Colin listened and heard it, the oddest sound in
the world to hear inside a house, a hoarse "caw-caw."

"Yes," he answered.

"That's Soot," said Mary. "Listen again!
Do you hear a bleat -- a tiny one?"

"Oh, yes!" cried Colin, quite flushing.

"That's the new-born lamb," said Mary.
"He's coming."

Dickon's moorland boots were thick and clumsy
and though he tried to walk quietly they made a
clumping sound as he walked through the long
corridors. Mary and Colin heard him marching --
marching, until he passed through the tapestry
door on to the soft carpet of Colin's own passage.

"If you please, sir," announced Martha, opening
the door, "if you please, sir, here's Dickon
an' his creatures."

Dickon came in smiling his nicest wide smile.
The new-born lamb was in his arms and the little
red fox trotted by his side. Nut sat on his left
shoulder and Soot on his right and Shell's head and
paws peeped out of his coat pocket.

Colin slowly sat up and stared and stared -- as
he had stared when he first saw Mary; but this
was a stare of wonder and delight. The truth
was that in spite of all he had heard he had not
in the least understood what this boy would be like

[[251]]

p250b _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p251w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p252

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