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The afternoon passed slowly and happily . At tea time Mary ran to fetch a basket that a servant had left outside the door , and they ate hot buttered toast under the trees . “ I’ll come back tomorrow , ” said Colin , “ and the day after , and the day after that . ” “ Tha ’ will , ” said Dickon . “ And before long tha’ll be walking about here and digging , same as other folks . ” Colin’s face went red . “ Walking ? Shall I ? ” “ For sure tha ’ will . Tha’s got legs of thine own , same as other people . ” Suddenly Colin sat up straight . He pointed at the wall . “ Who is that man ? ” he whispered . Mary and Dickon jumped up . Above the top of the wall was the angry face of Ben Weatherstaff . He was standing on a ladder and shaking his fist at Mary . XII . Colin Stands Up “ I never liked the look of thee from the first ! ” shouted Ben . “ How did tha ’ get in here ? ” “ The robin showed me the way , ” said Mary angrily . Then Ben stopped . Dickon was pushing the chair towards the wall , and in the chair sat Colin , very straight , like a young king . “ Do you know who I am ? ” said Colin . “ Answer ! ” Ben stared at him as if he was seeing a ghost . “ Aye , that I do , ” he said in a shaking voice . “ Tha’s got thy mother’s eyes . But tha’rt the poor sick lad . They say tha’s got a crooked back . ” Colin’s face went red , and he forgot that he had ever had a back . “ I haven’t got a crooked back ! ” he shouted . “ He hasn’t ! ” cried Mary . “ Not a lump as big as a pin ! I looked ! ” “ Tha ’ hasn’t got crooked legs ? ” said Ben . That was too much . Colin’s anger gave him a new kind of strength . “ Come here ! ” he shouted to Dickon , and he began to pull the rugs off his legs . “ Come here this minute ! ” Dickon was beside him in a second . Mary felt her face go pale . “ He can do it ! He can do it ! ” she said to herself very fast . The rugs fell on the ground . Dickon held Colin’s arm . The thin legs came out , and the thin feet were on the grass . Colin was standing up , as straight as an arrow , with his head thrown back and his eyes flashing . “ Look at me ! ” he shouted . “ Just look at me ! ” “ He’s as straight as I am ! ” cried Dickon . “ He’s as straight as any lad in Yorkshire ! ” Then tears ran down Ben’s old face . “ Eh ! ” he cried . “ The lies people tell ! Tha’rt as thin as a stick and as white as a ghost , but there’s not a lump on thee . Tha’ll be a fine man one day ! ” “ My father is away , so I’m the master here , ” said Colin . “ This is my garden , and you mustn’t say a word about it . Come down and go to the long path . Miss Mary will bring you in . Be quick ! ” “ Yes , sir ! ” said Ben , and he disappeared down the ladder .
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