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diff --git a/3795.txt b/3795.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..067c861 --- /dev/null +++ b/3795.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9428 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Under the Lilacs, by Louisa May Alcott + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Under the Lilacs + +Author: Louisa May Alcott + +Posting Date: May 19, 2009 [EBook #3795] +Release Date: February, 2003 +First Posted: September 12, 2001 +[Last updated: April 1, 2011] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNDER THE LILACS *** + + + + +Produced by Joanne Hogan. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +Under the Lilacs + + +by + +Louisa May Alcott + + + + + TO + EMMA, IDA, CARL, AND LINA, + Over The Sea, + THIS LITTLE BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED + BY THEIR NEW FRIEND AND SISTER, + L. M. A. + + + + +Contents + + I. A MYSTERIOUS DOG + II. WHERE THEY FOUND HIS MASTER + III. BEN + IV. HIS STORY + V. BEN GETS A PLACE + VI. A CIRCULATING LIBRARY + VII. NEW FRIENDS TROT IN + VIII. MISS CELIA'S MAN + IX. A HAPPY TEA + X. A HEAVY TROUBLE + XI. SUNDAY + XII. GOOD TIMES + XIII. SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY + XIV. SOMEBODY GETS LOST + XV. BEN'S RIDE + XVI. DETECTIVE THORNTON + XVII. BETTY'S BRAVERY + XVIII. BOWS AND ARROWS + XIX. SPEAKING PIECES + XX. BEN'S BIRTHDAY + XXI. CUPID'S LAST APPEARANCE + XXII. A BOY'S BARGAIN + XXIII. SOMEBODY COMES + XXIV. THE GREAT GATE IS OPENED + + + + +UNDER THE LILACS + + + +CHAPTER I + +A MYSTERIOUS DOG + +The elm-tree avenue was all overgrown, the great gate was never +unlocked, and the old house had been shut up for several years. + +Yet voices were heard about the place, the lilacs nodded over the high +wall as if they said, "We could tell fine secrets if we chose," and the +mullein outside the gate made haste to reach the keyhole, that it might +peep in and see what was going on. If it had suddenly grown up like a +magic bean-stalk, and looked in on a certain June day, it would have +seen a droll but pleasant sight, for somebody evidently was going to +have a party. + +From the gate to the porch went a wide walk, paved with smooth slabs of +dark stone, and bordered with the tall bushes which met overhead, making +a green roof. All sorts of neglected flowers and wild weeds grew between +their stems, covering the walls of this summer parlor with the prettiest +tapestry. A board, propped on two blocks of wood, stood in the middle of +the walk, covered with a little plaid shawl much the worse for wear, and +on it a miniature tea-service was set forth with great elegance. To be +sure, the tea-pot had lost its spout, the cream-jug its handle, the +sugar-bowl its cover, and the cups and plates were all more or less +cracked or nicked; but polite persons would not take notice of these +trifling deficiencies, and none but polite persons were invited to this +party. + +On either side of the porch was a seat, and here a somewhat remarkable +sight would have been revealed to any inquisitive eye peering through +the aforesaid keyhole. Upon the left-hand seat lay seven dolls, upon the +right-hand seat lay six; and so varied were the expressions of their +countenances, owing to fractures, dirt, age, and other afflictions, that +one would very naturally have thought this a doll's hospital, and these +the patients waiting for their tea. + +This, however, would have been a sad mistake; for if the wind had lifted +the coverings laid over them, it would have disclosed the fact that all +were in full dress, and merely reposing before the feast should begin. + +There was another interesting feature of the scene which would have +puzzled any but those well acquainted with the manners and customs of +dolls. A fourteenth rag baby, with a china head, hung by her neck from +the rusty knocker in the middle of the door. A sprig of white and one of +purple lilac nodded over her, a dress of yellow calico, richly trimmed +with red-flannel scallops, shrouded her slender form, a garland of small +flowers crowned her glossy curls, and a pair of blue boots touched toes +in the friendliest, if not the most graceful, manner. An emotion of +grief, as well as of surprise, might well have thrilled any youthful +breast at such a spectacle; for why, oh! why, was this resplendent dolly +hung up there to be stared at by thirteen of her kindred? Was she a +criminal, the sight of whose execution threw them flat upon their backs +in speechless horror? Or was she an idol, to be adored in that humble +posture? Neither, my friends. She was blonde Belinda, set, or rather +hung, aloft, in the place of honor, for this was her seventh birthday, +and a superb ball was about to celebrate the great event. All were +evidently awaiting a summons to the festive board; but such was the +perfect breeding of these dolls, that not a single eye out of the whole +twenty-seven (Dutch Hans had lost one of the black beads from his +worsted countenance) turned for a moment toward the table, or so much as +winked, as they lay in decorous rows, gazing with mute admiration at +Belinda. She, unable to repress the joy and pride which swelled her +sawdust bosom till the seams gaped, gave an occasional bounce as the +wind waved her yellow skirts, or made the blue boots dance a sort of jig +upon the door. Hanging was evidently not a painful operation, for she +smiled contentedly, and looked as if the red ribbon around her neck was +not uncomfortably tight; therefore, if slow suffocation suited her, who +else had any right to complain? So a pleasing silence reigned, not even +broken by a snore from Dinah, the top of whose turban alone was visible +above the coverlet, or a cry from baby Jane, though her bare feet stuck +out in a way that would have produced shrieks from a less well-trained +infant. + +Presently voices were heard approaching, and through the arch which led +to a side-path came two little girls, one carrying a small pitcher, the +other proudly bearing a basket covered with a napkin. They looked like +twins, but were not, for Bab was a year older than Betty, though only an +inch taller. Both had on brown calico frocks, much the worse for a +week's wear; but clean pink pinafores, in honor of the occasion, made up +for that, as well as the gray stockings and thick boots. Both had round, +rosy faces rather sunburnt, pug noses somewhat freckled, merry blue +eyes, and braided tails of hair hanging down their backs like those of +the dear little Kenwigses. + +"Don't they look sweet?" cried Bab, gazing with maternal pride upon the +left-hand row of dolls, who might appropriately have sung in chorus, "We +are seven." + +"Very nice; but my Belinda beats them all. I do think she is the +splendidest child that ever was!" And Betty set down the basket to run +and embrace the suspended darling, just then kicking up her heels with +joyful abandon. + +"The cake can be cooling while we fix the children. It does smell +perfectly delicious!" said Bab, lifting the napkin to hang over the +basket, fondly regarding the little round loaf that lay inside. + +"Leave some smell for me!" commanded Betty, running back to get her fair +share of the spicy fragrance. The pug noses sniffed it up luxuriously, +and the bright eyes feasted upon the loveliness of the cake, so brown +and shiny, with a tipsy-looking B in pie-crust staggering down one side, +instead of sitting properly a-top. + +"Ma let me put it on the very last minute, and it baked so hard I +couldn't pick it off. We can give Belinda that piece, so it's just as +well," observed Betty, taking the lead, as her child was queen of the +revel. + +"Let's set them round, so they can see too," proposed Bab, going, with a +hop, skip, and jump, to collect her young family. + +Betty agreed, and for several minutes both were absorbed in seating +their dolls about the table; for some of the dear things were so limp +they wouldn't sit up, and others so stiff they wouldn't sit down, and +all sorts of seats had to be contrived to suit the peculiarities of +their spines. This arduous task accomplished, the fond mammas stepped +back to enjoy the spectacle, which, I assure you, was an impressive one. +Belinda sat with great dignity at the head, her hands genteelly holding +a pink cambric pocket-handkerchief in her lap. Josephus, her cousin, +took the foot, elegantly arrayed in a new suit of purple and green +gingham, with his speaking countenance much obscured by a straw hat +several sizes too large for him; while on either side sat guests of +every size, complexion, and costume, producing a very gay and varied +effect, as all were dressed with a noble disregard of fashion. + +"They will like to see us get tea. Did you forget the buns?" inquired +Betty, anxiously. + +"No; got them in my pocket." And Bab produced from that chaotic cupboard +two rather stale and crumbly ones, saved from lunch for the fete. These +were cut up and arranged in plates, forming a graceful circle around the +cake, still in its basket. + +"Ma couldn't spare much milk, so we must mix water with it. Strong tea +isn't good for children, she says." And Bab contentedly surveyed the +gill of skim-milk which was to satisfy the thirst of the company. + +"While the tea draws and the cake cools, let's sit down and rest; I'm so +tired!" sighed Betty, dropping down on the door-step and stretching out +the stout little legs which had been on the go all day; for Saturday had +its tasks as well as its fun, and much business had preceded this +unusual pleasure. Bab went and sat beside her, looking idly down the +walk toward the gate, where a fine cobweb shone in the afternoon sun. + +"Ma says she is going over the house in a day or two, now it is warm and +dry after the storm, and we may go with her. You know she wouldn't take +us in the fall, cause we had whooping-cough, and it was damp there. Now +we shall see all the nice things; won't it be fun?" observed Bab, after +a pause. + +"Yes, indeed! Ma says there's lots of books in one room, and I can look +at 'em while she goes round. May be I'll have time to read some, and +then I can tell you," answered Betty, who dearly loved stories, and +seldom got any new ones. + +"I'd rather see the old spinning-wheel up garret, and the big pictures, +and the queer clothes in the blue chest. It makes me mad to have them +all shut up there, when we might have such fun with them. I'd just like +to bang that old door down!" And Bab twisted round to give it a thump +with her boots. "You needn't laugh; you know you'd like it as much as +me," she added, twisting back again, rather ashamed of her impatience. + +"I didn't laugh." + +"You did! Don't you suppose I know what laughing is?" + +"I guess I know I didn't." + +"You did laugh! How darst you tell such a fib?" + +"If you say that again I'll take Belinda and go right home; then what +will you do?" + +"I'll eat up the cake." + +"No, you won't! It's mine, Ma said so; and you are only company, so +you'd better behave or I won't have any party at all, so now." + +This awful threat calmed Bab's anger at once, and she hastened to +introduce a safer subject. + +"Never mind; don't let's fight before the children. Do you know, Ma says +she will let us play in the coach-house next time it rains, and keep the +key if we want to." + +"Oh, goody! that's because we told her how we found the little window +under the woodbine, and didn't try to go in, though we might have just +as easy as not," cried Betty, appeased at once, for, after a ten years' +acquaintance, she had grown used to Bab's peppery temper. + +"I suppose the coach will be all dust and rats and spiders, but I don't +care. You and the dolls can be the passengers, and I shall sit up in +front drive." + +"You always do. I shall like riding better than being horse all the +time, with that old wooden bit in my mouth, and you jerking my arms +off," said poor Betty, who was tired of being horse continually. + +"I guess we'd better go and get the water now," suggested Bab, feeling +that it was not safe to encourage her sister in such complaints. + +"It is not many people who would dare to leave their children all alone +with such a lovely cake, and know they wouldn't pick at it," said Betty +proudly, as they trotted away to the spring, each with a little tin pail +in her hand. + +Alas, for the faith of these too confiding mammas! They were gone about +five minutes, and when they returned a sight met their astonished eyes +which produced a simultaneous shriek of horror. Flat upon their faces +lay the fourteen dolls, and the cake, the cherished cake, was gone. + +For an instant the little girls could only stand motionless, gazing at +the dreadful scene. Then Bab cast her water-pail wildly away, and, +doubling up her fist, cried out fiercely,-- + +"It was that Sally! She said she'd pay me for slapping her when she +pinched little Mary Ann, and now she has. I'll give it to her! You run +that way. I'll run this. Quick! quick!" + +Away they went, Bab racing straight on, and bewildered Betty turning +obediently round to trot in the opposite direction as fast as she could, +with the water splashing all over her as she ran, for she had forgotten +to put down her pail. Round the house they went, and met with a crash at +the back door, but no sign of the thief appeared. + +"In the lane!" shouted Bab. + +"Down by the spring!" panted Betty; and off they went again, one to +scramble up a pile of stones and look over the wall into the avenue, the +other to scamper to the spot they had just left. Still, nothing appeared +but the dandelions' innocent faces looking up at Bab, and a brown bird +scared from his bath in the spring by Betty's hasty approach. + +Back they rushed, but only to meet a new scare, which made them both cry +"Ow!" and fly into the porch for refuge. + +A strange dog was sitting calmly among the ruins of the feast, licking +his lips after basely eating up the last poor bits of bun, when he had +bolted the cake, basket, and all, apparently. + +"Oh, the horrid thing!" cried Bab, longing to give battle, but afraid, +for the dog was a peculiar as well as a dishonest animal. + +"He looks like our China poodle, doesn't he?" whispered Betty, making +herself as small as possible behind her more valiant sister. + +He certainly did; for, though much larger and dirtier than the +well-washed China dog, this live one had the same tassel at the end of +his tail, ruffles of hair round his ankles, and a body shaven behind and +curly before. His eyes, however, were yellow, instead of glassy black, +like the other's; his red nose worked as he cocked it up, as if smelling +for more cakes, in the most impudent manner; and never, during the three +years he had stood on the parlor mantel-piece, had the China poodle done +the surprising feats with which this mysterious dog now proceeded to +astonish the little girls almost out of their wits. First he sat up, put +his forepaws together, and begged prettily; then he suddenly flung his +hind-legs into the air, and walked about with great ease. Hardly had +they recovered from this shock, when the hind-legs came down, the +fore-legs went up, and he paraded in a soldierly manner to and fro, like +a sentinel on guard. But the crowning performance was when he took his +tail in his mouth and waltzed down the walk, over the prostrate dolls, +to the gate and back again, barely escaping a general upset of the +ravaged table. + +Bab and Betty could only hold each other tight and squeal with delight, +for never had they seen any thing so funny; but, when the gymnastics +ended, and the dizzy dog came and stood on the step before them barking +loudly, with that pink nose of his sniffing at their feet, and his queer +eyes fixed sharply upon them, their amusement turned to fear again, and +they dared not stir. + +"Whish, go away!" commanded Bab. + +"Scat!" meekly quavered Betty. + +To their great relief, the poodle gave several more inquiring barks, and +then vanished as suddenly as he appeared. With one impulse, the children +ran to see what became of him, and, after a brisk scamper through the +orchard, saw the tasselled tail disappear under the fence at the far +end. + +"Where do you s'pose he came from?" asked Betty, stopping to rest on a +big stone. + +"I'd like to know where he's gone, too, and give him a good beating, old +thief!" scolded Bab, remembering their wrongs. + +"Oh, dear, yes! I hope the cake burnt him dreadfully if he did eat it," +groaned Betty, sadly remembering the dozen good raisins she chopped up, +and the "lots of 'lasses" mother put into the dear lost loaf. + +"The party's all spoilt, so we may as well go home; and Bab mournfully +led the way back. Betty puckered up her face to cry, but burst out +laughing in spite of her woe. + +"It was so funny to see him spin round and walk on his head! I wish +he'd do it all over again; don't you?" + +"Yes: but I hate him just the same. I wonder what Ma will say +when--why! why!" and Bab stopped short in the arch, with her eyes as +round and almost as large as the blue saucers on the tea-tray. + +"What is it? oh, what is it?" cried Betty, all ready to run away if any +new terror appeared. + +"Look! there! it's come back!" said Bab in an awe-stricken whisper, +pointing to the table. Betty did look, and her eyes opened even +wider,--as well they might,--for there, just where they first put it, was +the lost cake, unhurt, unchanged, except that the big B had coasted a +little further down the gingerbread hill. + + + +CHAPTER II + +WHERE THEY FOUND HIS MASTER + +Neither spoke for a minute, astonishment being too great for words; +then, as by one impulse, both stole up and touched the cake with a timid +finger, quite prepared to see it fly away in some mysterious and +startling manner. It remained sitting tranquilly in the basket, however, +and the children drew a long breath of relief, for, though they did not +believe in fairies, the late performances did seem rather like +witchcraft. + +"The dog didn't eat it!" + +"Sally didn't take it!" + +"How do you know?" + +"She never would have put it back." + +"Who did?" + +"Can't tell, but I forgive 'em." + +"What shall we do now?" asked Betty, feeling as if it would be very +difficult to settle down to a quiet tea-party after such unusual +excitement. + +"Eat that cake up just as fast as ever we can," and Bab divided the +contested delicacy with one chop of the big knife, bound to make sure of +her own share at all events. + +It did not take long, for they washed it down with sips of milk, and ate +as fast as possible, glancing round all the while to see if the queer +dog was coming again. + +"There! now I'd like to see any one take my cake away," said Bab, +defiantly crunching her half of the pie-crust B. + +"Or mine either," coughed Betty, choking over a raisin that wouldn't go +down in a hurry. + +"We might as well clear up, and play there had been an earthquake," +suggested Bab, feeling that some such convulsion of Nature was needed to +explain satisfactorily the demoralized condition of her family. + +"That will be splendid. My poor Linda was knocked right over on her +nose. Darlin' child, come to your mother and be fixed," purred Betty, +lifting the fallen idol from a grove of chickweed, and tenderly brushing +the dirt from Belinda's heroically smiling face. + +"She'll have croup to-night as sure as the world. We'd better make up +some squills out of this sugar and water," said Bab, who dearly loved to +dose the dollies all round. + +"P'r'aps she will, but you needn't begin to sneeze yet awhile. I can +sneeze for my own children, thank you, ma'am," returned Betty, sharply, +for her usually amiable spirit had been ruffled by the late occurrences. + +"I didn't sneeze! I've got enough to do to talk and cry and cough for my +own poor dears, without bothering about yours," cried Bab, even more +ruffled than her sister. + +"Then who did? I heard a real live sneeze just as plain as anything," +and Betty looked up to the green roof above her, as if the sound came +from that direction. + +A yellow-bird sat swinging and chirping on the tall lilac-bush, but no +other living thing was in sight. "Birds don't sneeze, do they?" asked +Betty, eying little Goldy suspiciously. + +"You goose! of course they don't." + +"Well. I should just like to know who is laughing and sneezing round +here. May be it is the dog," suggested Betty looking relieved. + +"I never heard of a dog's laughing, except Mother Hubbard's. This is +such a queer one, may be he can, though. I wonder where he went to?" and +Bab took a survey down both the side-paths, quite longing to see the +funny poodle again. + +"I know where I 'm going to," said Betty, piling the dolls into her +apron with more haste than care. "I'm going right straight home to tell +Ma all about it. I don't like such actions, and I 'm afraid to stay." + +"I ain't; but I guess it is going to rain, so I shall have to go any +way," answered Bab, taking advantage of the black clouds rolling up the +sky, for she scorned to own that she was afraid of any thing. + +Clearing the table in a summary manner by catching up the four corners +of the cloth, Bab put the rattling bundle into her apron, flung her +children on the top and pronounced herself ready to depart. Betty +lingered an instant to pick up and ends that might be spoilt by the +rain, and, when she turned from taking the red halter off the knocker, +two lovely pink roses lay on the stone steps. + +"Oh, Bab, just see! Here's the very ones we wanted. Wasn't it nice of +the wind to blow 'em down?" she called out, picking them up and running +after her sister, who had strolled moodily along, still looking about +for her sworn foe, Sally Folsom. The flowers soothed the feelings of the +little girls, because they had longed for them, and bravely resisted the +temptation to climb up the trellis and help themselves, since their +mother had forbidden such feats, owing to a fall Bab got trying to reach +a honeysuckle from the vine which ran all over the porch. + +Home they went and poured out their tale, to Mrs. Moss's great +amusement; for she saw in it only some playmate's prank, and was not +much impressed by the mysterious sneeze and laugh. + +"We'll have a grand rummage Monday, and find out what is going on over +there," was all she said. But Mrs. Moss could not keep her promise, for +on Monday it still rained, and the little girls paddled off to school +like a pair of young ducks, enjoying every puddle they came to, since +India-rubber boots made wading a delicious possibility. They took their +dinner, and at noon regaled a crowd of comrades with an account of the +mysterious dog, who appeared to be haunting the neighborhood, as several +of the other children had seen him examining their back yards with +interest. He had begged of them, but to none had he exhibited his +accomplishments except Bab and Betty; and they were therefore much set +up, and called him "our dog" with an air. The cake transaction remained +a riddle, for Sally Folsom solemnly declared that she was playing tag in +Mamie Snow's barn at that identical time. No one had been near the old +house but the two children, and no one could throw any light upon that +singular affair. + +It produced a great effect, however; for even "teacher" was interested, +and told such amazing tales of a juggler she once saw, that doughnuts +were left forgotten in dinner-baskets, and wedges of pie remained +suspended in the air for several minutes at a time, instead of vanishing +with miraculous rapidity as usual. At afternoon recess, which the girls +had first, Bab nearly dislocated every joint of her little body trying +to imitate the poodle's antics. She had practised on her bed with great +success, but the wood-shed floor was a different thing, as her knees and +elbows soon testified. + +"It looked just as easy as any thing; I don't see how he did it," she +said, coming down with a bump after vainly attempting to walk on her +hands. + +"My gracious, there he is this very minute!" cried Betty, who sat on a +little wood-pile near the door. There was a general rush,--and sixteen +small girls gazed out into the rain as eagerly as if to behold +Cinderella's magic coach, instead of one forlorn dog trotting by through +the mud. + +"Oh, do call him in and make him dance!" cried the girls, all chirping +at once, till it sounded as if a flock of sparrows had taken possession +of the shed. + +"I will call him, he knows me," and Bab scrambled up, forgetting how she +had chased the poodle and called him names two days ago. + +He evidently had not forgotten, however; for, though he paused and +looked wistfully at them, he would not approach, but stood dripping in +the rain, with his frills much bedraggled, while his tasselled tail +wagged slowly, and his pink nose pointed suggestively to the pails and +baskets, nearly empty now. + +"He's hungry; give him something to eat, and then he'll see that we +don't want to hurt him," suggested Sally, starting a contribution with +her last bit of bread and butter. + +Bab caught up her new pail, and collected all the odds and ends; then +tried to beguile the poor beast in to eat and be comforted. But he only +came as far as the door, and, sitting up, begged with such imploring +eyes that Bab put down the pail and stepped back, saying pitifully,-- + +"The poor thing is starved; let him eat all he wants, and we won't touch +him." + +The girls drew back with little clucks of interest and compassion; but I +regret to say their charity was not rewarded as they expected, for, the +minute the coast was clear, the dog marched boldly up, seized the handle +of the pail in his mouth, and was off with it, galloping down the road +at a great pace. + +Shrieks arose from the children, especially Bab and Betty, basely +bereaved of their new dinner-pail; but no one could follow the thief, +for the bell rang, and in they went, so much excited that the boys rushed +tumultuously forth to discover the cause. By the time school was over +the sun was out, and Bab and Betty hastened home to tell their wrongs +and be comforted by mother, who did it most effectually. + +"Never mind, dears, I'll get you another pail, if he doesn't bring it +back as he did before. As it is too wet for you to play out, you shall +go and see the old coach-house as I promised. Keep on your rubbers and +come along." + +This delightful prospect much assuaged their woe, and away they went, +skipping gayly down the gravelled path, while Mrs. Moss followed, with +skirts well tucked up, and a great bunch of keys in her hand; for she +lived at the Lodge, and had charge of the premises. + +The small door of the coach-house was fastened inside, but the large one +had a padlock on it; and this being quickly unfastened, one half swung +open, and the little girls ran in, too eager and curious even to cry out +when they found themselves at last in possession of the long-coveted old +carriage. A dusty, musty concern enough; but it had a high seat, a door, +steps that let down, and many other charms which rendered it most +desirable in the eyes of children. + +Bab made straight for the box and Betty for the door; but both came +tumbling down faster than they went up, when from the gloom of the +interior came a shrill bark, and a low voice saying quickly, "Down, +Sancho! down!" + +"Who is there?" demanded Mrs. Moss, in a stern tone, backing toward the +door with both children clinging to her skirts. + +The well-known curly white head was popped out of the broken window, and +a mild whine seemed to say, "Don't be alarmed, ladies; we won't hurt +you. Come out this minute, or I shall have to come and get you," called +Mrs. Moss, growing very brave all of a sudden as she caught sight of a +pair of small, dusty shoes under the coach. + +"Yes, 'm, I'm coming, as fast as I can," answered a meek voice, as what +appeared to be a bundle of rags leaped out of the dark, followed by the +poodle, who immediately sat down at the bare feet of his owner with a +watchful air, as if ready to assault any one who might approach too +near. + +"Now, then, who are you, and how did you get here?" asked Mrs. Moss, +trying to speak sternly, though her motherly eyes were already full of +pity, as they rested on the forlorn little figure before her. + + + +CHAPTER III + +BEN + +"Please, 'm, my name is Ben Brown, and I'm travellin'." + +"Where are you going?" + +"Anywheres to get work." + +"What sort of work can you do?" + +"All kinds. I'm used to horses." + +"Bless me! such a little chap as you? + +"I'm twelve, ma'am, and can ride any thing on four legs;" and the small +boy gave a nod that seemed to say, "Bring on your Cruisers. I'm ready +for 'em." + +"Haven't you got any folks?" asked Mrs. Moss, amused but still anxious, +for the sunburnt face was very thin, the eyes hollow with hunger or +pain, and the ragged figure leaned on the wheel as if too weak or weary +to stand alone. + +"No, 'm, not of my own; and the people I was left with beat me so, I--run +away." The last words seemed to bolt out against his will as if the +woman's sympathy irresistibly won the child's confidence. + +"Then I don't blame you. But how did you get here?" + +"I was so tired I couldn't go any further, and I thought the folks up +here at the big house would take me in. But the gate was locked, and I +was so discouraged, I jest laid down outside and give up." + +"Poor little soul, I don't wonder," said Mrs. Moss, while the children +looked deeply interested at mention of their gate. + +The boy drew a long breath, and his eyes began to twinkle in spite of +his forlorn state as he went on, while the dog pricked up his ears at +mention of his name:-- + +"While I was restin' I heard some one come along inside, and I peeked, +and saw them little girls playin'. The vittles looked so nice I couldn't +help wantin' 'em; but I didn't take nothin',--it was Sancho, and he +took the cake for me." + +Bab and Betty gave a gasp and stared reproachfully at the poodle, who +half closed his eyes with a meek, unconscious look that was very droll. + +"And you made him put it back?" cried Bab. + +"No; I did it myself. Got over the gate when you was racin' after +Sancho, and then clim' up on the porch and hid," said the boy with a +grin. + +"And you laughed?" asked Bab. + +"Yes." + +"And sneezed?" added Betty. + +"Yes." + +"And threw down the roses?" cried both. + +"Yes; and you liked 'em, didn't you?" + +"Course we did! What made you hide?" said Bab. + +"I wasn't fit to be seen," muttered Ben, glancing at his tatters as if +he'd like to dive out of sight into the dark coach again. + +"How came you here?" demanded Mrs. Moss, suddenly remembering her +responsibility. + +"I heard 'em talk about a little winder and a shed, and when they'd gone +I found it and come in. The glass was broke, and I only pulled the nail +out. I haven't done a mite of harm sleepin' here two nights. I was so +tuckered out I couldn't go on nohow, though I tried a Sunday." + +"And came back again? + +"Yes, 'm; it was so lonesome in the rain, and this place seemed kinder +like home, and I could hear 'em talkin' outside, and Sanch he found +vittles, and I was pretty comfortable." + +"Well, I never!" ejaculated Mrs. Moss, whisking up a corner of her apron +to wipe her eyes, for the thought of the poor little fellow alone there +for two days and nights with no bed but musty straw, no food but the +scraps a dog brought him, was too much for her. "Do you know what I'm +going to do with you?" she asked, trying to look calm and cool, with a +great tear running down her wholesome red cheek, and a smile trying to +break out at the corners of her lips. + +"No, ma'am, and I dunno as I care. Only don't be hard on Sanch; he's +been real good to me, and we 're fond of one another; ain't us, old +chap?" answered the boy, with his arm around the dog's neck, and an +anxious look which he had not worn for himself. + +"I'm going to take you right home, and wash and feed and put you in a +good bed; and to-morrow,--well, we'll see what'll happen then," said +Mrs. Moss, not quite sure about it herself. + +"You're very kind, ma'am, I'll be glad to work for you. Ain't you got a +horse I can see to?" asked the boy, eagerly. + +"Nothing but hens and a cat." + +Bab and Betty burst out laughing when their mother said that, and Ben +gave a faint giggle, as if he would like to join in if he only had the +strength to do it. But his legs shook under him, and he felt a queer +dizziness; so he could only hold on to Sancho, and blink at the light +like a young owl. + +"Come right along, child. Run on, girls, and put the rest of the broth +to warming, and fill the kettle. I'll see to the boy," commanded Mrs. +Moss, waving off the children, and going up to feel the pulse of her new +charge, for it suddenly occurred to her that he might be sick and not +safe to take home. + +The hand he gave her was very thin, but clean and cool, and the black +eyes were clear though hollow, for the poor lad was half-starved. + +"I'm awful shabby, but I ain't dirty. I had a washin' in the rain last +night, and I've jest about lived on water lately," he explained, +wondering why she looked at him so hard. + +"Put out your tongue." + +He did so, but took it in again to say quickly,-- + +"I ain't sick,--I'm only hungry; for I haven't had a mite but what +Sanch brought, for three days; and I always go halves, don't I, Sanch?" + +The poodle gave a shrill bark, and vibrated excitedly between the door +and his master as if he understood all that was going on, and +recommended a speedy march toward the promised food and shelter. Mrs. +Moss took the hint, and bade the boy follow her at once and bring his +"things" with him. + +"I ain't got any. Some big fellers took away my bundle, else I wouldn't +look so bad. There's only this. I'm sorry Sanch took it, and I'd like to +give it back if I knew whose it was," said Ben, bringing the new +dinner-pail out from the depths of the coach where he had gone to +housekeeping. + +"That's soon done; it's mine, and you're welcome to the bits your queer +dog ran off with. Come along, I must lock up," and Mrs. Moss clanked her +keys suggestively. + +Ben limped out, leaning on a broken hoe-handle, for he was stiff after +two days in such damp lodgings, as well as worn out with a fortnight's +wandering through sun and rain. Sancho was in great spirits, evidently +feeling that their woes were over and his foraging expeditions at an +end, for he frisked about his master with yelps of pleasure, or made +playful darts at the ankles of his benefactress, which caused her to +cry, "Whish!" and "Scat!" and shake her skirts at him as if he were a +cat or hen. + +A hot fire was roaring in the stove under the broth-skillet and +tea-kettle, and Betty was poking in more wood, with a great smirch of +black on her chubby cheek, while Bab was cutting away at the loaf as if +bent on slicing her own fingers off. Before Ben knew what he was about, +he found himself in the old rocking-chair devouring bread and butter as +only a hungry boy can, with Sancho close by gnawing a mutton-bone like a +ravenous wolf in sheep's clothing. + +While the new-comers were thus happily employed, Mrs. Moss beckoned the +little girls out of the room, and gave them both an errand. + +"Bab, you run over to Mrs. Barton's, and ask her for any old duds Billy +don't want; and Betty, you go to the Cutters, and tell Miss Clarindy I'd +like a couple of the shirts we made at last sewing circle. Any shoes, or +a hat, or socks, would come handy, for the poor dear hasn't a whole +thread on him." + +Away went the children full of anxiety to clothe their beggar; and so +well did they plead his cause with the good neighbors, that Ben hardly +knew himself when he emerged from the back bedroom half an hour later, +clothed in Billy Barton's faded flannel suit, with an unbleached cotton +shirt out of the Dorcas basket, and a pair of Milly Cutter's old shoes +on his feet. + +Sancho also had been put in better trim, for, after his master had +refreshed himself with a warm bath, he gave his dog a good scrub while +Mrs. Moss set a stitch here and there in the new old clothes; and Sancho +reappeared, looking more like the china poodle than ever, being as white +as snow, his curls well brushed up, and his tasselly tail waving proudly +over his back. + +Feeling eminently respectable and comfortable, the wanderers humbly +presented themselves, and were greeted with smiles of approval from the +little girls and a hospitable welcome from the mother, who set them near +the stove to dry, as both were decidedly damp after their ablutions. + +"I declare I shouldn't have known you!" exclaimed the good woman, +surveying the boy with great satisfaction; for, though still very thin +and tired, the lad had a tidy look that pleased her, and a lively way of +moving about in his clothes, like an eel in a skin rather too big for +him. The merry black eyes seemed to see every thing, the voice had an +honest sound, and the sunburnt face looked several years younger since +the unnatural despondency had gone out of it. + +"It's very nice, and me and Sanch are lots obliged, ma'am," murmured +Ben, getting red and bashful under the three pairs of friendly eyes +fixed upon him. + +Bab and Betty were doing up the tea-things with unusual despatch, so +that they might entertain their guest, and just as Ben spoke Bab dropped +a cup. To her great surprise no smash followed, for, bending quickly, +the boy caught it as it fell, and presented it to her on the back of his +hand with a little bow. + +"Gracious! how could you do it?" asked Bab, looking as if she thought +there was magic about. + +"That's nothing; look here," and, taking two plates, Ben sent them +spinning up into the air, catching and throwing so rapidly that Bab and +Betty stood with their mouths open, as if to swallow the plates should +they fall, while Mrs. Moss, with her dish-cloth suspended, watched the +antics of her crockery with a housewife's anxiety. + +"That does beat all!" was the only exclamation she had time to make; +for, as if desirous of showing his gratitude in the only way he could, +Ben took clothes-pins from a basket near by, sent several saucers +twirling up, caught them on the pins, balanced the pins on chin, nose, +forehead, and went walking about with a new and peculiar sort of +toadstool ornamenting his countenance. + +The children were immensely tickled, and Mrs. Moss was so amused she +would have lent her best soup-tureen if he had expressed a wish for it. +But Ben was too tired to show all his accomplishments at once, and he +soon stopped, looking as if he almost regretted having betrayed that he +possessed any. + +"I guess you've been in the juggling business," said Mrs. Moss, with a +wise nod, for she saw the same look on his face as when he said his name +was Ben Brown,--the look of one who was not telling the whole truth. + +"Yes, 'm. I used to help Senor Pedro, the Wizard of the World, and I +learned some of his tricks," stammered Ben, trying to seem innocent. + +"Now, look here, boy, you'd better tell me the whole story, and tell it +true, or I shall have to send you up to judge Morris. I wouldn't like to +do that, for he is a harsh sort of a man; so, if you haven't done any +thing bad, you needn't be afraid to speak out, and I'll do what I can +for you," said Mrs. Moss, rather sternly, as she went and sat down in +her rocking-chair, as if about to open the court. + +"I haven't done any thing bad, and I ain't afraid, only I don't want to +go back; and if I tell, may be you'll let 'em know where I be," said +Ben, much distressed between his longing to confide in his new friend +and his fear of his old enemies. + +"If they abused you, of course I wouldn't. Tell the truth, and I'll +stand by you. Girls, you go for the milk." + +"Oh, Ma, do let us stay! We'll never tell, truly, truly!" cried Bab and +Betty, full of dismay being sent off when secrets were about to be +divulged. + +"I don't mind 'em," said Ben handsomely. + +"Very well, only hold your tongues. Now, boy where did you come from?" +said Mrs. Moss, as the little girls hastily sat down together on their +private and particular bench opposite their mother, brimming with +curiosity and beaming with satisfaction at the prospect before them. