Butnowtheworldseemedtobechangingandgettingnicer. Ifnoonefoundoutaboutthesecretgarden,sheshouldenjoyherselfalways. Shestayedwithhimfortenorfifteenminuteslongerandaskedhimasmanyquestionsasshedared. Heansweredeveryoneoftheminhisqueergruntingwayandhedidnotseemreallycrossanddidnotpickuphisspadeandleaveher. Hesaidsomethingaboutrosesjustasshewasgoingawayanditremindedheroftheoneshehadsaidhehadbeenfondof. “Doyougoandseethoseotherrosesnow?”sheasked. “Notbeenthisyear.Myrheumaticshasmademetoostiffinth’joints.” Hesaiditinhisgrumblingvoice,andthenquitesuddenlyheseemedtogetangrywithher,thoughshedidnotseewhyheshould. “Nowlookhere!”hesaidsharply.“Don’ttha’asksomanyquestions.Tha’rtth’worstwenchforaskin’questionsI’veevercomeacross.Gettheegonean’playthee.I’vedonetalkin’fortoday.” Andhesaiditsocrosslythatsheknewtherewasnottheleastuseinstayinganotherminute. Shewentskippingslowlydowntheoutsidewalk,thinkinghimoverandsayingtoherselfthat,queerasitwas,herewasanotherpersonwhomshelikedinspiteofhiscrossness.ShelikedoldBenWeatherstaff.Yes,shedidlikehim. Shealwayswantedtotrytomakehimtalktoher. Alsoshebegantobelievethathekneweverythingintheworldaboutflowers. Therewasalaurel-hedgedwalkwhichcurvedroundthesecretgardenandendedatagatewhichopenedintoawood,inthepark. Shethoughtshewouldsliproundthiswalkandlookintothewoodandseeiftherewereanyrabbitshoppingabout. Sheenjoyedtheskippingverymuchandwhenshereachedthelittlegatesheopeneditandwentthroughbecausesheheardalow,peculiarwhistlingsoundandwantedtofindoutwhatitwas. Itwasaverystrangethingindeed.Shequitecaughtherbreathasshestoppedtolookatit. Aboywassittingunderatree,withhisbackagainstit,playingonaroughwoodenpipe. Hewasafunnylookingboyabouttwelve. HelookedverycleanandhisnoseturnedupandhischeekswereasredaspoppiesandneverhadMistressMaryseensuchroundandsuchblueeyesinanyboy’sface. Andonthetrunkofthetreeheleanedagainst,abrownsquirrelwasclingingandwatchinghim,andfrombehindabushnearbyacockpheasantwasdelicatelystretchinghisnecktopeepout,andquitenearhimweretworabbitssittingupandsniffingwithtremulousnoses—andactuallyitappearedasiftheywerealldrawingneartowatchhimandlistentothestrangelowlittlecallhispipeseemedtomake. WhenhesawMaryhehelduphishandandspoketoherinavoicealmostaslowasandratherlikehispiping. “Don’ttha’move,”hesaid.“It’dflight‘em.”Maryremainedmotionless. Hestoppedplayinghispipeandbegantorisefromtheground. Hemovedsoslowlythatitscarcelyseemedasthoughheweremovingatall,butatlasthestoodonhisfeetandthenthesquirrelscamperedbackupintothebranchesofhistree,thepheasantwithdrewhisheadandtherabbitsdroppedonallfoursandbegantohopaway,thoughnotatallasiftheywerefrightened. “I’mDickon,”theboysaid.“Iknowtha’rtMissMary.” ThenMaryrealizedthatsomehowshehadknownatfirstthathewasDickon. WhoelsecouldhavebeencharmingrabbitsandpheasantsasthenativescharmsnakesinIndia? Hehadawide,red,curvingmouthandhissmilespreadalloverhisface. “Igotupslow,”heexplained,“becauseiftha’makesaquickmoveitstartles‘em.Abody‘astomovegentlean’speaklowwhenwildthingsisabout.” Hedidnotspeaktoherasiftheyhadneverseeneachotherbeforebutasifheknewherquitewell.Maryknewnothingaboutboysandshespoketohimalittlestifflybecauseshefeltrathershy. “DidyougetMartha’sletter?”sheasked. Henoddedhiscurly,rust-coloredhead.