"Of course not; he's a man--a wonderful man,"
was the reply.

"Well, I'm not afraid of a man," declared the
girl, much relieved, and even as she spoke the
Royal Gardener popped into the greenhouse--a
spading fork in one hand and a watering pot in the
other.

He was a funny little man, dressed in a rose-
colored costume, with ribbons at his knees and
elbows, and a bunch of ribbons in his hair. His
eyes were small and twinkling, his nose sharp and
his face puckered and deeply lined.

"O-ho!" he exclaimed, astonished to find
strangers in his greenhouse, and when Hank gave a
loud bray the Gardener threw the watering pot over
the mule's head and danced around with his fork,
in such agitation that presently he fell over the
handle of the implement and sprawled at full
length upon the ground.

Betsy laughed and pulled the watering pot off
from Hank's head. The little mule was angry at the
treatment he had received and backed toward the
Gardener threateningly.

"Look out for his heels!" called Betsy warningly
and the Gardener scrambled to his feet and hastily