〃C…could　you？〃　he　said　pathetically。
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃There！〃　said　Mary；　and　she　gulped　too。
  Colin　turned　on　his　face　again　and　but　for　his　long…drawn　broken　breaths；　which　were　the　dying　down　of　his　storm　of　sobbing；　he　lay　still　for　a　minute；　though　great　tears　srteamed　down　his　face　and　wet　the　pillow。　　Actually　the　tears　meant　that　a　curious　great　relief　had　come　to　him。　Presently　he　turned　and　looked　at　the　nurse　again　and　strangely　enough　he　was　not　like　a　Rajah　at　all　as　he　spoke　to　her。
  〃Do　you　thinkI　couldlive　to　grow　up？〃　he　said。
  The　nurse　was　neither　clever　nor　soft…hearted　but　she　could　repeat　some　of　the　London　doctor's　words。
  〃You　probably　will　if　you　will　do　what　you　are　told　to　do　and　not　give　way　to　your　temper；　and　stay　out　a　great　deal　in　the　fresh　air。〃
  Colin's　tantrum　had　passed　and　he　was　weak　and　worn　out　with　crying　and　this　perhaps　made　him　feel　gentle。　He　put　out　his　hand　a　little　toward　Mary；　and　I　am　glad　to　say　that；　her　own　tantum　having　passed；　she　was　softened　too　and　met　him　half…way　with　her　hand；　so　that　it　was　a　sort　of　making　up。
  〃I'llI'll　go　out　with　you；　Mary；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shan't　hate　fresh　air　if　we　can　find〃　He　remembered　just　in　time　to　stop　himself　from　saying　〃if　we　can　find　the　secret　garden〃　and　he　ended；　〃I　shall　like　to　go　out　with　you　if　Dickon　will　come　and　push　my　chair。　I　do　so　want　to　see　Dickon　and　the　fox　and　the　crow。〃
  The　nurse　remade　the　tumbled　bed　and　shook　and　straightened　the　pillows。　　Then　she　made　Colin　a　cup　of　beef　tea　and　gave　a　cup　to　Mary；　who　really　was　very　glad　to　get　it　after　her　excitement。　　Mrs。　Medlock　and　Martha　gladly　slipped　away；　and　after　everything　was　neat　and　calm　and　in　order　the　nurse　looked　as　if　she　would　very　gladly　slip　away　also。　　She　was　a　healthy　young　woman　who　resented　being　robbed　of　her　sleep　and　she　yawned　quite　openly　as　she　looked　at　Mary；　who　had　pushed　her　big　footstool　close　to　the　four…posted　bed　and　was　holding　Colin's　hand。
  〃You　must　go　back　and　get　your　sleep　out；〃　she　said。　〃He'll　drop　off　after　a　whileif　he's　not　too　upset。　Then　I'll　lie　down　myself　in　the　next　room。〃
  〃Would　you　like　me　to　sing　you　that　song　I　learned　from　my　Ayah？〃　Mary　whispered　to　Colin。
  His　hand　pulled　hers　gently　and　he　turned　his　tired　eyes　on　her　appealingly。
  〃Oh；　yes！〃　he　answered。　　〃It's　such　a　soft　song。　I　shall　go　to　sleep　in　a　minute。〃
  〃I　will　put　him　to　sleep；〃　Mary　said　to　the　yawning　nurse。　〃You　can　go　if　you　like。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　the　nurse；　with　an　attempt　at　reluctance。　〃If　he　doesn't　go　to　sleep　in　half　an　hour　you　must　call　me。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　answered　Mary。
  The　nurse　was　out　of　the　room　in　a　minute　and　as　soon　as　she　was　gone　Colin　pulled　Mary's　hand　again。
  〃I　almost　told；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　stopped　myself　in　time。　I　won't　talk　and　I'll　go　to　sleep；　but　you　said　you　had　a　whole　lot　of　nice　things　to　tell　me。　　Have　youdo　you　think　you　have　found　out　anything　at　all　about　the　way　into　the　secret　garden？〃
  Mary　looked　at　his　poor　little　tired　face　and　swollen　eyes　and　her　heart　relented。
  〃Ye…es；〃　she　answered；　〃I　think　I　have。　　And　if　you　will　go　to　sleep　I　will　tell　you　tomorrow。〃　His　hand　quite　trembled。
  〃Oh；　Mary！〃　he　said。　　〃Oh；　Mary！　If　I　could　get　into　it　I　think　I　should　live　to　grow　up！　Do　you　suppose　that　instead　of　singing　the　Ayah　songyou　could　just　tell　me　softly　as　you　did　that　first　day　what　you　imagine　it　looks　like　inside？　I　am　sure　it　will　make　me　go　to　sleep。〃
  〃Yes；〃　answered　Mary。　　〃Shut　your　eyes。〃
  He　closed　his　eyes　and　lay　quite　still　and　she　held　his　hand　and　began　to　speak　very　slowly　and　in　a　very　low　voice。