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +HIS STORY + +"I ran away from a circus," began Ben, but got no further, for Bab and +Betty gave a simultaneous bounce of delight, and both cried out at once,-- + +"We've been to one! It was splendid!" + +"You wouldn't think so if you knew as much about it as I do," answered +Ben, with a sudden frown and wriggle, as if he still felt the smart of +the blows he had received. "We don't call it splendid; do we, Sancho?" +he added, making a queer noise, which caused the poodle to growl and +bang the floor irefully with his tail, as he lay close to his master's +feet, getting acquainted with the new shoes they wore. + +"How came you there?" asked Mrs. Moss, rather disturbed at the news. + +"Why, my father was the 'Wild Hunter of the Plains.' Didn't you ever see +or hear of him?" said Ben, as if surprised at her ignorance. + +"Bless your heart, child, I haven't been to a circus this ten years, and +I'm sure I don't remember what or who I saw then," answered Mrs. Moss, +amused, yet touched by the son's evident admiration for his father. + +"Didn't you see him?" demanded Ben, turning to the little girls. + +"We saw Indians and tumbling men, and the Bounding Brothers of Borneo, +and a clown and monkeys, and a little mite of a pony with blue eyes. Was +he any of them?" answered Betty, innocently. + +"Pooh! he didn't belong to that lot. He always rode two, four, six, +eight horses to oncet, and I used to ride with him till I got too big. +My father was A No. 1, and didn't do any thing but break horses and ride +'em," said Ben, with as much pride as if his parent had been a +President. + +"Is he dead?" asked Mrs. Moss. + +"I don't know. Wish I did,"--and poor Ben gave a gulp as if something +rose in his throat and choked him. + +"Tell us all about it, dear, and may be we can find out where he is," +said Mrs. Moss, leaning forward to pat the shiny dark head that was +suddenly bent over the dog. + +"Yes, ma'am. I will, thank y'," and with an effort the boy steadied his +voice and plunged into the middle of his story. + +"Father was always good to me, and I liked bein' with him after granny +died. I lived with her till I was seven; then father took me, and I was +trained for rider. You jest oughter have seen me when I was a little +feller all in white tights, and a gold belt, and pink riggin', standing' +on father's shoulder, or hangin' on to old General's tail, and him +gallopin' full pelt; or father ridin' three horses with me on his head +wavin' flags, and every one clapping like fun." + +"Oh, weren't you scared to pieces?" asked Betty, quaking at the mere +thought. + +"Not a bit. I liked it." + +"So should I!" cried Bab enthusiastically. + +"Then I drove the four ponies in the little chariot, when we paraded," +continued Ben, "and I sat on the great ball up top of the grand car +drawed by Hannibal and Nero. But I didn't like that, 'cause it was awful +high and shaky, and the sun was hot, and the trees slapped my face, and +my legs ached holdin' on." + +"What's hanny bells and neroes?" demanded Betty. + +"Big elephants. Father never let 'em put me up there, and they didn't +darst till he was gone; then I had to, else they'd 'a' thrashed me." + +"Didn't any one take your part?" asked Mrs. Moss. + +"Yes, 'm, 'most all the ladies did; they were very good to me, +'specially 'Melia. She vowed she wouldn't go on in the Tunnymunt act if +they didn't stop knockin' me round when I wouldn't help old Buck with +the bears. So they had to stop it, 'cause she led first rate, and none +of the other ladies rode half as well as 'Melia." + +"Bears! oh, do tell about them!" exclaimed Bab, in great excitement, +for at the only circus she had seen the animals were her delight. + +"Buck had five of 'em, cross old fellers, and he showed 'em off. I +played with 'em once, jest for fun, and he thought it would make a hit +to have me show off instead of him. But they had a way of clawin' and +huggin' that wasn't nice, and you couldn't never tell whether they were +good-natured or ready to bite your head off. Buck was all over scars +where they'd scratched and bit him, and I wasn't going to do it; and I +didn't have to, owin' to Miss St. John's standin' by me like a good +one." + +"Who was Miss St. John?" asked Mrs. Moss, rather confused by the sudden +introduction of new names and people. + +"Why she was 'Melia,--Mrs. Smithers, the ringmaster's wife. His name +wasn't Montgomery any more'n hers was St. John. They all change 'em to +something fine on the bills, you know. Father used to be Senor Jose +Montebello; and I was Master Adolphus Bloomsbury, after I stopped bein' +a flyin' Coopid and a infant Progidy." + +Mrs. Moss leaned back in her chair to laugh at that, greatly to the +surprise of the little girls, who were much impressed with the elegance +of these high-sounding names. + +"Go on with your story, Ben, and tell why you ran away and what became +of your Pa," she said, composing herself to listen, really interested in +the child. + +"Well, you see, father had a quarrel with old Smithers, and went off +sudden last fall, just before tenting season' was over. He told me he +was goin' to a great ridin' school in New York and when he was fixed +he'd send for me. I was to stay in the museum and help Pedro with the +trick business. He was a nice man and I liked him, and 'Melia was goin' +to see to me, and I didn't mind for awhile. But father didn't send for +me, and I began to have horrid times. If it hadn't been for 'Melia and +Sancho I would have cut away long before I did." + +"What did you have to do?" + +"Lots of things, for times was dull and I was smart. Smithers said so, +any way, and I had to tumble up lively when he gave the word. I didn't +mind doin' tricks or showin' off Sancho, for father trained him, and he +always did well with me. But they wanted me to drink gin to keep me +small, and I wouldn't, 'cause father didn't like that kind of thing. I +used to ride tip-top, and that just suited me till I got a fall and hurt +my back; but I had to go on all the same, though I ached dreadful, and +used to tumble off, I was so dizzy and weak." + +"What a brute that man must have been! Why didn't 'Melia put a stop to +it?" asked Mrs. Moss, indignantly. + +"She died, ma'am, and then there was no one left but Sanch; so I run +away." + +Then Ben fell to patting his dog again, to hide the tears he could not +keep from coming at the thought of the kind friend he had lost. + +"What did you mean to do?" + +"Find father; but I couldn't, for he wasn't at the ridin' school, and +they told me he had gone out West to buy mustangs for a man who wanted a +lot. So then I was in a fix, for I couldn't go to father, didn't know +jest where he was, and I wouldn't sneak back to Smithers to be abused. +Tried to make 'em take me at the ridin' school, but they didn't want a +boy, and I travelled along and tried to get work. But I'd have starved +if it hadn't been for Sanch. I left him tied up when I ran off, for fear +they'd say I stole him. He's a very valuable dog, ma'am, the best trick +dog I ever see, and they'd want him back more than they would me. He +belongs to father, and I hated to leave him; but I did. I hooked it one +dark night, and never thought I'd see him ag'in. Next mornin' I was +eatin' breakfast in a barn miles away, and dreadful lonesome, when he +came tearin' in, all mud and wet, with a great piece of rope draggin'. +He'd gnawed it and come after me, and wouldn't go back or be lost; and +I'll never leave him again, will I, dear old feller?" + +Sancho had listened to this portion of the tale with intense interest, +and when Ben spoke to him he stood straight up, put both paws on the +boy's shoulders, licked his face with a world of dumb affection in his +yellow eyes, and gave a little whine which said as plainly as words,-- + +"Cheer up, little master; fathers may vanish and friends die, but I +never will desert you." + +Ben hugged him close and smiled over his curly, white head at the little +girls, who clapped their hands at the pleasing tableau, and then went to +pat and fondle the good creature, assuring him that they entirely +forgave the theft of the cake and the new dinner-pail. Inspired by these +endearments and certain private signals given by Ben, Sancho suddenly +burst away to perform all his best antics with unusual grace and +dexterity. + +Bab and Betty danced about the room with rapture, while Mrs. Moss +declared she was almost afraid to have such a wonderfully intelligent +animal in the house. Praises of his dog pleased Ben more than praises of +himself, and when the confusion had subsided he entertained his audience +with a lively account of Sancho's cleverness, fidelity, and the various +adventures in which he had nobly borne his part. + +While he talked, Mrs. Moss was making up her mind about him, and when he +came to an end of his dog's perfections, she said, gravely,-- + +"If I can find something for you to do, would you like to stay here +awhile?" + +"Oh, yes, ma'am, I'd be glad to!" answered Ben, eagerly; for the place +seemed home-like already, and the good woman almost as motherly as the +departed Mrs. Smithers. + +"Well, I'll step over to the Squire's to-morrow to see what he says. +Shouldn't wonder if he'd take you for a chore-boy, if you are as smart +as you say. He always has one in the summer, and I haven't seen any +round yet. Can you drive cows?" + +"Hope so;" and Ben gave a shrug, as if it was a very unnecessary +question to put to a person who had driven four calico ponies in a +gilded chariot. + +"It mayn't be as lively as riding elephants and playing with bears, but +it is respectable; and I guess you'll be happier switching Brindle and +Buttercup than being switched yourself," said Mrs. Moss, shaking her +head at him with a smile. + +"I guess I will, ma'am," answered Ben, with sudden meekness, remembering +the trials from which he had escaped. + +Very soon after this, he was sent off for a good night's sleep in the +back bedroom, with Sancho to watch over him. But both found it difficult +to slumber till the racket overhead subsided; for Bab insisted on +playing she was a bear and devouring poor Betty, in spite of her wails, +till their mother came up and put an end to it by threatening to send +Ben and his dog away in the morning, if the girls "didn't behave and be +as still as mice." + +This they solemnly promised; and they were soon dreaming of gilded cars +and mouldy coaches, runaway boys and dinner-pails, dancing dogs and +twirling teacups. + + + +CHAPTER V + +BEN GETS A PLACE + +When Ben awoke next morning, he looked about him for a moment half +bewildered, because there was neither a canvas tent, a barn roof, nor +the blue sky above him, but a neat white ceiling, where several flies +buzzed sociably together, while from without came, not the tramping of +horses, the twitter of swallows, or the chirp of early birds, but the +comfortable cackle of hens and the sound of two little voices chanting +the multiplication table. + +Sancho sat at the open window, watching the old cat wash her face, and +trying to imitate her with his great ruffled paw, so awkwardly that Ben +laughed; and Sanch, to hide his confusion at being caught, made one +bound from chair to bed, and licked his master's face so energetically +that the boy dived under the bedclothes to escape from the rough tongue. +A rap on the floor from below made both jump up, and in ten minutes a +shiny-faced lad and a lively dog went racing downstairs,--one to say, +"Good-mornin', ma'am," the other to wag his tail faster than ever tail +wagged before, for ham frizzled on the stove, and Sancho was fond of it. + +"Did you rest well?" asked Mrs. Moss, nodding at him, fork in hand. + +"Guess I did! Never saw such a bed. I'm used to hay and a +horse-blanket, and lately nothin' but sky for a cover and grass for my +feather-bed," laughed Ben, grateful for present comforts and making +light of past hardships. + +"Clean, sweet corn-husks ain't bad for young bones, even if they haven't +got more flesh on them than yours have," answered Mrs. Moss, giving the +smooth head a motherly stroke as she went by. + +"Fat ain't allowed in our profession, ma'am. The thinner the better for +tight-ropes and tumblin'; likewise bareback ridin' and spry jugglin'. +Muscle's the thing, and there you are." + +Ben stretched out a wiry little arm with a clenched fist at the end of +it, as if he were a young Hercules, ready to play ball with the stove if +she gave him leave. Glad to see him in such good spirits, she pointed to +the well outside, saying pleasantly,-- + +"Well, then, just try your muscle by bringing in some fresh water." + +Ben caught up a pail and ran off, ready to be useful; but, while he +waited for the bucket to fill down among the mossy stones, he looked +about him, well pleased with all he saw,--the small brown house with a +pretty curl of smoke rising from its chimney, the little sisters sitting +in the sunshine, green hills and newly-planted fields far and near, a +brook dancing through the orchard, birds singing in the elm avenue, and +all the world as fresh and lovely as early summer could make it. + +"Don't you think it's pretty nice here?" asked Bab, as his eye came back +to them after a long look, which seemed to take in every thing, +brightening as it roved. + +"Just the nicest place that ever was. Only needs a horse round +somewhere to be complete," answered Ben, as the long well-sweep came up +with a dripping bucket at one end, an old grindstone at the other. + +"The judge has three, but he's so fussy about them he won't even let us +pull a few hairs out of old Major's tail to make rings of," said Betty, +shutting her arithmetic, with an injured expression. + +"Mike lets me ride the white one to water when the judge isn't round. +It's such fun to go jouncing down the lane and back. I do love horses!" +cried Bab, bobbing up and down on the blue bench to imitate the motion +of white Jenny. + +"I guess you are a plucky sort of a girl," and Ben gave her an approving +look as he went by, taking care to slop a little water on Mrs. Puss, who +stood curling her whiskers and humping up her back at Sancho. + +"Come to breakfast!" called Mrs. Moss; and for about twenty minutes +little was said, as mush and milk vanished in a way that would have +astonished even Jack the Giant-killer with his leather bag. + +"Now, girls, fly round and get your chores done up; Ben, you go chop me +some kindlings; and I'll make things tidy. Then we can all start off at +once," said Mrs. Moss, as the last mouthful vanished, and Sancho licked +his lips over the savory scraps that fell to his share. + +Ben fell to chopping so vigorously that chips flew wildly all about the +shed; Bab rattled the cups into her dish-pan with dangerous haste, and +Betty raised a cloud of dust "sweeping-up;" while mother seemed to be +everywhere at once. Even Sanch, feeling that his fate was at stake, +endeavored to help in his own somewhat erratic way,--now frisking +about Ben at the risk of getting his tail chopped off, then trotting +away to poke his inquisitive nose into every closet and room whither he +followed Mrs. Moss in her "flying round" evolutions; next dragging off +the mat so Betty could brush the door-steps, or inspecting Bab's +dish-washing by standing on his hind-legs to survey the table with a +critical air. When they drove him out he was not the least offended, but +gayly barked Puss up a tree, chased all the hens over the fence, and +carefully interred an old shoe in the garden, where the remains of the +mutton-bone were already buried. + +By the time the others were ready, he had worked off his superfluous +spirits, and trotted behind the party like a well-behaved dog accustomed +to go out walking with ladies. At the cross-roads they separated, the +little girls running on to school, while Mrs. Moss and Ben went up to +the Squire's big house on the hill. + +"Don't you be scared, child. I'LL make it all right about your running +away; and if the Squire gives you a job, just thank him for it, and do +your best to be steady and industrious; then you'll get on, I haven't a +doubt," she whispered, ringing the Ben at a side-door, on which the word +"Morris" shone in bright letters. + +"Come in!" called a gruff voice; and, feeling very much as if he were +going to have a tooth out, Ben meekly followed the good woman, who put +on her pleasantest smile, anxious to make the best possible impression. + +A white-headed old gentleman sat reading a paper, and peered over his +glasses at the new-comers with a pair of sharp eyes, saying in a testy +tone, which would have rather daunted any one who did not know what a +kind heart he had under his capacious waistcoat,-- + +"Good-morning, ma'am. What's the matter now? Young tramp been stealing +your chickens?" + +"Oh, dear no, sir!" exclaimed Mrs. Moss, as if shocked at the idea. +Then, in a few words, she told Ben's story, unconsciously making his +wrongs and destitution so pathetic by her looks and tones, that the +Squire could not help being interested, and even Ben pitied himself as +if he were somebody else. + +"Now, then, boy, what can you do?" asked the old gentleman, with an +approving nod to Mrs. Moss as she finished, and such a keen glance from +under his bushy brows that Ben felt as if he was perfectly transparent. + +"'Most any thing, sir, to get my livin'." + +"Can you weed?" + +"Never did, but I can learn, sir." + +"Pull up all the beets and leave the pigweed, hey? Can you pick +strawberries?" + +"Never tried any thing but eatin' 'em, sir," + +"Not likely to forget that part of the job. Can you ride a horse to +plow?" + +"Guess I could, sir!"--and Ben's eyes began to sparkle, for he dearly +loved the noble animals who had been his dearest friends lately. + +"No antics allowed. My horse is a fine fellow, and I'm very particular +about him." The Squire spoke soberly, but there was a twinkle in his +eye, and Mrs. Moss tried not to smile; for the Squire's horse was a joke +all over the town, being about twenty years old, and having a peculiar +gait of his own, lifting his fore-feet very high, with a great show of +speed, though never going out of a jog-trot. The boys used to say he +galloped before and walked behind, and made all sorts of fun of the big, +Roman-nosed beast, who allowed no liberties to be taken with him. + +"I'm too fond of horses to hurt 'em, Sir. As for ridin', I ain't afraid +of any thing on four legs. The King of Morocco used to kick and bite +like fun, but I could manage him first-rate." + +"Then you'd be able to drive cows to pasture, perhaps?" + +"I've drove elephants and camels, ostriches and grizzly bears, and +mules, and six yellow ponies all to oncet. May be I could manage cows if +I tried hard," answered Ben, endeavoring to be meek and respectful when +scorn filled his soul at the idea of not being able to drive a cow. + +The Squire liked him all the better for the droll mixture of indignation +and amusement betrayed by the fire in his eyes and the sly smile round +his lips; and being rather tickled by Ben's list of animals, he answered +gravely,-- + +"Don't raise elephants and camels much round here. Bears used to be +plenty, but folks got tired of them. Mules are numerous, but we have the +two-legged kind; and as a general thing prefer Shanghae fowls to +ostriches." + +He got no farther, for Ben laughed out so infectiously that both the +others joined him; and somehow that jolly laugh seemed to settle matters +than words. As they stopped, the Squire tapped on the window behind him, +saying, with an attempt at the former gruffness,-- + +"We'll try you on cows awhile. My man will show you where to drive +them, and give you some odd jobs through the day. I'll see what you are +good for, and send you word to-night, Mrs. Moss. The boy can sleep at +your house, can't he?" + +"Yes, indeed, sir. He can go on doing it, and come up to his work just +as well as not. I can see to him then, and he won't be a care to any +one," said Mrs. Moss, heartily. + +"I'll make inquiries concerning your father, boy; meantime mind what you +are about, and have a good report to give when he comes for you," +returned the Squire, with a warning wag of a stern fore-finger. + +"Thanky', sir. I will, sir. Father'll come just as soon as he can, if +he isn't sick or lost," murmured Ben, inwardly thanking his stars that +he had not done any thing to make him quake before that awful finger, +and resolved that he never would. + +Here a red-headed Irishman came to the door, and stood eying the boy +with small favor while the Squire gave his orders. + +"Pat, this lad wants work. He's to take the cows and go for them. Give +him any light jobs you have, and let me know if he's good for any +thing." + +"Yis, your honor. Come out o' this, b'y, till I show ye the bastes," +responded Pat; and, with a hasty good-by to Mrs. Moss, Ben followed his +new leader, sorely tempted to play some naughty trick upon him in return +for his ungracious reception. + +But in a moment he forgot that Pat existed, for in the yard stood the +Duke of Wellington, so named in honor of his Roman nose. If Ben had +known any thing about Shakespeare, he would have cried, "A horse, a +horse! my kingdom for a horse!" for the feeling was in his heart, and he +ran up to the stately animal without a fear. Duke put back his ears and +swished his tail as if displeased for a moment; but Ben looked straight +in his eyes, gave a scientific stroke to the iron-gray nose, and uttered +a chirrup which made the ears prick up as if recognizing a familiar +sound. + +"He'll nip ye, if ye go botherin' that way. Leave him alone, and attend +to the cattle as his honor told ye," commanded Pat, who made a great +show of respect toward Duke in public, and kicked him brutally in +private. + +"I ain't afraid! You won't hurt me, will you, old feller? See there +now!--he knows I 'm a friend, and takes to me right off," said Ben, +with an arm around Duke's neck, and his own cheek confidingly laid +against the animal's; for the intelligent eyes spoke to him as plainly +as the little whinny which he understood and accepted as a welcome. + +The Squire saw it all from the open window, and suspecting from Pat's +face that trouble was brewing, called out,-- + +"Let the lad harness Duke, if he can. I'm going out directly, and he +may as well try that as any thing." + +Ben was delighted, and proved himself so brisk and handy that the roomy +chaise stood at the door in a surprisingly short time, with a smiling +little ostler at Duke's head when the Squire came out. + +His affection for the horse pleased the old gentleman, and his neat way +of harnessing suited as well; but Ben got no praise, except a nod and a +brief "All right, boy," as the equipage went creaking and jogging away. + +Four sleek cows filed out of the barnyard when Pat opened the gate, and +Ben drove them down the road to a distant pasture where the early grass +awaited their eager cropping. By the school they went, and the boy +looked pityingly at the black, brown, and yellow heads bobbing past the +windows as a class went up to recite; for it seemed a hard thing to the +liberty-loving lad to be shut up there so many hours on a morning like +that. + +But a little breeze that was playing truant round the steps did Ben a +service without knowing it, for a sudden puff blew a torn leaf to his +feet, and seeing a picture he took it up. It evidently had fallen from +some ill-used history, for the picture showed some queer ships at +anchor, some oddly dressed men just landing, and a crowd of Indians +dancing about on the shore. Ben spelt out all he could about these +interesting personages, but could not discover what it meant, because +ink evidently had deluged the page, to the new reader's great +disappointment. + +"I'll ask the girls; may be they will know," said Ben to himself as, +after looking vainly for more stray leaves, he trudged on, enjoying the +bobolink's song, the warm sunshine, and a comfortable sense of +friendliness and safety, which soon set him to whistling as gayly as any +blackbird in the meadow. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A CIRCULATING LIBRARY + +After supper that night, Bab and Betty sat in the old porch playing with +Josephus and Belinda, and discussing the events of the day; for the +appearance of the strange boy and his dog had been a most exciting +occurrence in their quiet lives. They had seen nothing of him since +morning, as he took his meals at the Squire's, and was at work with Pat +in a distant field when the children passed. Sancho had stuck closely to +his master, evidently rather bewildered by the new order of things, and +bound to see that no harm happened to Ben. + +"I wish they'd come. It's sundown, and I heard the cows mooing, so I +know they have gone home," said Betty, impatiently; for she regarded the +new-comer in the light of an entertaining book, and wished to read on as +fast as possible. + +"I'm going to learn the signs he makes when he wants Sancho to dance; +then we can have fun with him whenever we like. He's the dearest dog I +ever saw!" answered Bab, who was fonder of animals than her sister. + +"Ma said--Ow, what's that?" cried Betty with a start, as something +bumped against the gate outside; and in a moment Ben's head peeped over +the top as he swung himself up to the iron arch, in the middle of which +was the empty lantern frame. + +"Please to locate, gentlemen; please to locate. The performance is about +to begin with the great Flyin' Coopid act, in which Master Bloomsbury +has appeared before the crowned heads of Europe. Pronounced by all +beholders the most remarkable youthful progidy agoin'. Hooray! here we +are!" + +Having rattled off the familiar speech in Mr. Smithers's elegant manner, +Ben begin to cut up such capers that even a party of dignified hens, +going down the avenue to bed, paused to look on with clucks of +astonishment, evidently fancying that salt had set him to fluttering and +tumbling as it did them. Never had the old gate beheld such antics, +though it had seen gay doings in its time; for of all the boys who had +climbed over it, not one had ever stood on his head upon each of the big +balls which ornamented the posts, hung by his heels from the arch, gone +round and round like a wheel with the bar for an axis, played a tattoo +with his toes while holding on by his chin, walked about the wall on his +hands, or closed the entertainment by festooning himself in an airy +posture over the side of the lantern frame, and kissing his hand to the +audience as a well-bred Cupid is supposed to do on making his bow. + +The little girls clapped and stamped enthusiastically, while Sancho, who +had been calmly surveying the show, barked his approval as he leaped up +to snap at Ben's feet. + +"Come down and tell what you did up at the Squire's. Was he cross? Did +you have to work hard? Do you like it?" asked Bab, when the noise had +subsided. + +"It's cooler up here," answered Ben, composing himself in the frame, and +fanning his hot face with a green spray broken from the tall bushes +rustling odorously all about him. "I did all sorts of jobs. The old +gentleman wasn't cross; he gave me a dime, and I like him first-rate. +But I just hate 'Carrots;' he swears at a feller, and fired a stick of +wood at me. Guess I'll pay him off when I get a chance." + +Fumbling in his pocket to show the bright dime, he found the torn page, +and remembered the thirst for information which had seized him in the +morning. "Look here, tell me about this, will you? What are these chaps +up to? The ink has spoilt all but the picture and this bit of reading. I +want to know what it means. Take it to 'em, Sanch." + +The dog caught the leaf as it fluttered to the ground, and carrying it +carefully in his mouth, deposited it at the feet of the little girls, +seating himself before them with an air of deep interest. Bab and Betty +picked it up and read it aloud in unison, while Ben leaned from his +perch to listen and learn. + +"'When day dawned, land was visible. A pleasant land it was. There +were gay flowers, and tall trees with leaves and fruit, such as they had +never seen before. On the shore were unclad copper-colored men, gazing +with wonder at the Spanish ships. They took them for great birds, the +white sails for their wings, and the Spaniards for superior beings +brought down from heaven on their backs." + +"Why, that's Columbus finding San Salvador. Don't you know about him?" +demanded Bab, as if she were one of the "superior beings," and +intimately acquainted with the immortal Christopher. + +"No, I don't. Who was he any way? I s'pose that's him paddlin' ahead; +but which of the Injuns is Sam Salvindoor?" asked Ben, rather ashamed of +his ignorance, but bent on finding out now he had begun. + +"My gracious! twelve years old and not know your Quackenbos!" laughed +Bab, much amused, but rather glad to find that she could teach the +"whirligig boy" something, for she considered him a remarkable creature. + +"I don't care a bit for your quackin' boss, whoever he is. Tell about +this fine feller with the ships; I like him," persisted Ben. + +So Bab, with frequent interruptions and hints from Betty, told the +wonderful tale in a simple way, which made it easy to understand; for +she liked history, and had a lively tongue of her own. + +"I'd like to read some more. Would my ten cents buy a book?" asked Ben, +anxious to learn a little since Bab laughed at him. + +"No, indeed! I'll lend you mine when I'm not using it, and tell you all +about it," promised Bab; forgetting that she did not know "all about it" +herself yet. + +"I don't have any time only evenings, and then may be you'll want it," +begun Ben, in whom the inky page had roused a strong curiosity. + +"I do get my history in the evening, but you could have it mornings +before school." + +"I shall have to go off early, so there won't be any chance. Yes, there +will,--I'LL tell you how to do it. Let me read while I drive up the +cows. Squire likes 'em to eat slow along the road, so's to keep the +grass short and save mowin'. Pat said so, and I could do history instead +of loafin' round!" cried Ben full of this bright idea. + +"How will I get my book back in time to recite?" asked Bab, prudently. + +"Oh, I'll leave it on the window-sill, or put it inside the door as I go +back. I'll be real careful, and just as soon as I earn enough, I'll buy +you a new one and take the old one. Will you?" + +"Yes; but I'll tell you a nicer way to do. Don't put the book on the +window, 'cause teacher will see you; or inside the door, 'cause some one +may steal it. You put it in my cubby-house, right at the corner of the +wall nearest the big maple. You'll find a cunning place between the +roots that stick up under the flat stone. That's my closet, and I keep +things there. It's the best cubby of all, and we take turns to have it." + +"I'll find it, and that'll be a first-rate place," said Ben, much +gratified. + +"I could put my reading-book in sometimes, if you'd like it. There's +lots of pretty stories in it and pictures," proposed Betty, rather +timidly; for she wanted to share the benevolent project, but had little +to offer, not being as good a scholar as Bab. + +"I'd like a 'rithmetic better. I read tip-top, but I ain't much on +'rithmetic; so, if you can spare yours, I might take a look at it. Now +I'm goin' to earn wages, I ought to know about addin' 'em up, and so +on," said Ben, with the air of a Vanderbilt oppressed with the care of +millions. + +"I'll teach you that. Betty doesn't know much about sums. But she +spells splendidly, and is always at the head of her class. Teacher is +real proud of her, 'cause she never misses, and spells hard, fussy +words, like chi-rog-ra-phy and bron-chi-tis as easy as any thing." + +Bab quite beamed with sisterly pride, and Betty smoothed down her apron +with modest satisfaction, for Bab seldom praised her, and she liked it +very much. + +"I never went to school, so that's the reason I ain't smart. I can +write, though, better 'n some of the boys up at school. I saw lots of +names on the shed door. See here, now,"--and scrambling down, Ben +pulled out a cherished bit of chalk, and flourished off ten letters of +the alphabet, one on each of the dark stone slabs that paved the walk. + +"Those are beautiful! I can't make such curly ones. Who taught you to +do it?" asked Bab, as she and Betty walked up and down admiring them. + +"Horse blankets," answered Ben, soberly. + +"What!" cried both girls, stopping to stare. + +"Our horses all had their names on their blankets, and I used to copy +'em. The wagons had signs, and I learned to read that way after father +taught me my letters off the red and yellow posters. First word I knew +was lion, 'cause I was always goin' to see old Jubal in his cage. Father +was real proud when I read it right off. I can draw one, too." + +Ben proceeded to depict an animal intended to represent his lost friend; +but Jubal would not have recognized his portrait, since it looked much +more like Sancho than the king of the forest. The children admired it +immensely, however, and Ben gave them a lesson in natural history which +was so interesting that it kept them busy and happy till bedtime; for +the boy described what he had seen in such lively language, and +illustrated in such a droll way, it was no wonder they were charmed. