when everything stills itself, and they really had
had a busy and exciting afternoon. Colin looked
as if he were resting luxuriously. Even the creatures
had ceased moving about and had drawn
together and were resting near them. Soot had
perched on a low branch and drawn up one leg and
dropped the gray film drowsily over his eyes.
Mary privately thought he looked as if he might
snore in a minute.

In the midst of this stillness it was rather startling
when Colin half lifted his head and exclaimed
in a loud suddenly alarmed whisper:

"Who is that man?"

Dickon and Mary scrambled to their feet.

"Man!" they both cried in low quick voices.

Colin pointed to the high wall.

"Look!" he whispered excitedly. "Just
look!"

Mary and Dickon wheeled about and looked.
There was Ben Weatherstaff's indignant face
glaring at them over the wall from the top of a
ladder! He actually shook his fist at Mary.

"If I wasn't a bachelder, an' tha' was a wench
o' mine," he cried, "I'd give thee a hidin'!"

He mounted another step threateningly as if it
were his energetic intention to jump down and
deal with her; but as she came toward him he
evidently thought better of it and stood on the

[[277]]

p276 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p277w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p278

v?