The secret garden

102 THE SECRET GARDENown estate. He had often wondered at BenWeatherstaff. Where gardeningis done all sortsof delightful things to eat are turned upwith thesoil. Now here was this new kind of creature whowas not half Ben's size and yet had had the senseto come into his garden and begin at once.Mistress Mary worked in her garden until it wastime to go to her midday dinner. In fact, shewas rather late in remembering, and when she puton her coat and hat, and picked up her skippingrope,she could not believe that she had been workingtwo or three hours. She had been actuallyhappy all the time; and dozens and dozens of thetiny, pale green points were to be seen in clearedplaces, looking twice as cheerful as they had lookedbefore when the grass and weeds had been smotheringthem." I shall come back this afternoon," she said,looking all round at her new kingdom, and speakingto the trees and the rose-bushes as if theyheard her.Then she ran lightly across the grass, pushedopen the slow old door and slipped through itunder the ivy. She had such red cheeks and suchbright eyes and ate such a dinner that Martha wasdelighted." Two pieces o' meat an' two helps o' rice puddin'I'shesaid." Eh !mother will be pleased