of the open window and cawed remarks about the
scenery while Nut and Shell made excursions into
the big trees outside and ran up and down trunks
and explored branches. Captain curled up near
Dickon, who sat on the hearth-rug from preference.

They looked at the pictures in the gardening
books and Dickon knew all the flowers by their
country names and knew exactly which ones were
already growing in the secret garden.

"I couldna' say that there name," he said,
pointing to one under which was written "Aquilegia,"
"but us calls that a columbine, an' that
there one it's a snapdragon and they both grow
wild in hedges, but these is garden ones an' they're
bigger an' grander. There's some big clumps o'
columbine in th' garden. They'll look like a bed
o' blue an' white butterflies flutterin' when they're
out."

"I'm going to see them," cried Colin. "I am
going to see them!"

"Aye, that tha' mun," said Mary quite seriously.
"An tha' munnot lose no time about it."

[[254]]

p253 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p254w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p255

v?