old Ben fixed devouring eyes on
him and kept them there. He looked him over with critical affection. It
was not so much the lecture which interested him as the legs which
looked straighter and stronger each day, the boyish head which held
itself up so well, the once sharp chin and hollow cheeks which had
filled and rounded out and the eyes which had begun to hold the light he
remembered in another pair. Sometimes when Colin felt Ben's earnest gaze
meant that he was much impressed he wondered what he was reflecting on
and once when he had seemed quite entranced he questioned him.

"What are you thinking about, Ben Weatherstaff?" he asked.

"I was thinkin'," answered Ben, "as I'd warrant tha's gone up three or
four pound this week. I was lookin' at tha' calves an' tha' shoulders.
I'd like to get thee on a pair o' scales."

"It's the Magic and--and Mrs. Sowerby's buns and milk and things," said
Colin. "You see the scientific experiment has succeeded."

That morning Dickon was too late to hear the lecture. When he came he
was ruddy with running and his funny face looked more twinkling than
usual. As they had a good deal of weeding to do after the rains they
fell to work. They always had plenty to do after a warm deep sinking
rain. The moisture which was good for the flowers was also good for the
weeds which thrust up tiny blades of grass and points of leaves which
must be pulled up before their roots took too firm hold. Colin was as
good at weeding as any one in these days and he could lecture while he
was doing it.

"The Magic works best when you work yourself," he said this morning.
"You can feel it in your bones and muscles. I am going to read books
about bones and muscles, but I am going to write a book about Magic. I
am making it up now. I keep finding out things."

It was not very long after he had said this that he laid down his trowel
and stood up on his feet. He had been silent for several minutes and
they had seen that he was thinking out lectures, as he often did. When
he dropped his trowel and stood upright it seemed to Mary and Dickon as
if a sudden strong thought had made him do it. He stretched himself out
to his tallest height and he threw out his arms exultantly. Color glowed
in his face and his strange eyes widened with joyfulness. All at once he
had realized something to the full.

"Mary! Dickon!" he cried. "Just look at me!"

They stopped their weeding and looked at him.

"Do you remember that