since I was a little un an he s a friendly sort an I axed him some
questions. Th gentry calls him a athlete and I thought o thee, Mester
Colin, and I says, How did tha make tha muscles stick out that way,
Bob? Did tha do anythin extra to make thysel so strong? An he says
Well, yes, lad, I did. A strong man in a show that came to Thwaite
once showed me how to exercise my arms an legs an every muscle in my
body. An I says, Could a delicate chap make himself stronger with
em, Bob? an he laughed an says, Art tha th delicate chap? an I
says, No, but I knows a young gentleman that s gettin well of a long
illness an I wish I knowed some o them tricks to tell him about. I
didn t say no names an he didn t ask none. He s friendly same as I
said an he stood up an showed me good-natured like, an I imitated
what he did till I knowed it by heart.
Colin had been listening excitedly.
Can you show me? he cried. Will you?
Aye, to be sure, Dickon answered, getting up. But he says tha mun
do em gentle at first an be careful not to tire thysel . Rest in
between times an take deep breaths an don t overdo.
I ll be careful, said Colin. Show me! Show me! Dickon, you are the
most Magic boy in the world!
Dickon stood up on the grass and slowly went through a carefully
practical but simple series of muscle exercises. Colin watched them
with widening eyes. He could do a few while he was sitting down.
Presently he did a few gently while he stood upon his already steadied
feet. Mary began to do them also. Soot, who was watching the
performance, became much disturbed and left his branch and hopped about
restlessly because he could not do them too.
From that time the exercises were part of the day s duties as much as
the Magic was. It became possible for both Colin and Mary to do more of
them each time they tried, and such appetites were the results that but
for the basket Dickon put down behind the bush each morning when he
arrived they would have been lost. But the little oven in the hollow
and Mrs. Sowerby s bounties were so satisfying that Mrs. Medlock and
the nurse and Dr. Craven became mystified again. You can trifle with
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