The secret garden was not the only one that Dickon worked in.
At his family's cottage on the moor was a garden surrounded by a low wall.
Dickon grew all sorts of vegetables and flowers there.
When he worked in the garden after supper, his mother liked to sit on the wall and talk to him.
The children had agreed that Dickon's mother could know about the secret garden.
So Dickon told her everything: from how Mary had found the key to what Ben had said when he discovered them in the garden.
"It's a good thing that girl came to the manor," said Mother.
"That's made her well and saved Colin. Standing on his feet!
What does everyone at the manor think about his feeling so well?"
"They don't know what to think."
And that was true.
The nurse was the first to notice that Colin was eating more.
"You didn't used to eat," she said to him.
"So many things bothered your stomach."
"Nothing bothers my stomach these days," said Colin.
The nurse gave him a strange look, and Colin realized he shouldn't appear too well just yet.
"I mean, just a few things bother my stomach now."
When Dr. Craven arrived, he asked a lot of questions.
"You stay out in the gardens a great deal. Where do you go?"
"I go to a place I like."
"You seem to be gaining weight, and your color is better."
"Perhaps I am feverish." Colin put on an air of gloom.
"People who are not going to live are often . . . different."
Dr. Craven shook his head. "You're not feverish.
If you keep getting better, we will have to tell your father of this remarkable improvement."
But Colin wasn't ready to share the news with his father.
"I won't have him told!" he said fiercely.
"It will only disappoint him if I get worse again.
You're making me angry, and I'm feeling worse already."
"Hush, my boy. No letters will be written without your permission."
Dr. Craven studied Colin with a puzzled look, and then he went on his way.
Mary and Colin were quite alarmed after the doctor's visit.
"I want to surprise my father by walking into his study," Colin told her.
"We must pretend that you are much worse than you really are," said Mary.
So starting that day, Colin made sure to complain when the footman carried him downstairs to his wheelchair.
Mary made sympathetic noises and hovered over him as if he were terribly ill.
There was only one problem.
Mary and Colin were growing, and they were very hungry.
They didn't dare ask for more food because the servants would realize Colin was getting better.
One evening Dickon told his mother about this problem, and she had an idea.
"When you go to see them in the morning, take a pail of new milk.
I'll bake a crusty loaf of bread or some buns."
The next day Dickon surprised Mary and Colin with the milk and buns.
"There's magic in your mother, just as there is in you," said Colin.
"It makes her think of ways to do nice things.
Tell her we are grateful, Dickon."
Dickon brought them food every day.
After a while Mary and Colin remembered that Mrs. Sowerby had a large family to feed.
So they began to pay her for their food.
Then Dickon made a discovery in the woods outside the garden.
There was a deep hole where he could build a tiny oven out of stones for roasting potatoes and eggs.
Now they could really have a feast!
Of course, when they went inside for lunch, they weren't hungry.
"Look!" said Mrs. Medlock to the nurse as she carried away their dishes.
"They've hardly touched their food.
The cook is afraid Mr. Craven will blame her if they starve themselves to death."
The nurse saved the tray of uneaten food to show Dr. Craven.
He was very puzzled when he came to examine Colin.
"I'm sorry to hear that you are not eating.
This will not do. You will lose all the weight that you've gained."
"I told you I wasn't well."
Mary started to laugh, but quickly turned her giggle into a cough.
Dr. Craven left the children together and went to talk to Mrs. Medlock.
"Going without food seems to agree with them, so I guess we shouldn't worry.
That boy is a new creature."
"And so is that girl. Mary is even beginning to look pretty.
She used to be so unhappy, but now she and Colin laugh together all the time.
Maybe they're growing fat on laughter."
"Then let them laugh," said Dr. Craven.