“He does not eat one-half what he used to do,” answered Kezia; “he is growing paler and paler every day. He has a nasty cough, and you will have him in his grave before long if you don’t take care.”
“Pooh! pooh!” answered Mr Fluke. “Boys don’t die so easily as that.” He turned away his head to avoid Kezia’s glance.
She did not let the matter drop, however. A fortnight or more had passed by. Mr Fluke had missed one of his favourite tulips, which grew in a flower-pot.
On inquiring for it of Joseph: “It’s all safe,” was the answer, “I’m trying an experiment with it.”
Whenever Mr Fluke asked about the tulip, he always received the same reply: “We shall see how it gets on in a few days.” At length one afternoon when he came home, somewhat to his surprise, Kezia appeared in the garden.
“What about that tulip, Joseph, which master was asking for?” she said.
“Should you like to see it, sir?” asked Joseph.
“Of course I should,” answered Mr Fluke, expecting to see the flower greatly improved in size and beauty.
“I told Joseph to put it in the tool-house, just to see how it looks after being shut up in the dark without air,” said Kezia in her most determined manner.
“In the tool-house!” exclaimed Mr Fluke. “What in the world made you put it there, Joseph?”