Dickon was thinking very hard as he scratched Captain s back.
It d be good for him, I ll warrant, he said. Us d not be thinkin
he d better never been born. Us d be just two children watchin a
garden grow, an he d be another. Two lads an a little lass just
lookin on at th springtime. I warrant it d be better than doctor s
stuff.
He s been lying in his room so long and he s always been so afraid of
his back that it has made him queer, said Mary. He knows a good many
things out of books but he doesn t know anything else. He says he has
been too ill to notice things and he hates going out of doors and hates
gardens and gardeners. But he likes to hear about this garden because
it is a secret. I daren t tell him much but he said he wanted to see
it.
Us ll have him out here sometime for sure, said Dickon. I could push
his carriage well enough. Has tha noticed how th robin an his mate
has been workin while we ve been sittin here? Look at him perched on
that branch wonderin where it d be best to put that twig he s got in
his beak.
He made one of his low whistling calls and the robin turned his head
and looked at him inquiringly, still holding his twig. Dickon spoke to
him as Ben Weatherstaff did, but Dickon s tone was one of friendly
advice.
Wheres ever tha puts it, he said, it ll be all right. Tha knew how
to build tha nest before tha came out o th egg. Get on with thee,
lad. Tha st got no time to lose.
Oh, I do like to hear you talk to him! Mary said, laughing
delightedly. Ben Weatherstaff scolds him and makes fun of him, and he
hops about and looks as if he understood every word, and I know he
likes it. Ben Weatherstaff says he is so conceited he would rather have
stones thrown at him than not be noticed.
Dickon laughed too and went on talking.
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