shall come here every day," announced Colin.
"But it is to be a secret. My orders are that no
one is to know that we come here. Dickon and
my cousin have worked and made it come alive. I
shall send for you sometimes to help -- but you
must come when no one can see you."

Ben Weatherstaff's face twisted itself in a dry
old smile.

"I've come here before when no one saw me,"
he said.

"What!" exclaimed Colin. "When?"

"Th' last time I was here," rubbing his chin
and looking round, "was about two year' ago."

"But no one has been in it for ten years!"
cried Colin. "There was no door!"

"I'm no one," said old Ben dryly. "An' I
didn't come through th' door. I come over th'
wall. Th' rheumatics held me back th' last two
year'."

"Tha' come an' did a bit o' prunin'!" cried
Dickon. "I couldn't make out how it had been
done."

"She was so fond of it -- she was!" said Ben
Weatherstaff slowly. "An' she was such a pretty
young thing. She says to me once, 'Ben,' says
she laughin', 'if ever I'm ill or if I go away you
must take care of my roses.' When she did go
away th' orders was no one was ever to come nigh.

[[288]]

p287 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p288w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p289

v?