Martha had a brother named Dickon who was twelve years old. He lived on the moor and the wild animals were not afraid of him. Mary asked Martha to buy her some seeds and a little spade with her own shilling. Dickon brought them himself. He was a boy with a red mouth and round blue eyes, and a young fox followed at his heel. Mary looked at him for a long minute and then she did something she had never done. Can you keep a secret? she said. She took him through the door in the wall. Dickon stood very still and looked all round at the grey tangle. It is a queer, pretty place, he whispered, and all is alive under the grey. Look at the buds, he said, they are only sleeping. There is a lot of good work in here, and we can do it together.