en now. Perhaps the leaves
are beginning to break out and uncurl--and perhaps--the gray is changing
and a green gauze veil is creeping--and creeping over--everything. And
the birds are coming to look at it--because it is--so safe and still.
And perhaps--perhaps--perhaps--" very softly and slowly indeed, "the
robin has found a mate--and is building a nest."

And Colin was asleep.

CHAPTER XVIII

"THA' MUNNOT WASTE NO TIME"

Of course Mary did not waken early the next morning. She slept late
because she was tired, and when Martha brought her breakfast she told
her that though Colin was quite quiet he was ill and feverish as he
always was after he had worn himself out with a fit of crying. Mary ate
her breakfast slowly as she listened.

"He says he wishes tha' would please go and see him as soon as tha'
can," Martha said. "It's queer what a fancy he's took to thee. Tha' did
give it him last night for sure--didn't tha'? Nobody else would have
dared to do it. Eh! poor lad! He's been spoiled till salt won't save
him. Mother says as th' two worst things as can happen to a child is
never to have his own way--or always to have it. She doesn't know which
is th' worst. Tha' was in a fine temper tha'self, too. But he says to me
when I went into his room, 'Please ask Miss Mary if she'll please come
an' talk to me?' Think o' him saying please! Will you go, Miss?"

"I'll run and see Dickon first," said Mary. "No, I'll go and see Colin
first and tell him--I know what I'll tell him," with a sudden
inspiration.

She had her hat on when she appeared in Colin's room and for a second he
looked disappointed. He was in bed and his face was pitifully white and
there were dark circles round his eyes.

"I'm glad you came," he said. "My head aches and I ache all over because
I'm so tired. Are you going somewhere?"

Mary went and leaned against his bed.

"I won't be long," she said. "I'm going to Dickon, but I'll come back.
Colin, it's--it's something about the secret garden."

His whole face brightened and a little color came into it.

"Oh! is it!" he cried out. "I dreamed about it all night. I heard you
say something about gray changing into green, and I dreamed I was
standing in a place all filled with trembling little green leaves--and
there were birds on nests everywhere and they looked so soft and still.
I'll lie and think about it until you come back."

In five minutes Mary was with Dickon in their garden. The fox an