"Willee now? That will be main koinde o' ye."

"I don't think you are strong enough to listen today," Ned said,
seeing how feebly the boy spoke; "but I hope by next Saturday you
will be much stronger. And now I will say goodby, for the doctor
said that I must not talk too long."

So saying Ned left the cottage and made his way back to Marsden in
better spirits than he had been for the last three weeks.

From that time Ned went up regularly for some weeks every Saturday
to see Bill Swinton, to the great disgust of his schoolfellows, who
could not imagine why he refused to join in their walks or games
on those days; but he was well repaid by the pleasure which his
visits afforded. The days passed very drearily to the sick boy,
accustomed as he was to a life spent entirely in the open air, and
he looked forward with eager longing to Ned's visits.

On the occasion of the second visit he was strong enough to sit
up in bed, and Ned was pleased to hear that his voice was heartier
and stronger. He listened with delight as Ned read through the
books he had brought him from end to end, often stopping him to ask
questions as to the many matters beyond his understanding, and the
conversations on these points were often so long that the continuance
of the reading had to be postponed until the next visit. To Bill
everything he heard was wonderful. Hitherto his world had ended at
Marsden, and the accounts of voyages and travels in strange lands
were full of surprise and interest to him. Especially he loved to
talk to Ned of India, where the boy had lived up to the time when
his father had received his wound, and Ned's account of the appearance