"I'm going to be standing when Weatherstaff comes here.
I can rest against the tree if I like.

When I want to sit down I will sit down, but not before.

Bring a rug from the chair." He walked to the tree and though Dickon held his arm he was wonderfully steady.

When he stood against the tree trunk it was not too plain that he supported himself against it, and he still held himself so straight that he looked tall.
When Ben Weatherstaff came through the door in the wall he saw him standing there and he heard Mary muttering something under her breath.
"What art sayin' ?" he asked rather testily because he did not want his attention distracted from the long thin straight boy figure and proud face.
But she did not tell him.

What she was saying was this: "You can do it! You can do it! I told you you could! You can do it! You can do it! You can!" She was saying it to Colin because she wanted to make Magic and keep him on his feet looking like that.