“That’swhyIcome.” Hestoopedtopickupsomethingwhichhadbeenlyingonthegroundbesidehimwhenhepiped. “I’vegotth’gardentools.There’salittlespadean’rakean’aforkan’hoe.Eh!theyaregood‘uns.There’satrowel,too. An’th’womaninth’shopthrewinapacketo’whitepoppyan’oneo’bluelarkspurwhenIboughtth’otherseeds.” “Willyoushowtheseedstome?”Marysaid. Shewishedshecouldtalkashedid.Hisspeechwassoquickandeasy. Itsoundedasifhelikedherandwasnottheleastafraidshewouldnotlikehim,thoughhewasonlyacommonmoorboy,inpatchedclothesandwithafunnyfaceandarough,rusty-redhead. Asshecameclosertohimshenoticedthattherewasacleanfreshscentofheatherandgrassandleavesabouthim,almostasifheweremadeofthem. Shelikeditverymuchandwhenshelookedintohisfunnyfacewiththeredcheeksandroundblueeyessheforgotthatshehadfeltshy. “Letussitdownonthislogandlookatthem,”shesaid. Theysatdownandhetookaclumsylittlebrownpaperpackageoutofhiscoatpocket. Heuntiedthestringandinsidetherewereeversomanyneaterandsmallerpackageswithapictureofafloweroneachone. “There’saloto’mignonettean’poppies,”hesaid. “Mignonette’sth’sweetestsmellin’thingasgrows,an’it’llgrowwhereveryoucastit,sameaspoppieswill. Themas’llcomeupan’bloomifyoujustwhistleto‘em,them’sth’nicestofall.” Hestoppedandturnedhisheadquickly,hispoppy-cheekedfacelightingup. “Where’sthatrobinasiscallin’us?”hesaid. Thechirpcamefromathickhollybush,brightwithscarletberries,andMarythoughtsheknewwhoseitwas. “Isitreallycallingus?”sheasked. “Aye,”saidDickon,asifitwasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,“he’scallin’someonehe’sfriendswith.That’ssameassayin’‘HereIam.Lookatme.Iwantsabitofachat.’Thereheisinthebush.Whoseishe?” “He’sBenWeatherstaff’s,butIthinkheknowsmealittle,”answeredMary. “Aye,heknowsthee,”saidDickoninhislowvoiceagain.“An’helikesthee.He’stooktheeon.He’lltellmeallabouttheeinaminute.” HemovedquiteclosetothebushwiththeslowmovementMaryhadnoticedbefore,andthenhemadeasoundalmostliketherobin’sowntwitter. Therobinlistenedafewseconds,intently,andthenansweredquiteasifhewerereplyingtoaquestion. “Aye,he’safriendo’yours,”chuckledDickon. “Doyouthinkheis?”criedMaryeagerly.Shedidsowanttoknow.“Doyouthinkhereallylikesme?” “Hewouldn’tcomeneartheeifhedidn’t,”answeredDickon. “Birdsisrarechoosersan’arobincanfloutabodyworsethanaman.See,he’smakinguptotheenow.‘Cannottha’seeachap?’he’ssayin’.” Anditreallyseemedasifitmustbetrue.Hesosidledandtwitteredandtiltedashehoppedonhisbush. “Doyouunderstandeverythingbirdssay?”saidMary. Dickon’sgrinspreaduntilheseemedallwide,red,curvingmouth,andherubbedhisroughhead. “IthinkIdo,andtheythinkIdo,”hesaid. “I’velivedonth’moorwith‘emsolong. I’vewatched‘embreakshellan’comeoutan’fledgean’learntoflyan’begintosing,tillIthinkI’moneof‘em. SometimesIthinkp’rapsI’mabird,orafox,orarabbit,orasquirrel,orevenabeetle,an’Idon’tknowit.” Helaughedandcamebacktothelogandbegantotalkabouttheflowerseedsagain. Hetoldherwhattheylookedlikewhentheywereflowers;hetoldherhowtoplantthem,andwatchthem,andfeedandwaterthem. “Seehere,”hesaidsuddenly,turningroundtolookather.