Brownsmiths Boy | Page 7

to the cats, one of which answered by giving itself a rub down
his leg, while he clapped his hand upon my shoulder.
"There you are, my hearty. It isn't so far for you to stoop as it would be
for me. Go and pick 'em."
"Pick them?" I said, looking at him wonderingly.
"To be sure. Go ahead. I'll hold your flowers. Only take the ripe ones,
and see here--do you know how to pick strawberries?"
I felt so amused at such a silly question that I looked up at him and
laughed.
"Oh, you do?" he said.
"Why, anybody could pick strawberries," I replied.
"Really, now! Well, let's see. There's a big flat fellow, pick him."
I handed him the flowers, and stepping between two rows of plants,
stooped down, and picked the great strawberry he pointed out.
"Oh, you call that picking, do you?" he said.
"Yes, sir. Don't you?"
"No: I call it tearing my plants to pieces. Why, look here, if my pickers
were to go to work like that, I should only get half a crop and my plants
would be spoiled."
I looked at him helplessly, and wished he would pick the strawberries
himself.
"Look here," he said, stooping over a plant, and letting a great scarlet
berry specked with golden seeds fall over into his hand. "Now see:
finger nail and thumb nail; turn 'em into scissors; draw one against the

other, and the stalk's through. That's the way to do it, and the rest of
the bunch not hurt. Now then, your back's younger than mine. Go
ahead."
I felt hot and uncomfortable, but I took the rhubarb leaf, stepped in
amongst the clean straw, and, using my nails as he had bid me, found
that the strawberries came off wonderfully well.
"Only the ripe ones, boy; leave the others. Pick away. Poor old Tommy
then!"
I looked up to see if he was speaking to me, but he had let one of the
cats run up to his shoulder, and he was stroking the soft lithe creature
as it rubbed itself against his head.
"That's the way, boy," he cried, as I scissored off two or three berries
in the way he had taught me. "I like to see a chap with brains. Come,
pick away."
I did pick away, till I had about twenty in the soft green leaf, and then I
stopped, knowing that in flowers and fruit I had twice as much as I
should have obtained at the shop.
"Oh, come, get on," he cried contemptuously. "You're not half a fellow.
Don't stop. Does your back ache?"
"No, sir," I said; "but--"
"Oh, you wouldn't earn your salt as a picker," he cried. As he said this
he came on to the bed, and, bending down, seemed to sweep a hand
round the strawberry plant, gathering its leaves aside, and leaving the
berries free to be snipped off by the right finger and thumb. He kept on
bidding me pick away, but he sheared off three to my one, and at the
end of a few minutes I was holding the rhubarb leaf against my breast
to keep the fruit from falling over the side.
"There you are," he cried at last. "That do?"

"Oh, yes, sir," I said; "but--"
"That's enough," he cried sharply. "Here, hand over that sixpence.
Money's money, and you can't get on without it, youngster."
I gave him the coin, and he took it, span it up in the air, caught it, and
after dragging out a small wash-leather bag he dropped it in, gave me
a comical look as he twisted a string about the neck, tucked it in, and
replaced the bag in his pocket.
"There you are," he cried. "Small profits and quick returns. No credit
given. Toddle; and don't you come and bother me again. I'm a market
grower, my young shaver, and can't trade your fashion."
"I did not know, sir," I said, trying to look and speak with dignity, for it
was very unpleasant to be addressed so off-handedly by this man, just
as if I had been asking him a favour.
"I'm very much obliged to you," I added, for I had glanced at the bunch
of roses; and as I looked at the fresh sweet-scented beauties I thought
of how delighted my poor mother would be, and I could not help feeling
that old Brownsmith had been very generous.
Then making him rather an awkward bow, I stalked off, feeling very
small, and was some distance back towards the gate, wondering
whether I should meet "Shock," when from behind there came a loud
"Hi!"
I paid no heed and went on, for it was not pleasant to be shouted at like
that by a market