  〃I　think　it　has　been　left　alone　so　longthat　it　has　grown　all　into　a　lovely　tangle。　　I　think　the　roses　have　climbed　and　climbed　and　climbed　until　they　hang　from　the　branches　and　walls　and　creep　over　the　groundalmost　like　a　strange　gray　mist。　Some　of　them　have　died　but　manyare　alive　and　when　the　summer　comes　there　will　be　curtains　and　fountains　of　roses。　I　think　the　ground　is　full　of　daffodils　and　snowdrops　and　lilies　and　iris　working　their　way　out　of　the　dark。　Now　the　spring　has　begunperhapsperhaps〃
  The　soft　drone　of　her　voice　was　making　him　stiller　and　stiller　and　she　saw　it　and　went　on。
  〃Perhaps　they　are　coming　up　through　the　grassperhaps　there　are　clusters　of　purple　crocuses　and　gold　oneseven　now。　Perhaps　the　leaves　are　beginning　to　break　out　and　uncurland　perhapsthe　gray　is　changing　and　a　green　gauze　veil　is　creepingand　creeping　overeverything。　And　the　birds　are　coming　to　look　at　itbecause　it　isso　safe　and　still。　And　perhapsperhapsperhaps〃　very　softly　and　slowly　indeed；　〃the　robin　has　found　a　mateand　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　suredidn'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　wayor　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　himI　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。　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'sit's　something　about　the　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　leavesand　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　and　the　crow　were　with　him　again　and　this　time　he　had　brought　two　tame　squirrels。　　〃I　came　over　on　the　pony　this　mornin'；　〃　he　said。　　〃Eh！　he　is　a　good　little　chapJump　is！　I　brought　these　two　in　my　pockets。　This　here　one　he's　called　Nut　an'　this　here　other　one's　called　Shell。〃
  When　he　said　〃Nut〃　one　squirrel　leaped　on　to　his　right　shoulder　and　when　he　said　〃Shell〃　the　other　one　leaped　on　to　his　left　shoulder。
  When　they　sat　down　on　the　grass　with　Captain　curled　at　their　feet；　Soot　solemnly　listening　on　a　tree　and　Nut　and　Shell　nosing　about　close　to　them；　it　seemed　to　Mary　that　it　would　be　scarcely　bearable　to　leave　such　delightfulness；　but　when　she　began　to　tell　her　story　somehow　the　look　in　Dickon's　funny　face　gradually　changed　her　mind。　She　could　see　he　felt　sorrier　for　Colin　than　she　did。　He　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　all　about　him。
  〃Just　listen　to　them　birdsth'　world　seems　full　of　'emall　whistlin'　an'　pipin'；〃　he　said。　〃Look　at　'em　dartin'　about；　an'　hearken　at　'em　callin'　to　each　other。　　Come　springtime　seems　like　as　if　all　th'　world's　callin'。　The　leaves　is　uncurlin'　so　you　can　see　'eman'；　my　word；　th'　nice　smells　there　is　about！〃　sniffing　with　his　happy　turned…up　nose。　　〃An'　that　poor　lad　lyin'　shut　up　an'　seein'　so　little　that　he　gets　to　thinkin'　o'　things　as　sets　him　screamin'。　Eh！　my！　we　mun　get　him　out　herewe　mun　get　him　watchin'　an　listenin'　an'　sniffin'　up　th'　air　an'　get　him　just　soaked　through　wi'　sunshine。　　An'　we　munnot　lose　no　time　about　it。〃
  When　he　was　very　much　interested　he　often　spoke　quite　broad　Yorkshire　though　at　other　times　he　tried　to　modify　his　dialect　so　that　Mary　could　better　understand。　But　she　loved　his　broad　Yorkshire　and　had　in　fact　been　trying　to　learn　to　speak　it　herself。　　So　she　spoke　a　little　now。
  〃Aye；　that　we　mun；〃　she　said　（which　meant　〃Yes；　indeed；　we　must〃）。　〃I'll　tell　thee　what　us'll　do　first；〃　she　proceeded；　and　Dickon　grinned；　because　when　the　little　wench　tried　to　twist　her　tongue　into　speaking　Yorkshire　it　amused　him　very　much。　　〃He's　took　a　graidely　fancy　to　thee。　He　wants　to　see　thee　and　he　wants　to　see　Soot　an'　Captain。　When　I　go　back　to　the　house　to　talk　to　him　I'll　ax　him　if　tha'　canna'　come　an'　see　him　tomorrow　mornin'an'。　bring　tha'　creatures　wi'　theean'　thenin　a　bit；　when　there's　more　leaves　out；　an'　happen　a　bud　or　two；　we'll　get　him　to　come　out　an'　tha'　shall　push　him　in　his　chair　an'　we'll　bring　him　here　an'　show　him　everything。〃
  When　she　stopped　she　was　quite　proud　of　herself。　She　had　never　made　a