it was better not, because they might not do well, and then you would lose them all."
"Very well then, keep what you have and I will take these. They will be a great ornament to my little garden."