"Who -- What? Who!" he stammered.

This was not what Colin had expected -- this
was not what he had planned. He had never
thought of such a meeting. And yet to come dashing
out -- winning a race -- perhaps it was even
better. He drew himself up to his very tallest.
Mary, who had been running with him and had
dashed through the door too, believed that he
managed to make himself look taller than he had
ever looked before -- inches taller.

"Father," he said, "I'm Colin. You can't believe
it. I scarcely can myself. I'm Colin."

Like Mrs. Medlock, he did not understand
what his father meant when he said hurriedly:

"In the garden! In the garden!"

"Yes," hurried on Colin. "It was the garden
that did it -- and Mary and Dickon and the
creatures -- and the Magic. No one knows. We
kept it to tell you when you came. I'm well, I
can beat Mary in a race. I'm going to be an
athlete."

He said it all so like a healthy boy -- his face
flushed, his words tumbling over each other in his
eagerness -- that Mr. Craven's soul shook with
unbelieving joy.

Colin put out his hand and laid it on his father's
arm.

"Aren't you glad, Father?" he ended.

[[371]]

p370 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p371w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p372

v?