f　he　were　relating　his　adventures；　and　Dickon　talked　to　him　just　as　he　had　talked　to　the　robin。　　Once　when　Dickon　was　so　busy　that　he　did　not　answer　him　at　first；　Soot　flew　on　to　his　shoulders　and　gently　tweaked　his　ear　with　his　large　beak。　　When　Mary　wanted　to　rest　a　little　Dickon　sat　down　with　her　under　a　tree　and　once　he　took　his　pipe　out　of　his　pocket　and　played　the　soft　strange　little　notes　and　two　squirrels　appeared　on　the　wall　and　looked　and　listened。
  〃Tha's　a　good　bit　stronger　than　tha'　was；〃　Dickon　said；　looking　at　her　as　she　was　digging。　　〃Tha's　beginning　to　look　different；　for　sure。〃
  Mary　was　glowing　with　exercise　and　good　spirits。
  〃I'm　getting　fatter　and　fatter　every　day；〃　she　said　quite　exultantly。　　〃Mrs。　Medlock　will　have　to　get　me　some　bigger　dresses。　　Martha　says　my　hair　is　growing　thicker。　It　isn't　so　flat　and　stringy。〃
  The　sun　was　beginning　to　set　and　sending　deep　gold…colored　rays　slanting　under　the　trees　when　they　parted。
  〃It'll　be　fine　tomorrow；〃　said　Dickon。　　〃I'll　be　at　work　by　sunrise。〃
  〃So　will　I；〃　said　Mary。
  She　ran　back　to　the　house　as　quickly　as　her　feet　would　carry　her。　　She　wanted　to　tell　Colin　about　Dickon's　fox　cub　and　the　rook　and　about　what　the　springtime　had　been　doing。　She　felt　sure　he　would　like　to　hear。　　So　it　was　not　very　pleasant　when　she　opened　the　door　of　her　room；　to　see　Martha　standing　waiting　for　her　with　a　doleful　face。
  〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　did　Colin　say　when　you　told　him　I　couldn't　come？〃
  〃Eh！〃　said　Martha；　〃I　wish　tha'd　gone。　　He　was　nigh　goin'　into　one　o'　his　tantrums。　　There's　been　a　nice　to　do　all　afternoon　to　keep　him　quiet。　　He　would　watch　the　clock　all　th'　time。〃
  Mary's　lips　pinched　themselves　together。　　She　was　no　more　used　to　considering　other　people　than　Colin　was　and　she　saw　no　reason　why　an　ill…tempered　boy　should　interfere　with　the　thing　she　liked　best。　　She　knew　nothing　about　the　pitifulness　of　people　who　had　been　ill　and　nervous　and　who　did　not　know　that　they　could　control　their　tempers　and　need　not　make　other　people　ill　and　nervous；　too。　When　she　had　had　a　headache　in　India　she　had　done　her　best　to　see　that　everybody　else　also　had　a　headache　or　something　quite　as　bad。　　And　she　felt　she　was　quite　right；　but　of　course　now　she　felt　that　Colin　was　quite　wrong。
  He　was　not　on　his　sofa　when　she　went　into　his　room。　He　was　lying　flat　on　his　back　in　bed　and　he　did　not　turn　his　head　toward　her　as　she　came　in。　　This　was　a　bad　beginning　and　Mary　marched　up　to　him　with　her　stiff　manner。
  〃Why　didn't　you　get　up？〃　she　said。
  〃I　did　get　up　this　morning　when　I　thought　you　were　coming；〃　he　answered；　without　looking　at　her。　　〃I　made　them　put　me　back　in　bed　this　afternoon。　　My　back　ached　and　my　head　ached　and　I　was　tired。　　Why　didn't　you　come？〃　〃I　was　working　in　the　garden　with　Dickon；〃　said　Mary。
  Colin　frowned　and　condescended　to　look　at　her。
  〃I　won't　let　that　boy　come　here　if　you　go　and　stay　with　him　instead　of　coming　to　talk　to　me；〃　he　said。
  Mary　flew　into　a　fine　passion。　　She　could　fly　into　a　passion　without　making　a　noise。　　She　just　grew　sour　and　obstinate　and　did　not　care　what　happened。
