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Her friendly voice did Mary good . Slowly she stopped crying , and Martha helped her to dress . All the time Martha talked about her family . They lived in a little cottage on the moor , and there were twelve children . Their father earned only sixteen shillings a week , so their mother worked very hard . “ There’s our Dickon , ” said Martha . “ He’s twelve , and he’s always out on the moor . The birds and the rabbits eat out of his hand . Mother says he charms them . ” Mary liked the sound of Dickon . Breakfast was porridge , but Mary did not want it . “ If my brothers and sisters were here , they’d clean that bowl in five minutes , ” said Martha . “ Go outside and run about . The wind will make thee hungry . ” There was nothing to do indoors , so Mary put on her coat . “ The gardens are round that way , ” said Martha . Then she added in a lower voice , “ One of them is locked up . Nobody has been in it for ten years . It was Mrs Craven’s garden . When she died so suddenly , Mr Craven locked the door . Then he dug a hole and buried the key . ” IV . The Robin There were many gardens round the house , with high walls between them and green doors in the walls . Mary found a garden full of vegetables and another with fruit trees . But it was still winter , and everything looked bare and ugly . An old man was digging there . He had a sour face , and he did not seem pleased to see her . Mary walked on . Beyond one long wall she could see the tops of trees . A bird with a bright red breast was sitting on a high branch , and suddenly it burst into song . It almost seemed to call her . She went back to the old man . “ There are trees on the other side of that wall , ” she said . “ A bird with a red breast was singing there . But there isn’t a door into that garden . ” The old man began to whistle softly . At once the little bird flew over the wall and landed near his foot . “ Here he is , ” said the old man , and he laughed . “ Where has tha ’ been , tha ’ cheeky little beggar ? ” “ What kind of bird is he ? ” asked Mary . “ A robin redbreast . They’re the friendliest birds alive . He was born in that garden over the wall . His brothers and sisters flew away , and he was lonely , so he came to me . ” “ I’m lonely , ” said Mary . The old man looked at her . “ Art tha ’ the little lass from India ? ” A lass is a girl in Yorkshire . “ Then no wonder tha’rt lonely . ” “ What is your name ? ” asked Mary . “ Ben Weatherstaff . I’m lonely myself , except when he’s with me . He’s the only friend I’ve got . ” “ I have no friends at all , ” said Mary . “ I never had . ” “ Then tha ’ and me are much the same , ” said Ben . “ Neither of us is good - looking , and we both look sour because we are sour . And I’ll bet we’ve both got bad tempers . ” Nobody had ever spoken to Mary like this . Did she really look as sour as this old man ? She felt uncomfortable . Then the robin flew onto a small apple tree near her and began to sing .
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