Dickon said, looking at her as she was digging.
"Tha's beginning to look different, for sure."

Mary was glowing with exercise and good spirits.

"I'm getting fatter and fatter every day," she
said quite exultantly. "Mrs. Medlock will have
to get me some bigger dresses. Martha says my
hair is growing thicker. It isn't so flat and
stringy."

The sun was beginning to set and sending deep
gold-colored rays slanting under the trees when
they parted.

"It'll be fine to-morrow," said Dickon. "I'll
be at work by sunrise."

"So will I," said Mary.

She ran back to the house as quickly as her feet
would carry her. She wanted to tell Colin about
Dickon's fox cub and the rook and about what
the springtime had been doing. She felt sure he
would like to hear. So it was not very pleasant
when she opened the door of her room, to see
Martha standing waiting for her with a doleful
face.

"What is the matter?" she asked. "What
did Colin say when you told him I couldn't
come?"

"Eh!" said Martha, "I wish tha'd gone.

[[209]]

p208 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p209w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p210

v?