  〃If　you　send　Dickon　away；　I'll　never　come　into　this　room　again！〃　she　retorted。
  〃You'll　have　to　if　I　want　you；〃　said　Colin。
  〃I　won't！〃　said　Mary。
  〃I'll　make　you；〃　said　Colin。　　〃They　shall　drag　you　in。〃
  〃Shall　they；　Mr。　Rajah！〃　said　Mary　fiercely。　　〃They　may　drag　me　in　but　they　can't　make　me　talk　when　they　get　me　here。　I'll　sit　and　clench　my　teeth　and　never　tell　you　one　thing。　I　won't　even　look　at　you。　　I'll　stare　at　the　floor！〃
  They　were　a　nice　agreeable　pair　as　they　glared　at　each　other。　If　they　had　been　two　little　street　boys　they　would　have　sprung　at　each　other　and　had　a　rough…and…tumble　fight。　As　it　was；　they　did　the　next　thing　to　it。
  〃You　are　a　selfish　thing！〃　cried　Colin。
  〃What　are　you？〃　said　Mary。　　〃Selfish　people　always　say　that。　Any　one　is　selfish　who　doesn't　do　what　they　want。　You're　more　selfish　than　I　am。　　You're　the　most　selfish　boy　I　ever　saw。〃
  〃I'm　not！〃　snapped　Colin。　　〃I'm　not　as　selfish　as　your　fine　Dickon　is！　He　keeps　you　playing　in　the　dirt　when　he　knows　I　am　all　by　myself。　　He's　selfish；　if　you　like！〃
  Mary's　eyes　flashed　fire。
  〃He's　nicer　than　any　other　boy　that　ever　lived！〃　she　said。　〃He'she's　like　an　angel！〃　It　might　sound　rather　silly　to　say　that　but　she　did　not　care。
  〃A　nice　angel！〃　Colin　sneered　ferociously。　　〃He's　a　common　cottage　boy　off　the　moor！〃
  〃He's　better　than　a　common　Rajah！〃　retorted　Mary。　〃He's　a　thousand　times　better！〃
  Because　she　was　the　stronger　of　the　two　she　was　beginning　to　get　the　better　of　him。　　The　truth　was　that　he　had　never　had　a　fight　with　any　one　like　himself　in　his　life　and；　upon　the　whole；　it　was　rather　good　for　him；　though　neither　he　nor　Mary　knew　anything　about　that。　He　turned　his　head　on　his　pillow　and　shut　his　eyes　and　a　big　tear　was　squeezed　out　and　ran　down　his　cheek。　He　was　beginning　to　feel　pathetic　and　sorry　for　himselfnot　for　any　one　else。
  〃I'm　not　as　selfish　as　you；　because　I'm　always　ill；　and　I'm　sure　there　is　a　lump　coming　on　my　back；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　am　going　to　die　besides。〃
  〃You're　not！〃　contradicted　Mary　unsympathetically。
  He　opened　his　eyes　quite　wide　with　indignation。　He　had　never　heard　such　a　thing　said　before。　　He　was　at　once　furious　and　slightly　pleased；　if　a　person　could　be　both　at　one　time。
  〃I'm　not？〃　he　cried。　　〃I　am！　You　know　I　am！　Everybody　says　so。〃
  〃I　don't　believe　it！〃　said　Mary　sourly。　　〃You　just　say　that　to　make　people　sorry。　　I　believe　you're　proud　of　it。　I　don't　believe　it！　If　you　were　a　nice　boy　it　might　be　truebut　you're　too　nasty！〃
  In　spite　of　his　invalid　back　Colin　sat　up　in　bed　in　quite　a　healthy　rage。
  〃Get　out　of　the　room！〃　he　shouted　and　he　caught　hold　of　his　pillow　and　threw　it　at　her。　　He　was　not　strong　enough　to　throw　it　far　and　it　only　fell　at　her　feet；　but　Mary's　face　looked　as　pinched　as　a　nutcracker。
  〃I'm　going；〃　she　said。　　〃And　I　won't　come　back！〃　She　walked　to　the　door　and　when　she　reached　it　she　turned　round　and　spoke　again。
  〃I　was　going　to　tell　you　all　sorts　of　nice　things；〃　she　said。　　〃Dickon　brought　his　fox　and　his　rook　and　I　was　going　to　tell　you　all　about　them。　　Now　I　won't　tell　you　a　single　thing！〃
