filled him with a power he had never known before, an almost unnatural
strength.
Come here! he shouted to Dickon, and he actually began to tear the
coverings off his lower limbs and disentangle himself. Come here! Come
here! This minute!
Dickon was by his side in a second. Mary caught her breath in a short
gasp and felt herself turn pale.
He can do it! He can do it! He can do it! He can! she gabbled over to
herself under her breath as fast as ever she could.
There was a brief fierce scramble, the rugs were tossed on the ground,
Dickon held Colin s arm, the thin legs were out, the thin feet were on
the grass. Colin was standing upright upright as straight as an arrow
and looking strangely tall his head thrown back and his strange eyes
flashing lightning.
Look at me! he flung up at Ben Weatherstaff. Just look at me you!
Just look at me!
He s as straight as I am! cried Dickon. He s as straight as any lad
i Yorkshire!
What Ben Weatherstaff did Mary thought queer beyond measure. He choked
and gulped and suddenly tears ran down his weather-wrinkled cheeks as
he struck his old hands together.
Eh! he burst forth, th lies folk tells! Tha rt as thin as a lath
an as white as a wraith, but there s not a knob on thee. Tha lt make a
mon yet. God bless thee!
Dickon held Colin s arm strongly but the boy had not begun to falter.
He stood straighter and straighter and looked Ben Weatherstaff in the
face.
I m your master, he said, when my father is away. And you are to
obey me. This is my garden. Don t dare to say a word about it! You get
down from that ladder and go out to the Long Walk and Miss Mary will
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