he said. "That will not do. You will
lose all you have gained -- and you have gained
amazingly. You ate so well a short time ago."

"I told you it was an unnatural appetite," answered
Colin.

Mary was sitting on her stool nearby and she
suddenly made a very queer sound which she tried
so violently to repress that she ended by almost
choking.

"What is the matter?" said Dr. Craven, turning
to look at her.

Mary became quite severe in her manner.

"It was something between a sneeze and a
cough," she replied with reproachful dignity,
"and it got into my throat."

"But" she said afterward to Colin, "I couldn't
stop myself. It just burst out because all at once
I couldn't help remembering that last big potato
you ate and the way your mouth stretched when
you bit through that thick lovely crust with jam
and clotted cream on it."

"Is there any way in which those children can
get food secretly?" Dr. Craven inquired of Mrs.
Medlock.

"There's no way unless they dig it out of the
earth or pick it off the trees," Mrs. Medlock answered.
"They stay out in the grounds all day
and see no one but each other. And if they want

[[326]]

p325 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p326w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p327

v?