It was only momentary, however, and he was soon as much interested as before.

He talked as though he had not had such an opportunity before in years--and I doubt whether he had.

It was plain to see that if any one ever loved anything in this world, Old Toombs loved that hedge of his.

Think of it, indeed! He had lived with it, nurtured it, clipped it, groomed it--for thirty-two years.
So we walked down the sloping field within the hedge, and it seemed as though one of the deep mysteries of human nature was opening there before me.

What strange things men set their hearts upon! Thus, presently, we came nearly to the farther end of the hedge.