However, in the afternoon my little friend called to me over, the wall,
'Big Mr. Jack, come here.'

'Come where, my little man?'

'Come inside and look at father's organ; I'll play it to you, Mr. Jack.'

'What will father say if I come in?'

'Father's out.'

'What will mother say?'

'Mother's out too.'

I did not much relish the idea of entering a man's house in his absence,
but such plaintive entreaties came from the other side of the wall. Over
and over again he pleaded, 'Do come, Mr. Jack; do come quick, Mr. Jack!'
that at last, to please the child, I left my work for a few minutes and
went up the steps which led to the gate of their garden.

It was only a small place, but very prettily laid out. There was a tiny
lawn, well kept, and covered with short, soft grass, and in the centre
of this a round bed filled with geraniums, calceolarias, and lobelias.
Round the lawn, at the edge of the garden, was a border, in which grew
all manner of gay and sweet-smelling flowers. There were asters and
mignonette, sweet-peas and convolvolus, heliotrope and fuchsias. Then in
front of me was the pretty cottage, with two gables and a red-tiled
roof, the walls of which were covered from top to bottom with creeping
plants. Ivy and jessamine, climbing roses, virginia-creeper, and