"Nowt o' th' sort.

What's tha' been doin' with thysel'-- hidin' out o' sight an' lettin' folk think tha' was cripple an' half-witted ?" "Half-witted!" said Colin angrily.

"Who thought that ?" "Lots o' fools," said Ben.

"Th' world's full o' jackasses brayin' an' they never bray nowt but lies.

What did tha' shut thysel' up for ?" "Everyone thought I was going to die," said Colin shortly.