“I’llplantthemfortheemyself.Whereistha’garden?” Mary’sthinhandsclutchedeachotherastheylayonherlap. Shedidnotknowwhattosay,soforawholeminuteshesaidnothing.Shehadneverthoughtofthis.Shefeltmiserable. Andshefeltasifshewentredandthenpale. “Tha’sgotabito’garden,hasn’ttha’?”Dickonsaid. Itwastruethatshehadturnedredandthenpale.Dickonsawherdoit,andasshestillsaidnothing,hebegantobepuzzled. “Wouldn’ttheygivetheeabit?”heasked.“Hasn’ttha’gotanyyet?” Sheheldherhandstighterandturnedhereyestowardhim. “Idon’tknowanythingaboutboys,”shesaidslowly. “Couldyoukeepasecret,ifItoldyouone?It’sagreatsecret. Idon’tknowwhatIshoulddoifanyonefounditout.IbelieveIshoulddie!” Shesaidthelastsentencequitefiercely. Dickonlookedmorepuzzledthaneverandevenrubbedhishandoverhisroughheadagain,butheansweredquitegood-humoredly. “I’mkeepin’secretsallth’time,”hesaid. “IfIcouldn’tkeepsecretsfromth’otherlads,secretsaboutfoxes’cubs,an’birds’nests,an’wildthings’holes,there’dbenaughtsafeonth’moor.Aye,Icankeepsecrets.” MistressMarydidnotmeantoputoutherhandandclutchhissleevebutshedidit. “I’vestolenagarden,”shesaidveryfast.“Itisn’tmine.Itisn’tanybody’s.Nobodywantsit,nobodycaresforit,nobodyevergoesintoit.Perhapseverythingisdeadinitalready.Idon’tknow.” Shebegantofeelhotandascontraryasshehadeverfeltinherlife. “Idon’tcare,Idon’tcare!NobodyhasanyrighttotakeitfrommewhenIcareaboutitandtheydon’t. They’relettingitdie,allshutinbyitself,”sheendedpassionately,andshethrewherarmsoverherfaceandburstoutcrying-poorlittleMistressMary. Dickon’scuriousblueeyesgrewrounderandrounder.“Eh-h-h!”hesaid,drawinghisexclamationoutslowly,andthewayhediditmeantbothwonderandsympathy. “I’venothingtodo,”saidMary.“Nothingbelongstome.IfounditmyselfandIgotintoitmyself.Iwasonlyjustliketherobin,andtheywouldn’ttakeitfromtherobin.” “Whereisit?”askedDickoninadroppedvoice. MistressMarygotupfromthelogatonce.Sheknewshefeltcontraryagain,andobstinate,andshedidnotcareatall.ShewasimperiousandIndian,andatthesametimehotandsorrowful. “ComewithmeandI’llshowyou,”shesaid. Sheledhimroundthelaurelpathandtothewalkwheretheivygrewsothickly. Dickonfollowedherwithaqueer,almostpitying,lookonhisface. Hefeltasifhewerebeingledtolookatsomestrangebird’snestandmustmovesoftly. Whenshesteppedtothewallandliftedthehangingivyhestarted. TherewasadoorandMarypusheditslowlyopenandtheypassedintogether,andthenMarystoodandwavedherhandrounddefiantly. “It’sthis,”shesaid.“It’sasecretgarden,andI’mtheonlyoneintheworldwhowantsittobealive.” Dickonlookedroundandroundaboutit,androundandroundagain. “Eh!”healmostwhispered,“itisaqueer,prettyplace!It’slikeasifabodywasinadream.” 
