oice　shook。　He　was　an　ignorant　old　man　and　a　tactless　old　man　and　he　could　only　remember　the　things　he　had　heard。
  〃Tha'tha'　hasn't　got　a　crooked　back？〃　he　said　hoarsely。
  〃No！〃　shouted　Colin。
  〃Tha'tha'　hasn't　got　crooked　legs？〃　quavered　Ben　more　hoarsely　yet。　　It　was　too　much。　　The　strength　which　Colin　usually　threw　into　his　tantrums　rushed　through　him　now　in　a　new　way。　　Never　yet　had　he　been　accused　of　crooked　legseven　in　whispersand　the　perfectly　simple　belief　in　their　existence　which　was　revealed　by　Ben　Weatherstaff's　voice　was　more　than　Rajah　flesh　and　blood　could　endure。　His　anger　and　insulted　pride　made　him　forget　everything　but　this　one　moment　and　filled　him　with　a　power　he　had　never　known　before；　an　almost　unnatural　strength。
  〃Come　here！〃　he　shouted　to　Dickon；　and　he　actually　began　to　tear　the　coverings　off　his　lower　limbs　and　disentangle　himself。　　〃Come　here！　Come　here！　This　minute！〃
  Dickon　was　by　his　side　in　a　second。　　Mary　caught　her　breath　in　a　short　gasp　and　felt　herself　turn　pale。
  〃He　can　do　it！　He　can　do　it！　He　can　do　it！　He　can！〃　she　gabbled　over　to　herself　under　her　breath　as　fast　as　ever　she　could。
  There　was　a　brief　fierce　scramble；　the　rugs　were　tossed　on　the　ground；　Dickon　held　Colin's　arm；　the　thin　legs　were　out；　the　thin　feet　were　on　the　grass。　Colin　was　standing　uprightuprightas　straight　as　an　arrow　and　looking　strangely　tallhis　head　thrown　back　and　his　strange　eyes　flashing　lightning。　　〃Look　at　me！〃　he　flung　up　at　Ben　Weatherstaff。　　〃Just　look　at　meyou！　Just　look　at　me！〃
  〃He's　as　straight　as　I　am！〃　cried　Dickon。　　〃He's　as　straight　as　any　lad　i'　Yorkshire！〃
  What　Ben　Weatherstaff　did　Mary　thought　queer　beyond　measure。　He　choked　and　gulped　and　suddenly　tears　ran　down　his　weather…wrinkled　cheeks　as　he　struck　his　old　hands　together。
  〃Eh！〃　he　burst　forth；　〃th'　lies　folk　tells！　Tha'rt　as　thin　as　a　lath　an'　as　white　as　a　wraith；　but　there's　not　a　knob　on　thee。　　Tha'lt　make　a　mon　yet。　　God　bless　thee！〃
  Dickon　held　Colin's　arm　strongly　but　the　boy　had　not　begun　to　falter。　　He　stood　straighter　and　straighter　and　looked　Ben　Weatherstaff　in　the　face。
  〃I'm　your　master；〃　he　said；　〃when　my　father　is　away。　And　you　are　to　obey　me。　　This　is　my　garden。　　Don't　dare　to　say　a　word　about　it！　You　get　down　from　that　ladder　and　go　out　to　the　Long　Walk　and　Miss　Mary　will　meet　you　and　bring　you　here。　　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　　We　did　not　want　you；　but　now　you　will　have　to　be　in　the　secret。　Be　quick！〃
  Ben　Weatherstaff's　crabbed　old　face　was　still　wet　with　that　one　queer　rush　of　tears。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　thin　straight　Colin　standing　on　his　feet　with　his　head　thrown　back。
  〃Eh！　lad；〃　he　almost　whispered。　　〃Eh！　my　lad！〃　And　then　remembering　himself　he　suddenly　touched　his　hat　gardener　fashion　and　said；　〃Yes；　sir！　Yes；　sir！〃　and　obediently　disappeared　as　he　descended　the　ladder。
  CHAPTER　XXII
  WHEN　THE　SUN　WENT　DOWN
  When　his　head　was　out　of　sight　Colin　turned　to　Mary。
  〃Go　and　meet　him；〃　he　said；　and　Mary　flew　across　the　grass　to　the　door　under　the　ivy。