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +NEW FRIENDS TROT IN + +Next day Ben ran off to his work with Quackenbos's "Elementary History +of the United States" in his pocket, and the Squire's cows had ample +time to breakfast on way-side grass before they were put into their +pasture. Even then the pleasant lesson was not ended, for Ben had an +errand to town; and all the way he read busily, tumbling over the hard +words, and leaving bits which he did not understand to be explained at +night by Bab. + +At "The First Settlements" he had to stop, for the schoolhouse was +reached, and the book must be returned. The maple-tree closet was easily +found, and a little surprise hidden under the flat stone; for Ben paid +two sticks of red and white candy for the privilege of taking books from +the new library. + +When recess came, great was the rejoicing of the children over their +unexpected treat, for Mrs. Moss had few pennies to spare for sweets, +and, somehow, this candy tasted particularly nice, bought out of +grateful Ben's solitary dime. The little girls shared their goodies with +their favorite mates, but said nothing about the new arrangement, +fearing it would be spoilt if generally known. They told their mother, +however, and she gave them leave to lend their books and encourage Ben +to love learning all they could. She also proposed that they should drop +patch-work, and help her make some blue shirts for Ben. Mrs. Barton had +given her the materials, and she thought it would be an excellent lesson +in needle-work as well as a useful gift to Ben,--who, boy-like, never +troubled himself as to what he should wear when his one suit of clothes +gave out. + +Wednesday afternoon was the sewing time; so the two little B's worked +busily at a pair of shirt-sleeves, sitting on their bench in the +doorway, while the rusty needles creaked in and out, and the childish +voices sang school-songs, with frequent stoppages for lively chatter. + +For a week, Ben worked away bravely, and never shirked nor complained, +although Pat put many a hard or disagreeable job upon him, and chores +grew more and more distasteful. His only comfort was the knowledge that +Mrs. Moss and the Squire were satisfied with him; his only pleasure the +lessons he learned while driving the cows, and recited in the evening +when the three children met under the lilacs to "play school." + +He had no thought of studying when he began, and hardly knew that he was +doing it as he pored over the different books he took from the library. +But the little girls tried him with all they Possessed, and he was +mortified to find how ignorant he was. He never owned it in words, but +gladly accepted all the bits of knowledge they offered from their small +store; getting Betty to hear him spell "just for fun;" agreeing to draw +Bab all the bears and tigers she wanted if she would show him how to do +sums on the flags, and often beguiled his lonely labors by trying to +chant the multiplication table as they did. When Tuesday night came +round, the Squire paid him a dollar, said he was "a likely boy," and +might stay another week if he chose. Ben thanked him and thought he +would; but the next morning, after he had put up the bars, he remained +sitting on the top rail to consider his prospects, for he felt +uncommonly reluctant to go back to the society of rough Pat. Like most +boys, he hated work, unless it was of a sort which just suited him; then +he could toil like a beaver and never tire. His wandering life had given +him no habits of steady industry; and, while he was an unusually capable +lad of his age, he dearly loved to "loaf" about and have a good deal of +variety and excitement in his life. + +Now he saw nothing before him but days of patient and very uninteresting +labor. He was heartily sick of weeding; even riding Duke before the +cultivator had lost its charms, and a great pile of wood lay in the +Squire's yard which he knew he would be set to piling up in the shed. +Strawberry-picking would soon follow the asparagus cultivation; then +haying; and and so on all the long bright summer, without any fun, +unless his father came for him. + +On the other hand, he was not obliged to stay a minute longer unless he +liked. With a comfortable suit of clothes, a dollar in his pocket, and a +row of dinner-baskets hanging in the school-house entry to supply him +with provisions if he didn't mind stealing them, what was easier than to +run away again? Tramping has its charms in fair weather, and Ben had +lived like a gypsy under canvas for years; so he feared nothing, and +began to look down the leafy road with a restless, wistful expression, +as the temptation grew stronger and stronger every minute. + +Sancho seemed to share the longing, for he kept running off a little way +and stopping to frisk and bark; then rushed back to sit watching his +master with those intelligent eyes of his, which seemed to say, "Come +on, Ben, let us scamper down this pleasant road and never stop till we +are tired." Swallows darted by, white clouds fled before the balmy west +wind, a squirrel ran along the wall, and all things seemed to echo the +boy's desire to leave toil behind and roam away as care-free as they. +One thing restrained him, the thought of his seeming ingratitude to good +Mrs. Moss, and the disappointment of the little girls at the loss of +their two new play-fellows. While he paused to think of this, something +happened which kept him from doing what he would have been sure to +regret afterward. + +Horses had always been his best friends, and one came trotting up to +help him now; though he did not know how much he owed it till long +after. Just in the act of swinging himself over the bars to take a +shortcut across the fields, the sound of approaching hoofs, +unaccompanied by the roll of wheels, caught his ear; and, pausing, he +watched eagerly to see who was coming at such a pace. + +At the turn of road, however, the quick trot stopped, and in a moment a +lady on a bay mare came pacing slowly into sight,--a young and pretty +lady, all in dark blue, with a bunch of dandelions like yellow stars in +her button-hole, and a silver-handled whip hanging from the pommel of +her saddle, evidently more for ornament than use. The handsome mare +limped a little, and shook her head as if something plagued her; while +her mistress leaned down to see what was the matter, saying, as if she +expected an answer of some sort,-- + +"Now, Chevalita, if you have got a stone in your foot, I shall have to +get off and take it out. Why don't you look where you step, and save me +all this trouble?" + +"I'll look for you, ma'am; I'd like to!" said an eager voice so +unexpectedly, that both horse and rider started as a boy came down the +bank with a jump. + +"I wish you would. You need not be afraid; Lita is as gentle as a +lamb," answered the young lady, smiling, as if amused by the boy's +earnestness. + +"She's a beauty, any way," muttered Ben, lifting one foot after another +till he found the stone, and with some trouble got it out. + +"That was nicely done, and I'm much obliged. Can you tell me if that +cross-road leads to the Elms?" asked the lady, as she went slowly on +with Ben beside her. + +"No, ma'am; I'm new in these parts, and I only know where Squire Morris +and Mrs. Moss live." + +"I want to see both of them, so suppose you show me the way. I was here +long ago, and thought I should remember how to find the old house with +the elm avenue and the big gate, but I don't." + +"I know it; they call that place the Laylocks now, 'cause there's a +hedge of 'em all down the path and front wall. It's a real pretty place; +Bab and Betty play there, and so do I." + +Ben could not restrain a chuckle at the recollection of his first +appearance there, and, as if his merriment or his words interested her, +the lady said pleasantly, + +"Tell me all about it. Are Bab and Betty your sisters?" Quite +forgetting his intended tramp, Ben plunged into a copious history of +himself and new-made friends, led on by a kind look, an inquiring word, +and sympathetic smile, till he had told every thing. At the school-house +corner he stopped and said, spreading his arms like a sign-post,-- + +"That's the way to the Laylocks, and this is the way to the Squire's." + +"As I'm in a hurry to see the old house, I'll go this way first, if you +will be kind enough to give my love to Mrs. Morris, and tell the Squire +Miss Celia is coming to dine with him. I won't say good-by, because I +shall see you again." + +With a nod and a smile, the young lady cantered away, and Ben hurried up +the hill to deliver his message, feeling as if something pleasant was +going to happen; so it would be wise to defer running away, for the +present at least. + +At one o'clock Miss Celia arrived, and Ben had the delight of helping +Pat stable pretty Chevalita; then, his own dinner hastily eaten, he fell +to work at the detested wood-pile with sudden energy; for as he worked +he could steal peeps into the dining-room, and see the curly brown head +between the two gay ones, as the three sat round the table. He could not +help hearing a word now and then, as the windows were open, and these +bits of conversation filled him with curiosity for the names "Thorny," +"Celia," and "George" were often repeated, and an occasional merry laugh +from the young lady sounded like music in that usually quiet place. + +When dinner was over, Ben's industrious fit left him, and he leisurely +trundled his barrow to and fro till the guest departed. There was no +chance for him to help now, since Pat, anxious to get whatever trifle +might be offered for his services, was quite devoted in his attentions +to the mare and her mistress, till she was mounted and off. But Miss +Celia did not forget her little guide, and, spying a wistful face behind +the wood-pile, paused at the gate and beckoned with that winning smile +of hers. If ten Pats had stood scowling in the way, Ben would have +defied them all; and, vaulting over the fence, he ran up with a shining +face, hoping she wanted some last favor of him. Leaning down, Miss Celia +slipped a new quarter into his hand, saying, + +"Lita wants me to give you this for taking the stone out of her foot." + +"Thank y', ma'am; I liked to do it, for I hate to see 'em limp, +'specially such a pretty one as she is," answered Ben, stroking the +glossy neck with a loving touch. + +"The Squire says you know a good deal about horses, so I suppose you +understand the Houyhnhnm language? I'm learning it, and it is very +nice," laughed Miss Celia, as Chevalita gave a little whinny and +snuffled her nose into Ben's pocket. + +"No, miss, I never went to school." + +"That is not taught there. I'll bring you a book all about it when I +come back. Mr. Gulliver went to the horse-country and heard the dear +things speak their own tongue." + +"My father has been on the prairies, where there's lots of wild ones, +but he didn't hear 'em speak. I know what they want without talkin'," +answered Ben, suspecting a joke, but not exactly seeing what it was. + +"I don't doubt it, but I won't forget the book. Good-by, my lad, we +shall soon meet again," and away went Miss Celia as if she were in a +hurry to get back. + +"If she only had a red habit and a streamin' white feather, she'd look +as fine as 'Melia used to. She is 'most as kind and rides 'most as well. +Wonder where she's goin' to. Hope she will come soon," thought Ben, +watching till the last flutter of the blue habit vanished round the +corner; and then he went back to his work with his head full of the +promised book, pausing now and then to chink the two silver halves and +the new quarter together in his pocket, wondering what he should buy +with this vast sum. + +Bab and Betty meantime had had a most exciting day; for when they went +home at noon they found the pretty lady there, and she had talked to +them like an old friend, given them a ride on the little horse, and +kissed them both good-by when they went back to school. In the afternoon +the lady was gone, the old house all open, and their mother sweeping, +airing, in great spirits. So they had a splendid frolic tumbling on +feather-beds, beating bits of carpet, opening closets, and racing from +garret to cellar like a pair of distracted kittens. + +Here Ben found them, and was at once overwhelmed with a burst of news +which excited him as much as it did them. Miss Celia owned the house, +was coming to liver there, and things were to be made ready as soon as +possible. All thought the prospect a charming one: Mrs. Moss, because +life had been dull for her during the year she had taken charge of the +old house; the little girls had heard rumors of various pets who were +coming; and Ben, learning that a boy and a donkey were among them, +resolved that nothing but the arrival of his father should tear him from +this now deeply interesting spot. + +"I'm in such a hurry to see the peacocks and hear them scream. She said +they did, and that we'd laugh when old Jack brayed," cried Bab, hopping +about on one foot to work off her impatience. + +"Is a faytun a kind of a bird? I heard her say she could keep it in the +coach-house," asked Betty, inquiringly. + +"It's a little carriage," and Ben rolled in the grass, much tickled at +poor Betty's ignorance. + +"Of course it is. I looked it out in the dic., and you mustn't call it +a payton, though it is spelt with a p," added Bab, who liked to lay down +the law on all occasions, and did not mention that she had looked vainly +among the Vs till a school-mate set her right. + +"You can't tell me much about carriages. But what I want to know is +where Lita will stay?" said Ben. + +"Oh, she's to be up at the Squire's till things are fixed, and you are +to bring her down. Squire came and told Ma all about it, and said you +were a boy to be trusted, for he had tried you." + +Ben made no answer, but secretly thanked his stars that he had not +proved himself untrustworthy by running away, and so missing all this +fun. + +"Won't it be fine to have the house open all the time? We can run over +and see the pictures and books whenever we like. I know we can, Miss +Celia is so kind," began Betty, who cared for these things more than for +screaming peacocks and comical donkeys. + +"Not unless you are invited," answered their mother, locking the front +door behind her. "You'd better begin to pick up your duds right away, +for she won't want them cluttering round her front yard. If you are not +too tired, Ben, you might rake round a little while I shut the blinds. I +want things to look nice and tidy." + +Two little groans went up from two afflicted little girls as they looked +about them at the shady bower, the dear porch, and the winding walks +where they loved to run "till their hair whistled in the wind," as the +fairy-books say. + +"Whatever shall we do! Our attic is so hot and the shed so small, and +the yard always full of hens or clothes. We shall have to pack all our +things away, and never play any more," said Bab, tragically. + +"May be Ben could build us a little house in the orchard," proposed +Betty, who firmly believed that Ben could do any thing. + +"He won't have any time. Boys don't care for baby-houses," returned +Bab, collecting her homeless goods and chattels with a dismal face. + +"We sha'n't want these much when all the new things come; see if we do," +said cheerful little Betty, who always found out a silver lining to +every cloud. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +MISS CELIA'S MAN + +Ben was not too tired, and the clearing-up began that very night. None +too soon, for in a day or two things arrived, to the great delight of +the children, who considered moving a most interesting play. First came +the phaeton, which Ben spent all his leisure moments in admiring; +wondering with secret envy what happy boy would ride in the little seat +up behind, and beguiling his tasks by planning how, when he got rich, he +would pass his time driving about in just such an equipage, and inviting +all the boys he met to have a ride. + +Then a load of furniture came creaking in at the lodge gate, and the +girls had raptures over a cottage piano, several small chairs, and a +little low table, which they pronounced just the thing for them to play +at. The live stock appeared next, creating a great stir in the +neighborhood, for peacocks were rare birds there; the donkey's bray +startled the cattle and convulsed the people with laughter; the rabbits +were continually getting out to burrow in the newly made garden; and +Chevalita scandalized old Duke by dancing about the stable which he had +inhabited for years in stately solitude. + +Last but by no means least, Miss Celia, her young brother, and two maids +arrived one evening so late that only Mrs. Moss went over to help them +settle. The children were much disappointed, but were appeased by a +promise that they should all go to pay their respects in the morning. + +They were up so early, and were so impatient to be off, that Mrs. Moss +let them go with the warning that they would find only the servants +astir. She was mistaken, however, for, as the procession approached, a +voice from the porch called out, "Good-morning little neighbors!" so +unexpectedly, that Bab nearly spilt the new milk she carried, Betty gave +such a start that the fresh-laid eggs quite skipped in the dish, and +Ben's face broke into a broad grin over the armful of clover which he +brought for the bunnies, as he bobbed his head, saying briskly,-- + +"She's all right, miss, Lita is; and I can bring her over any minute you +say." + +"I shall want her at four o'clock. Thorny will be too tired to drive, +but I must hear from the post-office, rain or shine;" and Miss Celia's +pretty color brightened as she spoke, either from some happy thought or +because she was bashful, for the honest young faces before her plainly +showed their admiration of the white-gowned lady under the honeysuckles. + +The appearance of Miranda, the maid, reminded the children of their +errand; and having delivered their offerings, they were about to retire +in some confusion, when Miss Celia said pleasantly,-- + +"I want to thank you for helping put things in such nice order. I see +signs of busy hands and feet both inside the house and all about the +grounds, and I am very much obliged." + +"I raked the beds," said Ben, proudly eying the neat ovals and circles. + +"I swept all the paths," added Bab, with a reproachful glance at several +green sprigs fallen from the load of clover on the smooth walk. + +"I cleared up the porch," and Betty's clean pinafore rose and fell with +a long sigh, as she surveyed the late summer residence of her exiled +family. Miss Celia guessed the meaning of that sigh, and made haste to +turn it into a smile by asking anxiously,-- + +"What has become of the playthings? I don't see them anywhere." + +"Ma said you wouldn't want our duds round, so we took them all home," +answered Betty, with a wistful face. + +"But I do want them round. I like dolls and toys almost as much as +ever, and quite miss the little 'duds' from porch and path. Suppose you +come to tea with me to-night and bring some of them back? I should be +very sorry to rob you of your pleasant play-place." + +"Oh, yes, 'm, we'd love to come! and we'll bring our best things." + +"Ma always lets us have our shiny pitchers and the china poodle when we +go visiting or have company at home," said Bab and Betty, both speaking +at once. + +"Bring what you like, and I'll hunt up my toys, too. Ben is to come +also, and his poodle is especially invited," added Miss Celia, as Sancho +came and begged before her, feeling that some agreeable project was +under discussion. + +"Thank you, miss. I told them you'd be willing they should come +sometimes. They like this place ever so much, and so do I," said Ben, +feeling that few spots combined so many advantages in the way of +climbable trees, arched gates, half-a-dozen gables, and other charms +suited to the taste of an aspiring youth who had been a flying Cupid at +the age of seven. + +"So do I," echoed Miss Celia, heartily. "Ten years ago I came here a +little girl, and made lilac chains under these very bushes, and picked +chickweed over there for my bird, and rode Thorny in his baby-wagon up +and down these paths. Grandpa lived here then, and we had fine times; +but now they are all gone except us two." + +"We haven't got any father, either," said Bab, for something in Miss +Celia's face made her feel as if a cloud had come over the sun. + +"I have a first-rate father, if I only knew where he'd gone to," said +Ben, looking down the path as eagerly as if one waited for him behind +the locked gate. + +"You are a rich boy, and you are happy little girls to have so good a +mother; I've found that out already," and the sun shone again as the +young lady nodded to the neat, rosy children before her. + +"You may have a piece of her if you want to, 'cause you haven't got any +of your own," said Betty with a pitiful look which made her blue eyes as +sweet as two wet violets. + +"So I will! and you shall be my little sisters. I never had any, and +I'd love to try how it seems;" and Celia took both the chubby hands in +hers, feeling ready to love every one this first bright morning in the +new home, which she hoped to make a very happy one. + +Bab gave a satisfied nod, and fell to examining the rings upon the white +hand that held her own. But Betty put her arms about the new friend's +neck, and kissed her so softly that the hungry feeling in Miss Celia's +heart felt better directly; for this was the food it wanted, and Thorny +had not learned yet to return one half of the affection he received. +Holding the child close, she played with the yellow braids while she +told them about the little German girls in their funny black-silk caps, +short-waisted gowns, and wooden shoes, whom she used to see watering +long webs of linen bleaching on the grass, watching great flocks of +geese, or driving pigs to market, knitting or spinning as they went. + +Presently "Randa," as she called her stout maid, came to tell her that +"Master Thorny couldn't wait another minute;" and she went in to +breakfast with a good appetite, while the children raced home to bounce +in upon Mrs. Moss, talking all at once like little lunatics. + +"The phaeton at four,--so sweet in a beautiful white gown,--going to +tea, and Sancho and all the baby things invited. Can't we wear our +Sunday frocks? A splendid new net for Lita. And she likes dolls. Goody, +goody, won't it be fun!" + +With much difficulty their mother got a clear account of the approaching +festivity out of the eager mouths, and with still more difficulty, got +breakfast into them, for the children had few pleasures, and this +brilliant prospect rather turned their heads. + +Bab and Betty thought the day would never end, and cheered the long +hours by expatiating on the pleasures in store for them, till their +playmates were much afflicted because they were not going also. At noon +their mother kept them from running over to the old house lest they +should be in the way; so they consoled themselves by going to the +syringa bush at the corner and sniffing the savory odors which came from +the kitchen, where Katy, the cook, was evidently making nice things for +tea. + +Ben worked as if for a wager till four; then stood over Pat while he +curried Lita till her coat shone like satin, then drove her gently down +to the coach-house, where he had the satisfaction of harnessing her "all +his own self". + +"Shall I go round to the great gate and wait for you there, miss?" he +asked, when all was ready, looking up at the porch, where the young lady +stood watching him as she put on her gloves. + +"No, Ben, the great gate is not to be opened till next October. I shall +go in and out by the lodge, and leave the avenue to grass and +dandelions, meantime," answered Miss Celia, as she stepped in and took +the reins, with a sudden smile. + +But she did not start, even when Ben had shaken out the new duster and +laid it neatly over her knees. + +"Isn't it all right now?" asked the boy, anxiously. + +"Not quite; I need one thing more. Can't you guess what it is?" and +Miss Celia watched his anxious face as his eyes wandered from the tips +of Lita's ears to the hind-wheel of the phaeton, trying to discover what +had been omitted. + +"No, miss, I don't see--" he began, much mortified to think he had +forgotten any thing. + +"Wouldn't a little groom up behind improve the appearance of my +turnout?" she said, with a look which left no doubt in his mind that he +was to be the happy boy to occupy that proud perch. + +He grew red with pleasure, but stammered, as he hesitated, looking down +at his bare feet and blue shirt,-- + +"I ain't fit, miss; and I haven't got any other clothes." + +Miss Celia only smiled again more kindly than before, and answered, in a +tone which he understood better than her words,--"A great man said his +coat-of-arms was a pair of shirt-sleeves, and a sweet poet sang about a +barefooted boy; so I need not be too proud to ride with one. Up with +you, Ben, my man, and let us be off, or we shall be late for our party." + +With one bound the new groom was in his place, sitting very erect, with +his legs stiff, arms folded, and nose in the air, as he had seen real +grooms sit behind their masters in fine dog-carts or carriages. Mrs. +Moss nodded as they drove past the lodge, and Ben touched his torn +hat-brim in the most dignified manner, though he could not suppress a +broad grin of delight, which deepened into a chuckle when Lita went off +at a brisk trot along the smooth road toward town. + +It takes so little to make a child happy, it is a pity grown people do +not oftener remember it and scatter little bits of pleasure before the +small people, as they throw crumbs to the hungry sparrows. Miss Celia +knew the boy was pleased, but he had no words in which to express his +gratitude for the great contentment she had given him. He could only +beam at all he met, smile when the floating ends of the gray veil blew +against his face, and long in his heart to give the new friend a boyish +hug, as he used to do his dear 'Melia when she was very good to him. + +School was just out as they passed; and it was a spectacle, I assure +you, to see the boys and girls stare at Ben up aloft in such state; also +to see the superb indifference with which that young man regarded the +vulgar herd who went afoot. He couldn't resist an affable nod to Bab and +Betty, for they stood under the maple-tree, and the memory of their +circulating library made him forget his dignity in his gratitude. + +"We will take them next time, but now I want to talk to you," began Miss +Celia, as Lita climbed the hill. "My brother has been ill, and I have +brought him here to get well. I want to do all sorts of things to amuse +him, and I think you can help me in many ways. Would you like to work +for me instead of the Squire? + +"I guess I would!" ejaculated Ben, so heartily that no further +assurances were needed, and Miss Celia went on, well pleased:-- + +"You see, poor Thorny is weak and fretful, and does not like to exert +himself, though he ought to be out a great deal, and kept from thinking +of his little troubles. He cannot walk much yet, so I have a wheeled +chair to push him in; and the paths are so hard, it will be easy to roll +him about. That will be one thing you can do. Another is to take care of +his pets till he is able to do it himself. Then you can tell him your +adventures, and talk to him as only a boy can talk to a boy. That will +amuse him when I want to write or go out; but I never leave him long, +and hope he will soon be running about as well as the rest of us. How +does that sort of work look to you?" + +"First-rate! I'll take real good care of the little feller, and do every +thing I know to please him, and so will Sanch; he's fond of children," +answered Ben, heartily, for the new place looked very inviting to him. +Miss Celia laughed, and rather damped his ardor by her next words. + +"I don't know what Thorny would say to hear you call him 'little.' He +is fourteen, and appears to get taller and taller every day. He seems +like a child to me, because I am nearly ten years older than he is; but +you needn't be afraid of his long legs and big eyes, he is too feeble to +do any harm; only you mustn't mind if he orders you about." + +"I'm used to that. I don't mind it if he won't call me a 'spalpeen,' and +fire things at me," said Ben, thinking of his late trials with Pat. + +"I can promise that; and I am sure Thorny will like you, for I told him +your story, and he is anxious to see 'the circus boy' as he called you. +Squire Allen says I may trust you, and I am glad to do so, for it saves +me much trouble to find what I want all ready for me. You shall be well +fed and clothed, kindly treated and honestly paid, if you like to stay +with me." + +"I know I shall like it--till father comes, anyway. Squire wrote to +Smithers right off, but hasn't got any answer yet. I know they are on +the go now, so may be we won't hear for ever so long," answered Ben, +feeling less impatient to be off than before this fine proposal was made +to him. + +"I dare say; meantime, we will see how we get on together, and perhaps +your father will be willing leave you for the summer if he is away. Now +show me the baker's, the candy-shop, and the post-office," said Miss +Celia, as they rattled down the main street of the village. + +Ben made himself useful; and when all the other errands were done, +received his reward in the shape of a new pair of shoes and a straw hat +with a streaming blue ribbon, on the ends of which shone silvery +anchors. He was also allowed to drive home, while his new mistress read +her letters. One particularly long one, with a queer stamp on the +envelope, she read twice, never speaking a word till they got back. Then +Ben was sent off with Lita and the Squire's letters, promising to get +his chores done in time for tea. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A HAPPY TEA + +Exactly five minutes before six the party arrived in great state, for +Bab and Betty wore their best frocks and hair-ribbons, Ben had a new +blue shirt and his shoes on as full-dress, and Sancho's curls were +nicely brushed, his frills as white as if just done up. + +No one was visible to receive them, but the low table stood in the +middle of the walk, with four chairs and a foot-stool around it. A +pretty set of green and white china caused the girls to cast admiring +looks upon the little cups and plates, while Ben eyed the feast +longingly, and Sancho with difficulty restrained himself from repeating +his former naughtiness. No wonder the dog sniffed and the children +smiled, for there was a noble display of little tarts and cakes, little +biscuits and sandwiches, a pretty milk-pitcher shaped like a white calla +rising out of its green leaves, and a jolly little tea-kettle singing +away over the spirit-lamp as cosily as you please. + +"Isn't it perfectly lovely?" whispered Betty, who had never seen any +thing like it before. + +"I just wish Sally could see us now," answered Bab, who had not yet +forgiven her enemy. + +"Wonder where the boy is," added Ben, feeling as good as any one, but +rather doubtful how others might regard him. + +Here a rumbling sound caused the guests to look toward the garden, and +in a moment Miss Celia appeared, pushing a wheeled chair, in which sat +her brother. A gay afghan covered the long legs, a broad-brimmed hat +half hid the big eyes, and a discontented expression made the thin face +as unattractive as the fretful voice, which said, complainingly,-- + +"If they make a noise, I'll go in. Don't see what you asked them for." + +"To amuse you, dear. I know they will, if you will only try to like +them," whispered the sister, smiling, and nodding over the chair-back as +she came on, adding aloud, "Such a punctual party! I am all ready, +however, and we will sit down at once. This is my brother Thornton, and +we are all going to be very good friends by-and-by. Here 's the droll +dog, Thorny; isn't he nice and curly?" + +Now, Ben had heard what the other boy said, and made up his mind that he +shouldn't like him; and Thorny had decided beforehand that he wouldn't +play with a tramp, even if he cut capers; go both looked decidedly cool +and indifferent when Miss Celia introduced them. But Sancho had better +manners and no foolish pride; he, therefore, set them a good example by +approaching the chair, with his tail waving like a flag of truce, and +politely presented his ruffled paw for a hearty shake. + +Thorny could not resist that appeal, and patted the white head, with a +friendly look into the affectionate eyes of the dog, saying to his +sister as he did so,-- + +"What a wise old fellow he is! It seems as if he could almost speak, +doesn't it?" + +"He can. Say 'How do you do,' Sanch," commanded Ben, relenting at once, +for he saw admiration in Thorny's face. + +"Wow, wow, wow!" remarked Sancho, in a mild and conversational tone, +sitting up and touching one paw to his head, as if he saluted by taking +off his hat. Thorny laughed in spite of himself, and Miss Celia seeing +that the ice was broken, wheeled him to his place at the foot of the +table. Then, seating the little girls on one side, Ben and the dog on +the other, took the head herself and told her guests to begin. Bab and +Betty were soon chattering away to their pleasant hostess as freely as +if they had known her for months; but the boys were still rather shy, +and made Sancho the medium through which they addressed one another. The +excellent beast behaved with wonderful propriety, sitting upon his +cushion in an attitude of such dignity that it seemed almost a liberty to +offer him food. A dish of thick sandwiches had been provided for his +especial refreshment; and, as Ben from time to time laid one on his +plate, he affected entire unconsciousness of it till the word was given, +when it vanished at one gulp, and Sancho again appeared absorbed in deep +thought. + +But, having once tasted of this pleasing delicacy, it was very hard to +repress his longing for more; and, in spite of all his efforts, his nose +would work, his eye kept a keen watch upon that particular dish, and his +tail quivered with excitement as it lay like a train over the red +cushion. At last, a moment came when temptation proved too strong for +him. Ben was listening to something Miss Celia said; a tart lay +unguarded upon his plate; Sanch looked at Thorny who was watching him; +Thorny nodded, Sanch gave one wink, bolted the tart, and then gazed +pensively up at a sparrow swinging on a twig overhead. + +The slyness of the rascal tickled the boy so much that he pushed back +his hat, clapped his hands, and burst out laughing as he had not done +before for weeks. Every one looked round surprised, and Sancho regarded +them with a mildly inquiring air, as if he said, "Why this unseemly +mirth, my friends?" + +Thorny forgot both sulks and shyness after that, and suddenly began to +talk. Ben was flattered by his interest in the dear dog, and opened out +so delightfully that he soon charmed the other by his lively tales of +circus-life. Then Miss Celia felt relieved, and every thing went +splendidly, especially the food; for the plates were emptied several +times, the little tea-pot ran dry twice, and the hostess was just +wondering if she ought to stop her voracious guests, when something +occurred which spared her that painful task. + +A small boy was suddenly discovered standing in the path behind them, +regarding the company with an air of solemn interest. A pretty, +well-dressed child of six, with dark hair cut short across the brow, a +rosy face, a stout pair of legs, left bare by the socks which had +slipped down over the dusty little shoes. One end of a wide sash trailed +behind him, a straw hat hung at his back, his right hand firmly grasped +a small turtle, and his left a choice collection of sticks. Before Miss +Celia could speak, the stranger calmly announced his mission. + +"I have come to see the peacocks." + +"You shall presently--" began Miss Celia, but got no further, for the +child added, coming a step nearer,-- + +"And the wabbits." + +"Yes, but first won't you--" + +"And the curly dog," continued the small voice, as another step brought +the resolute young personage nearer. + +"There he is." + +A pause, a long look; then a new demand with the same solemn tone, the +same advance. + +"I wish to hear the donkey bray." + +"Certainly, if he will." + +"And the peacocks scream." + +"Any thing more, sir?" + +Having reached the table by this time, the insatiable infant surveyed +its ravaged surface, then pointed a fat little finger at the last cake, +left for manners, and said, commandingly,-- + +"I will have some of that." + +"Help yourself; and sit upon the step to eat it, while you tell me whose +boy you are," said Miss Celia, much amused at his proceedings. + +Deliberately putting down his sticks, the child took the cake, and, +composing himself upon the step, answered with his rosy mouth full,-- + +"I am papa's boy. He makes a paper. I help him a great deal." + +"What is his name?" + +"Mr. Barlow. We live in Springfield," volunteered the new guest, +unbending a trifle, thanks to the charms of the cake. + +"Have you a mamma, dear?" + +"She takes naps. I go to walk then." + +"Without leave, I suspect. Have you no brothers or sisters to go with +you?" asked Miss Celia, wondering where the little runaway belonged. + +"I have two brothers, Thomas Merton Barlow and Harry Sanford Barlow. I +am Alfred Tennyson Barlow. We don't have any girls in our house, only +Bridget." + +"Don't you go to school?" + +"The boys do. I don't learn any Greeks and Latins yet. I dig, and read +to mamma, and make poetrys for her." + +"Couldn't you make some for me? I'm very fond of poetrys," proposed +Miss Celia, seeing that this prattle amused the children. + +"I guess I couldn't make any now; I made some coming along. I will say +it to you." And, crossing his short legs, the inspired babe half said, +half sung the following poem: (1) + + "Sweet are the flowers of life, + Swept o'er my happy days at home; + Sweet are the flowers of life + When I was a little child. + + "Sweet are the flowers of life + That I spent with my father at home; + Sweet are the flowers of life + When children played about the house. + + "Sweet are the flowers of life + When the lamps are lighted at night; + Sweet are the flowers of life + When the flowers of summer bloomed. + + "Sweet are the flowers of life + Dead with the snows of winter; + Sweet are the flowers of life + When the days of spring come on. + +(1) These lines were actually composed by a six-year old child. + + +"That's all of that one. I made another one when I digged after the +turtle. I will say that. It is a very pretty one," observed the poet +with charming candor; and, taking a long breath, he tuned his little +lyre afresh: + + Sweet, sweet days are passing + O'er my happy home. + Passing on swift wings through the valley of life. + Cold are the days when winter comes again. + When my sweet days were passing at my happy home, + Sweet were the days on the rivulet's green brink; + Sweet were the days when I read my father's books; + Sweet were the winter days when bright fires are blazing." + +"Bless the baby! where did he get all that?" exclaimed Miss Celia, +amazed; while the children giggled as Tennyson, Jr., took a bite at the +turtle instead of the half-eaten cake, and then, to prevent further +mistakes, crammed the unhappy creature into a diminutive pocket in the +most business-like way imaginable. + +"It comes out of my head. I make lots of them," began the imperturbable +one, yielding more and more to the social influences of the hour. + +"Here are the peacocks coming to be fed," interrupted Bab, as the +handsome birds appeared with their splendid plumage glittering in the +sun. + +Young Barlow rose to admire; but his thirst for knowledge was not yet +quenched, and he was about to request a song from Juno and Jupiter, when +old Jack, pining for society, put his head over the garden wall with a +tremendous bray. + +This unexpected sound startled the inquiring stranger half out of his +wits; for a moment the stout legs staggered and the solemn countenance +lost its composure, as he whispered, with an astonished air, + +"Is that the way peacocks scream?" + +The children were in fits of laughter, and Miss Celia could hardly make +herself heard as she answered merrily,-- + +"No, dear; that is the donkey asking you to come and see him: will you +go? + +"I guess I couldn't stop now. Mamma might want me." + +And, without another word, the discomfited poet precipitately retired, +leaving his cherished sticks behind him. + +Ben ran after the child to see that he came to no harm, and presently +returned to report that Alfred had been met by a servant, and gone away +chanting a new verse of his poem, in which peacocks, donkeys, and "the +flowers of life" were sweetly mingled. + +"Now I'll show you my toys, and we'll have a little play before it gets +too late for Thorny to stay with us," said Miss Celia, as Randa carried +away the tea-things and brought back a large tray full of picture-books, +dissected maps, puzzles, games, and several pretty models of animals, +the whole crowned with a large doll dressed as a baby. + +At sight of that, Betty stretched out her arms to receive it with a cry +of delight. Bab seized the games, and Ben was lost in admiration of the +little Arab chief prancing on the white horse,--all saddled and +bridled and fit for the fight. Thorny poked about to find a certain +curious puzzle which he could put together without a mistake after long +study. Even Sancho found something to interest him; and, standing on his +hind-legs, thrust his head between the boys to paw at several red and +blue letters on square blocks. + +"He looks as if he knew them," said Thorny, amused at the dog's eager +whine and scratch. + +"He does. Spell your name, Sanch;" and Ben put all the gay letters down +upon the flags with a chirrup which set the dog's tail to wagging as he +waited till the alphabet was spread before him. Then, with great +deliberation, he pushed the letters about till he had picked out six; +these he arranged with nose and paw till the word "Sancho" lay before +him correctly spelt. + +"Isn't that clever? Can he do any more?" cried Thorny, delighted. + +"Lots; that's the way he gets his livin', and mine too," answered Ben; +and proudly put his poodle through his well-learned lessons with such +success that even Miss Celia was surprised. + +"He has been carefully trained. Do you know how it was done?" she +asked, when Sancho lay down to rest and be caressed by the children. + +"No, 'm, father did it when I was a little chap, and never told me how. +I used to help teach him to dance, and that was easy enough, he is so +smart. Father said the middle of the night was the best time to give him +his lessons; it was so still then, and nothing disturbed Sanch and made +him forget. I can't do half the tricks, but I'm goin' to learn when +father comes back. He'd rather have me show off Sanch than ride, till +I'm older." + +"I have a charming book about animals, and in it an interesting account +of some trained poodles who could do the most wonderful things. Would +you like to hear it while you put your maps and puzzles together?" asked +Miss Celia, glad to keep her brother interested in their four-footed +guest at least. + +"Yes,'m, yes,'m," answered the children; and, fetching the book, she +read the pretty account, shortening and simplifying it here and there to +suit her hearers. + +"I invited the two dogs to dine and spend the evening; and they came +with their master, who was a Frenchman. He had been a teacher in a deaf +and dumb school, and thought he would try the same plan with dogs. He +had also been a conjurer, and now was supported by Blanche and her +daughter Lyda. These dogs behaved at dinner just like other dogs; but +when I gave Blanche a bit of cheese and asked if she knew the word for +it, her master said she could spell it. So a table was arranged with a +lamp on it, and round the table were laid the letters of the alphabet +painted on cards. Blanche sat in the middle, waiting till her master +told her to spell cheese, which she at once did in French, F R O M A G +E. Then she translated a word for us very cleverly. Some one wrote +pferd, the German for horse, on a slate. Blanche looked at it and +pretended to read it, putting by the slate with her paw when she had +done. 