He shook his head.
"No good asking," he said. "That's my greatest secret. You can't expect me to tell you. Even mother doesn't know."
"I won't ask, then. I've got a den, too, for that matter—in fact, two.
One on North Hill and one in our garden."
"D'you know the lime-kiln on North Hill?"
"Rather. The bee orchis grows thereabout."
He thought for a moment. "If I showed you my den in the store, would you swear to God never to tell?"
"Yes, I'd swear faithfully not to."
"Perhaps I will, then."
But when presently they reached his haunt, he had changed his mood. She did not remind him, left him to his devices and sat patiently outside while he was hidden within. Occasionally his head popped out of unexpected places aloft, then disappeared again. Once she heard a great noise, followed by silence. She called to him and, after a pause, he shouted down that he was all right.
When an hour had passed she called out again to tell him to come back to her.