  Dickon　was　watching　him　with　sharp　eyes。　　There　were　scarlet　spots　on　his　cheeks　and　he　looked　amazing；　but　he　showed　no　signs　of　falling。
  〃I　can　stand；〃　he　said；　and　his　head　was　still　held　up　and　he　said　it　quite　grandly。
  〃I　told　thee　tha'　could　as　soon　as　tha'　stopped　bein'　afraid；〃　answered　Dickon。　　〃An'　tha's　stopped。〃
  〃Yes；　I've　stopped；〃　said　Colin。
  Then　suddenly　he　remembered　something　Mary　had　said。
  〃Are　you　making　Magic？〃　he　asked　sharply。
  Dickon's　curly　mouth　spread　in　a　cheerful　grin。
  〃Tha's　doin'　Magic　thysel'；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　same　Magic　as　made　these　'ere　work　out　o'　th'　earth；〃　and　he　touched　with　his　thick　boot　a　clump　of　crocuses　in　the　grass。　Colin　looked　down　at　them。
  〃Aye；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃there　couldna'　be　bigger　Magic　than　that　therethere　couldna'　be。〃
  He　drew　himself　up　straighter　than　ever。
  〃I'm　going　to　walk　to　that　tree；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　one　a　few　feet　away　from　him。　　〃I'm　going　to　be　standing　when　Weatherstaff　comes　here。　　I　can　rest　against　the　tree　if　I　like。　　When　I　want　to　sit　down　I　will　sit　down；　but　not　before。　　Bring　a　rug　from　the　chair。〃
  He　walked　to　the　tree　and　though　Dickon　held　his　arm　he　was　wonderfully　steady。　　When　he　stood　against　the　tree　trunk　it　was　not　too　plain　that　he　supported　himself　against　it；　and　he　still　held　himself　so　straight　that　he　looked　tall。
  When　Ben　Weatherstaff　came　through　the　door　in　the　wall　he　saw　him　standing　there　and　he　heard　Mary　muttering　something　under　her　breath。
  〃What　art　sayin'？〃　he　asked　rather　testily　because　he　did　not　want　his　attention　distracted　from　the　long　thin　straight　boy　figure　and　proud　face。
  But　she　did　not　tell　him。　　What　she　was　saying　was　this：
  〃You　can　do　it！　You　can　do　it！　I　told　you　you　could！　You　can　do　it！　You　can　do　it！　You　can！〃　She　was　saying　it　to　Colin　because　she　wanted　to　make　Magic　and　keep　him　on　his　feet　looking　like　that。　　She　could　not　bear　that　he　should　give　in　before　Ben　Weatherstaff。　He　did　not　give　in。　　She　was　uplifted　by　a　sudden　feeling　that　he　looked　quite　beautiful　in　spite　of　his　thinness。　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　Ben　Weatherstaff　in　his　funny　imperious　way。
  〃Look　at　me！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Look　at　me　all　over！　Am　I　a　hunchback？　Have　I　got　crooked　legs？〃
  Ben　Weatherstaff　had　not　quite　got　over　his　emotion；　but　he　had　recovered　a　little　and　answered　almost　in　his　usual　way。
  〃Not　tha'；〃　he　said。　　〃Nowt　o'　th'　sort。　　What's　tha'　been　doin'　with　thysel'hidin'　out　o'　sight　an'　lettin'　folk　think　tha'　was　cripple　an'　half…witted？〃
  〃Half…witted！〃　said　Colin　angrily。　　〃Who　thought　that？〃
  〃Lots　o'　fools；〃　said　Ben。　　〃Th'　world's　full　o'　jackasses　brayin'　an'　they　never　bray　nowt　but　lies。　What　did　tha'　shut　thysel'　up　for？〃
  〃Everyone　thought　I　was　going　to　die；〃　said　Colin　shortly。　〃I'm　not！〃
  And　he　said　it　with　such　decision　Ben　Weatherstaff　looked　him　over；　up　and　down；　down　and　up。
  〃Tha'　die！〃　he　said　with　dry　exultation。　　〃Nowt　o'　th'　sort！　Tha's　got　too　much　pluck　in　thee。　　When　I　seed　thee　put　tha'　legs　on　th'　ground　in　such　a　hurry　I　knowed　tha'　was　all　right。　　Sit　thee　down　on　th'　rug　a　bit　young　Mester　an'　give　me　thy　orders。〃