'Now give us the French for that word,' said the man; and she +instantly brought CHEVAL. 'Now, as you are at an Englishman's house, +give it to us in English;' and she brought me HORSE. Then we spelt some +words wrong, and she corrected them with wonderful accuracy. But she did +not seem to like it, and whined and growled and looked so worried, that +she was allowed to go and rest and eat cakes in a corner. + +"Then Lyda took her place on the table, and did sums on the slate with a +set of figures. Also mental arithmetic, which was very pretty. 'Now, +Lyda,' said her master, 'I want to see if you understand division. +Suppose you had ten bits of sugar, and you met ten Prussian dogs, how +many lumps would you, a French dog, give to each of the Prussians?' Lyda +very decidedly replied to this with a cipher. 'But, suppose you divided +your sugar with me, how many lumps would you give me?' Lyda took up the +figure five and politely presented it to her master." + +"Wasn't she smart? Sanch can't do that," exclaimed Ben, forced to own +that the French doggie beat his cherished pet. + +"He is not too old to learn. Shall I go on?" asked Miss Celia, seeing +that the boys liked it, though Betty was absorbed with the doll, and Bab +deep in a puzzle. + +"Oh, yes! What else did they do?" + +"They played a game of dominoes together, sitting in chairs opposite +each other, and touched the dominoes that were wanted; but the man +placed them and kept telling how the game went. Lyda was beaten, and hid +under the sofa, evidently feeling very badly about it. Blanche was then +surrounded with playing-cards, while her master held another pack and +told us to choose a card; then he asked her what one had been chosen, +and she always took up the right one in her teeth. I was asked to go +into another room, put a light on the floor with cards round it, and +leave the doors nearly shut. Then the man begged some one to whisper in +the dog's ear what card she was to bring, and she went at once and +fetched it, thus showing that she understood their names. Lyda did many +tricks with the numbers, so curious that no dog could possibly +understand them; yet what the secret sign was I could not discover, but +suppose it must have been in the tones of the master's voice, for he +certainly made none with either head or hands. + +"It took an hour a day for eighteen months to educate a dog enough to +appear in public, and (as you say, Ben) the night was the best time to +give the lessons. Soon after this visit, the master died; and these +wonderful dogs were sold because their mistress did not know how to +exhibit them." + +"Wouldn't I have liked to see 'em and find out how they were taught! +Sanch, you'll have to study up lively, for I'm not going to have you +beaten by French dogs," said Ben, shaking his finger so sternly that +Sancho grovelled at his feet and put both paws over his eyes in the most +abject manner. + +"Is there a picture of those smart little poodles?" asked Ben, eying the +book, which Miss Celia left open before her. + +"Not of them, but of other interesting creatures; also anecdotes about +horses, which will please you, I know," and she turned the pages for +him, neither guessing how much good Mr. Hamerton's charming "Chapters +on Animals" were to do the boy when he needed comfort for a sorrow +which was very near. + + + +CHAPTER X + +A HEAVY TROUBLE + +"Thank you, ma'am, that's a tip-top book, 'specially the pictures. But +I can't bear to see these poor fellows;" and Ben brooded over the fine +etching of the dead and dying horses on a battle-field, one past all +further pain, the other helpless, but lifting his head from his dead +master to neigh a farewell to the comrades who go galloping away in a +cloud of dust. + +"They ought to stop for him, some of 'em," muttered Ben, hastily turning +back to the cheerful picture of the three happy horses in the field, +standing knee-deep among the grass as they prepare to drink at the wide +stream. + +"Ain't that black one a beauty? Seems as if I could see his mane blow +in the wind, and hear him whinny to that small feller trotting down to +see if he can't get over and be sociable. How I'd like to take a rousin' +run round that meadow on the whole lot of 'em!" and Ben swayed about in +his chair as if he was already doing it in imagination. + +"You may take a turn round my field on Lita any day. She would like it, +and Thorny's saddle will be here next week," said Miss Celia, pleased to +see that the boy appreciated the fine pictures, and felt such hearty +sympathy with the noble animals whom she dearly loved herself. + +"Needn't wait for that. I'd rather ride bareback. Oh, I say, is this +the book you told about, where the horses talked?" asked Ben, suddenly +recollecting the speech he had puzzled over ever since he heard it. + +"No; I brought the book, but in the hurry of my tea-party forgot to +unpack it. I'll hunt it up to-night. Remind me, Thorny." + +"There, now, I've forgotten something, too! Squire sent you a letter; +and I'm having such a jolly time, I never thought of it." + +Ben rummaged out the note with remorseful haste, protesting that he was +in no hurry for Mr. Gulliver, and very glad to save him for another day. +Leaving the young folks busy with their games, Miss Celia sat in the +porch to read her letters, for there were two; and as she read her face +grew so sober, then so sad, that if any one had been looking he would +have wondered what bad news had chased away the sunshine so suddenly. No +one did look; no one saw how pitifully her eyes rested on Ben's happy +face when the letters were put away, and no one minded the new +gentleness in her manner as she came back, to the table. But Ben thought +there never was so sweet a lady as the one who leaned over him to show +him how the dissected map went together and never smiled at his +mistakes. + +So kind, so very kind was she to them all, that when, after an hour of +merry play, she took her brother in to bed, the three who remained fell +to praising her enthusiastically as they put things to rights before +taking leave. + +"She's like the good fairies in the books, and has all sorts of nice, +pretty things in her house," said Betty, enjoying a last hug of the +fascinating doll whose lids would shut so that it was a pleasure to +Sing, "Bye, sweet baby, bye," with no staring eyes to Spoil the +illusion. + +"What heaps she knows! More than Teacher, I do believe; and she doesn't +mind how many questions we ask. I like folks that will tell me things," +added Bab, whose inquisitive mind was always hungry. + +"I like that boy first-rate, and I guess he likes me, though I didn't +know where Nantucket ought to go. He wants me to teach him to ride when +he's on his pins again, and Miss Celia says I may. She knows how to make +folks feel good, don't she?" and Ben gratefully surveyed the Arab chief, +now his own, though the best of all the collection. + +"Won't we have splendid times? She Says we may come over every night +and play with her and Thorny." + +"And she's goin', to have the seats in the porch lift up, so we can put +our things in there all day and have 'em handy." + +"And I'm going to be her boy, and stay here all the time. I guess the +letter I brought was a recommend from the Squire." + +"Yes, Ben; and if I had not already made up my mind to keep you before, +I certainly would now, my boy." + +Something in Miss Celia's voice, as she said the last two words with her +hand on Ben's shoulder, made him look up quickly and turn red with +pleasure, wondering what the Squire had written about him. + +"Mother must have some of the party; so you shall take her these, Bab, +and Betty may carry Baby home for the night. She is so nicely asleep, it +is a pity to wake her. Good by till to-morrow, little neighbors," +continued Miss Celia, and dismissed the girls with a kiss. + +"Is Ben coming, too?" asked Bab, as Betty trotted off in a silent +rapture with the big darling bobbing over her shoulder. + +"Not yet; I've several things to settle with my new man. Tell mother he +will come by-and-by." + +Off rushed Bab with the plateful of goodies; and, drawing Ben down +beside her on the wide step, Miss Celia took out the letters, with a +shadow creeping over her face as softly as the twilight was stealing +over the world, while the dew fell, and every thing grew still and dim. + +"Ben, dear, I've something to tell you," she began, slowly; and the boy +waited with a happy face, for no one had called him so since 'Melia +died. + +"The Squire has heard about your father, and this is the letter Mr. +Smithers sends." + +"Hooray! where is he, please?" cried Ben, wishing she would hurry up; +for Miss Celia did not even offer him the letter, but sat looking down +at Sancho on the lower step, as if she wanted him to come and help her. +"He went after the mustangs, and sent some home, but could not come +himself." + +"Went further on, I s'pose. Yes, he said he might go as far as +California, and if he did he'd send for me. I'd like to go there; it's a +real splendid place, they say." + +"He has gone further away than that, to a lovelier country than +California, I hope." And Miss Celia's eyes turned to the deep sky, where +early stars were shining. + +"Didn't he send for me? Where's he gone? When 's he coming back?" asked +Ben, quickly; for there was a quiver in her voice, the meaning of which +he felt before he understood. + +Miss Celia put her arms about him, and answered very tenderly,--"Ben, +dear, if I were to tell you that he was never coming back, could you +bear it?" + +"I guess I could,--but you don't mean it? Oh, ma'am, he isn't dead?" +cried Ben, with a cry that made her heart ache, and Sancho leap up with +a bark. + +"My poor little boy, I wish I could say no." + +There was no need of any more words, no need of tears or kind arms +around him. He knew he was an orphan now, and turned instinctively to +the old friend who loved him best. Throwing himself down beside his dog, +Ben clung about the curly neck, sobbing bitterly,-- + +"Oh, Sanch, he's never coming back again; never, never any more!" + +Poor Sancho could only whine and lick away the tears that wet the +half-hidden face, questioning the new friend meantime with eyes so full +of dumb love and sympathy and sorrow that they seemed almost human. +Wiping away her own tears, Miss Celia stooped to pat the white head, and +to stroke the black one lying so near it that the dog's breast was the +boy's pillow. Presently the sobbing ceased, and Ben whispered, without +looking up,-- + +"Tell me all about it; I'll be good." + +Then, as kindly as she could, Miss Celia read the brief letter which +told the hard news bluntly; for Mr. Smithers was obliged to confess that +he had known the truth months before, and never told the boy, lest he +should be unfitted for the work they gave him. Of Ben Brown the elder's +death there was little to tell, except that he was killed in some wild +place at the West, and a stranger wrote the fact to the only person +whose name was found in Ben's pocket-book. Mr. Smithers offered to take +the boy back and "do well by him," averring that the father wished his +son to remain where he left him, and follow the profession to which he +was trained. + +"Will you go, Ben?" asked Miss Celia, hoping to distract his mind from +his grief by speaking of other things. + +"No, no; I'd rather tramp and starve. He's awful hard to me and Sanch; +and he'd be worse, now father's gone. Don't send me back! Let me stay +here; folks are good to me; there's nowhere else to go." And the head +Ben had lifted up with a desperate sort of look, went down again on +Sancho's breast as if there were no other refuge left. + +"You shall stay here, and no one shall take you away against your will. +I called you 'my boy' in play, now you shall be my boy in earnest; this +shall be your home, and Thorny your brother. We are orphans, too; and we +will stand by one another till a stronger friend comes to help us," said +Miss Celia, with such a mixture of resolution and tenderness in her +voice, that Ben felt comforted at once, and thanked her by laying his +cheek against the pretty slipper that rested on the step beside him, as +if he had no words in which to swear loyalty to the gentle mistress whom +he meant henceforth to serve with grateful fidelity. + +Sancho felt that he must follow suit; and gravely put his paw upon her +knee, with a low whine, as if he said, "Count me in, and let me help to +pay my master's debt if I can." + +Miss Celia shook the offered paw cordially, and the good creature +crouched at her feet like a small lion, bound to guard her and her house +for evermore. + +"Don't lie on that cold stone, Ben; come here and let me try to comfort +you," she said, stooping to wipe away the great drops that kept rolling +down the brown cheek half hidden in her dress. But Ben put his arm over +his face, and sobbed out with a fresh burst of grief,-- + +"You can't, you didn't know him! Oh, daddy! daddy! if I'd only seen you +jest once more!" + +No one could grant that wish; but Miss Celia did comfort him, for +presently the sound of music floated out from the parlor,--music so +soft, so sweet, that involuntarily the boy stopped his crying to listen; +then quieter tears dropped slowly, seeming to soothe his pain as they +fell, while the sense of loneliness passed away, and it grew possible to +wait till it was time to go to father in that far-off country lovelier +than golden California. + +How long she played Miss Celia never minded; but, when she stole out to +see if Ben had gone, she found that other friends, even kinder than +herself, had taken the boy into their gentle keeping. The wind had sung +a lullaby among the rustling lilacs, the moon's mild face looked through +the leafy arch to kiss the heavy eyelids, and faithful Sancho still kept +guard beside his little master, who, with his head pillowed on his arm, +lay fast asleep, dreaming, happily, that Daddy had come home again. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +SUNDAY + +Mrs. Moss woke Ben with a kiss next morning, for her heart yearned over +the fatherless lad as if he had been her own, and she had no other way +of showing her sympathy. Ben had forgotten his troubles in sleep; but +the memory of them returned as soon as he opened his eyes, heavy with +the tears they had shed. He did not cry any more, but felt strange and +lonely till he called Sancho and told him all about it, for he was shy +even with kind Mrs. Moss, and glad when she went away. + +Sancho seemed to understand that his master was in trouble, and listened +to the sad little story with gurgles of interest, whines of condolence, +and intelligent barks whenever the word "daddy" was uttered. He was +only a brute, but his dumb affection comforted the boy more than any +words; for Sanch had known and loved "father" almost as long and well as +his son, and that seemed to draw them closely together, now they were +left alone. + +"We must put on mourning, old feller. It's the proper thing, and +there's nobody else to do it now," said Ben, as he dressed, remembering +how all the company wore bits of crape somewhere about them at 'Melia's +funeral. + +It was a real sacrifice of boyish vanity to take the blue ribbon with +its silver anchors off the new hat, and replace it with the dingy black +band from the old one; but Ben was quite sincere in doing this, though +doubtless his theatrical life made him think of the effect more than +other lads would have done. He could find nothing in his limited +wardrobe with which to decorate Sanch except a black cambric pocket. It +was already half torn out of his trousers with the weight of nails, +pebbles, and other light trifles; so he gave it a final wrench and tied +it into the dog's collar, saying to himself, as he put away his +treasures, with a sigh,-- + +"One pocket is enough; I sha'n't want anything but a han'k'chi'f +to-day." + +Fortunately, that article of dress was clean, for he had but one; and, +with this somewhat ostentatiously drooping from the solitary pocket, the +serious hat upon his head, the new shoes creaking mournfully, and Sanch +gravely following, much impressed with his black bow, the chief mourner +descended, feeling that he had done his best to show respect to the +dead. + +Mrs. Moss's eyes filled as she saw the rusty band, and guessed why it +was there; but she found it difficult to repress a smile when she beheld +the cambric symbol of woe on the dog's neck. Not a word was said to +disturb the boy's comfort in these poor attempts, however; and he went +out to do his chores, conscious that he was an object of interest to his +friends, especially so to Bab and Betty, who, having been told of Ben's +loss, now regarded him with a sort of pitying awe very grateful to his +feelings. + +"I want you to drive me to church by-and-by. It is going to be pretty +warm, and Thorny is hardly strong enough to venture yet," said Miss +Celia, when Ben ran over after breakfast to see if she had any thing for +him to do; for he considered her his mistress now, though he was not to +take possession of his new quarters till the morrow. + +"Yes, 'm, I'd like to, if I look well enough," answered Ben, pleased to +be asked, but impressed with the idea that people had to be very fine on +such occasions. + +"You will do very well when I have given you a touch. God doesn't mind +our clothes, Ben, and the poor are as welcome as the rich to him. You +have not been much, have you?" asked Miss Celia, anxious to help the +boy, and not quite sure how to begin. + +"No, 'm; our folks didn't hardly ever go, and father was so tired he +used to rest Sundays, or go off in the woods with me." + +A little quaver came into Ben's voice as he spoke, and a sudden motion +made his hat-brim hide his eyes, for the thought of the happy times that +would never come any more was almost too much for him. + +"That was a pleasant way to rest. I often do so, and we will go to the +grove this afternoon and try it. But I have to go to church in the +morning; it seems to start me right for the week; and if one has a +sorrow that is the place where one can always find comfort. Will you +come and try it, Ben, dear?" + +"I'd do any thing to please you," muttered Ben, without looking up; for, +though he felt her kindness to the bottom of his heart, he did wish that +no one would talk about father for a little while; it was so hard to +keep from crying, and he hated to be a baby. + +Miss Celia seemed to understand, for the next thing she said, in a very +cheerful tone, was, "See what a pretty sight that is. When I was a +little girl I used to think spiders spun cloth for the fairies, and +spread it on the grass to bleach." + +Ben stopped digging a hole in the ground with his toe, and looked up, to +see a lovely cobweb like a wheel, circle within circle, spun across a +corner of the arch over the gate. Tiny drops glittered on every thread +as the light shone through the gossamer curtain, and a soft breath of +air made it tremble as if about to blow it away. + +"It's mighty pretty, but it will fly off, just as the others did. I +never saw such a chap as that spider is. He keeps on spinning a new one +every day, for they always get broke, and he don't seem to be +discouraged a mite," said Ben, glad to change the subject, as she knew +he would be. + +"That is the way he gets his living, he spins his web and waits for his +daily bread,--or fly, rather; and it always comes, I fancy. By-and-by +you will see that pretty trap full of insects, and Mr. Spider will lay +up his provisions for the day. After that he doesn't care how soon his +fine web blows away." + +"I know him; he's a handsome feller, all black and yellow, and lives up +in that corner where the shiny sort of hole is. He dives down the minute +I touch the gate, but comes up after I've kept still a minute. I like to +watch him. But he must hate me, for I took away a nice green fly and +some little millers one day." + +"Did you ever hear the story of Bruce and his spider? Most children know +and like that," said Miss Celia, seeing that he seemed interested. + +"No, 'm; I don't know ever so many things most children do," answered +Ben, soberly; for, since he had been among his new friends, he had often +felt his own deficiencies. + +"Ah, but you also know many things which they do not. Half the boys in +town would give a great deal to be able to ride and run and leap as you +do; and even the oldest are not as capable of taking care of themselves +as you are. Your active life has done much in some ways to make a man of +you; but in other ways it was bad, as I think you begin to see. Now, +suppose you try to forget the harmful part, and remember only the good, +while learning to be more like our boys, who go to school and church, +and fit themselves to become industrious, honest men." Ben had been +looking straight up in Miss Celia's face as she spoke, feeling that +every word was true, though he could not have expressed it if he had +tried; and, when she paused, with her bright eyes inquiringly fixed on +his, he answered heartily,-- + +"I'd like to stay here and be respectable; for, since I came, I've found +out that folks don't think much of circus riders, though they like to go +and see 'em. I didn't use to care about school and such things, but I do +now; and I guess he'd like it better than to have me knockin' round that +way without him to look after me." + +"I know he would; so we will try, Benny. I dare say it will seem dull +and hard at first, after the gay sort of life you have led, and you will +miss the excitement. But it was not good for you, and we will do our +best to find something safer. Don't be discouraged; and, when things +trouble you, come to me as Thorny does, and I'll try to straighten them +out for you. I've got two boys now, and I want to do my duty by both." + +Before Ben had time for more than a grateful look, a tumbled head +appeared at an upper window, and a sleepy voice drawled out,-- + +"Celia! I can't find a bit of a shoe-string, and I wish you'd come and +do my neck-tie." + +"Lazy boy, come down here, and bring one of your black ties with you. +Shoe-strings are in the little brown bag on my bureau," called back Miss +Celia; adding, with a laugh, as the tumbled head disappeared mumbling +something about "bothering old bags", "Thorny has been half spoiled since +he was ill. You mustn't mind his fidgets and dawdling ways. He'll get +over them soon, and then I know you two will be good friends." + +Ben had his doubts about that, but resolved to do his best for her sake; +so, when Master Thorny presently appeared, with a careless "How are you, +Ben?" that young person answered respectfully,--"Very well, thank +you," though his nod was as condescending as his new master's; because +he felt that a boy who could ride bareback and turn a double somersault +in the air ought not to "knuckle under" to a fellow who had not the +strength of a pussy-cat. + +"Sailor's knot, please; keeps better so," said Thorny, holding up his +chin to have a blue-silk scarf tied to suit him, for he was already +beginning to be something of a dandy. + +"You ought to wear red till you get more color, dear;" and his sister +rubbed her blooming cheek against his pale one, as if to lend him some +of her own roses. + +"Men don't care how they look," said Thorny, squirming out of her hold, +for he hated to be "cuddled" before people. + +"Oh, don't they? Here 's a vain boy who brushes his hair a dozen times +a day, and quiddles over his collar till he is so tired he can hardly +stand," laughed Miss Celia, with a little tweak of his ear. + +"I should like to know what this is for?" demanded Thorny, in a +dignified tone, presenting a black tie. + +"For my other boy. He is going to church with me," and Miss Celia tied +a second knot for this young gentleman, with a smile that seemed to +brighten up even the rusty hat-band. + +"Well, I like that--" began Thorny, in a tone that contradicted his +words. + +A look from his sister reminded him of what she had told him half an +hour ago, and he stopped short, understanding now why she was "extra +good to the little tramp." + +"So do I, for you are of no use as a driver yet, and I don't like to +fasten Lita when I have my best gloves on," said Miss Celia, in a tone +that rather nettled Master Thorny. + +"Is Ben going to black my boots before he goes? with a glance at the new +shoes which caused them to creak uneasily. + +"No; he is going to black mine, if he will be so kind. You won't need +boots for a week yet, so we won't waste any time over them. You will +find every thing in the shed, Ben; and at ten you may go for Lita." + +With that, Miss Celia walked her brother off to the diningroom, and Ben +retired to vent his ire in such energetic demonstrations with the +blacking-brush that the little boots shone splendidly. + +He thought he had never seen any thing as pretty as his mistress when, +an hour later, she came out of the house in her white shawl and bonnet, +holding a book and a late lily-of-the-valley in the pearl-colored +gloves, which he hardly dared to touch as he helped her into the +carriage. He had seen a good many fine ladies in his life; and those he +had known had been very gay in the colors of their hats and gowns, very +fond of cheap jewelry, and much given to feathers, lace, and furbelows; +so it rather puzzled him to discover why Miss Celia looked so sweet and +elegant in such a simple suit. He did not then know that the charm was +in the woman, not the clothes; or that merely living near such a person +would do more to give him gentle manners, good principles, and pure +thoughts, than almost any other training he could have had. But he was +conscious that it was pleasant to be there, neatly dressed, in good +company, and going to church like a respectable boy. Somehow, the lonely +feeling got better as he rolled along between green fields, with the +June sunshine brightening every thing, a restful quiet in the air, and a +friend beside him who sat silently looking out at the lovely world with +what he afterward learned to call her "Sunday face,"--a soft, happy +look, as if all the work and weariness of the past week were forgotten, +and she was ready to begin afresh when this blessed day was over. + +"Well, child, what is it?" she asked, catching his eye as he stole a shy +glance at her, one of many which she had not seen. + +"I was only thinking, you looked as if--" + +"As if what? Don't be afraid," she said, for Ben paused and fumbled at +the reins, feeling half ashamed to tell his fancy. + +"You were saying prayers," he added, wishing she had not caught him. + +"So I was. Don't you, when you are happy? + +"No,'m. I'm glad, but I don't say any thing." + +"Words are not needed; but they help, sometimes, if they are sincere and +sweet. Did you never learn any prayers, Ben?" + +"Only 'Now I lay me.' Grandma taught me that when I was a little mite of +a boy." + +"I will teach you another, the best that was ever made, because it says +all we need ask." + +"Our folks wasn't very pious; they didn't have time, I s'pose." + +"I wonder if you know just what it means to be pious?" + +"Goin' to church, and readin' the Bible, and sayin' prayers and hymns, +ain't it?" + +"Those things are a part of it; but being kind and cheerful, doing one's +duty, helping others, and loving God, is the best way to show that we +are pious in the true sense of the word." + +"Then you are!" and Ben looked as if her acts had been a better +definition than her words. + +"I try to be, but I very often fail; so every Sunday I make new +resolutions, and work hard to keep them through the week. That is a +great help, as you will find when you begin to try it." + +"Do you think if I said in meetin', 'I won't ever swear any more,' that +I wouldn't do it again?" asked Ben, soberly; for that was his besetting +sin just now. + +"I'm afraid we can't get rid of our faults quite so easily; I wish we +could: but I do believe that if you keep saying that, and trying to +stop, you will cure the habit sooner than you think." + +"I never did swear very bad, and I didn't mind much till I came here; +but Bab and Betty looked so scared when I said 'damn,' and Mrs. Moss +scolded me so, I tried to leave off. It's dreadful hard, though, when I +get mad. 'Hang it!' don't seem half so good if I want to let off steam." + +"Thorny used to 'confound!' every thing, so I proposed that he should +whistle instead; and now he sometimes pipes up so suddenly and shrilly +that it makes me jump. How would that do, instead of swearing?" proposed +Miss Celia, not the least surprised at the habit of profanity, which the +boy could hardly help learning among his former associates. + +Ben laughed, and promised to try it, feeling a mischievous satisfaction +at the prospect of out-whistling Master Thorny, as he knew he should; +for the objectionable words rose to his lips a dozen times a day. + +The Ben was ringing as they drove into town; and, by the time Lita was +comfortably settled in her shed, people were coming up from all quarters +to cluster around the steps of the old meeting-house like bees about a +hive. Accustomed to a tent, where people kept their hats on, Ben forgot +all about his, and was going down the aisle covered, when a gentle hand +took it off, and Miss Celia whispered, as she gave it to him,-- + +"This is a holy place; remember that, and uncover at the door." + +Much abashed, Ben followed to the pew, where the Squire and his wife +soon joined them. + +"Glad to see him here," said the old gentleman with an approving nod, as +he recognized the boy and remembered his loss. + +"Hope he won't nestle round in meeting-time," whispered Mrs. Allen, +composing herself in the corner with much rustling of black silk. + +"I'll take care that he doesn't disturb you," answered Miss Celia, +pushing a stool under the short legs, and drawing a palm-leaf fan within +reach. + +Ben gave an inward sigh at the prospect before him; for an hour's +captivity to an active lad is hard to bear, and he really did want to +behave well. So he folded his arms and sat like a statue, with nothing +moving but his eyes. They rolled to and fro, up and down, from the high +red pulpit to the worn hymnbooks in the rack, recognizing two little +faces under blue-ribboned hats in a distant pew, and finding it +impossible to restrain a momentary twinkle in return for the solemn wink +Billy Barton bestowed upon him across the aisle. Ten minutes of this +decorous demeanor made it absolutely necessary for him to stir; so he +unfolded his arms and crossed his legs as cautiously as a mouse moves in +the presence of a cat; for Mrs. Allen's eye was on him, and he knew by +experience that it was a very sharp one. + +The music which presently began was a great relief to him, for under +cover of it he could wag his foot and no one heard the creak thereof; +and when they stood up to sing, he was so sure that all the boys were +looking at him, he was glad to sit down again. The good old minister +read the sixteenth chapter of Samuel, and then proceeded to preach a +long and somewhat dull sermon. Ben listened with all his ears, for he +was interested in the young shepherd, "ruddy and of a beautiful +countenance," who was chosen to be Saul's armor-bearer. He wanted to +hear more about him, and how he got on, and whether the evil spirits +troubled Saul again after David had harped them out. But nothing more +came; and the old gentleman droned on about other things till poor Ben +felt that he must either go to sleep like the Squire, or tip the stool +over by accident, since "nestling" was forbidden, and relief of some +sort he must have. + +Mrs. Allen gave him a peppermint, and he dutifully ate it, though it was +so hot it made his eyes water. Then she fanned him, to his great +annoyance, for it blew his hair about; and the pride of his life was to +have his head as smooth and shiny as black satin. An irrepressible sigh +of weariness attracted Miss Celia's attention at last; for, though she +seemed to be listening devoutly, her thoughts had flown over the sea, +with tender prayers for one whom she loved even more than David did his +Jonathan. She guessed the trouble in a minute, and had provided for it, +knowing by experience that few small boys can keep quiet through +sermon-time. Finding a certain place in the little book she had brought, +she put it into his hands, with the whisper, "Read if you are tired." + +Ben clutched the book and gladly obeyed, though the title, "Scripture +Narratives," did not look very inviting. Then his eye fell on the +picture of a slender youth cutting a large man's head off, while many +people stood looking on. + +"Jack, the giant-killer," thought Ben, and turned the page to see the +words "David and Goliath", which was enough to set him to reading the +story with great interest; for here was the shepherd boy turned into a +hero. No more fidgets now; the sermon was no longer heard, the fan +flapped unfelt, and Billy Barton's spirited sketches in the hymnbook +were vainly held up for admiration. Ben was quite absorbed in the +stirring history of King David, told in a way that fitted it for +children's reading, and illustrated with fine pictures which charmed the +boy's eye. + +Sermon and story ended at the same time; and, while he listened to the +prayer, Ben felt as if he understood now what Miss Celia meant by saying +that words helped when they were well chosen and sincere. Several +petitions seemed as if especially intended for him; and he repeated them +to himself that he might remember them, they sounded so sweet and +comfortable heard for the first time just when he most needed comfort. +Miss Celia saw a new expression in the boy's face as she glanced down at +him, and heard a little humming at her side when all stood up to sing +the cheerful hymn with which they were dismissed. + +"How do you like church?" asked the young lady, as they drove away. + +"First-rate!" answered Ben, heartily. + +"Especially the sermon?" + +Ben laughed, and said, with an affectionate glance at the little book in +her lap,-- + +"I couldn't understand it; but that story was just elegant. There's +more; and I'd admire to read 'em, if I could." + +"I'm glad you like them; and we will keep the rest for another +sermon-time. Thorny used to do so, and always called this his 'pew +book.' I don't expect you to understand much that you hear yet awhile; +but it is good to be there, and after reading these stories you will be +more interested when you hear the names of the people mentioned here." + +"Yes, 'm. Wasn't David a fine feller? I liked all about the kid and +the corn and the ten cheeses, and killin' the lion and bear, and +slingin' old Goliath dead first shot. I want to know about Joseph next +time, for I saw a gang of robbers puttin' him in a hole, and it looked +real interesting." + +Miss Celia could not help smiling at Ben's way of telling things; but +she was pleased to see that he was attracted by the music and the +stories, and resolved to make church-going so pleasant that he would +learn to love it for its own sake. + +"Now, you have tried my way this morning, and we will try yours this +afternoon. Come over about four and help me roll Thorny down to the +grove. I am going to put one of the hammocks there, because the smell +of the pines is good for him, and you can talk or read or amuse +yourselves in any quiet way you like." + +"Can I take Sanch along? He doesn't like to be left, and felt real bad +because I shut him up, for fear he'd follow and come walkin' into +meetin' to find me." + +"Yes, indeed; let the clever Bow-wow have a good time and enjoy Sunday +as much as I want my boys to." + +Quite content with this arrangement, Ben went home to dinner, which he +made very lively by recounting Billy Barton's ingenious devices to +beguile the tedium of sermon time. He said nothing of his conversation +with Miss Celia, because he had not quite made up his mind whether he +liked it or not; it was so new and serious, he felt as if he had better +lay it by, to think over a good deal before he could understand all +about it. But he had time to get dismal again, and long for four +o'clock; because he had nothing to do except whittle. Mrs. Moss went to +take a nap; Bab and Betty sat demurely on their bench reading Sunday +books; no boys were allowed to come and play; even the hens retired +under the currant-bushes, and the cock stood among them, clucking +drowsily, as if reading them a sermon. + +"Dreadful slow day!" thought Ben; and, retiring to the recesses of his +own room, he read over the two letters which seemed already old to him. +Now that the first shock was over, he could not make it true that his +father was dead, and he gave up trying; for he was an honest boy, and +felt that it was foolish to pretend to be more unhappy than he really +was. So he put away his letters, took the black pocket off Sanch's neck, +and allowed himself to whistle softly as he packed up his possessions, +ready to move next day, with few regrets and many bright anticipations +for the future. + +"Thorny, I want you to be good to Ben, and amuse