  She　marched　out　of　the　door　and　closed　it　behind　her；　and　there　to　her　great　astonishment　she　found　the　trained　nurse　standing　as　if　she　had　been　listening　and；　more　amazing　stillshe　was　laughing。　　She　was　a　big　handsome　young　woman　who　ought　not　to　have　been　a　trained　nurse　at　all；　as　she　could　not　bear　invalids　and　she　was　always　making　excuses　to　leave　Colin　to　Martha　or　any　one　else　who　would　take　her　place。　　Mary　had　never　liked　her；　and　she　simply　stood　and　gazed　up　at　her　as　she　stood　giggling　into　her　handkerchief。。
  〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃　she　asked　her。
  〃At　you　two　young　ones；〃　said　the　nurse。　　〃It's　the　best　thing　that　could　happen　to　the　sickly　pampered　thing　to　have　some　one　to　stand　up　to　him　that's　as　spoiled　as　himself；〃　and　she　laughed　into　her　handkerchief　again。　〃If　he'd　had　a　young　vixen　of　a　sister　to　fight　with　it　would　have　been　the　saving　of　him。〃
  〃Is　he　going　to　die？〃
  〃I　don't　know　and　I　don't　care；〃　said　the　nurse。　〃Hysterics　and　temper　are　half　what　ails　him。〃
  〃What　are　hysterics？〃　asked　Mary。
  〃You'll　find　out　if　you　work　him　into　a　tantrum　after　thisbut　at　any　rate　you've　given　him　something　to　have　hysterics　about；　and　I'm　glad　of　it。〃
  Mary　went　back　to　her　room　not　feeling　at　all　as　she　had　felt　when　she　had　come　in　from　the　garden。　　She　was　cross　and　disappointed　but　not　at　all　sorry　for　Colin。　She　had　looked　forward　to　telling　him　a　great　many　things　and　she　had　meant　to　try　to　make　up　her　mind　whether　it　would　be　safe　to　trust　him　with　the　great　secret。　She　had　been　beginning　to　think　it　would　be；　but　now　she　had　changed　her　mind　entirely。　　She　would　never　tell　him　and　he　could　stay　in　his　room　and　never　get　any　fresh　air　and　die　if　he　liked！　It　would　serve　him　right！　She　felt　so　sour　and　unrelenting　that　for　a　few　minutes　she　almost　forgot　about　Dickon　and　the　green　veil　creeping　over　the　world　and　the　soft　wind　blowing　down　from　the　moor。
  Martha　was　waiting　for　her　and　the　trouble　in　her　face　had　been　temporarily　replaced　by　interest　and　curiosity。　There　was　a　wooden　box　on　the　table　and　its　cover　had　been　removed　and　revealed　that　it　was　full　of　neat　packages。
  〃Mr。　Craven　sent　it　to　you；〃　said　Martha。　　〃It　looks　as　if　it　had　picture…books　in　it。〃
  Mary　remembered　what　he　had　asked　her　the　day　she　had　gone　to　his　room。　　〃Do　you　want　anythingdollstoys　books？〃　She　opened　the　package　wondering　if　he　had　sent　a　doll；　and　also　wondering　what　she　should　do　with　it　if　he　had。　But　he　had　not　sent　one。　　There　were　several　beautiful　books　such　as　Colin　had；　and　two　of　them　were　about　gardens　and　were　full　of　pictures。　　There　were　two　or　three　games　and　there　was　a　beautiful　little　writing…case　with　a　gold　monogram　on　it　and　a　gold　pen　and　inkstand。
  Everything　was　so　nice　that　her　pleasure　began　to　crowd　her　anger　out　of　her　mind。　　She　had　not　expected　him　to　remember　her　at　all　and　her　hard　little　heart　grew　quite　warm。
  〃I　can　write　better　than　I　can　print；〃　she　said；　〃and　the　first　thing　I　shall　write　with　tha