Mary walked down the path that led to the gate in the shrubbery.
When she passed through the gate, she found herself in a big garden.
There was a pool with an old fountain.
But the fountain was turned off, and the garden's flower beds were bare and wintry.
Mary saw that the path came to an end at a brick wall.
A green door in the wall stood open.
She went through the door and came upon a new garden with walls all around it.
She spied another open green door.
Through that one she could see cold frames covering some of the garden beds.
She seemed to be in the midst of a series of walled gardens.
"This place is so bare and ugly," thought Mary.
"It might be nicer in summer when things are green, but there is nothing pretty about it now."
Soon an old gardener came through the door.
He did not seem pleased to see her, but then again she was not pleased with his garden.
"What is this place?" Mary asked.
"One of the kitchen gardens, where we grow fruits and vegetables."
"Can I walk through it?"
"If you like, but there's nothing to see."
Mary went through the second green door and saw that the cold frames were covering vegetables.
In this garden was another green door, but it was closed.
"I hope this is the secret garden," said Mary as she tried the handle.
But she opened the door quite easily and found herself in an orchard.
It, too, was surrounded by a wall. Mary didn't see any more doors.
She noticed the wall seemed to extend beyond the orchard, and she could see trees growing above the wall.
A bird with a bright red breast was sitting on the topmost branch of one tree.
Suddenly he burst into song. It was as if he were calling to her.
She stopped and listened, and somehow his cheerful, friendly song gave her a pleasant feeling.
Even a disagreeable little girl may be lonely.
The big, closed house and big, bare moor had made Mary feel all alone in the world.
But now the bird brought a look onto her sour face that was almost a smile.
She watched him until he flew off the branch.
"I believe that tree is in the secret garden," she said.
She walked back to the first kitchen garden and found the old man digging there.
"I went into the orchard," said Mary.
"There was no door into the next garden."
"What garden?" the old man said sharply.
"The one on the other side of the wall.
A bird with a red breast was sitting in one of the trees."
A slow smile spread over the old man's face. "That's the robin."
He turned toward the orchard and whistled softly.
The next moment a wonderful thing happened.
The bird flew toward them and landed near the gardener's foot.
"Will he always come when you call him?" Mary asked in a whisper.
"Yes. I've known him since he first tried to fly.
When he flew over the wall, he was too weak to fly back.
We got to be friends.
Then when he finally flew back, he found the rest of his brood had left the nest.
He was lonely, so he returned to me."
Mary took a step closer to the robin. "I'm lonely."
"I'm lonely too except when he's with me." The old man began to dig again.
"He's the only friend I've got."
"What's your name?" asked Mary.
"Ben Weatherstaff. You and I are a bit alike.
We're not good-looking, and we're both as sour as we look."
Mary was surprised at the bold way Ben spoke to her.
She wondered if what he said was true.
Suddenly there was a clear rippling sound, and she turned around.
The robin had flown into an apple tree and seemed to be singing right to her.
"He's made up his mind to be friends with you," said Ben.
"Would you make friends with me?" Mary asked the robin in a kind voice.
The robin didn't answer. Instead he flew away.
"He has flown into the garden with no door," said Mary.
"He lives there. He's probably courting some lady robin who lives among the roses."
"There are roses in that garden?"
Ben began to dig again. "There were ten years ago," he mumbled.
"I'd like to see them," said Mary. "Do you know of a door?"
"There's none that anyone can find.
Don't go looking for any doors," Ben warned her.
"I must get on with my work now. Go on and play."
And with that he threw his shovel over his shoulder and walked away.