  There　was　a　queer　mixture　of　crabbed　tenderness　and　shrewd　understanding　in　his　manner。　　Mary　had　poured　out　speech　as　rapidly　as　she　could　as　they　had　come　down　the　Long　Walk。　The　chief　thing　to　be　remembered；　she　had　told　him；　was　that　Colin　was　getting　wellgetting　well。　　The　garden　was　doing　it。　　No　one　must　let　him　remember　about　having　humps　and　dying。
  The　Rajah　condescended　to　seat　himself　on　a　rug　under　the　tree。
  〃What　work　do　you　do　in　the　gardens；　Weatherstaff？〃　he　inquired。
  〃Anythin'　I'm　told　to　do；〃　answered　old　Ben。　　〃I'm　kep'　on　by　favorbecause　she　liked　me。〃
  〃She？〃　said　Colin。
  〃Tha'　mother；〃　answered　Ben　Weatherstaff。
  〃My　mother？〃　said　Colin；　and　he　looked　about　him　quietly。　〃This　was　her　garden；　wasn't　it？〃
  〃Aye；　it　was　that！〃　and　Ben　Weatherstaff　looked　about　him　too。　　〃She　were　main　fond　of　it。〃
  〃It　is　my　garden　now。　　I　am　fond　of　it。　　I　shall　come　here　every　day；〃　announced　Colin。　　〃But　it　is　to　be　a　secret。　My　orders　are　that　no　one　is　to　know　that　we　come　here。　Dickon　and　my　cousin　have　worked　and　made　it　come　alive。　I　shall　send　for　you　sometimes　to　helpbut　you　must　come　when　no　one　can　see　you。〃
  Ben　Weatherstaff's　face　twisted　itself　in　a　dry　old　smile。
  〃I've　come　here　before　when　no　one　saw　me；〃　he　said。
  〃What！〃　exclaimed　Colin。
  〃When？〃
  〃Th'　last　time　I　was　here；〃　rubbing　his　chin　and　looking　round；　〃was　about　two　year'　ago。〃
  〃But　no　one　has　been　in　it　for　ten　years！〃　cried　Colin。
  〃There　was　no　door！〃
  〃I'm　no　one；〃　said　old　Ben　dryly。　　〃An'　I　didn't　come　through　th'　door。　　I　come　over　th'　wall。　　Th'　rheumatics　held　me　back　th'　last　two　year'。〃
  〃Tha'　come　an'　did　a　bit　o'　prunin'！〃　cried　Dickon。　〃I　couldn't　make　out　how　it　had　been　done。〃
  〃She　was　so　fond　of　itshe　was！〃　said　Ben　Weatherstaff　slowly。　〃An'　she　was　such　a　pretty　young　thing。　　She　says　to　me　once；　‘Ben；'　says　she　laughin'；　‘if　ever　I'm　ill　or　if　I　go　away　you　must　take　care　of　my　roses。'　When　she　did　go　away　th'　orders　was　no　one　was　ever　to　come　nigh。　　But　I　come；〃　with　grumpy　obstinacy。　　〃Over　th'　wall　I　comeuntil　th'　rheumatics　stopped　mean'　I　did　a　bit　o'　work　once　a　year。　She'd　gave　her　order　first。〃
  〃It　wouldn't　have　been　as　wick　as　it　is　if　tha'　hadn't　done　it；〃　said　Dickon。　　〃I　did　wonder。〃
  〃I'm　glad　you　did　it；　Weatherstaff；〃　said　Colin。　〃You'll　know　how　to　keep　the　secret。〃
  〃Aye；　I'll　know；　sir；〃　answered　Ben。　　〃An；　it'll　be　easier　for　a　man　wi'　rheumatics　to　come　in　at　th'　door。〃
  On　the　grass　near　the　tree　Mary　had　dropped　her　trowel。　Colin　stretched　out　his　hand　and　took　it　up。　　An　odd　expression　came　into　his　face　and　he　began　to　scratch　at　the　earth。　His　thin　hand　was　weak　enough　but　presently　as　they　watched　himMary　with　quite　breathless　interesthe　drove　the　end　of　the　trowel　into　the　soil　and　turned　some　over。
  〃You　can　do　it！　You　can　do　it！〃　said　Mary　to　herself。　〃I　tell　you；　you　can！〃
  Dickon's　round　eyes　were　full　of　eager　curiousness　but　he　said　not　a　word。　　Ben　Weatherstaff　looked　on　with　interested　face。
  Colin　persevered