him in some quiet way +this afternoon. I must stay and see the Morrises, who are coming over; +but you can go to the grove and have a pleasant time," said Miss Celia +to her brother. + +"Not much fun in talking to that horsey fellow. I'm sorry for him, but I +can't do anything to amuse him," objected Thorny, pulling himself up +from the sofa with a great yawn. + +"You can be very agreeable when you like; and Ben has had enough of me +for this time. To-morrow he will have his work, and do very well; but we +must try to help him through to-day, because he doesn't know what to do +with himself. Besides, it is just the time to make a good impression on +him, while grief for his father softens him, and gives us a chance. I +like him, and I'm sure he wants to do well; so it is our duty to help +him, as there seems to be no one else." + +"Here goes, then! Where is he?" and Thorny stood up, won by his sister's +sweet earnestness, but very doubtful of his own success with the "horsey +fellow." + +"Waiting with the chair. Randa has gone on with the hammock. Be a dear +boy, and I'll do as much for you some day." + +"Don't see how you can be a dear boy. You're the best sister that ever +was; so I'll love all the scallywags you ask me to." + +With a laugh and a kiss, Thorny shambled off to ascend his chariot, +good-humoredly saluting his pusher, whom he found sitting on the high +rail behind, with his feet on Sanch. + +"Drive on, Benjamin. I don't know the way, so I can't direct. Don't +spill me out,--that's all I've got to say." + +"All right, sir,"--and away Ben trundled down the long walk that led +through the orchard to a little grove of seven pines. + +A pleasant spot; for a soft rustle filled the air, a brown carpet of +pine needles, with fallen cones for a pattern, lay under foot; and over +the tops of the tall brakes that fringed the knoll one had glimpses of +hill and valley, farm-houses and winding river, like a silver ribbon +through the low, green meadows. + +"A regular summer house!" said Thorny, surveying it with approval. +"What's the matter, Randa? Won't it do?" he asked, as the stout maid +dropped her arms with a puff, after vainly trying to throw the hammock +rope over a branch. + +"That end went up beautiful, but this one won't; the branches is so +high, I can't reach 'em; and I'm no hand at flinging ropes round." + +"I'll fix it;" and Ben went up the pine like a squirrel, tied a stout +knot, and swung himself down again before Thorny could get out of the +chair. + +"My patience, what a spry boy!" exclaimed Randa, admiringly. + +"That 's nothing; you ought to see me shin up a smooth tent-pole," said +Ben, rubbing the pitch off his hands, with a boastful wag of the head. + +"You can go, Randa. Just hand me my cushion and books, Ben; then you can +sit in the chair while I talk to you," commanded Thorny, tumbling into +the hammock. + +"What's he goin' to say to me?" wondered Ben to himself, as he sat down +with Sanch sprawling among the wheels. + +"Now, Ben, I think you'd better learn a hymn; I always used to when I +was a little chap, and it is a good thing to do Sundays," began the new +teacher, with a patronizing air, which ruffled his pupil as much as the +opprobrious term "little chap." + +"I'll be--whew--if I do!" whistled Ben, stopping an oath just in +time. + +"It is not polite to whistle in company," said Thorny, with great +dignity. + +"Miss Celia told me to. I'll say 'confound it,' if you like that +better," answered Ben, as a sly smile twinkled in his eyes. + +"Oh, I see! She 's told you about it? Well, then, if you want to please +her, you'll learn a hymn right off. Come, now, she wants me to be clever +to you, and I'd like to do it; but if you get peppery, how can I?" + +Thorny spoke in a hearty, blunt way, which suited Ben much better than +the other, and he responded pleasantly,-- + +"If you won't be grand I won't be peppery. Nobody is going to boss me +but Miss Celia; so I'll learn hymns if she wants me to." + +"'In the soft season of thy youth' is a good one to begin with. I +learned it when I was six. Nice thing; better have it." And Thorny +offered the book like a patriarch addressing an infant. + +Ben surveyed the yellow page with small favor, for the long s in the +old-fashioned printing bewildered him; and when he came to the last two +lines, he could not resist reading them wrong,-- + +"The earth affords no lovelier fight Than a religious youth." + +"I don't believe I could ever get that into my head straight. Haven't +you got a plain one any where round?" he asked, turning over the leaves +with some anxiety. + +"Look at the end, and see if there isn't a piece of poetry pasted in. +You learn that, and see how funny Celia will look when you say it to +her. She wrote it when she was a girl, and somebody had it printed for +other children. I like it best, myself." + +Pleased by the prospect of a little fun to cheer his virtuous task, Ben +whisked over the leaves, and read with interest the lines Miss Celia had +written in her girlhood: + + "MY KINGDOM + + A little kingdom I possess, + Where thoughts and feelings dwell; + And very hard I find the task + Of governing it well. + For passion tempts and troubles me, + A wayward will misleads, + And selfishness its shadow casts + On all my words and deeds. + + "How can I learn to rule myself, + To be the child I should,-- + Honest and brave,--nor ever tire + Of trying to be good? + How can I keep a sunny soul + To shine along life's way? + How can I tune my little heart + To sweetly sing all day? + + "Dear Father, help me with the love + That casteth out my fear! + Teach me to lean on thee, and feel + That thou art very near; + That no temptation is unseen, + No childish grief too small, + Since Thou, with patience infinite, + Doth soothe and comfort all. + + "I do not ask for any crown, + But that which all may will + Nor seek to conquer any world + Except the one within. + Be then my guide until I find, + Led by a tender hand, + Thy happy kingdom in myself, + And dare to take command." + +"I like that!" said Ben, emphatically, when he had read the little hymn. +"I understand it, and I'll learn it right away. Don't see how she could +make it all come out so nice and pretty." + +"Celia can do any thing!" and Thorny gave an all-embracing wave of the +hand, which forcibly expressed his firm belief in his sister's boundless +powers. + +"I made some poetry once. Bab and Betty thought it was first-rate, I +didn't," said Ben, moved to confidence by the discovery of Miss Celia's +poetic skill. + +"Say it," commanded Thorny, adding with tact, "I can't make any to save +my life,--never could but I'm fond of it." + + "Chevalita, + Pretty cretr, + I do love her + Like a brother; + Just to ride + Is my delight, + For she does not + Kick or bite," + +recited Ben, with modest pride, for his first attempt had been inspired +by sincere affection, and pronounced "lovely" by the admiring girls. + +"Very good! You must say them to Celia, too. She likes to hear Lita +praised. You and she and that little Barlow boy ought to try for a +prize, as the poets did in Athens. I'll tell you all about it some time. +Now, you peg away at your hymn." + +Cheered by Thorny's commendation, Ben fell to work at his new task, +squirming about in the chair as if the process of getting words into his +memory was a very painful one. But he had quick wits, and had often +learned comic songs; so he soon was able to repeat the four verses +without mistake, much to his own and Thorny's satisfaction. + +"Now we'll talk," said the well-pleased preceptor; and talk they did, +one swinging in the hammock, the other rolling about on the +pine-needles, as they related their experiences boy fashion. Ben's were +the most exciting; but Thorny's were not without interest, for he had +lived abroad for several years, and could tell all sorts of droll +stories of the countries he had seen. + +Busied with friends, Miss Celia could not help wondering how the lads +got on; and, when the tea-bell rang, waited a little anxiously for their +return, knowing that she could tell at a glance if they had enjoyed +themselves. + +"All goes well so far," she thought, as she watched their approach with +a smile; for Sancho sat bolt upright in the chair which Ben pushed, +while Thorny strolled beside him, leaning on a stout cane newly cut. +Both boys were talking busily, and Thorny laughed from time to time, as +if his comrade's chat was very amusing. + +"See what a jolly cane Ben cut for me! He's great fun if you don't +stroke him the wrong way," said the elder lad, flourishing his staff as +they came up. + +"What have you been doing down there? You look so merry, I suspect +mischief," asked Miss Celia, surveying them front the steps. + +"We've been as good as gold. I talked, and Ben learned a hymn to please +you. Come, young man, say your piece," said Thorny, with an expression +of virtuous content. + +Taking off his hat, Ben soberly obeyed, much enjoying the quick color +that came up in Miss Celia's face as she listened, and feeling as if +well repaid for the labor of learning by the pleased look with which she +said, as he ended with a bow,-- + +"I feel very proud to think you chose that, and to hear you say it as if +it meant something to you. I was only fourteen when I wrote it; but it +came right out of my heart, and did me good. I hope it may help you a +little." + +Ben murmured that he guessed it would; but felt too shy to talk about +such things before Thorny, so hastily retired to put the chair away, and +the others went in to tea. But later in the evening, when Miss Celia was +singing like a nightingale, the boy slipped away from sleepy Bab and +Betty to stand by the syringa bush and listen, with his heart full of +new thoughts and happy feelings; for never before had he spent a Sunday +like this. And when he went to bed, instead of saying "Now I lay me," he +repeated the third verse of Miss Celia's hymn; for that was his +favorite, because his longing for the father whom he had seen made it +seem sweet and natural now to love and lean, without fear upon the +Father whom he had not seen. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +GOOD TIMES + +Every one was very kind to Ben when his loss was known. The Squire +wrote to Mr. Smithers that the boy had found friends and would stay +where he was. Mrs. Moss consoled him in her motherly way, and the little +girls did their very best to "be good to poor Benny." But Miss Celia was +his truest comforter, and completely won his heart, not only by the +friendly words she said and the pleasant things she did, but by the +unspoken sympathy which showed itself just at the right minute, in a +look, a touch, a smile, more helpful than any amount of condolence. She +called him "my man," and Ben tried to be one, bearing his trouble so +bravely that she respected him, although he was only a little boy, +because it promised well for the future. + +Then she was so happy herself, it was impossible for those about her to +be sad, and Ben soon grew cheerful again in spite of the very tender +memory of his father laid quietly away in the safest corner of his +heart. He would have been a very unboyish boy if he had not been happy, +for the new place was such a pleasant one, he soon felt as if, for the +first time, he really had a home. No more grubbing now, but daily tasks +which never grew tiresome, they were so varied and so light. No more +cross Pats to try his temper, but the sweetest mistress that ever was, +since praise was oftener on her lips than blame, and gratitude made +willing service a delight. + +At first, it seemed as if there was going to be trouble between the two +boys; for Thorny was naturally masterful, and illness had left him weak +and nervous, so he was often both domineering and petulant. Ben had been +taught instant obedience to those older than him self, and if Thorny had +been a man Ben would have made no complaint; but it was hard to be +"ordered round" by a boy, and an unreasonable one into the bargain. + +A word from Miss Celia blew away the threatening cloud, however; and for +her sake her brother promised to try to be patient; for her sake Ben +declared he never would "get mad" if Mr. Thorny did fidget; and both +very soon forgot all about master and man and lived together like two +friendly lads, taking each other's ups and downs good-naturedly, and +finding mutual pleasure and profit in the new companionship. + +The only point on which they never could agree was legs, and many a +hearty laugh did they give Miss Celia by their warm and serious +discussion of this vexed question. Thorny insisted that Ben was +bowlegged; Ben resented the epithet, and declared that the legs of all +good horsemen must have a slight curve, and any one who knew any thing +about the matter would acknowledge both its necessity and its beauty. +Then Thorny Would observe that it might be all very well in the saddle, +but it made a man waddle like a duck when afoot; whereat Ben would +retort that, for his part, he would rather waddle like a duck than +tumble about like a horse with the staggers. He had his opponent there, +for poor Thorny did look very like a weak-kneed colt when he tried to +walk; but he would never own it, and came down upon Ben with crushing +allusions to centaurs, or the Greeks and Romans, who were famous both +for their horsemanship and fine limbs. Ben could not answer that, except +by proudly referring to the chariot-races copied from the ancients, in +which he had borne a part, which was more than some folks with long legs +could say. Gentlemen never did that sort of thing, nor did they twit +their best friends with their misfortunes, Thorny would remark; casting +a pensive glance at his thin hands, longing the while to give Ben a good +shaking. This hint would remind the other of his young master's late +sufferings and all he owed his dear mistress; and he usually ended the +controversy by turning a few lively somersaults as a vent for his +swelling wrath, and come up with his temper all right again. Or, if +Thorny happened to be in the wheeled chair, he would trot him round the +garden at a pace which nearly took his breath away, thereby proving that +if "bow-legs" were not beautiful to some benighted beings they were +"good to go." + +Thorny liked that, and would drop the subject for the time by politely +introducing some more agreeable topic; so the impending quarrel would +end in a laugh over some boyish joke, and the word "legs" be avoided by +mutual consent till accident brought it up again. + +The spirit of rivalry is hidden in the best of us, and is a helpful and +inspiring power if we know how to use it. Miss Celia knew this, and +tried to make the lads help one another by means of it,--not in +boastful or ungenerous comparison of each other's gifts, but by +interchanging them, giving and taking freely, kindly, and being glad to +love what was admirable wherever they found it. Thorny admired Ben's +strength, activity, and independence; Ben envied Thorny's learning, +good manners, and comfortable surroundings; and, when a wise word had +set the matter rightly before them, both enjoyed the feeling that there +was a certain equality between them, since money could not buy health, +and practical knowledge was as useful as any that can be found in books. +So they interchanged their small experiences, accomplishments, and +pleasures, and both were the better, as well as the happier, for it; +because in this way only can we truly love our neighbor as ourself, and +get the real sweetness out of life. + +There was no end to the new and pleasant things Ben had to do, from +keeping paths and flower-beds neat, feeding the pets, and running +errands, to waiting on Thorny and being right-hand man to Miss Celia. He +had a little room in the old house, newly papered with hunting scenes, +which he was never tired of admiring. In the closet hung several +out-grown suits of Thorny's, made over for his valet; and, what Ben +valued infinitely more, a pair of boots, well blacked and ready for +grand occasions, when he rode abroad, with one old spur, found in the +attic, brightened up and merely worn for show, since nothing would have +induced him to prick beloved Lita with it. + +Many pictures, cut from illustrated papers, of races, animals, and +birds, were stuck round the room, giving it rather the air of a circus +and menagerie. This, however, made it only the more home-like to its +present owner, who felt exceedingly rich and respectable as he surveyed +his premises; almost like a retired showman who still fondly remembers +past successes, though now happy in the more private walks of life. + +In one drawer of the quaint little bureau which he used, were kept the +relics of his father; very few and poor, and of no interest to any one +but himself,--only the letter telling of his death, a worn-out +watch-chain, and a photograph of Senor Jose Montebello, with his +youthful son standing on his head, both airily attired, and both smiling +with the calmly superior expression which gentlemen of their profession +usually wear in public. Ben's other treasures had been stolen with his +bundle; but these he cherished and often looked at when he went to bed, +wondering what heaven was like, since it was lovelier than California, +and usually fell asleep with a dreamy impression that it must be +something like America when Columbus found it,--"a pleasant land, +where were gay flowers and tall trees, with leaves and fruit such as +they had never seen before." And through this happy hunting-ground +"father" was for ever riding on a beautiful white horse with wings, like +the one of which Miss Celia had a picture. + +Nice times Ben had in his little room poring over his books, for he soon +had several of his own; but his favorites were Hamerton's "Animals" and +"Our Dumb Friends," both full of interesting pictures and anecdotes such +as boys love. Still nicer times working about the house, helping get +things in order; and best of all were the daily drives with Miss Celia +and Thorny, when weather permitted, or solitary rides to town through +the heaviest rain, for certain letters must go and come, no matter how +the elements raged. The neighbors soon got used to the "antics of that +boy," but Ben knew that he was an object of interest as he careered down +the main street in a way that made old ladies cry out and brought people +flying to the window, sure that some one was being run away with. Lita +enjoyed the fun as much as he, and apparently did her best to send him +heels over head, having rapidly earned to understand the signs he gave +her by the touch of hand and foot, or the tones of his voice. + +These performances caused the boys to regard Ben Brown with intense +admiration, the girls with timid awe, all but Bab, who burned to imitate +him, and tried her best whenever she got a chance, much to the anguish +and dismay of poor Jack, for that long-suffering animal was the only +steed she was allowed to ride. Fortunately, neither she nor Betty had +much time for play just now, as school was about to close for the long +vacation, and all the little people were busy finishing up, that they +might go to play with free minds. So the "lilac-parties," as they called +them, were deferred till later, and the lads amused themselves in their +own way, with Miss Celia to suggest and advise. + +It took Thorny a long time to arrange his possessions, for he could only +direct while Ben unpacked, wondering and admiring as he worked, because +he had never seen so many boyish treasures before. The little +printing-press was his especial delight, and leaving every thing else in +confusion, Thorny taught him its and planned a newspaper on the spot, +with Ben for printer, himself for editor, and "Sister" for chief +contributor, while Bab should be carrier and Betty office-boy. Next came +a postage-stamp book, and a rainy day was happily spent in pasting a new +collection where each particular one belonged, with copious explanations +from Thorny as they went along. Ben did not feel any great interest in +this amusement after one trial of it, but when a book containing +patterns of the flags of all nations turned up, he was seized with a +desire to copy them all, so that the house could be fitly decorated on +gala occasions. Finding that it amused her brother, Miss Celia +generously opened her piece-drawer and rag-bag, and as the mania grew +till her resources were exhausted, she bought bits of gay cambric and +many-colored papers, and startled the store-keeper by purchasing several +bottles of mucilage at once. Bab and Betty were invited to sew the +bright strips of stars, and pricked their little fingers assiduously, +finding this sort of needle-work much more attractive than piecing +bed-quilts. + +Such a snipping and pasting, planning and stitching as went on in the +big back room, which was given up to them, and such a noble array of +banners and petitions as soon decorated its walls, would have caused the +dullest eye to brighten with amusement, if not with admiration. Of +course, the Stars and Stripes hung highest, with the English lion +ramping on the royal standard close by; then followed a regular +picture-gallery, for there was the white elephant of Siam, the splendid +peacock of Burmah, the double-headed Russian eagle, and black dragon of +China, the winged lion of Venice, and the prancing pair on the red, +white, and blue flag of Holland. The keys and mitre of the Papal States +were a hard job, but up they went at last, with the yellow crescent of +Turkey on one side and the red full moon of Japan on the other; the +pretty blue and white flag of Greece hung below and the cross of free +Switzerland above. If materials had held out, the flags of all the +United States would have followed; but paste and patience were +exhausted, so the busy workers rested awhile before they "flung their +banner to the breeze," as the newspapers have it. + +A spell of ship-building and rigging followed the flag fit; for Thorny, +feeling too old now for such toys, made over his whole fleet to "the +children," condescending, however, to superintend a thorough repairing +of the same before he disposed of all but the big man-of-war, which +continued to ornament his own room, with all sail set and a little red +officer perpetually waving his sword on the quarter-deck. + +These gifts led to out-of-door water-works, for the brook had to be +dammed up, that a shallow ocean might be made, where Ben's piratical +"Red Rover," with the black flag, might chase and capture Bab's smart +frigate, "Queen," while the "Bounding Betsey," laden with lumber, safely +sailed from Kennebunkport to Massachusetts Bay. Thorny, from his chair, +was chief-engineer, and directed his gang of one how to dig the basin, +throw up the embankment, and finally let in the water till the mimic +ocean was full; then regulate the little water-gate, lest it should +overflow and wreck the pretty squadron or ships, boats, canoes, and +rafts, which soon rode at anchor there. + +Digging and paddling in mud and water proved such a delightful pastime +that the boys kept it up, till a series of water-wheels, little mills +and cataracts made the once quiet brook look as if a manufacturing town +was about to spring up where hitherto minnows had played in peace and +the retiring frog had chanted his serenade unmolested. + +Miss Celia liked all this, for any thing which would keep Thorny happy +out-of-doors in the sweet June weather found favor in her eyes, and when +the novelty had worn off from home affairs, she planned a series of +exploring expeditions which filled their boyish souls with delight. As +none of them knew much about the place, it really was quite exciting to +start off on a bright morning with a roll of wraps and cushions, lunch, +books, and drawing materials packed into the phaeton, and drive at +random about the shady roads and lanes, pausing when and where they +liked. Wonderful discoveries were made, pretty places were named, plans +were drawn, and all sorts of merry adventures befell the pilgrims. + +Each day they camped in a new spot, and while Lita nibbled the fresh +grass at her ease, Miss Celia sketched under the big umbrella, Thorny +read or lounged or slept on his rubber blanket, and Ben made himself +generally useful. Unloading, filling the artist's water-bottle, piling +the invalid's cushions, setting out the lunch, running to and fro for a +Bower or a butterfly, climbing a tree to report the view, reading, +chatting, or frolicking with Sancho,--any sort of duty was in Ben's +line, and he did them all well, for an out-of-door life was natural to +him and he liked it. + +"Ben, I want an amanuensis," said Thorny, dropping book and pencil one +day after a brief interval of silence, broken only by the whisper of the +young leaves overhead and the soft babble of the brook close by. + +"A what?" asked Ben, pushing back his hat with such an air of amazement +that Thorny rather loftily inquired: + +"Don't you know what an amanuensis is?" + +"Well, no; not unless it's some relation to an anaconda. Shouldn't think +you'd want one of them, anyway." + +Thorny rolled over with a hoot of derision, and his sister, who sat +close by, sketching an old gate, looked up to see what was going on. + +"Well, you needn't laugh at a feller. You didn't know what a wombat was +when I asked you, and I didn't roar," said Ben, giving his hat a slap, +as nothing else was handy. + +"The idea of wanting an anaconda tickled me so, I couldn't help it. I +dare say you'd have got me one if I had asked for it, you are such an +obliging chap." + +"Of course I would if I could. Shouldn't be surprised if you did some +day, you want such funny things," answered Ben, appeased by the +compliment. + +"I'll try the amanuensis first. It's only some one to write for me; I +get so tired doing it without a table. You write well enough, and it +will be good for you to know something about botany. I intend to teach +you, Ben," said Thorny, as if conferring a great favor. + +"It looks pretty hard," muttered Ben, with a doleful Glance at the book +laid open upon a strew of torn leaves and flowers. + +"No, it isn't; it's regularly jolly; and you'd be no end of a help if +you only knew a little. Now, suppose I say, 'Bring me a "ranunculus +bulbosus,"' how would you know what I wanted?" demanded Thorny, waving +his microscope with a learned air. + +"Shouldn't." + +"There are quantities of them all round us; and I want to analyze one. +See if you can't guess." + +Ben stared vaguely from earth to sky, and was about to give it up, when +a buttercup fell at his feet, and he caught sight of Miss Celia smiling +at him from behind her brother, who did not see the flower. + +"S'pose you mean this? I don't call 'em rhinocerus bulburses, so I +wasn't sure." And, taking the hint as quickly as it was given, Ben +presented the buttercup as if he knew all about it. + +"You guessed that remarkably well. Now bring me a 'leontodon +taraxacum,'" said Thorny, charmed with the quickness of his pupil, and +glad to display his learning. + +Again Ben gazed, but the field was full of early flowers; and, if a long +pencil had not pointed to a dandelion close by, he would have been lost. + +"Here you are, sir," he answered with a chuckle and Thorny took his turn +at being astonished now. + +"How the dickens did you know that?" + +"Try it again, and may be you'll find out," laughed Ben. + +Diving hap-hazard into his book, Thorny demanded a "trifolium pratense." + +The clever pencil pointed, and Ben brought a red clover, mightily +enjoying the joke, and thinking that their kind of botany wasn't bad +fun. + +"Look here, no fooling!" and Thorny sat up to investigate the matter, so +quickly that his sister had not time to sober down. "Ah, I've caught +you! Not fair to tell, Celia. Now, Ben, you've got to learn all about +this buttercup, to pay for cheating." + +"Werry good, sir; bring on your rhinoceriouses," answered Ben, who +couldn't help imitating his old friend the clown when he felt +particularly jolly. + +"Sit there and write what I tell you," ordered Thorny, with all the +severity of a strict schoolmaster. Perching himself on the mossy stump, +Ben obediently floundered through the following analysis, with constant +help in the spelling, and much private wonder what would come of it:-- + +"Phaenogamous. Exogenous. Angiosperm. Polypetalous. Stamens, more +than ten. Stamens on the receptacle. Pistils, more than one and +separate. Leaves without stipules. Crowfoot family. Genus ranunculus. +Botanical name, Ranunculus bulbosus." + +"Jerusalem! what a flower! Pistols and crows' feet, and Polly put the +kettles on, and Angy sperms and all the rest of 'em! If that's your +botany, I won't take any more, thank you," said Ben, as he paused as hot +and red as if he had been running a race. + +"Yes, you Will; you'll learn that all by heart, and then I shall give +you a dandelion to do. You'll like that, because it means dent de lion, +or lion's tooth; and I'll show them to you through my glass. You've no +idea how interesting it is, and what heaps of pretty things you'll see," +answered Thorny, who had already discovered how charming the study was, +and had found great satisfaction in it, since he had been forbidden more +active pleasures. + +"What's the good of it, anyway?" asked Ben, who would rather have been +set to mowing the big field than to the task before him. + +"It tells all about it in my book here,--'Gray's Botany for Young +People.' But I can tell you what use it is to us," continued Thorny, +crossing his legs in the air and preparing to argue the matter, +comfortably lying flat on his back. "We are a Scientific Exploration +Society, and we must keep an account of all the plants, animals, +minerals, and so on, as we come across them. Then, suppose we get lost, +and have to hunt for food, how are we to know what is safe and what +isn't? Come, now, do you know the difference between a toadstool and a +mushroom?" + +"No, I don't." + +"Then I'll teach you some day. There is sweet flag and poisonous flag, +and all sorts of berries and things; and you'd better look out when you +are in the woods, or you'll touch ivy and dogwood, and have a horrid +time, if you don't know your botany." + +"Thorny learned much of his by sad experience; and you will be wise to +take his advice," said Miss Celia, recalling her brother's various +mishaps before the new fancy came on. + +"Didn't I have a time of it, though, when I had to go round for a week +with plantain leaves and cream stuck all over my face! Just picked some +pretty red dogwood, Ben; and then I was a regular guy, with a face like +a lobster, and my eyes swelled out of sight. Come along, and learn right +away, and never get into scrapes like most fellows." + +Impressed by this warning, and attracted by Thorny's enthusiasm, Ben +cast himself down upon the blanket, and for an hour the two heads bobbed +to and fro, from microscope to book, the teacher airing his small +knowledge, the pupil more and more interested in the new and curious +things he saw or heard,--though it must be confessed that Ben +infinitely preferred to watch ants and bugs, queer little worms and +gauzy-winged flies, rather than "putter" over plants with long names. He +did not dare to say so, however; but, when Thorny asked him if it wasn't +capital fun, he dodged cleverly by proposing to hunt up the flowers for +his master to study, offering to learn about the dangerous ones, but +pleading want of time to investigate this pleasing science very deeply. + +As Thorny had talked himself hoarse, he was very ready to dismiss his +class of one to fish the milk-bottle out of the brook; and recess was +prolonged till next day. But both boys found a new pleasure in the +pretty pastime they made of it; for active Ben ranged the woods and +fields with a tin box slung over his shoulder, and feeble Thorny had a +little room fitted up for his own use, where he pressed flowers in +newspaper books, dried herbs on the walls, had bottles and cups, pans +and platters, for his treasures, and made as much litter as he liked. + +Presently, Ben brought such lively accounts of the green nooks where +jacks-in-the-pulpit preached their little sermons; brooks, beside which +grew blue violets and lovely ferns; rocks, round which danced the +columbines like rosy elves, or the trees where birds built, squirrels +chattered, and woodchucks burrowed, that Thorny was seized with a desire +to go and see these beauties for himself. So Jack was saddled, and went +plodding, scrambling, and wandering into all manner of pleasant places, +always bringing home a stronger, browner rider than he carried away. + +This delighted Miss Celia; and she gladly saw them ramble off together, +leaving her time to stitch happily at certain dainty bits of sewing, +write voluminous letters, or dream over others quite as long, swinging +in her hammock under the lilacs. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY + + "'School is done, + Now we'll have fun," + +Sung Bab and Betty, slamming down their books as if they never meant to +take them up again, when they came home on the last day of June. + +Tired teacher had dismissed them for eight whole weeks, and gone away to +rest; the little school-house was shut up, lessons were over, spirits +rising fast, and vacation had begun. The quiet town seemed suddenly +inundated with children, all in such a rampant state that busy mothers +wondered how they ever should be able to keep their frisky darlings out +of mischief; thrifty fathers planned how they could bribe the idle hands +to pick berries or rake hay; and the old folks, while wishing the young +folks well, secretly blessed the man who invented schools. + +The girls immediately began to talk about picnics, and have them, too; +for little hats sprung up in the fields like a new sort of +mushroom,--every hillside bloomed with gay gowns, looking as if the +flowers had gone out for a walk; and the woods were full of featherless +birds chirping away as blithely as the thrushes, robins, and wrens. + +The boys took to base-ball like ducks to water, and the common was the +scene of tremendous battles, waged with much tumult, but little +bloodshed. To the uninitiated, it appeared as if these young men had +lost their wits; for, no matter how warm it was, there they were, +tearing about in the maddest manner, jackets off, sleeves rolled up, +queer caps flung on any way, all batting shabby leather balls, and +catching the same, as if their lives depended on it. Every one talking +in his gruffest tone, bawling at the top of his voice, squabbling over +every point of the game, and seeming to enjoy himself immensely, in +spite of the heat, dust, uproar, and imminent danger of getting eyes or +teeth knocked out. + +Thorny was an excellent player, but, not being strong enough to show his +prowess, he made Ben his proxy; and, sitting on the fence, acted as +umpire to his heart's content. Ben was a promising pupil, and made rapid +progress; for eye, foot, and hand had been so well trained, that they +did him good service now; and Brown was considered a first-rate +"catcher". + +Sancho distinguished himself by his skill in hunting up stray balls, and +guarding jackets when not needed, with the air of one of the Old Guard +on duty at the tomb of Napoleon. Bab also longed to join in the fun, +which suited her better than "stupid picnics" or "fussing over dolls;" +but her heroes would not have her at any price; and she was obliged to +content herself with sitting by Thorny, and watching with breathless +interest the varying fortunes of "our side." + +A grand match was planned for the Fourth of July; but when the club met, +things were found to be unpropitious. Thorny had gone out of town with +his sister to pass the day, two of the best players did not appear, and +the others were somewhat exhausted by the festivities, which began at +sunrise for them. So they lay about on the grass in the shade of the big +elm, languidly discussing their various wrongs and disappointments. + +"It's the meanest Fourth I ever saw. Can't have no crackers, because +somebody's horse got scared last year," growled Sam Kitteridge, bitterly +resenting the stern edict which forbade free-born citizens to burn as +much gunpowder as they liked on that glorious day. + +"Last year Jimmy got his arm blown off when they fired the old cannon. +Didn't we have a lively time going for the doctors and getting him +home?" asked another boy, looking as if he felt defrauded of the most +interesting part of the anniversary, because no accident had occurred. + +"Ain't going to be fireworks either, unless somebody's barn burns up. +Don't I just wish there would," gloomily responded another youth who had +so rashly indulged in pyrotechnics on a former occasion that a +neighbor's cow had been roasted whole. + +"I wouldn't give two cents for such a slow old place as this. Why, last +Fourth at this time, I was rumbling though Boston streets on top of our +big car, all in my best toggery. Hot as pepper, but good fun looking in +at the upper windows and hearing the women scream when the old thing +waggled round and I made believe I was going to tumble off, said Ben, +leaning on his bat with the air of a man who had seen the world and felt +some natural regret at descending from so lofty a sphere. + +"Catch me cuttin' away if I had such a chance as that!" answered Sam, +trying to balance his bat on his chin and getting a smart rap across the +nose as he failed to perform the feat. + +"Much you know about it, old chap. It's hard work, I can tell you, and +that wouldn't suit such a lazy-bones. Then you are too big to begin, +though you might do for a fat boy if Smithers wanted one," said Ben, +surveying the stout youth, with calm contempt. + +"Let's go in swimming, not loaf round here, if we can't play," proposed +a red and shiny boy, panting for a game of leap-frog in Sandy pond. + +"May as well; don't see much else to do," sighed Sam, rising like a +young elephant. + +The others were about to follow, when a shrill "Hi, hi, boys, hold on!" +made them turn about to behold Billy Barton tearing down the street like +a runaway colt, waving a long strip of paper as he ran. + +"Now, then, what's the matter?" demanded Ben, as the other came up +grinning and puffing, but full of great news. + +"Look here, read it! I'm going; come along, the whole of you," panted +Billy, putting the paper into Sam's hand, and surveying the crowd with a +face as beaming as a full moon. + +"Look out for the big show," read Sam. "Van Amburgh & Co.'s New Great +Golden Menagerie, Circus and Colosseum, will exhibit at Berryville, July +4th, at 1 and 7 precisely. Admission 50 cents, children half-price. +Don't forget day and date. H. Frost, Manager." + +While Sam read, the other boys had been gloating over the enticing +pictures which covered the bill. There was the golden car, filled with +noble beings in helmets, all playing on immense trumpets; the twenty-four +prancing steeds with manes, tails, and feathered heads tossing in +the breeze; the clowns, the tumblers, the strong men, and the riders +flying about in the air as if the laws of gravitation no longer existed. +But, best of all, was the grand conglomeration of animals where the +giraffe appears to stand on the elephant's back, the zebra to be jumping +over the seal, the hippopotamus to be lunching off a couple of +crocodiles, and lions and tigers to be raining down in all directions +with their mouths, wide open and their tails as stiff as that of the +famous Northumberland House lion. + +"Cricky! wouldn't I like to see that," said little Cyrus Fay, devoutly +hoping that the cage, in which this pleasing spectacle took place, was a +very strong one. + +"You never would, it's only a picture! That, now, is something like," +and Ben, who had pricked up his ears at the word "circus," laid his +finger on a smaller cut of a man hanging by the back of his neck with a +child in each hand, two men suspended from his feet, and the third +swinging forward to alight on his head. + +"I 'm going," said Sam, with calm decision, for this superb array of +unknown pleasures fired his soul and made him forget his weight. + +"How will you fix it?" asked Ben, fingering the bill with a nervous +thrill all through his wiry limbs, just as he used to feel it when his +father caught him up to dash into the ring. + +"Foot it with Billy. It's only four miles, and we've got lots of time, +so we can take it easy. Mother won't care, if I send word by Cy," +answered Sam, producing half a dollar, as if such magnificent sums were +no strangers to his pocket. + +"Come on, Brown; you'll be a first-rate fellow to show us round, as you +know all the dodges," said Billy, anxious to get his money's worth. + +"Well, I don't know," began Ben, longing to go, but afraid Mrs. Moss +would say "No!" if he asked leave. + +"He's afraid," sneered the red-faced boy, who felt bitterly toward all +mankind at that instant, because he knew there was no hope of his going. + +"Say that again, and I'll knock your head off," and Ben faced round with +a gesture which caused the other to skip out of reach precipitately. + +"Hasn't got any money, more likely," observed a shabby youth, whose +pockets never had any thing in them but a pair of dirty hands. + +Ben calmly produced a dollar bill and waved it defiantly before this +doubter, observing with dignity: + +"I've got money enough to treat the whole crowd, if I choose to, which I +don't." + +"Then come along and have a jolly time with Sam and me. We can buy some +dinner and get a ride home, as like as not," said the amiable Billy, +with a slap on the shoulder, and a cordial grin which made it impossible +for Ben to resist. + +"What are you stopping for?" demanded Sam, ready to be off, that they +might "take it easy." + +"Don't know what to do with Sancho. He'll get lost or stolen if I take +him, and it's too far to carry him home if you are in a hurry," began +Ben, persuading himself that this was the true reason of his delay. + +"Let Cy take him back. He'll do it for a cent; won't you, Cy?" proposed +Billy, smoothing away all objections, for he liked Ben, and saw that he +wanted to go. + +"No, I won't; I don't like him. He winks at me, and growls when I touch +him," muttered naughty Cy, remembering how much reason poor Sanch had to +distrust his tormentor. + +"There 's Bab; she'll do it. Come here, sissy; Ben wants you," called +Sam, beckoning to a small figure just perching on the fence. + +Down it jumped and Came fluttering up, much elated at being summoned by +the captain of the sacred nine. + +"I want you to take Sanch home, and tell your mother I'm going to walk, +and may be won't be back till sundown. Miss Celia said I Might do what I +pleased, all day. You remember, now." + +Ben spoke without looking up, and affected to be very busy buckling a +strap into Sanch's collar, for the two were so seldom parted that the +dog always rebelled. It was a mistake on Ben's part, for while his eyes +were on his work Bab's were devouring the bill which Sam still held, and +her suspicions were aroused by the boys' faces. + +"Where are you going? Ma will want to know," she said, as curious as a +magpie all at once. + +"Never you mind; girls can't know every thing. You just catch hold of +this and run along home. Lock Sanch up for an hour, and tell your mother +I'm all right," answered Ben, bound to assert his manly supremacy before +his mates. + +"He's going to the circus," whispered Fay, hoping to make mischief. + +"Circus! Oh, Ben, do take me!" cried Bab, falling into a state of great +excitement at the mere thought of such delight. + +"You couldn't walk four miles," began Ben. + +"Yes, I could, as easy as not." + +"You haven't got any money." + +"You have; I saw you showing your dollar, and you could pay for me, and +Ma would pay it back." + +"Can't wait for you to get ready." + +"I'll go as I am. I don't care if it is my old hat," and Bab jerked it +on to her head. + +"Your mother wouldn't like it." + +"She won't like your going, either." + +"She isn't my missis now. Miss Celia wouldn't care, and I'm going, any +way." + +"Do, do take me, Ben! I'll be just as good as ever was, and I'll take +care of Sanch all the way," pleaded Bab, clasping her hands and looking +round for some sign of relenting in the faces of the boys. + +"Don't you bother; we don't want any girls tagging after us," said Sam, +walking off to escape the annoyance. + +"I'll bring you a roll of chickerberry lozengers, if you won't tease," +whispered kind-hearted Billy, with a consoling pat on the crown of the +shabby straw hat. + +"When the circus comes here you shall go, certain sure, and Betty too," +said Ben, feeling mean while he proposed what he knew was a hollow +mockery. + +"They never do come to such little towns; you said so, and I think you +are very cross, and I won't take care of Sanch, so, now!" cried Bab, +getting into a passion, yet ready to cry, she was so disappointed. + +"I Suppose it wouldn't do--" hinted Billy, with a look from Ben to the +little girl, who stood winking hard to keep the tears back. + +"Of Course it wouldn't. I'd like to see her walking eight miles. I +don't mind paying for her; it's getting her there and back. Girls are +such a bother when you want to knock round. No, Bab, you can't go. +Travel right home and don't make a fuss. Come along, boys; it 's most +eleven, and we don't want to walk fast." + +Ben spoke very decidedly; and, taking Billy's arm, away they went, +leaving poor Bab and Sanch to watch them out of sight, one sobbing, the +other whining dismally. + +Somehow those two figures seemed to go before Ben all along the pleasant +road, and half spoilt his fun; for though he laughed and talked, cut +canes, and seemed as merry as a grig, he could not help feeling that he +ought to have asked leave to go, and been kinder to Bab. + +"Perhaps Mrs. Moss would have planned somehow so we could all go, if I'd +told her, I'd like to show her round, and she's been real good to me. No +use now. I'll take the girls a lot of candy and make it all right." + +He tried to settle it in that way and trudged gayly off, hoping Sancho +wouldn't feel hurt at being left, wondering if any of "Smithers's lot" +would be round, and planning to do the honors handsomely to the boys. + +It was very warm; and just outside of the town they paused by a wayside +watering-trough to wash their dusty faces, and cool off before plunging +into the excitements of the afternoon. As they stood refreshing +themselves, a baker's cart came jingling by; and Sam proposed a hasty +lunch while they rested. A supply of gingerbread was soon bought; and, +climbing the green bank above, they lay on the grass under a wild +cherry-tree, munching luxuriously, while they feasted their eyes at the +same time on the splendors awaiting them; for the great tent, with all +its flags flying, was visible from the hill. + +"We'll cut across those fields,--it 's shorter than going by the road,--and +then we can look round outside till it's time to go in. I want to +have a good go at every thing, especially the lions," said Sam, +beginning on his last cookie. + +"I heard 'em roar just now;" and Billy stood up to gaze with big eyes at +the flapping canvas which hid the king of beasts from his longing sight. + +"That was a cow mooing. Don't you be a donkey, Bill. When you hear a +real roar, you'll shake in your boots," said Ben, holding up his +handkerchief to dry, after it had done double duty as towel and napkin. + +"I wish you'd hurry up, Sam. Folks are going in now. I see 'em!" and +Billy pranced with impatience; for this was his first circus, and he +firmly believed that he was going to behold all that the pictures +promised. + +"Hold on a minute, while I get one more drink. Buns are dry fodder," +said Sam, rolling over to the edge of the bank and preparing to descend +with as little trouble as possible. + +He nearly went down head first, however; for, as he looked before he +leaped, he beheld a sight which caused him to stare with all his might +for an instant, then turn and beckon, saying in an eager whisper, +"Look here, boys,--quick!" + +Ben and Billy peered over, and both suppressed an astonished "Hullo!" +for there stood Bab, waiting for Sancho to lap his fill out of the +overflowing trough. + +Such a shabby, tired-looking couple as they were! Bab with a face as red +as a lobster and streaked with tears, shoes white with dust, playfrock +torn at the gathers, something bundled up in her apron, and one shoe +down at the heel as if it hurt her. Sancho lapped eagerly, with his eyes +shut; all his ruffles were gray with dust, and his tail hung wearily +down, the tassel at half mast, as if in mourning for the master whom he +had come to find. Bab still held the strap, intent on keeping her charge +safe, though she lost herself; but her courage seemed to be giving out, +as she looked anxiously up and down the road, seeing no sign of the three +familiar figures she had been following as steadily as a little Indian +on the war-trail. + +"Oh, Sanch, what shall I do if they don't come along? We must have gone +by them somewhere, for I don't see any one that way, and there isn't any +other road to the circus, seems to me." + +Bab spoke as if the dog could understand and answer; and Sancho looked +as if he did both, for he stopped drinking, pricked up his cars, and, +fixing his sharp eyes on the grass above him, gave a suspicious bark. + +"It's only squirrels; don't mind, but come along and be good; for I 'm +so tired, I don't know what to do!" sighed Bab, trying to pull him after +her as she trudged on, bound to see the outside of that wonderful tent, +even if she never got in. + +But Sancho had heard a soft chirrup; and, with a sudden bound, twitched +the strap away, sprang up the bank, and landed directly on Ben's back as +he lay peeping over. A peal of laughter greeted him; and, having got the +better of his master in more ways than one, he made the most of the +advantage by playfully worrying him as he kept him down, licking his +face in spite of his struggles, burrowing in his neck with a ticklish +nose, snapping at his buttons, and yelping joyfully, as if it was the +best joke in the world to play hide-and-seek for four long miles. + +Before Ben could quiet him, Bab came climbing up the bank, with such a +funny mixture of fear, fatigue, determination, and relief in her dirty +little face, that the boys could not look awful if they tried. + +"How dared you come after us, miss?" demanded Sam, as she looked calmly +about her, and took a seat before she was asked. + +"Sanch would come after Ben; I couldn't make him go home, so I had to +hold on till he was safe here, else he'd be lost, and then Ben would +feel bad." + +The cleverness of that excuse tickled the boys immensely; and Sam tried +again, while Ben was getting the dog down and sitting on him. + +"Now you expect to go to the circus, I suppose." + +"Course I do. Ben said he didn't mind paying, if I could get there +without bothering him, and I have; and I'll go home alone. I ain't +afraid. Sanch will take care of me, if you won't," answered Bab, +stoutly. + +"What do you suppose your mother will say to you?" asked Ben, feeling +much reproached by her last words. + +"I guess she'll say you led me into mischief; and the sharp child +nodded, as if she defied him to deny the truth of that. + +"You'll catch it when you get home, Ben; so you'd better have a good +time while you can," advised Sam, thinking Bab great fun, since none of +the blame of her pranks would fall on him. "What would you have done if +you hadn't found us?" asked Billy, forgetting his impatience in his +admiration for this plucky young lady. + +"I'd have gone on and seen the circus, and then I'd have gone home again +and told Betty all about it," was the prompt answer. + +"But you haven't any money." + +"Oh, I'd ask somebody to pay for me. I 'm so little, it wouldn't be +much." + +"Nobody would do it; so you'd have to stay outside, you see." + +"No, I wouldn't. I thought of that, and planned how I'd fix it if I +didn't find Ben. I'd make Sanch do his tricks, and get a quarter that +way; so, now! answered Bab, undaunted by any obstacle. + +"I do believe she would! You are a smart child, Bab; and if I had enough +I'd take you in myself," said Billy, heartily; for, having sisters of +his own, he kept a soft place in his heart for girls, especially +enterprising ones. + +"I'll take care of her. It was very naughty to come, Bab; but, so long +as you did, you needn't worry about any thing. I'll see to you; and you +shall have a real good time," said Ben, accepting his responsibilities +without a murmur, and bound to do the handsome thing by his persistent +friend. + +"I thought you would;" and Bab folded her arms, as if she had nothing +further to do but enjoy herself. + +"Are you hungry?" asked Billy, fishing out several fragments of +gingerbread. + +"Starving!" and Bab ate them with such a relish that Sam added a small +contribution; and Ben caught some water for her in his hand, where the +little spring bubbled up beside a stone. + +"Now, you wash your face and spat down your hair, and put your hat on +straight, and then we'll go," commanded Ben, giving Sanch a roll on the +grass to clean him. + +Bab scrubbed her face till it shone; and, pulling down her apron to wipe +it, scattered a load of treasures collected in her walk. Some of the +dead flowers, bits of moss, and green twigs fell near Ben, and one +attracted his attention,--a spray of broad, smooth leaves, with a +bunch of whitish berries on it. + +"Where did you get that?" he asked, poking it with his foot. + +"In a swampy place, coming along. Sanch saw something down there; and I +went with him, 'cause I thought may be it was a musk-rat, and you'd like +one if we could get him." + +"Was it?" asked the boys all at once, and with intense interest. + +"No; only a snake, and I don't care for snakes. I picked some of that, +it was so green and pretty. Thorny likes queer leaves and berries, you +know," answered Bab, "spatting," down her rough locks. + +"Well, he won't like that, nor you either; it's poisonous, and I +shouldn't wonder if you'd got poisoned, Bab. Don't touch it! +Swamp-sumach is horrid stuff,--Miss Celia said so;" and Ben looked +anxiously at Bab, who felt her chubby face all over, and examined her +dingy hands with a solemn air, asking, eagerly,-- + +"Will it break out on me 'fore I get to the circus?" + +"Not for a day or so, I guess; but it's bad when it does come." + +"I don't care, if I see the animals first. Come quick, and never mind +the old weeds and things," said Bab, much relieved; for present bliss +was all she had room for now in her happy little heart. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SOMEBODY GETS LOST + +Putting all care behind them, the young folks ran down the hill, with a +very lively dog gambolling beside them, and took a delightfully +tantalizing survey of the external charms of the big tent. But people +were beginning to go in, and it was impossible to delay when they came +round to the entrance. + +Ben felt that now "his foot was on his native heath," and the superb air +of indifference with which he threw down his dollar at the +ticket-office, carelessly swept up the change, and strolled into the +tent with his hands in his pockets, was so impressive that even big Sam +repressed his excitement and meekly followed their leader, as he led +them from cage to cage, doing the honors as if he owned the whole +concern. Bab held tight to the flap of his jacket, staring about her +with round eyes, and listening with little gasps of astonishment or +delight to the roaring of lions, the snarling of tigers, the chatter of +the monkeys, the groaning of camels, and the music of the very brass +band shut up in a red bin. + +Five elephants were tossing their hay about in the middle of the +menagerie, and Billy's legs shook under him as he looked up at the big +beasts whose long noses and small, sagacious eyes filled him with awe. +Sam was so tickled by the droll monkeys that the others left him before +the cage and went on to see the zebra, "striped just like Ma's muslin +gown," Bab declared. But the next minute she forgot all about him in her +raptures over the ponies and their tiny colts; especially one mite of a +thing who lay asleep on the hay, such a miniature copy of its little +mouse-colored mamma that one could hardly believe it was alive. + +"Oh, Ben, I must feel of it!--the cunning baby horse!" and down went +Bab inside the rope to pat and admire the pretty creature, while its +mother smelt suspiciously at the brown hat, and baby lazily opened one +eye to see what was going on. + +"Come out of that, it isn't allowed," commanded Ben, longing to do the +same thing, but mindful of the proprieties and his own dignity. + +Bab reluctantly tore herself away to find consolation in watching the +young lions, who looked so like big puppies, and the tigers washing +their faces just as puss did. + +"If I stroked 'em, wouldn't they purr?" she asked, bent on enjoying +herself, while Ben held her skirts lest she should try the experiment. + +"You'd better not go to patting them, or you'll get your hands clawed +up. Tigers do purr like fun when they are happy, but these fellers never +are, and you'll only see 'em spit and snarl," said Ben, leading the way +to the humpy carrels, who were peacefully chewing their cud and longing +for the desert, with a dreamy, far-away look in their mournful eyes. + +Here, leaning on the rope, and scientifically biting a straw while he +talked, Ben played showman to his heart's content till the neigh of a +horse from the circus tent beyond reminded him of the joys to come. + +"We'd better hurry along and get good seats before folks begin to crowd. +I want to sit near the curtain and see if any of Smitthers's lot are +'round." + +"I ain't going way off there; you can't see half so well, and that big +drum makes such a noise you can't hear yourself think," said Sam, who +had rejoined them. + +So they settled in good places where they could see and hear all that +went on in the ring and still catch glimpses of white horses, bright +colors, and the glitter of helmets beyond the dingy red curtains. Ben +treated Bab to peanuts and pop-corn like an indulgent parent, and she +murmured protestations of undying gratitude with her mouth full, as she +sat blissfully between him and the congenial Billy. + +Sancho, meantime, had been much excited by the familiar sights and +sounds, and now was greatly exercised in his doggish mind at the unusual +proceeding of his master; for he was sure that they ought to be within +there, putting on their costumes, ready to take their turn. He looked +anxiously at Ben, sniffed disdainfully at the strap as if to remind him +that a scarlet ribbon ought to take its place, and poked peanut shells +about with his paw as if searching for the letters with which to spell +his famous name. + +"I know, old boy, I know; but it can't be done. We've quit the business +and must just look on. No larks for us this time, Sanch, so keep quiet +and behave,' whispered Ben, tucking the dog away under the seat with a +sympathetic cuddle of the curly head that peeped out from between his +feet. + +"He wants to go and cut up, don't he?" said Billy, "and so do you, I +guess. Wish you were going to. Wouldn't it be fun to see Ben showing off +in there?" + +"I'd be afraid to have him go up on a pile of elephants and jump through +hoops like these folks," answered Bab, poring over her pictured +play-bill with unabated relish. + +"Done it a hundred times, and I'd just like to show you what I can do. +They don't seem to have any boys in this lot; shouldn't wonder if they'd +take me if I asked 'em," said Ben, moving uneasily on his seat and +casting wistful glances toward the inner tent where he knew he would +feel more at home than in his present place. + +"I heard some men say that it's against the law to have small boys now; +it's so dangerous and not good for them, this kind of thing. If that's +so, you're done for, Ben," observed Sam, with his most grown-up air, +remembering Ben's remarks on "fat boys." + +"Don't believe a word of it, and Sanch and I could go this minute and +get taken on, I'll bet. We are a valuable couple, and I could prove it +if I chose to," began Ben, getting excited and boastful. + +"Oh, see, they're coming!--gold carriages and lovely horses, and flags +and elephants, and every thing," cried Bab, giving a clutch at Ben's arm +as the opening procession appeared headed by the band, tooting and +banging till their faces were as red as their uniforms. + +Round and round they went till every one had seen their fill, then the +riders alone were left caracoling about the ring with feathers flying, +horses prancing, and performers looking as tired and indifferent as if +they would all like to go to sleep then and there. + +"How splendid!" sighed Bab, as they went dashing out, to tumble off +almost before the horses stopped. + +"That's nothing! You wait till you see the bareback riding and the +'acrobatic exercises,'" said Ben, quoting from the play-bill, with the +air of one who knew all about the feats to come, and could never be +surprised any more. + +"What are 'crowbackic exercises'?" asked Billy, thirsting for +information. + +"Leaping and climbing and tumbling; you'll see George! what a stunning +horse!" and Ben forgot every thing else to feast his eyes on the +handsome creature who now came pacing in to dance, upset and replace +chairs, kneel, bow, and perform many wonderful or graceful feats, ending +with a swift gallop while the rider sat in a chair on its back fanning +himself, with his legs crossed, as comfortably as you please. + +"That, now, is something like," and Ben's eyes shone with admiration and +envy as the pair vanished, and the pink and silver acrobats came leaping +into the ring. + +The boys were especially interested in this part, and well they might +be; for strength and agility are manly attributes which lads appreciate, +and these lively fellows flew about like India-rubber balls, each trying +to outdo the other, till the leader of the acrobats capped the climax by +turning a double somersault over five elephants standing side by side. + +"There, Sir, how's that for a jump?" asked Ben, rubbing his hands with +satisfaction as his friends clapped till their palms tingled. + +"We'll rig up a spring-board and try it," said Billy, fired with +emulation. + +"Where'll you get your elephants?" asked Sam, scornfully, for gymnastics +were not in his line. + +"You'll do for one," retorted Ben, and Billy and Bab joined in his laugh +so heartily that a rough-looking, man who sat behind them, hearing all +they said, pronounced them a "jolly set," and kept his eye on Sancho, +who now showed signs of insubordination. + +"Hullo, that wasn't on the bill!" cried Ben, as a parti-colored clown +came in, followed by half a dozen dogs. + +"I'm so glad; now Sancho will like it. There's a poodle that might be +his ownty donty brother--the one with the blue ribbon," said Bab. +beaming with delight as the dogs took their seats in the chairs arranged +for them. + +Sancho did like it only too well, for be scrambled out from under the +seat in a great hurry to go and greet his friends; and, being sharply +checked, sat up and begged so piteously that Ben found it very hard to +refuse and order him down. He subsided for a moment, but when the black +spaniel, who acted the canine clown, did something funny and was +applauded, Sancho made a dart as if bent on leaping into the ring to +outdo his rival, and Ben was forced to box his ears and put his feet on +the poor beast, fearing he would be ordered out if he made any +disturbance. + +Too well trained to rebel again, Sancho lay meditating on his wrongs +till the dog act was over, carefully abstaining from any further sign of +interest in their tricks, and only giving a sidelong glance at the two +little poodles who came out of a basket to run up and down stairs on +their fore-paws, dance jigs on their hind-legs, and play various pretty +pranks to the great delight of all the children in the audience. If ever +a dog expressed by look and attitude, "Pooh! I could do much better than +that, and astonish you all, if I were only allowed to," that dog was +Sancho, as he curled himself up and affected to turn his back on an +unappreciative world. + +"It's too bad, when he knows more than all those chaps put together. I'd +give any thing if I could show him off as I used to. Folks always like +it, and I was ever so proud of him. He's mad now because I had to cuff +him, and won't take any notice of me till I make up," said Ben, +regretfully eying his offended friend, but not daring to beg pardon yet. + +More riding followed, and Bab was kept in a breathless state by the +marvellous agility and skill of the gauzy lady who drove four horses at +once, leaped through hoops, over banners and bars, sprang off and on at +full speed, and seemed to enjoy it all so much it was impossible to +believe that there could be any danger or exertion in it. Then two girls +flew about on the trapeze, and walked on a tight rope, causing Bab to +feel that she had at last found her sphere; for, young as she was, her +mother often said, + +"I really don't know what this child is fit for, except mischief, like a +monkey." + +"I'll fix the clothes-line when I get home, and show Ma how nice it is. +Then, may be, she'd let me wear red and gold trousers, and climb round +like these girls," thought the busy little brain, much excited by all it +saw on that memorable day. + +Nothing short of a pyramid of elephants with a glittering gentleman in a +turban and top boots on the summit would have made her forget this new +and charming plan. But that astonishing spectacle, and the prospect of a +cage of Bengal tigers with a man among them, in imminent danger of being +eaten before her eyes, entirely absorbed her thoughts till, just as the +big animals went lumbering out, a peal of thunder caused considerable +commotion in the audience. Men on the highest seats popped their heads +through the openings in the tent-cover and reported that a heavy shower +was coming up. Anxious mothers began to collect their flocks of children +as hens do their chickens at sunset; timid people told cheerful stories +of tents blown over in gales, cages upset and wild beasts let loose. +Many left in haste, and the performers hurried to finish as soon as +possible. + +"I'm going now before the crowd comes, so I can get a lift home. I see +two or three folks I know, so I'm off;" and, climbing hastily down, Sam +vanished without further ceremony. + +"Better wait till the shower is over. We can go and see the animals +again, and get home all dry, just as well as not," observed Ben, +encouragingly, as Billy looked anxiously at the billowing canvas over his +head, the swaying posts before him, and heard the quick patter of drops +outside, not to mention the melancholy roar of the lion which sounded +rather awful through the sudden gloom which filled the strange place. + +"I wouldn't miss the tigers for any thing. See, they are pulling in the +cart now, and the shiny man is all ready with his gun. Will he shoot any +of them, apprehension, for the sharp crack of a rifle startled her more +than the loudest thunder-clap she ever heard. + +"Bless you, no, child; it 's only powder to make a noise and scare 'em. +I wouldn't like to be in his place, though; father says you can never +trust tigers as you can lions, no matter how tame they are. Sly +fellers, like cats, and when they scratch it's no joke, I tell you," +answered Ben, with a knowing wag of the head, as the sides of the cage +rattled down, and the poor, fierce creatures were seen leaping and +snarling as if they resented this display of their captivity. + +Bab curled up her feet and winked fast with excitement as she watched +the "shiny man" fondle the great cats, lie down among them, pull open +their red mouths, and make them leap over him or crouch at his feet as +he snapped the long whip. When he fired the gun and they all fell as if +dead, she with difficulty suppressed a small scream and clapped her +hands over her ears; but poor Billy never minded it a bit, for he was +pale and quaking with the fear of "heaven's artillery" thundering +overhead, and as a bright flash of lightning seemed to run down the +tall tent-poles he hid his eyes and wished with all his heart that he +was safe with mother. + +"Afraid of thunder, Bill?" asked Ben, trying to speak stoutly, while a +sense of his own responsibilities began to worry him, for how was Bab to +be got home in such a pouring rain? + +"It makes me sick; always did. Wish I hadn't come," sighed Billy, +feeling, all too late, that lemonade and "lozengers" were not the +fittest food for man, or a stifling tent the best place to be in on a +hot July day, especially in a thunder-storm. + +"I didn't ask you to come; you asked me; so it isn't my fault," said +Ben, rather gruffly, as people crowded by without pausing to hear the +comic song the clown was singing in spite of the confusion. + +"Oh, I'm so tired," groaned Bab, getting up with a long stretch of arms +and legs. + +"You'll be tireder before you get home, I guess. Nobody asked you to +Come, any way;" and Ben gazed dolefully round him, wishing he could see +a familiar face or find a wiser head than his own to help him out of the +scrape he was in. + +"I said I wouldn't be a bother, and I won't. I'll walk right home this +minute. I ain't afraid of thunder, and the rain won't hurt these old +clothes. Come along," cried Bab, bravely, bent on keeping her word, +though it looked much harder after the fun was all over than before. + +"My head aches like fury. Don't I wish old Jack was here to take me +back," said Billy, following his companions in misfortune with sudden +energy, as a louder peal than before rolled overhead. + +"You might as well wish for Lita and the covered wagon while you are +about it, then we could all ride," answered Ben, leading the way to the +outer tent, where many people were lingering in hopes of fair weather. + +"Why, Billy Barton, how in the world did you get here?" cried a +surprised voice as the crook of a cane caught the boy by the collar and +jerked him face to face with a young farmer, who was pushing along, +followed by his, wife and two or three children. + +"Oh, Uncle Eben, I'm so glad you found Me! I walked over, and it's +raining, and I don't feel well. Let me go with you, can't I?" asked +Billy, casting himself and all his woes upon the strong arm that had +laid hold of him. + +"Don't see what your mother was about to let you come so far alone, and +you just over scarlet fever. We are as full as ever we can be, but we'll +tuck you in somehow," said the pleasant-faced woman, bundling up her +baby, and bidding the two little lads "keep close to father." + +"I didn't come alone. Sam got a ride, and can't you tuck Ben and Bab in +too? They ain't very big, either of them," whispered Billy, anxious to +serve his friends now that he was provided for himself. + +"Can't do it, any way. Got to pick up mother at the corner, and that +will be all I can carry. It's lifting a little; hurry along, Lizzie, and +let us get out of this as quick is possible," said Uncle Eben, +impatiently; for going to a circus with a young family is not an easy +task, as every one knows who has ever tried it. + +"Ben, I'm real sorry there isn't room for you. I'll tell Bab's mother +where she is, and may be some one will come for you," said Billy, +hurriedly, as he tore himself away, feeling rather mean to desert the +others, though he could be of no use. + +"Cut away, and don't mind us. I'm all right, and Bab must do the best +she can," was all Ben had time to answer before his comrade was hustled +away by the crowd pressing round the entrance with much clashing of +umbrellas and scrambling of boys and men, who rather enjoyed the flurry. + +"No use for us to get knocked about in that scrimmage. We'll wait a +minute and then go out easy. It's a regular rouser, and you'll be as wet +as a sop before we get home. Hope you'll like that?" added Ben, looking +out at the heavy rain poring down as if it never meant to stop. + +"Don't care a bit," said Bab, swinging on one of the ropes with a +happy-go-lucky air, for her spirits were not extinguished yet, and she +was bound to enjoy this exciting holiday to the very end. "I like +circuses so much! I wish I lived here all the time, and slept in a +wagon, as you did, and had these dear little colties to play with." + +"It wouldn't be fun if you didn't have any folks to take care of you," +began Ben, thoughtfully looking about the familiar place where the men +were now feeding the animals, setting their refreshment tables, or +lounging on the hay to get such rest as they could before the evening +entertainment. Suddenly he started, gave a long look, then turned to +Bab, and thrusting Sancho's strap into her hand, said, hastily: + +"I see a fellow I used to know. May be he can tell me something about +father. Don't you stir till I come back." + +Then he was off like a shot, and Bab saw him run after a man with a +bucket who bad been watering the zebra. Sancho tried to follow, but was +checked with an impatient,-- + +"No, you can't go! What a plague you are, tagging around when people +don't want you." + +Sancho might have answered, "So are you," but, being a gentlemanly dog, +he sat down with a resigned expression to watch the little colts, who +were now awake and seemed ready for a game of bo-peep behind their +mammas. Bab enjoyed their funny little frisks so much that she tied the +wearisome strap to a post, and crept under the rope to pet the tiny +mouse-colored one who came and talked to her with baby whinnies and +confiding glances of its soft, dark eyes. + +"Oh, luckless Bab! why did you turn your back? Oh, too accomplished +Sancho! why did you neatly untie that knot and trot away to confer with +the disreputable bull-dog who stood in the entrance beckoning with +friendly wavings of an abbreviated tail? Oh, much afflicted Ben! why did +you delay till it was too late to save your pet from the rough man who +set his foot upon the trailing strap, and led poor Sanch quickly out of +sight among the crowd? + +"It was Bascum, but he didn't know any thing. Why, where's Sanch?" said +Ben, returning. A breathless voice made Bab turn to see Ben looking +about him with as much alarm in his hot face as if the dog had been a +two years' child. + +"I tied him--he's here somewhere--with the ponies," stammered Bab, +in sudden dismay, for no sign of a dog appeared as her eyes roved +wildly to and fro. + +Ben whistled, called and searched in vain, till one of the lounging men +said, lazily, + +"If you are looking after the big poodle you'd better go outside; I saw +him trotting off with another dog." + +Away rushed Ben, with Bab following, regardless of the rain, for both +felt that a great misfortune had befallen them. But, long before this, +Sancho had vanished, and no one minded his indignant howls as he was +driven off in a covered cart. + +"If he is lost I'll never forgive you; never, never, never!" and Ben +found it impossible to resist giving Bab several hard shakes, which made +her yellow braids fly up and down like pump handles. + +"I'm dreadful sorry. He'll come back--you said he always did," pleaded +Bab, quite crushed by her own afflictions, and rather scared to see Ben +look so fierce, for he seldom lost his temper or was rough with the +little girls. + +"If he doesn't come back, don't you speak to me for a year. Now, I'm +going home." And, feeling that words were powerless to express his +emotions, Ben walked away, looking as grim as a small boy could. + +A more unhappy little lass is seldom to be found than Bab was, as she +pattered after him, splashing recklessly through the puddles, and +getting as wet and muddy as possible, as a sort of penance for her sins. +For a mile or two she trudged stoutly along, while Ben marched before in +solemn silence, which soon became both impressive and oppressive because +so unusual, and such a proof of his deep displeasure. Penitent Bab +longed for just one word, one sign of relenting; and when none came, she +began to wonder how she could possibly bear it if he kept his dreadful +threat and did not speak to her for a whole year. + +But presently her own discomfort absorbed her, for her feet were wet and +cold as well as very tired; pop-corn and peanuts were not particularly +nourishing food; and hunger made her feel faint; excitement was a new +thing, and now that it was over she longed to lie down and go to sleep; +then the long walk with a circus at the end seemed a very different +affair from the homeward trip with a distracted mother awaiting her. The +shower had subsided into a dreary drizzle, a chilly east wind blew up, +the hilly road seemed to lengthen before the weary feet, and the mute, +blue flannel figure going on so fast with never a look or sound, added +the last touch to Bab's remorseful anguish. + +Wagons passed, but all were full, and no one offered a ride. Men and +boys went by with rough jokes on the forlorn pair, for rain soon made +them look like young tramps. But there was no brave Sancho to resent the +impertinence, and this fact was sadly brought to both their minds by the +appearance of a great Newfoundland dog who came trotting after a +carriage. The good creature stopped to say a friendly word in his dumb +fashion, looking up at Bab with benevolent eyes, and poking his nose +into Ben's hand before he bounded away with his plumy tail curled over +his back. + +Ben started as the cold nose touched his fingers, gave the soft head a +lingering pat, and watched the dog out of sight through a thicker mist +than any the rain made. But Bab broke down; for the wistful look of the +creature's eyes reminded her of lost Sancho, and she sobbed quietly as +she glanced back longing to see the dear old fellow jogging along in the +rear. + +Ben heard the piteous sound and took a sly peep over his shoulder, +seeing such a mournful spectacle that he felt appeased, saying to +himself as if to excuse his late sternness,-- + +"She is a naughty girl, but I guess she is about sorry enough now. When +we get to that sign-post I'll speak to her, only I won't forgive her +till Sanch comes back." + +But he was better than his word; for, just before the post was reached, +Bab, blinded by tears, tripped over the root of a tree, and, rolling +down the bank, landed in a bed of wet nettles. Ben had her out in a +jiffy, and vainly tried to comfort her; but she was past any consolation +he could offer, and roared dismally as she wrung her tingling hands, +with great drops running over her cheeks almost as fast as the muddy +little rills ran down the road. + +"Oh dear, oh dear! I'm all stinged up, and I want my supper; and my feet +ache, and I'm cold, and every thing is so horrid!" wailed the poor child +lying on the grass, such a miserable little wet bunch that the sternest +parent would have melted at the sight. + +"Don't cry so, Babby; I was real cross, and I'm sorry. I'll forgive you +right away now, and never shake you any more," cried Ben, so full of +pity for her tribulations that he forgot his own, like a generous little +man. + +"Shake me again, if you want to; I know I was very bad to tag and lose +Sanch. I never will any more, and I'm so sorry, I don't know what to +do," answered Bab, completely bowed down by this magnanimity. + +"Never mind; you just wipe up your face and come along, and we'll tell +Ma all about it, and she'll fix us as nice as can be. I shouldn't wonder +if Sanch got home now before we did," said Ben, cheering himself as well +as her by the fond hope. + +"I don't believe I ever shall. I'm so tired my legs won't go, and the +water in my boots makes them feel dreadfully. I wish that boy would +wheel me a piece. Don't you s'pose he would? asked Bab, wearily picking +herself up as a tall lad trundling a barrow came out of a yard near by. + +"Hullo, Joslyn!" said Ben, recognizing the boy as one of the "hill +fellows" who came to town Saturday nights for play or business. + +"Hullo, Brown!" responded the other, arresting his squeaking progress +with signs of surprise at the moist tableau before him. + +"Where goin'?" asked Ben with masculine brevity. + +"Got to carry this home, hang the old thing." + +"Where to?" + +"Batchelor's, down yonder," and the boy pointed to a farm-house at the +foot of the next hill. + +"Goin' that way, take it right along." + +"What for?" questioned the prudent youth, distrusting such unusual +neighborliness. + +"She's tired, wants a ride; I'll leave it all right, true as I live and +breathe," explained Ben, half ashamed yet anxious to get his little +responsibility home as soon as possible, for mishaps seemed to thicken. + +"Ho, you couldn't cart her all that way! she's most as heavy as a bag of +meal," jeered the taller lad, amused at the proposition. + +"I'm stronger than most fellers of my size. Try, if I ain't," and Ben +squared off in such scientific style that Joslyn responded with sudden +amiability,-- + +"All right, let's see you do it." + +Bab huddled into her new equipage without the least fear, and Ben +trundled her off at a good pace, while the boy retired to the shelter of +a barn to watch their progress, glad to be rid of an irksome errand. + +At first, all went well, for the way was down hill, and the wheel +squeaked briskly round and round; Bab smiled gratefully upon her bearer, +and Ben "went in on his muscle with a will," as he expressed it. But +presently the road grew sandy, began to ascend, and the load seemed to +grow heavier with every step. + +"I'll get out now. It's real nice, but I guess I am too heavy," said +Bab, as the face before her got redder and redder, and the breath began +to come in puffs. + +"Sit still. He said I couldn't. I'm not going to give in with him +looking on," panted Ben, and he pushed gallantly up the rise, over the +grassy lawn to the side gate of the Batchelors' door-yard, with his head +down, teeth set, and every muscle of his slender body braced to the +task. + +"Did ever ye see the like of that now? Ah, ha! + + "The streets were so wide, and the lanes were so narry, + He brought his wife home on a little wheelbarry," + +sung a voice with an accent which made Ben drop his load and push back +his hat, to see Pat's red head looking over the fence. + +To have his enemy behold him then and there was the last bitter drop in +poor Ben's cup of humiliation. A shrill approving whistle from the hill +was some comfort, however, and gave him spirit to help Bab out with +composure, though his hands were blistered and he had hardly breath +enough to issue the Command,-- + +"Go along home, and don't mind him." + +"Nice childer, ye are, runnin' off this way, settin' the women +distracted, and me wastin' me time comin' after ye when I'd be milkin' +airly so I'd get a bit of pleasure the day," grumbled Pat, coming up to +untie the Duke, whose Roman nose Ben had already recognized, as well as +the roomy chaise standing before the door. + +"Did Billy tell you about us?" asked Bab, gladly following toward this +welcome refuge. + +"Faith he did, and the Squire sent me to fetch ye home quiet and aisy. +When ye found me, I'd jist stopped here to borry a light for me pipe. Up +wid ye, b'y, and not be wastin' me time stramashin' after a spalpeen +that I'd like to lay me whip over," said Pat, gruffly, as Ben came +along, having left the barrow in the shed. + +"Don't you wish you could? You needn't wait for me; I'll come when I'm +ready," answered Ben dodging round the chaise, bound not to mind Pat, if +he spent the night by the road-side in consequence. + +"Bedad, and I won't then. It's lively ye are; but four legs is better +than two, as ye'll find this night, me young man." + +With that he whipped up and was off before Bab could say a word to +persuade Ben to humble himself for the sake of a ride. She lamented and +Pat chuckled, both forgetting what an agile monkey the boy was, and as +neither looked back, they were unaware Master Ben was hanging on behind +among the straps and springs, making derisive grimaces at his +unconscious foe through the little glass in the leathern back. + +At the lodge gate Ben jumped down to run before with whoops of naughty +satisfaction, which brought the anxious waiters to the door in a flock; +so Pat could only shake his fist at the exulting little rascal as he +drove away, leaving the wanderers to be welcomed as warmly as if they +were a pair of model children. + +Mrs. Moss had not been very much troubled after all; for Cy had told her +that Bab went after Ben, and Billy had lately reported her safe arrival +among them, so, mother-like, she fed, dried, and warmed the runaways, +before she scolded them. + +Even then, the lecture was a mild one, for when they tried to tell the +adventures which to them seemed so exciting, not to say tragical, the +effect astonished them immensely, as their audience went into gales of +laughter, especially at the wheelbarrow episode, which Bab insisted on +telling, with grateful minuteness, to Ben's confusion. Thorny shouted, +and even tender-hearted Betty forgot her tears over the lost dog to +join in the familiar melody when Bab mimicked Pat's quotation from +Mother Goose. + +"We must not laugh any more, or these naughty children will think they +have done something very clever in running away," said Miss Celia, when +the fun subsided, adding, soberly, "I am displeased, but I will say +nothing, for I think Ben is already punished enough." + +"Guess I am," muttered Ben, with a choke in his voice as he glanced +toward the empty mat where a dear curly bunch used to be with a bright +eye twinkling out of the middle of it. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +BEN'S RIDE + +Great was the mourning for Sancho, because his talents and virtues made +him universally admired and beloved. Miss Celia advertised, Thorny +offered rewards, and even surly Pat kept a sharp look-out for poodle +dogs when he went to market; but no Sancho or any trace of him appeared. +Ben was inconsolable, and sternly said it served Bab right when the +dogwood poison affected both face and hands. Poor Bab thought so, too, +and dared ask no sympathy from him, though Thorny eagerly prescribed +plantain leaves, and Betty kept her supplied with an endless succession +of them steeped in cream and pitying tears. This treatment was so +successful that the patient soon took her place in society as well as +ever, but for Ben's affliction there was no cure, and the boy really +suffered in his spirits. + +"I don't think it's fair that I should have so much trouble,--first +losing father and then Sanch. If it wasn't for Lita and Miss Celia, I +don't believe I could stand it," he said, one day, in a fit of despair, +about a week after the sad event. + +"Oh, come now, don't give up so, old fellow. We'll find him if he s +alive, and if he isn't I'll try and get you another as good," answered +Thorny, with a friendly slap on the shoulder, as Ben sat disconsolately +among the beans he had been hoeing. + +"As if there ever could be another half as good!" cried Ben, indignant +at the idea; "or as if I'd ever try to fill his place with the best and +biggest dog that ever wagged a tail! No, sir, there's only one Sanch in +all the world, and if I can't have him I'll never have a dog again." + +"Try some other sort of pet, then. You may have any of mine you like. +Have the peacocks; do now," urged Thorny, full of boyish sympathy and +good-will. + +"They are dreadful pretty, but I don't seem to care about em, thank +you," replied the mourner. + +"Have the rabbits, all of them," which was a handsome offer on Thorny's +part, for there were a dozen at least. + +"They don't love a fellow as a dog does; all they care for is stuff to +eat and dirt to burrow in. I'm sick of rabbits." And well he might be, +for he had had the charge of them ever since they came, and any boy who +has ever kept bunnies knows what a care they are. + +"So am I! Guess we'll have an auction and sell out. Would Jack be a +comfort to you? If he will, you may have him. I'm so well now, I can +walk, or ride anything," added Thorny, in a burst of generosity. + +"Jack couldn't be with me always, as Sanch was, and I couldn't keep him +if I had him." + +Ben tried to be grateful, but nothing short of Lita would have healed +his wounded heart, and she was not Thorny's to give, or he would +probably have offered her to his afflicted friend. + +"Well, no, you couldn't take Jack to bed with you, or keep him up in +your room, and I'm afraid he Would never learn to do any thing clever. I +do wish I had something you wanted, I'd so love to give it to you." + +He spoke so heartily and was so kind that Ben looked up, feeling that he +had given him one of the sweetest things in the world--friendship; he +wanted to tell him so, but did not know how to do it, so caught up his +hoe and fell to work, saying, in a tone Thorny understood better than +words,-- + +"You are real good to me-never mind, I won't worry about it; only it +seems extra hard coming so soon after the other--" + +He stopped there, and a bright drop fell on the bean leaves, to shine +like dew till Ben saw clearly enough to bury it out of sight in a great +flurry. + +"By Jove! I'll find that dog, if he is out of the ground. Keep your +spirits up, my lad, and we'll have the dear old fellow back yet." + +With which cheering prophecy Thorny went off to rack his brains as to +what could be done about the matter. + +Half an hour afterward, the sound of a hand-organ in the avenue roused +him from the brown study into which he had fallen as he lay on the newly +mown grass of the lawn. Peeping over the wall, Thorny reconnoitred, and, +finding the organ a good one, the man a pleasant-faced Italian, and the +monkey a lively animal, he ordered them all in, as a delicate attention +to Ben, for music and monkey together might suggest soothing memories of +the past, and so be a comfort. + +In they came by way of the Lodge, escorted by Bab and Betty, full of +glee, for hand-organs were rare in those parts, and the children +delighted in them. Smiling till his white teeth shone and his black eyes +sparkled, the man played away while the monkey made his pathetic little +bows, and picked up the pennies Thorny threw him. + +"It is warm, and you look tired. Sit down and I'll get you some +dinner," said the young master, pointing to the seat which now stood +near the great gate. + +With thanks in broken English the man gladly obeyed, and Ben begged to +be allowed to make Jacko equally comfortable, explaining that he knew +all about monkeys and what they liked. So the poor thing was freed from +his cocked hat and uniform, fed with bread and milk, and allowed to curl +himself up in the cool grass for a nap, looking so like a tired littie +old man in a fur coat that the children were never weary of watching +him. + +Meantime, Miss Celia had come out, and was talking Italian to Giacomo in +a way that delighted his homesick heart. She had been to Naples, and +could understand his longing for the lovely city of his birth, so they +had a little chat in the language which is all Music, and the good +fellow was so grateful that he played for the children to dance till +they were glad to stop, lingering afterward as if he hated to set out +again upon his lonely, dusty walk. + +"I'd rather like to tramp round with him for a week or so. Could make +enough to live on as easy as not, if I only I had Sanch to show off," +said Ben, as he was coaxing Jacko into the suit which he detested. "You +go wid me, yes?" asked the man, nodding and smiling, well pleased at the +prospect of company, for his quick eye and what the boys let fall in +their talk showed him that Ben was not one of them. + +"If I had my dog I'd love to," and with sad eagerness Ben told the tale +of his loss, for the thought of it was never long out of his mind. + +"I tink I see droll dog like he, way off in New York. He do leetle trick +wid letter, and dance, and go on he head, and many tings to make laugh," +said the man, when he had listened to a list of Sanch's beauties and +accomplishments. + +"Who had him?" asked Thorny, full of interest at once. + +"A man I not know. Cross fellow what beat him when he do letters bad." + +"Did he spell his name?" cried Ben, breathlessly. + +"No; that for why man beat him. He name Generale, and he go spell +Sancho all times, and cry when whip fall on him. Ha! yes! that name true +one; not Generale?" and the man nodded, waved his hands, and showed his +teeth, almost as much excited as the boys. + +"It's Sanch! let's go and get him now, right off! cried Ben, in a fever +to be gone. + +"A hundred miles away, and no clue but this man's story? We must wait a +little, Ben, and be sure before we set out," said Miss Celia, ready to +do almost any thing, but not so certain as the boys. "What sort of a +dog was it? A large, curly, white poodle, with a queer tail?" she asked +of Giacomo. + +"No, Signorina mia, he no curly, no wite; he black, smooth dog, littel +tail, small, so;" and the man held up one brown finger with a gesture +which suggested a short, wagging tail. + +"There, you see how mistaken we were. Dogs are often named Sancho, +especially Spanish poodles; for the original Sancho was a Spaniard, you +know. This dog is not ours, and I'm so sorry." + +The boys' faces had fallen dismally as their hope was destroyed; but Ben +would not give up. For him there was and could be only one Sancho in the +world, and his quick wits suggested an explanation which no one else +thought of. + +"It may be my dog,--they color 'em as we used to paint over trick +horses. I told you he was a valuable chap, and those that stole him hide +him that way, else he'd be no use, don't you see? because we'd know +him." + +"But the black dog had no tail," began Thorny, longing to be convinced, +but still doubtful. + +Ben shivered as if the mere thought hurt him, as he said, in a grim +tone,-- + +"They might have cut Sanch's off." + +"Oh, no! no! they mustn't,--they wouldn't! How Could any one be so +wicked?" cried Bab and Betty, horrified at the suggestion. + +"You don't know what such fellows would do to make all safe, so they +could use a dog to earn their living for 'em," said Ben, with mysterious +significance, quite forgetting in his wrath that he had just proposed to +get his own living in that way himself. + +"He no your dog? Sorry I not find him for you. Addio, signorina! +Grazia, signor! Buon giorno, buon giorno!" and, kissing his hand, the +Italian shouldered organ and monkey, ready to go. + +Miss Celia detained him long enough to give him her address, and beg him +to let her know if he met poor Sanch in any of his wanderings; for such +itinerant showmen often cross each other's paths. Ben and Thorny walked +to the school-corner with him, getting more exact information about the +black dog and his owner, for they had no intention of giving it up so +soon. + +That very evening, Thorny wrote to a boy cousin in New York, giving all +the particulars of the case, and begging him to hunt up the man, +investigate the dog, and see that the police made sure that every thing +was right. Much relieved by this performance, the boys waited anxiously +for a reply, and when it came found little comfort in it. Cousin Horace +had done his duty like a man, but regretted that he could only report a +failure. The owner of the black poodle was a suspicious character, but +told a straight story, how he had bought the dog from a stranger, and +exhibited him with success till he was stolen. Knew nothing of his +history, and was very sorry to lose him, for he was a remarkably clever +beast. + +"I told my dog-man to look about for him, but he says he has probably +been killed, with ever so many more; so there is an end of it, and I +call it a mean shame." + +"Good for Horace! I told you he'd do it up thoroughly and see the end +of it," said Thorny, as he read that paragraph in the deeply interesting +letter. + +"May be the end of that dog, but not of mine. I'll bet he ran away; and +if it was Sanch, he'll come home. You see if he doesn't!" cried Ben, +refusing to believe that all was over. + +"A hundred wiles off? Oh, he couldn't find you without help, smart as he +is," answered Thorny, incredulously. + +Ben looked discouraged, but Miss Celia cheered him up again by saying,-- + +"Yes, he could. My father had a friend who left a little dog in Paris; +and the creature found her in Milan, and died of fatigue next day. That +was very wonderful, but true; and I've no doubt that if Sanch is alive +he will come home. Let us hope so, and be happy, while we wait." + +"We will!" said the boys; and day after day looked for the wanderer's +return, kept a bone ready in the old place if he should arrive at night, +and shook his mat to keep it soft for his weary bones when he came. But +weeks passed, and still no Sanch. + +Something else happened, however, so absorbing that he was almost +forgotten for a time; and Ben found a way to repay a part of all he owed +his best friend. + +Miss Celia went off for a ride one afternoon, and an hour afterward, as +Ben sat in the porch reading, Lita dashed into the yard with the reins +dangling about her legs, the saddle turned round, and one side covered +with black mud, showing that she had been down. For a minute, Ben's +heart stood still; then he flung away his book, ran to the horse, and +saw at once by her heaving flanks, dilated nostrils, and wet coat, that +she must have come a long way and at full speed. + +"She has had a fall, but isn't hurt or frightened," thought the boy, as +the pretty creature rubbed her nose against his shoulder, pawed the +ground, and champed her bit, as if she tried to tell him all about the +disaster, whatever it was. + +"Lita, where's Miss Celia?" he asked, looking straight into the +intelligent eyes, which were troubled but not wild. + +Lita threw up her head, and neighed loud and clear, as if she called her +mistress; and, turning, would have gone again if Ben had not caught the +reins and held her. + +"All right, we'll find her;" and, pulling off the broken saddle, kicking +away his shoes, and ramming his hat firmly on, Ben was up like a flash, +tingling all over with a sense of power as he felt the bare back between +his knees, and caught the roll of Lita's eye as she looked round with an +air of satisfaction. + +"Hi, there! Mrs. Moss! Something has happened to Miss Celia, and I'm +going to find her. Thorny is asleep; tell him easy, and I'll come back +as soon as I can!" + +Then, giving Lita her head, he was off before the startled woman had +time to do more than wring her hands and cry out,-- + +"Go for the Squire! Oh, what shall we do?" + +As if she knew exactly what was wanted of her, Lita went back the way +she had come, as Ben could see by the fresh, irregular tracks that cut +up the road where she had galloped for help. For a mile or more they +went, then she paused at a pair of bars, which were let down to allow +the carts to pass into the wide hay-fields beyond. On she went again, +cantering across the new-mown turf toward a brook, across which she had +evidently taken a leap before; for, on the further side, at a place +where cattle went to drink, the mud showed signs of a fall. + +"You were a fool to try there; but where is Miss Celia?" said Ben, who +talked to animals as if they were people, and was understood much better +than any one not used to their companionship would imagine. + +Now Lita seemed at a loss, and put her head down, as if she expected to +find her mistress where she had left her, somewhere on the ground. Ben +called, but there was no answer; and he rode slowly along the +brook-side, looking far and wide with anxious eyes. + +"May be she wasn't hurt, and has gone to that house to wait," thought +the boy, pausing for a last survey of the great, sunny field, which had +no place of shelter in it but one rock on the other side of the little +stream. As his eye wandered over it, something dark seemed to blow out +from behind it, as if the wind played in the folds of a shirt, or a +human limb moved. Away went Lita, and in a moment Ben had found Miss +Celia, lying in the shadow of the rock, so white and motionless, he +feared that she was dead. He leaped down, touched her, spoke to her; +and, receiving no answer, rushed away to bring a little water in his +leaky hat to sprinkle in her face, as he had seen them do when any of +the riders got a fall in the circus, or fainted from exhaustion after +they left the ring, where "do or die" was the motto all adopted. + +In a minute, the blue eyes opened, and she recognized the anxious face +bending over her, saying faintly, as she touched it,-- + +"My good little Ben, I knew you'd find me,--I sent Lita for you,-- +I'm so hurt, I couldn't come." + +"Oh, where? What shall I do? Had I better run up to the house?" asked +Ben, overjoyed to hear her speak, but much dismayed by her seeming +helplessness, for he had seen bad falls, and had them, too. + +"I feel bruised all over, and my arm is broken, I'm afraid. Lita tried +not to hurt me. She slipped, and we went down. I came here into the +shade, and the pain made me faint, I suppose. Call somebody, and get me +home." + +Then she shut her eyes, and looked so white that Ben hurried away, and +burst upon old Mrs. Paine, placidly knitting at the end door, so +suddenly that, as she afterward said, "It sca't her like a clap o' +thunder." + +"Ain't a man nowheres around. All down in the big medder gettin' in +hay," was her reply to Ben's breathless demand for "everybody to come +and see to Miss Celia." + +He turned to mount, for he had flung himself off before Lita stopped, +but the old lady caught his jacket, and asked half a dozen questions in +a breath. + +"Who's your folks? What's broke? How'd she fall? Where is she? Why +didn't she come right here? Is it a sunstroke?" + +As fast as words could tumble out of his mouth, Ben answered, and then +tried to free himself; but the old lady held on, while she gave her +directions, expressed her sympathy, and offered her hospitality with +incoherent warmth. + +"Sakes alive! poor dear! Fetch her right in. Liddy, get out the +camphire; and, Melissy, you haul down a bed to lay her on. Falls is +dretful uncert'in things; shouldn't wonder if her back was broke. +Father's down yender, and he and Bijah will see to her. You go call 'em, +and I'll blow the horn to start 'em up. Tell her we'd be pleased to see +her, and it won't make a mite of trouble." + +Ben heard no more, fur as Mrs. Paine turned to take down the tin horn he +was up and away. + +Several long and dismal toots sent Lita galloping through the grassy +path as the sound of the trumpet excites a war-horse, and "father and +Bijah," alarmed by the signal at that hour, leaned on their rakes to +survey with wonder the distracted-looking little horseman approaching +like a whirlwind. + +"Guess likely grandpa's had 'nother stroke. Told 'em to send over soon +'s ever it come," said the farmer, calmly. + +"Shouldn't wonder ef suthing was afire some'r's," conjectured the hired +man, surveying the horizon for a cloud of smoke. + +Instead of advancing to meet the messenger, both stood like statues in +blue overalls and red flannel shirts, till the boy arrived and told his +tale. + +"Sho, that's bad," said the farmer, anxiously. + +"That brook always was the darndest place," added Bijah; then both men +bestirred themselves helpfully, the former hurrying to Miss Cella while +the latter brought up the cart and made a bed of hay to lay her on. + +"Now then, boy, you go for the doctor. My own folks will see to the +lady, and she'd better keep quiet up yender till we see what the matter +is," said the farmer, when the pale girl was lifted in as carefully as +four strong arms could do it. "Hold on," he added, as Ben made one leap +to Lita's back. "You'll have to go to Berryville. Dr. Mills is a master +hand for broken bones and old Dr. Babcock ain't. 'Tisn't but about three +miles from here to his house, and you'll fetch him 'fore there's any +harm done waitin'." + +"Don't kill Lita," called Miss Celia from the cart, as it began to move. + +But Ben did not hear her, for he was off across the fields, riding as if +life and death depended upon his speed. + +"That boy will break his neck," said Mr. Paine, standing still to watch +horse and rider go over the wall as if bent on instant destruction. + +"No fear for Ben, he can ride any thing, and Lita was trained to leap," +answered Miss Celia, falling back on the hay with a groan, for she had +involuntarily raised her head to see her little squire dash away in +gallant style. + +"I should hope so; regular jockey, that boy. Never see any thing like it +out of a race-ground," and Farmer Paine strode on, still following with +his eye the figures that went thundering over the bridge, up the hill, +out of sight, leaving a cloud of cloud of dust behind. + +Now that his mistress was safe, Ben enjoyed that wild ride mightily, and +so did the bay mare; for Lita had good blood in her, and proved it that +day by doing her three miles in a wonderfully short time. People jogging +along in wagons and country carry-alls stared amazed as the reckless +pair went by. Women, placidly doing their afternoon sewing at the front +windows, dropped their needles to run out with exclamations of alarm, +sure some one was being run away with; children playing by the roadside +scattered like chickens before a hawk, as Ben passed with a warning +whoop, and baby-carriages were scrambled into door-yards with perilous +rapidity at his approach. + +But when he clattered into town, intense interest was felt in this +barefooted boy on the foaming steed, and a dozen voices asked, "Who's +killed?" as he pulled up at the doctor's gate. + +"Jest drove off that way; Mrs. Flynn's baby's in a fit," cried a stout +lady from the piazza, never ceasing to rock, though several passers-by +paused to hear the news, for she was a doctor's wife, and used to the +arrival of excited messengers from all quarters at all hours of the day +and night. + +Deigning no reply to any one, Ben rode away, wishing he could leap a +yawning gulf, scale a precipice, or ford a raging torrent, to prove his +devotion to Miss Celia, and his skill in horsemanship. But no dangers +beset his path, and he found the doctor pausing to water his tired horse +at the very trough where Bab and Sancho had been discovered on that +ever-memorable day. The story was quickly told, and, promising to be +there as soon as possible, Dr. Mills drove on to relieve baby Flynn's +inner man, a little disturbed by a bit of soap and several buttons, upon +which he had privately lunched while his mamma was busy at the wash-tub. + +Ben thanked his stars, as he had already done more than once, that he +knew how to take care of a horse; for he delayed by the watering-place +long enough to wash out Lita's mouth with a handful of wet grass, to let +her have one swallow to clear her dusty throat, and then went slowly +back over the breezy hills, patting and praising the good creature for +her intelligence and speed. She knew well enough that she had been a +clever little mare, and tossed her head, arched her glossy neck, and +ambled daintily along, as conscious and coquettish as a pretty woman, +looking round at her admiring rider to return his compliments by glance +of affection, and caressing sniffs of a velvet nose at his bare feet. + +Miss Celia had been laid comfortably in bed by the farmer's wife and +daughter; and, when the doctor arrived, bore the setting of her arm +bravely. No other serious damage appeared, and bruises soon heal, so Ben +was sent home to comfort Thorny with a good report, and ask the Squire +to drive up in his big carry-all for her the next day, if she was able +to be moved. + +Mrs. Moss had been wise enough to say nothing, but quietly made what +preparations she could, and waited for tidings. Bab and Betty were away +berrying, so no one had alarmed Thorny, and he had his afternoon nap in +peace,--an unusually long one, owing to the stillness which prevailed +in the absence of the children; and when he awoke he lay reading for a +while before he began to wonder where every one was. Lounging out to +see, he found Ben and Lita reposing side by side on the fresh straw in +the loose box, which had been made for her in the coach-house. By the +pails, sponges and curry-combs lying about, it was evident that she had +been refreshed by a careful washing and rubbing down, and my lady was +now luxuriously resting after her labors, with her devoted groom half +asleep close by. + +"Well, of all queer boys you are the queerest, to spend this hot +afternoon fussing over Lita, just for the fun of it!" cried Thorny, +looking in at them with much amusement. + +"If you knew what we'd been doing, you'd think I ought to fuss over her, +and both of us had a right to rest!" answered Ben, rousing up as bright +as a button; for he longed to tell his thrilling tale, and had with +difficulty been restrained from bursting in on Thorny as soon as he +arrived. + +He made short work of the story, but was quite satisfied with the +sensation it produced; for his listener was startled, relieved, excited +and charmed, in such rapid succession, that he was obliged to sit upon +the meal-chest and get his breath before he Could exclaim, with an +emphatic demonstration of his heels against the bin,-- + +"Ben Brown, I'll never forget what you've done for Celia this day, or +say 'bow-legs' again as long as I live." + +"George! I felt as if I had six legs when we were going the pace. We +were all one piece, and had a jolly spin, didn't we, my beauty?" and Ben +chuckled as he took Lita's head in his lap, while she answered with a +gusty sigh that nearly blew him away. + +"Like the fellow that brought the good news from Ghent to Aix," said +Thorny, surveying the recumbent pair with great admiration. + +"What follow?" asked Ben, wondering if he didn't mean Sheridan, of whose +ride he had heard. + +"Don't you know that piece? I spoke it at school. Give it to you now; +see if it isn't a rouser." + +And, glad to find a vent from his excitement, Thorny mounted the +meal-chest, to thunder out that stirring ballad with such spirit that +Lita pricked up her ears and Ben gave a shrill "Hooray!" as the last +verse ended. + + "And all I remember is friends flocking round, + As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground, + And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, + As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine, + Which (the burgesses voted by common consent) + Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent." + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +DETECTIVE THORNTON + +A few days later, Miss Celia was able to go about with her arm in a +sling, pale still, and rather stiff, but so much better than any one +expected, that all agreed Mr. Paine was right in pronouncing Dr. Mills +"a master hand with broken bones." Two devoted little maids waited on +her, two eager pages stood ready to run her errands, and friendly +neighbors sent in delicacies enough to keep these four young persons +busily employed in disposing of them. + +Every afternoon the great bamboo lounging chair was brought out and the +interesting invalid conducted to it by stout Randa, who was head nurse, +and followed by a train of shawl, cushion, foot-stool and book bearers, +who buzzed about like swarming bees round a new queen. When all were +settled, the little maids sewed and the pages read aloud, with much +conversation by the way; for one of the rules was, that all should +listen attentively, and if any one did not understand what was read, he +or she should ask to have it explained on the spot. Whoever could answer +was invited to do so, and at the end of the reading Miss Celia could ask +any she liked, or add any explanations which seemed necessary. In this +way much pleasure and profit was extracted from the tales Ben and Thorny +read, and much unexpected knowledge as well as ignorance displayed, not +to mention piles of neatly hemmed towels for which Bab and Betty were +paid like regular sewing-women. + +So vacation was not all play, and the girls found their picnics, berry +parties, and "goin' a visitin'," all the more agreeable for the quiet +hour spent with Miss Celia. Thorny had improved wonderfully, and was +getting to be quite energetic, especially since his sister's accident; +for while she was laid up he was the head of the house, and much enjoyed +his promotion. But Ben did not seem to flourish as he had done at first. +The loss of Sancho preyed upon him sadly, and the longing to go and find +his dog grew into such a strong temptation that he could hardly resist +it. He said little about it; but now, and then a word escaped him which +might have enlightened any one who chanced to be watching him. No one +was, just then, so he brooded over this fancy, day by day, in silence +and solitude, for there was no riding and driving now. Thorny was busy +with his sister trying to show her that he remembered how good she had +been to him when he was ill, and the little girls had their own affairs. + +Miss Celia was the first to observe the change, having nothing to do but +lie on the sofa and amuse herself by seeing others work or play. Ben was +bright enough at the readings, because then he forgot his troubles; but +when they were over and his various duties done, he went to his own room +or sought consolation with Lita, being sober and quiet, and quite unlike +the merry monkey all knew and liked so well. + +"Thorny, what is the matter with Ben?" asked Miss Celia, one day, when +she and her brother were alone in the "green parlor," as they called the +lilac-tree walk. + +"Fretting about Sanch, I suppose. I declare I wish that dog had never +been born! Losing him has just spoilt Ben. Not a bit of fun left in him, +and he won't have any thing I offer to cheer him up." + +Thorny spoke impatiently, and knit his brows over the pressed flowers he +was neatly gumming into his herbal. + +"I wonder if he has any thing on his mind? He acts as if he was hiding a +trouble he didn't dare to tell. Have you talked with him about it?" +asked Miss Celia, looking as if she was hiding a trouble she did not +like to tell. + +"Oh, yes, I poke him up now and then, but he gets peppery, so I let him +alone. May be he is longing for his old circus again. Shouldn't blame +him much if he was; it isn't very lively here, and he's used to +excitement, you know." + +"I hope it isn't that. Do you think he would slip away without telling +us, and go back to the old life again? Don't believe he would. Ben +isn't a bit of a sneak; that's why I like him." + +"Have you ever found him sly or untrue in any way?" asked Miss Celia, +lowering her voice. + +"No; he's as fair and square a fellow as I ever saw. Little bit low, now +and then, but he doesn't mean it, and wants to be a gentleman, only he +never lived with one before, and it's all new to him. I'll get him +polished up after a while." + +"Oh, Thorny, there are three peacocks on the place, and you are the +finest!" laughed Miss Celia, as her brother spoke in his most +condescending way with a lift of the eyebrows very droll to see. + +"And two donkeys, and Ben's the biggest, not to know when he is well off +and happy!" retorted the "gentleman," slapping a dried specimen on the +page as if he were pounding discontented Ben. + +"Come here and let me tell you something which worries me. I would not +breathe it to another soul, but I feel rather helpless, and I dare say +you can manage the matter better than I." + +Looking much mystified, Thorny went and sat on the stool at his sister's +feet, while she whispered confidentially in his ear: "I've lost some +money out of my drawer, and I'm so afraid Ben took it." + +"But it's always locked up and you keep the keys of the drawer and the +little room?" + +"It is gone, nevertheless, and I've had my keys safe all the time." + +"But why think it is he any more than Randa, or Katy, or me?" + +"Because I trust you three as I do myself. I've known the girls for +years, and you have no object in taking it since all I have is yours, +dear." + +"And all mine is yours, of course. But, Celia, how could he do it? He +can't pick locks, I know, for we fussed over my desk together, and had +to break it