He had gone away and the secret garden was empty except for the robin
who had just flown across the wall and sat on a standard rose-bush
watching her.
He s gone, she said woefully. Oh! was he was he was he only a wood
fairy?
Something white fastened to the standard rose-bush caught her eye. It
was a piece of paper, in fact, it was a piece of the letter she had
printed for Martha to send to Dickon. It was fastened on the bush with
a long thorn, and in a minute she knew Dickon had left it there. There
were some roughly printed letters on it and a sort of picture. At first
she could not tell what it was. Then she saw it was meant for a nest
with a bird sitting on it. Underneath were the printed letters and they
said:
I will cum bak.
CHAPTER XIII.
I AM COLIN
Mary took the picture back to the house when she went to her supper and
she showed it to Martha.
Eh! said Martha with great pride. I never knew our Dickon was as
clever as that. That there s a picture of a missel thrush on her nest,
as large as life an twice as natural.
Then Mary knew Dickon had meant the picture to be a message. He had
meant that she might be sure he would keep her secret. Her garden was
her nest and she was like a missel thrush. Oh, how she did like that
queer, common boy!
She hoped he would come back the very next day and she fell asleep
looking forward to the morning.
97