more because there were empty rabbit-skins hanging sadly from the back of the barrow.
It is really with the going of that rabbit-hutch that this story begins. Because it was then that Dickie, having called his aunt a Beast, and hit at her with his little dirty fist, was well slapped and put out into the bereaved yard to "come to himself," as his aunt said. He threw himself down on the ground and cried and wriggled with misery and pain, and wished—ah, many things.
"Wot's the bloomin' row now?" the Man Next Door suddenly asked; "been hittin' of you?"
"They've took away the 'utch," said Dickie.
"Well, there warn't nothin' in it."
"I diden want it took away," wailed Dickie.
"Leaves more room," said the Man Next Door, leaning on his spade. It was Saturday afternoon and the next-door garden was one of the green ones. There were small grubby daffodils in it, and dirty-faced little primroses, and an arbour beside the water-butt, bare at this time of the year, but still a real arbour. And an elder-tree that in the hot weather had flat, white flowers on it big as tea-plates. And a lilac-tree with brown buds on it. Beautiful. "Say, matey, just you chuck it! Chuck it, I say! How in thunder can I get on with my digging with you 'owlin' yer 'ead off?" inquired the Man Next Door. "You get up and peg along in an' arst yer aunt if she'd be agreeable for me to do up her garden a bit. I could do it odd times. You'd like that."
