cousin will have breakfast with me.
The nurse went away, concealing a smile, to give the order for two
breakfasts. She found the servants hall a more amusing place than the
invalid s chamber and just now everybody wanted to hear the news from
upstairs. There was a great deal of joking about the unpopular young
recluse who, as the cook said, had found his master, and good for
him. The servants hall had been very tired of the tantrums, and the
butler, who was a man with a family, had more than once expressed his
opinion that the invalid would be all the better for a good hiding.
When Colin was on his sofa and the breakfast for two was put upon the
table he made an announcement to the nurse in his most Rajah-like
manner.
A boy, and a fox, and a crow, and two squirrels, and a new-born lamb,
are coming to see me this morning. I want them brought upstairs as soon
as they come, he said. You are not to begin playing with the animals
in the servants hall and keep them there. I want them here.
The nurse gave a slight gasp and tried to conceal it with a cough.
Yes, sir, she answered.
I ll tell you what you can do, added Colin, waving his hand. You can
tell Martha to bring them here. The boy is Martha s brother. His name
is Dickon and he is an animal charmer.
I hope the animals won t bite, Master Colin, said the nurse.
I told you he was a charmer, said Colin austerely. Charmers animals
never bite.
There are snake-charmers in India, said Mary. And they can put their
snakes heads in their mouths.
Goodness! shuddered the nurse.
They ate their breakfast with the morning air pouring in upon them.
Colin s breakfast was a very good one and Mary watched him with serious
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