deepening the gold of its lances, the bees were going home and the
birds were flying past less often. Dickon and Mary were sitting on the
grass, the tea-basket was repacked ready to be taken back to the house,
and Colin was lying against his cushions with his heavy locks pushed
back from his forehead and his face looking quite a natural color.
I don t want this afternoon to go, he said; but I shall come back
tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after, and the day after.
You ll get plenty of fresh air, won t you? said Mary.
I m going to get nothing else, he answered. I ve seen the spring now
and I m going to see the summer. I m going to see everything grow here.
I m going to grow here myself.
That tha will, said Dickon. Us ll have thee walkin about here an
diggin same as other folk afore long.
Colin flushed tremendously.
Walk! he said. Dig! Shall I?
Dickon s glance at him was delicately cautious. Neither he nor Mary had
ever asked if anything was the matter with his legs.
For sure tha will, he said stoutly. Tha tha s got legs o thine
own, same as other folks!
Mary was rather frightened until she heard Colin s answer.
Nothing really ails them, he said, but they are so thin and weak.
They shake so that I m afraid to try to stand on them.
Both Mary and Dickon drew a relieved breath.
When tha stops bein afraid tha lt stand on em, Dickon said with
renewed cheer. An tha lt stop bein afraid in a bit.
I shall? said Colin, and he lay still as if he were wondering about
things.
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