Th' gentry calls him a athlete and I thought o' thee, Mester Colin, and I says, 'How did tha' make tha' muscles stick out that way, Bob?
Did tha' do anythin' extra to make thysel' so strong ?' An' he says 'Well, yes, lad, I did.

A strong man in a show that came to Thwaite once showed me how to exercise my arms an' legs an' every muscle in my body.

An' I says, 'Could a delicate chap make himself stronger with 'em, Bob ?' an' he laughed an' says, 'Art tha' th' delicate chap ?' an' I says, 'No, but I knows a young gentleman that's gettin' well of a long illness an' I wish I knowed some o' them tricks to tell him about.' I didn't say no names an' he didn't ask none.

He's friendly same as I said an' he stood up an' showed me good-natured like, an' I imitated what he did till I knowed it by heart." Colin had been listening excitedly.
"Can you show me ?" he cried.

"Will you ?" "Aye, to be sure," Dickon answered, getting up.