end fair quivers like a rabbit s, mother says.
Do you never catch cold? inquired Mary, gazing at him wonderingly.
She had never seen such a funny boy, or such a nice one.
Not me, he said, grinning. I never ketched cold since I was born. I
wasn t brought up nesh enough. I ve chased about th moor in all
weathers same as th rabbits does. Mother says I ve sniffed up too much
fresh air for twelve year to ever get to sniffin with cold. I m as
tough as a white-thorn knobstick.
He was working all the time he was talking and Mary was following him
and helping him with her fork or the trowel.
There s a lot of work to do here! he said once, looking about quite
exultantly.
Will you come again and help me to do it? Mary begged. I m sure I
can help, too. I can dig and pull up weeds, and do whatever you tell
me. Oh! do come, Dickon!
I ll come every day if tha wants me, rain or shine, he answered
stoutly. It s the best fun I ever had in my life shut in here an
wakenin up a garden.
If you will come, said Mary, if you will help me to make it alive
I ll I don t know what I ll do, she ended helplessly. What could you
do for a boy like that?
I ll tell thee what tha ll do, said Dickon, with his happy grin.
Tha ll get fat an tha ll get as hungry as a young fox an tha ll
learn how to talk to th robin same as I do. Eh! we ll have a lot o
fun.
He began to walk about, looking up in the trees and at the walls and
bushes with a thoughtful expression.
I wouldn t want to make it look like a gardener s garden, all clipped
an spick an span, would you? he said. It s nicer like this with
things runnin wild, an swingin an catchin hold of each other.
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