I was always too ill.

Sing it, Dickon.
I want to hear it." Dickon was quite simple and unaffected about it.

He understood what Colin felt better than Colin did himself.

He understood by a sort of instinct so natural that he did not know it was understanding.

He pulled off his cap and looked round still smiling.
"Tha' must take off tha' cap," he said to Colin, "an' so mun tha', Ben--an' tha' mun stand up, tha' knows." Colin took off his cap and the sun shone on and warmed his thick hair as he watched Dickon intently.