Mary remained motionless. He stopped playing
his pipe and began to rise from the ground.
He moved so slowly that it scarcely seemed as
though he were moving at all, but at last he stood
on his feet and then the squirrel scampered back
up into the branches of his tree, the pheasant withdrew
his head and the rabbits dropped on all fours
and began to hop away, though not at all as if they
were frightened.

"I'm Dickon," the boy said. "I know tha'rt
Miss Mary."

Then Mary realized that somehow she had
known at first that he was Dickon. Who else
could have been charming rabbits and pheasants
as the natives charm snakes in India? He had
a wide, red, curving mouth and his smile spread
all over his face.

"I got up slow," he explained, "because if tha'
makes a quick move it startles 'em. A body 'as
to move gentle an' speak low when wild things
is about."

He did not speak to her as if they had never
seen each other before but as if he knew her quite
well. Mary knew nothing about boys and she
spoke to him a little stiffly because she felt rather
shy.

"Did you get Martha's letter?" she asked.

He nodded his curly, rust-colored head.

[[121]]

p120 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p121w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p122

v?