The secret garden

332 THE SECRET GARDENercises for makingthe muscles stand out likelumps. Robins are not like human beings; theirmuscles are always exercised from the first andso they develop themselves in a natural manner.If you have to fly about to find every meal you eat,your muscles do not become atrophied (atrophiedmeans wasted away through want of use).When the boy was walking and running aboutand digging and weeding like the others, the nestin the corner was brooded over by a great peaceand content. Fears for the Eggs became thingsof the past. Knowing that your Eggs were as safeas if they were locked in a bank vault and thefact that you could watch so many curious thingsgoing on made setting a most entertaining occupation.On wet days the Eggs' mother sometimesfelt even a little dull because the children did notcome into the garden.But even on wet daysit could not be said thatMary and Colin were dull. One morning whenthe rain streamed down unceasingly and Colin wasbeginning to feel a little restive, as he was obligedto remain on his sofa because it was not safe toget up and walk about, Mary had an " inspiration.1Now that I am a real boy,'4Colin had said,my legs and arms and all my body are so fullof Magic that I can't keep them still. Theywant to be doing things all the time. Do you