The secret garden

MAGIC 309strong as other fathers' sons. One of his darkestmiseries in the unhealthy morbid past days hadbeen his hatred of being a sickly weak-backedboy whose father was afraid to look at him.He'll be obliged to believe them," he said.'One of the things I am going to do, after theMagic works and before I beginto make scientificdiscoveries, is to be an athlete.""We shall have thee takin' to boxin' in a week"or so," said Ben Weatherstaff. Tha'lt end wi'winnin' th' Belt an' bein' champion prize-fighter ofall England."Colin fixed his eyes on him sternly." "Weatherstaff," he said, that is disrespectful.are in theYou must not take liberties because yousecret. However much the Magic works I shallnot be a prize-fighter. I shall be a Scientific Discoverer.'" Ax pardon ax pardon, sir," answered Ben,touching his forehead in salute. 'I ought tohave seed it wasn't a jokin' matter," but his eyestwinkled and secretly he was immensely pleased.He really did not mind being snubbed since thesnubbing meant that the lad was gaining strengthspirit.