I know some splendid witch stories I 'll tell you some day . They 'll just make your blood freeze in your veins . '' We had n't a doubt of it . If anybody could freeze the blood in our veins this girl with the wonderful voice could . But it was a May morning , and our young blood was running blithely in our veins . We suggested a visit to the orchard would be more agreeable . `` All right . I know stories about it , too , '' she said , as we walked across the yard , followed by Paddy of the waving tail . `` Oh , are n't you glad it is spring ? The beauty of winter is that it makes you appreciate spring . '' The latch of the gate clicked under the Story Girl 's hand , and the next moment we were in the King orchard . CHAPTER III . LEGENDS OF THE OLD ORCHARD Outside of the orchard the grass was only beginning to grow green ; but here , sheltered by the spruce hedges from uncertain winds and sloping to southern suns , it was already like a wonderful velvet carpet ; the leaves on the trees were beginning to come out in woolly , grayish clusters ; and there were purple-pencilled white violets at the base of the Pulpit Stone . `` It 's all just as father described it , '' said Felix with a blissful sigh , `` and there 's the well with the Chinese roof . '' We hurried over to it , treading on the spears of mint that were beginning to shoot up about it . It was a very deep well , and the curb was of rough , undressed stones . Over it , the queer , pagoda-like roof , built by Uncle Stephen on his return from a voyage to China , was covered with yet leafless vines . `` It 's so pretty , when the vines leaf out and hang down in long festoons , '' said the Story Girl . `` The birds build their nests in it . A pair of wild canaries come here every summer .
And ferns grow out between the stones of the well as far down XXXXX you can see .
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