after all." + +"I never really thought it possible till to-day when you were playing +ball and it went in at the upper window, and Ben climbed up the porch +after it; you remember you said, 'If it had gone in at the garret gable +you couldn't have done that so well;' and he answered, 'Yes, I could, +there isn't a spout I can't shin up, or a bit of this roof I haven't +been over.'" + +"So he did; but there is no spout near the little room window." + +"There is a tree, and such an agile boy as Ben could swing in and out +easily. Now, Thorny, I hate to think this of him, but it has happened +twice, and for his own sake I must stop it. If he is planning to run +away, money is a good thing to have. And he may feel that it is his own; +for you know he asked me to put his wages in the bank, and I did. He may +not like to come to me for that, because he can give no good reason for +wanting it. I'm so troubled I really don't know what to do." + +She looked troubled, and Thorny put his arms about her as if to keep all +worries but his own away from her. + +"Don't you fret, Cely, dear; you leave it to me. I'll fix +him--ungrateful little scamp!" + +"That is not the way to begin. I am afraid you will make him angry and +hurt his feelings, and then we can do nothing." + +"Bother his feelings! I shall just say, calmly and coolly: 'Now, look +here, Ben, hand over the money you took out of my sister's drawer, and +we'll let you off easy,' or something like that." + +"It wouldn't do, Thorny; his temper would be up in a minute, and away he +would go before we could find out whether he was guilty or not. I wish I +knew how to manage." + +"Let me think," and Thorny leaned his chin on the arm of the chair, +staring hard at the knocker as if he expected the lion's mouth to open +with words of counsel then and there. + +"By Jove, I do believe Ben took it!" he broke out suddenly; "for when I +went to his room this morning to see why he didn't come and do my boots, +he shut the drawer in his bureau as quick as a flash, and looked red and +queer, for I didn't knock, and sort of startled him." + +"He wouldn't be likely to put stolen money there. Ben is too wise for +that." + +"He wouldn't keep it there, but he might be looking at it and pitch it +in when I called. He's hardly spoken to me since, and when I asked him +what his flag was at half-mast for, he wouldn't answer. Besides, you +know in the reading this afternoon he didn't listen, and when you asked +what he was thinking about, he colored up and muttered something about +Sanch. I tell you, Celia, it looks bad--very bad," and Thorny shook +his head with a wise air. + +"It does, and yet we may be all wrong. Let us wait a little and give the +poor boy a chance to clear himself before we speak. I'd rather lose my +money than suspect him falsely." + +"How much was it?" + +"Eleven dollars; a one went first, and I supposed I'd miscalculated +somewhere when I took some out; but when I missed a ten, I felt that I +ought not to let it pass." + +"Look here, sister, you just put the case into my hands and let me work +it up. I won't say any thing to Ben till you give the word; but I'll +watch him, and now that my eyes are open, it won't be easy to deceive +me." + +Thorny was evidently pleased with the new play of detective, and +intended to distinguish himself in that line; but when Miss Celia asked +how he meant to begin, he could only respond with a blank expression: +"Don't know! You give me the keys and leave a bill or two in the drawer, +and may be I can find him out somehow." + +So the keys were given, and the little dressing-room where the old +secretary stood was closely watched for a day or two. Ben cheered up a +trifle which looked as if he knew an eye was upon him, but otherwise he +went on as usual, and Miss Celia feeling a little guilty at even +harboring a suspicion of him, was kind and patient with his moods. +Thorny was very funny in the unnecessary mystery and fuss he made; his +affectation of careless indifference to Ben's movements and his clumsy +attempts to watch every one of them; his dodgings up and down stairs, +ostentatious clanking of keys, and the elaborate traps he set to catch +his thief, such as throwing his ball in at the dressing-room window and +sending Ben up the tree to get it, which he did, thereby proving beyond +a doubt that he alone could have taken the money, Thorny thought. +Another deep discovery was, that the old drawer was so shrunken that the +lock could be pressed down by slipping a knife-blade between the hasp +and socket. + +"Now it is as clear as day, and you'd better let me speak," he said, +full of pride as well as regret at this triumphant success of his first +attempt as a detective. + +"Not yet, and you need do nothing more. I'm afraid it was a mistake of +mine to let you do this; and if it has spoiled your friendship with Ben, +I shall be very sorry; for I do not think he is guilty," answered Miss +Celia. + +"Why not?" and Thorny looked annoyed. + +"I've watched also, and he doesn't act like a deceitful boy. To-day I +asked him if he wanted any money, or should I put what I owe him with +the rest, and he looked me straight in the face with such honest, +grateful eyes, I could not doubt him when he said 'Keep it, please, I +don't need any thing here, you are all so good to me.'" + +"Now, Celia, don't you be soft-hearted. He's a sly little dog, and +knows my eye is on him. When I asked him what he saw in the +dressing-room, after he brought out the ball, and looked sharply at him, +he laughed, and said 'Only a mouse,' as saucy as you please." + +"Do set the trap there, I heard the mouse nibbling last night, and it +kept me awake. We must have a cat or we shall be overrun." + +"Well, shall I give Ben a good blowing up, or will you?" asked Thorny, +scorning such poor prey as mice, and bound to prove that he was in the +right. + +"I'll let you know what I have decided in the morning. Be kind to Ben, +meantime, or I shall feel as if I had done you harm by letting you watch +him." + +So it was left for that day, and by the next, Miss Celia had made up her +mind to speak to Ben. She was just going down to breakfast when the +sound of loud voices made her pause and listen. It came from Ben's room, +where the two boys seemed to be disputing about something. + +"I hope Thorny has kept his promise," she thought, and hurried through +the back entry, fearing a general explosion. + +Ben's chamber was at the end, and she could see and hear what was going +on before she was near enough to interfere. Ben stood against his closet +door looking as fierce and red as a turkey-cock; Thorny sternly +confronted him, saying in an excited tone, and with a threatening +gesture: "You are hiding something in there, and you can't deny it." + +"I don't." + +"Better not; I insist on seeing it." + +"Well, you won't." + +"What have you been stealing now?" + +"Didn't steal it,--used to be mine,--I only took it when I wanted +it." + +"I know what that means. You'd better give it back or I'll make you." + +"Stop!" cried a third voice, as Thorny put out his arm to clutch Ben, +who looked ready to defend himself to the last gasp, "Boys, I will +settle this affair. Is there anything hidden in the closet, Ben?" and +Miss Celia came between the belligerent parties with her one hand up to +part them. + +Thorny fell back at once, looking half ashamed of his heat, and Ben +briefly answered, with a gulp as if shame or anger made it hard to speak +steadily: + +"Yes 'm, there is." + +"Does it belong to you?" + +"Yes 'm, it does." + +"Where did you get it?" + +"Up to Squire's." + +"That's a lie!" muttered Thorny to himself. + +Ben's eye flashed, and his fist doubled up in spite of him, but he +restrained himself out of respect for Miss Celia, who looked puzzled, as +she asked another question, not quite sure how to proceed with the +investigation: "Is it money, Ben?" + +"No 'm, it isn't." + +"Then what can it be?" + +"Meow!" answered a fourth voice from the closet; and as Ben flung open +the door a gray kitten walked out, purring with satisfaction at her +release. + +Miss Celia fell into a chair and laughed till her eyes were full; Thorny +looked foolish, and Ben folded his arms, curled up his nose, and +regarded his accuser with calm defiance, while pussy sat down to wash +her face as if her morning toilette had been interrupted by her sudden +abduction. + +"That's all very well, but it doesn't mend matters much, so you needn't +laugh, Celia," began Thorny, recovering himself, and stubbornly bent on +sifting the case to the bottom, now he had begun. + +"Well, it would, if you'd let a feller alone. She said she wanted a +cat, so I went and got the one they gave me when I was at the Squire's. +I went early and took her without asking, and I had a right to," +explained Ben, much aggrieved by having his surprise spoiled. + +"It was very kind of you, and I'm glad to have this nice kitty. We will +shut her up in my room to catch the mice that plague me," said Miss +Celia, picking up the little cat, and wondering how she would get her +two angry boys safely down stairs. + +"The dressing-room, she means; you know the way, and you don't need keys +to get in," added Thorny, with such sarcastic emphasis that Ben felt +some insult was intended, and promptly resented it. + +"You won't get me to climb any more trees after your balls, and my cat +won't catch any of your mice, so you needn't ask me." + +"Cats don't catch thieves, and they are what I'm after!" + +"What do you mean by that?" fiercely demanded Ben. + +"Celia has lost some money out of her drawer, and you won't let me see +what's in yours; So I thought, perhaps, you'd got it!" blurted out +Thorny, finding it hard to say the words, angry as he was, for the face +opposite did not look like a guilty one. + +For a minute, Ben did not seem to understand him, plainly as he spoke; +then he turned an angry scarlet, and, with a reproachful glance at his +mistress, opened the little drawer so that both could see all that it +contained. + +"They ain't any thing; but I'm fond of 'em they are all I've got--I +was afraid he'd laugh at me that time, so I wouldn't let him look--it +was father's birthday, and I felt bad about him and Sanch--" Ben's +indignant voice got more and more indistinct as he stumbled on, and +broke down over the last words. He did not cry, however, but threw back +his little treasures as if half their sacredness was gone; and, making a +strong effort at self-control, faced around, asking of Miss Celia, with +a grieved look, + +"Did you think I'd steal anything of yours?" + +"I tried not to, Ben, but what could I do? It was gone, and you the only +stranger about the place." + +"Wasn't there any one to think bad of but me? he said, so sorrowfully +that Miss Celia made up her mind on the spot that he was as innocent of +the theft as the kitten now biting her buttons, no other refreshment +being offered. + +"Nobody, for I know my girls well. Yet, eleven dollars are gone, and I +cannot imagine where or how for both drawer and door are always locked, +because my papers and valuables are in that room." + +"What a lot! But how could I get it if it was locked up?" and Ben looked +as if that question was unanswerable. + +"Folks that can climb in at windows for a ball, can go the same way for +money, and get it easy enough when they've only to pry open an old +lock!" + +Thorny's look and tone seemed to make plain to Ben all that they had +been suspecting, and, being innocent, he was too perplexed and unhappy +to defend himself. His eye went from one to the other, and, seeing doubt +in both faces, his boyish heart sunk within him; for he could prove +nothing, and his first impulse was to go away at once. + +"I can't say any thing, only that I didn't take the money. You won't +believe it, so I'd better go back where I come from. They weren't so +kind, but they trusted me, and knew I wouldn't steal a cent. You may +keep my money, and the kitty, too; I don't want 'em," and, snatching up +his hat, Ben would gone straight away, if Thorny had not barred his +passage. + +"Come, now, don't be mad. Let's talk it over, and if I 'm wrong I'll +take it all back and ask your pardon," he said, in a friendly tone, +rather scared at the consequences of his first attempt, though as sure +as ever that he was right. + +"It would break my heart to have you go in that way, Ben. Stay at least +till your innocence is proved, then no one can doubt what you say now." + +"Don't see how it can be proved," answered Ben, appeased by her evident +desire to trust him. + +"We'll try as well as we know how, and the first thing we will do is to +give that old secretary a good rummage from top to bottom. I've done it +once, but it is just possible that the bills may have slipped out of +sight. Come, now, I can't rest till I've done all I can to comfort you +and convince Thorny." Miss Celia rose as she spoke, and led the way to +the dressing-room, which had no outlet except through her chamber. Still +holding his hat, Ben followed with a troubled face, and Thorny brought +up the rear, doggedly determined to keep his eye on "the little scamp" +till the matter was satisfactorily cleared up. Miss Celia had made her +proposal more to soothe the feelings of one boy and to employ the +superfluous energies of the other, than in the expectation of throwing +any light upon the mystery; for she was sadly puzzled by Ben's manner, +and much regretted that she had let her brother meddle in the matter. + +"There," she said, unlocking the door with the key Thorny reluctantly +gave up to her, "this is the room and that is the drawer on the right. +The lower ones have seldom been opened since we came, and hold only some +of papa's old books. Those upper ones you may turn out and investigate +as much as you-- Bless me! here's something in your trap," Thorny and +Miss Celia gave a little skip as she nearly trod on a long, gray tall, +which hung out of the bole now filled by a plump mouse. + +But her brother was intent on more serious things, and merely pushed the +trap aside as he pulled out the drawer with an excited gesture, which +sent it and all its contents clattering to the floor. + +"Confound the old thing! It always stuck so I had to give a jerk. Now, +there it is, topsy-turvy," and Thorny looked Much disgusted at his own +awkwardness. + +"No harm done; I left nothing of value in it. Look back there, Ben, and +see if there is room for a paper to get worked over the top of the +drawer. I felt quite a crack, but I don't believe it is possible for +things to slip out; the place was never full enough to overflow in any +way." + +Miss Celia spoke to Ben, who was kneeling down to pick up the scattered +papers, among which were two marked dollar bills,--Thorny's bait for +the thief. Ben looked into the dusty recess, and then put in his hand, +saying carelessly,-- + +"There's nothing but a bit of red stuff." + +"My old pen-wiper--Why, what's the matter?" asked Miss Celia, as Ben +dropped the handful of what looked like rubbish. + +"Something warm and wiggly inside of it," answered Ben, stooping to +examine the contents of the little scarlet bundle. "Baby mice! Ain't +they funny? Look just like mites of young pigs. We'll have to kill 'em +if you've caught their mamma," he said, forgetting his own trials in +boyish curiosity about his "find." + +Miss Celia stooped also, and gently poked the red cradle with her +finger; for the tiny mice were nestling deeper into the fluff with small +squeals of alarm. Suddenly she cried out: "Boys, boys, I've found the +thief! Look here; pull out these bits and see if they won't make up my +lost bills." + +Down went the motherless babies as four ruthless hands pulled apart +their cosey nest, and there, among the nibbled fragments, appeared +enough finely printed, greenish paper, to piece out parts of two bank +bills. A large cypher and part of a figure one were visible, and that +accounted for the ten; but though there were other bits, no figures +could be found, and they were willing to take the other bill on trust. + +"Now, then, am I a thief and a liar?" demanded Ben, pointing proudly to +the tell-tale letters spread forth on the table, over which all three +had been eagerly bending. + +"No; I beg your pardon, and I'm very sorry that we didn't look more +carefully before we spoke, then we all should have been spared this +pain." + +"All right, old fellow, forgive and forget. I'll never think hard of +you again,--on my honor I won't." + +As they spoke, Miss Celia and her brother held out their hands frankly +and heartily. Ben shook both, but with a difference; for he pressed the +soft one gratefully, remembering that its owner had always been good to +him; but the brown paw he gripped with a vengeful squeeze that made +Thorny pull it away in a hurry, exclaiming, good-naturedly, in spite of +both physical and mental discomfort,-- + +"Come, Ben, don't you bear malice; for you've got the laugh on your +side, and we feel pretty small. I do, any way; for, after my fidgets, +all I've caught is a mouse!" + +"And her family. I'm so relieved I'm almost sorry the poor little +mother is dead--she and her babies were so happy in the old +pen-wiper," said Miss Celia, hastening to speak merrily, for Ben still +looked indignant, and she was much grieved at what had happened. + +"A pretty expensive house," began Thorny, looking about for the +interesting orphans, who had been left on the floor while their +paper-hangings were examined. + +No further anxiety need be felt for them, however; Kitty had come upon +the scene, and as judge, jury, and prisoner, turned to find the little +witnesses, they beheld the last pink mite going down Pussy's throat in +one mouthful. + +"I call that summary justice,--the whole family executed on the spot! +Give Kit the mouse also, and let us go to breakfast. I feel as if I had +found my appetite, now this worry is off my mind," said Miss Celia, +laughing so infectiously that Ben had to join in spite of himself, as +she took his arm and led him away with a look which mutely asked his +pardon over again. + +"Rather lively for a funeral procession," said Thorny, following with +the trap in his hand and Puss at his heels, adding, to comfort his pride +as a detective: + +"Well, I said I'd catch the thief, and I have, though it is rather a +small one!" + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BETTY'S BRAVERY + +"Celia, I've a notion that we ought to give Ben something. A sort of +peace-offering, you know; for he feels dreadfully hurt about our +suspecting him," said Thorny, at dinner that day. + +"I see he does, though he tries to seem as bright and pleasant as ever. +I do not wonder, and I've been thinking what I could do to soothe his +feelings. Can you suggest any thing?" + +"Cuff-buttons. I saw some jolly ones over at Berryville, oxidized +silver, with dogs' heads on them, yellow eyes, and all as natural as +could be. Those, now, would just suit him for his go-to-meeting white +shirts,--neat, appropriate, and in memoriam." + +Miss Celia could not help laughing, it was such a boyish suggestion; but +she agreed to it, thinking Thorny knew best, and hoping the yellow-eyed +dogs would be as balm to Ben's wounds. + +"Well, dear, you may give those, and Lita shall give the little whip +with a horse's foot for a handle, if it is not gone. I saw it at the +harness shop in town; and Ben admired it so much that I planned to give +it to him on his birthday." + +"That will tickle him immensely; and if you'd just let him put brown +tops to my old boots, and stick a cockade in his hat when he sits up +behind the phaeton, he'd be a happy fellow," laughed Thorny, who had +discovered that one of Ben's ambitions was to be a tip-top groom. + +"No, thank you; those things are out of place in America, and would be +absurd in a small country place like this. His blue suit and straw hat +please me better for a boy; though a nicer little groom, in livery or +out, no one could desire, and you may tell him I said so." + +"I will, and he'll look as proud as punch; for he thinks every word you +say worth a dozen from any one else. But won't you give him something? +Just some little trifle, to show that we are both eating humble pie, +feeling sorry about the mouse money." + +"I shall give him a set of school-books, and try to get him ready to +begin when vacation is over. An education is the best present we can +make him; and I want you to help me fit him to enter as well is he can. +Bab and Betty began, little dears,--lent him their books and taught +all they knew; so Ben got a taste, and, with the right encouragement, +would like to go on, I am sure." + +"That's so like you Celia! Always thinking of the best thing and doing +it handsomely. I'll help like a house a-fire, if he will let me; but, +all day, he's been as stiff as a poker, so I don't believe he forgives +me a bit." + +"He will in time, and if you are kind and patient, he will be glad to +have you help him. I shall make it a sort of favor to me on his part, to +let you see to his lessons, now and then. It will be quite true, for I +don't want you to touch your Latin or algebra till cool weather; +teaching him will be play to you." + +Miss Celia's last words made her brother unbend his brows, for he longed +to get at his books again, and the idea of being tutor to his +"man-servant" did not altogether suit him. + +"I'll tool him along at a great pace, if he will only go. Geography and +arithmetic shall be my share, and you may have the writing and spelling; +it gives me the fidgets to set copies', and hear children make a mess of +words. Shall I get the books when I buy the other things? Can I go this +afternoon?" + +"Yes, here is the list; Bab gave it to me. You can go if you will come +home early and have your tooth filled." + +Gloom fell at once upon Thorny's beaming face, and he gave such a shrill +whistle that his sister jumped in her chair, as she added, persuasively,-- + +"It won't hurt a bit, now, and the longer you leave it the worse it will +be. Dr. Mann is ready at any time; and, once over, you will be at peace +for months. Come, my hero, give your orders, and take one of the girls +to support you in the trying hour. Have Bab; she will enjoy it, and +amuse you with her chatter." + +"As if I needed girls round for such a trifle as that!" returned Thorny +with a shrug, though he groaned inwardly at the prospect before him, as +most of us do on such occasions. "I wouldn't take Bab at any price; +she'd only get into some scrape, and upset the whole plan. Betty is the +chicken for me,--a real little lady, and as nice and purry as a +kitten." + +"Very well; ask her mother, and take good care of her. Let her tuck her +dolly in, and she will be contented anywhere. There's a fine air, and +the awning is on the phaeton, so you won't feel the sun. Start about +three, and drive carefully." + +Betty was charmed to go, for Thorny was a sort of prince in her eyes; +and to be invited to such a grand expedition was an overwhelming honor. +Bab was not surprised, for, since Sancho's loss, she had felt herself in +disgrace, and been unusually meek; Ben let her "severely alone," which +much afflicted her, for he was her great admiration, and had been +pleased to express his approbation of her agility and courage so often, +that she was ready to attempt any fool-hardy feat to recover his regard. +But vainly did she risk her neck jumping off the highest beams in the +barn, trying to keep her balance standing on the donkey's back, and +leaping the lodge gate at a bound; Ben vouchsafed no reward by a look, a +smile, a word of commendation; and Bab felt that nothing but Sancho's +return would ever restore the broken friendship. + +Into faithful Betty's bosom did she pour forth her remorseful +lamentations, often bursting out with the passionate exclamation, "If I +could only find Sanch, and give him back to Ben, I wouldn't care if I +tumbled down and broke all my legs right away!" Such abandonment of woe +made a deep impression on Betty; and she fell into the way of consoling +her sister by cheerful prophecies, and a firm belief that the organ-man +would yet appear with the lost darling. + +"I've got five cents of my berry money, and I'll buy you an orange if I +see any," promised Betty stepping to kiss Bab, as the phaeton came to +the door, and Thorny handed in a young lady whose white frock was so +stiff with starch that it crackled like paper. + +"Lemons will do if oranges are gone. I like 'em to suck with lots of +sugar," answered Bab, feeling that the sour sadly predominated in her +cup just now. + +"Don't she look sweet, the dear!" murmured Mrs. Moss, proudly surveying +her youngest. + +She certainly did, sitting under the fringed canopy with "Belinda," all +in her best, upon her lap, as she turned to smile and nod, with a face +so bright and winsome under the little blue hat, that it was no wonder +mother and sister thought there never was such a perfect child as "our +Betty." + +Dr. Mann was busy when they arrived, but would be ready in an hour; so +they did their shopping at once, having made sure of the whip as they +came along. Thorny added some candy to Bab's lemon, and Belinda had a +cake, which her mamma obligingly ate for her. Betty thought that +Aladdin's palace could not have been more splendid than the jeweller's +shop where the canine cuff-buttons were bought; but when they came to +the book-store, she forgot gold, silver, and precious stones, to revel +in picture-books, while Thorny selected Ben's modest school outfit. +Seeing her delight, and feeling particularly lavish with plenty of money +in his pocket, the young gentleman completed the child's bliss by +telling her to choose whichever one she liked best out of the pile of +Walter Crane's toy-books lying in bewildering colors before her. + +"This one; Bab always wanted to see the dreadful cupboard, and there's a +picture of it here," answered Betty, clasping a gorgeous copy of +"Bluebeard" to the little bosom, which still heaved with the rapture of +looking at that delicious mixture of lovely Fatimas in pale azure gowns, +pink Sister Annes on the turret top, crimson tyrants, and yellow +brothers with forests of plumage blowing wildly from their +mushroom-shaped caps. + +"Very good; there you are, then. Now, come on, for the fun is over and +the grind begins," said Thorny, marching away to his doom, with his +tongue in his tooth, and trepidation in his manly breast. + +"Shall I shut my eyes and hold your head?" quavered devoted Betty, as +they went up the stairs so many reluctant feet had mounted before them. + +"Nonsense, child, never mind me! You look out of window and amuse +yourself; we shall not be long, I guess;" and in went Thorn silently +hoping that the dentist had been suddenly called away, or some person +with an excruciating toothache would be waiting to take ether, and so +give our young man an excuse for postponing his job. + +But no; Dr. Mann was quite at leisure, and, full of smiling interest, +awaited his victim, laying forth his unpleasant little tools with the +exasperating alacrity of his kind. Glad to be released from any share in +the operation, Betty retired to the back window to be as far away as +possible, and for half in hour was so absorbed in her book that poor +Thorny might have groaned dismally without disturbing her. + +"Done now, directly, only a trifle of polishing off and a look round," +said Dr. Mann, at last; and Thorny, with a yawn that nearly rent him +asunder, called out,-- + +"Thank goodness! Pack up, Bettykin." + +"I'm all ready!" and, shutting her book with a start, she slipped down +from the easy chair in a great hurry. + +But "looking round" took time; and, before the circuit of Thorny's mouth +was satisfactorily made, Betty had become absorbed by a more interesting +tale than even the immortal "Bluebeard." A noise of children's voices in +the narrow alley-way behind the house attracted her attention; the long +window opened directly on the yard, and the gate swung in the wind. +Curious as Fatima, Betty went to look; but all she saw was a group of +excited boys peeping between the bars of another gate further down. + +"What's the matter?" she asked of two small girls, who stood close by +her, longing but not daring to approach the scene of action. + +"Boys chasing a great black cat, I believe," answered one child. + +"Want to come and see?" added the other, politely extending the +invitation to the stranger. + +The thought of a cat in trouble would have nerved Betty to face a dozen +boys; so she followed at once, meeting several lads hurrying away on +some important errand, to judge from their anxious countenances. + +"Hold tight, Jimmy, and let 'em peek, if they want to. He can't hurt +anybody now," said one of the dusty huntsmen, who sat on the wide coping +of the wall, while two others held the gate, as if a cat could only +escape that way. + +"You peek first, Susy, and see if it looks nice," said one little girl, +boosting her friend so that she could look through the bars in the upper +part of the gate. + +"No; it 's only an ugly old dog!" responded Susy, losing all interest at +once, and descending with a bounce. + +"He's mad! and Jud's gone to get his gun, so we can shoot him!" called +out one mischievous boy, resenting the contempt expressed for their +capture. + +"Ain't, neither!" howled another lad from his perch. "Mad dogs won't +drink; and this one is lapping out of a tub of water." + +"Well, he may be, and we don't know him, and he hasn't got any muzzle +on, and the police will kill him if Jud don't," answered the sanguinary +youth who had first started the chase after the poor animal, which had +come limping into town, so evidently a lost dog that no one felt any +hesitation in stoning him. + +"We must go right home; my mother is dreadful 'fraid of mad dogs, and so +is yours," said Susy; and, having satisfied their curiosity, the young +ladies prudently retired. + +But Betty had not had her "peep," and could not resist one look; for she +had heard of these unhappy animals, and thought Bab would like to know +how they looked. So she stood on tip-toe and got a good view of a dusty, +brownish dog, lying on the grass close by, with his tongue hanging out +while he panted, as if exhausted by fatigue and fear, for he still cast +apprehensive glances at the wall which divided him from his tormentors. + +"His eyes are just like Sanch's," said Betty to herself, unconscious that +she spoke aloud, till she saw the creature prick up his cars and half +rise, as if he had been called. + +"He looks as if he knew me, but it isn't our Sancho; he was a lovely +dog." Betty said that to the little boy peeping in beside her; but +before he could make any reply, the brown beast stood straight up with +an inquiring bark, while his eyes shone like topaz, and the short tail +wagged excitedly. + +"Why, that's just the way Sanch used to do!" cried Betty, bewildered by +the familiar ways of this unfamiliar-looking dog. + +As if the repetition of his name settled his own doubts, he leaped +toward the gate and thrust a pink nose between the bars, with a howl of +recognition as Betty's face was more clearly seen. The boys tumbled +precipitately from their perches, and the little girl fell back alarmed, +yet could not bear to run away and leave those imploring eyes pleading +to her through the bars so eloquently. + +"He acts just like our dog, but I don't see how it can be him. Sancho, +Sancho, is it really you?" called Betty, at her wits' end what to do. + +"Bow, wow, wow!" answered the well-known bark, and the little tail did +all it could to emphasize the sound, while the eyes were so full of dumb +love and joy, the child could not refuse to believe that this ugly stray +was their own Sancho strangely transformed. + +All of a sudden, the thought rushed into her mind, how glad Ben would +be!--and Bab would feel all happy again. "I must carry him home." + +Never stopping to think of danger, and forgetting all her doubts, Betty +caught the gate handle out of Jimmy's grasp, exclaiming eagerly: "He is +our dog! Let me go in; I ain't afraid." + +"Not till Jud comes back; he told us we mustn't," answered the +astonished Jimmy, thinking the little girl as mad as the dog. + +With a confused idea that the unknown Jud had gone for a gun to shoot +Sanch, Betty gave a desperate pull at the latch and ran into the yard, +bent on saving her friend. That it was a friend there could be no +further question; for, though the creature rushed at her as if about to +devour her at a mouthful, it was only to roll ecstatically at her feet, +lick her hands, and gaze into her face, trying to pant out the welcome +which he could not utter. An older and more prudent person would have +waited to make sure before venturing in; but confiding Betty knew little +of the danger which she might have run; her heart spoke more quickly +than her head, and, not stopping to have the truth proved, she took the +brown dog on trust, and found it was indeed dear Sanch. + +Sitting on the grass, she hugged him close, careless of tumbled hat, +dusty paws on her clean frock, or a row of strange boys staring from the +wall. + +"Darling doggy, where have you been so long?" she cried, the great thing +sprawling across her lap, as if he could not get near enough to his +brave little protector. "Did they make you black and beat you, dear? Oh, +Sanch, where is your tail--your pretty tail?" + +A plaintive growl and a pathetic wag was all the answer he could make to +these tender inquiries; for never would the story of his wrongs be +known, and never could the glory of his doggish beauty be restored. +Betty was trying to comfort him with pats and praises, when a new face +appeared at the gate, and Thorny's authoritative voice called out,-- + +"Betty Moss, what on earth are you doing in there with that dirty +beast?" + +"It's Sanch, it's Sanch! Oh, come and see!" shrieked Betty, flying up to +lead forth her prize. But the gate was held fast, for some one said the +words, "Mad dog," and Thorny was very naturally alarmed, because he had +already seen one. "Don't stay there another minute. Get up on that bench +and I'll pull you over," directed Thorny, mounting the wall to rescue +his charge in hot haste; for the dog did certainly behave queerly, +limping hurriedly to and fro, as if anxious to escape. No wonder, when +Sancho heard a voice he knew, and recognized another face, yet did not +meet as kind a welcome as before. + +"No, I'm not coming out till he does. It is Sanch, and I'm going to +take him home to Ben," answered Betty, decidedly, as she wet her +handkerchief in the rain water to bind up the swollen paw that had +travelled many miles to rest in her little hand again. + +"You're crazy, child. That is no more Ben's dog than I am." + +"See if it isn't!" cried Betty, perfectly unshaken in her faith; and, +recalling the words of command as well as she could, she tried to put +Sancho through his little performance, as the surest proof that she was +right. The poor fellow did his best, weary and foot-sore though he was; +but when it came to taking his tail in his mouth to waltz, he gave it +up, and, dropping down, hid his face in his paws, as he always did when +any of his tricks failed. The act was almost pathetic now, for one of +the paws was bandaged, and his whole attitude expressed the humiliation +of a broken spirit. + +That touched Thorny, and, quite convinced both of the dog's sanity and +identity, he sprung down from the wall with Ben's own whistle, which +gladdened Sancho's longing ear as much as the boy's rough caresses +comforted his homesick heart. + +"Now, let's carry him right home, and surprise Ben. Won't he be +pleased?" said Betty, so in earnest that she tried to lift the big brute +in spite of his protesting yelps. + +"You are a little trump to find him out in spite of all the horrid +things that have been done to him. We must have a rope to lead him, for +he's got no collar and no muzzle. He has got friends though, and I'd +like to see any one touch him now. Out of the way, there, boy!" Looking +as commanding as a drum-major, Thorny cleared a passage, and with one +arm about his neck, Betty proudly led her treasure magnanimously +ignoring his late foes, and keeping his eye fixed on the faithful friend +whose tender little heart had known him in spite of all disguises. + +"I found him, sir," and the lad who had been most eager for the +shooting, stepped forward to claim any reward that might be offered for +the now valuable victim. + +"I kept him safe till she came," added the jailer Jimmy, speaking for +himself. + +"I said he wasn't mad," cried a third, feeling that his discrimination +deserved approval. + +"Jud ain't my brother," said the fourth, eager to clear his skirts from +all offence. + +"But all of you chased and stoned him, I suppose? You'd better look out +or you'll get reported to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to +Animals." + +With this awful and mysterious threat, Thorny slammed the doctor's gate +in the faces of the mercenary youths, nipping their hopes in the bud, +and teaching them a good lesson. + +After one astonished stare, Lita accepted Sancho without demur, and they +greeted one another cordially, nose to nose, instead of shaking hands. +Then the dog nestled into his old place under the linen duster with a +grunt of intense content, and soon fell fast asleep, quite worn out with +fatigue. No Roman conqueror bearing untold treasures with him, ever +approached the Eternal City feeling richer or prouder than did Miss +Betty as she rolled rapidly toward the little brown house with the +captive won by her own arms. Poor Belinda was forgotten in a corner, +"Bluebeard" was thrust under the cushion, and the lovely lemon was +squeezed before its time by being sat upon; for all the child could +think of was Ben's delight, Bab's remorseful burden lifted off, "Ma's" +surprise, and Miss Celia's pleasure. She could hardly realize the happy +fact, and kept peeping under the cover to be sure that the dear dingy +bunch at her feet was truly there. + +"I'll tell you how we'll do it," said Thorny, breaking a long silence as +Betty composed herself with an irrepressible wriggle of delight after +one of these refreshing peeps. "We'll keep Sanch hidden, and smuggle him +into Ben's old room at your house. Then I'll drive on to the barn, and +not say a word, but send Ben to get something out of that room. You just +let him in, to see what he'll do. I'll bet you a dollar he won't know +his own dog." + +"I don't believe I can keep from screaming right out when I see him, but +I'll try. Oh, won't it be fun!"--and Betty clapped her hands in joyful +anticipation of that exciting moment. + +A nice little plan, but Master Thorny forgot the keen senses of the +amiable animal snoring peacefully among his boots; and, when they +stopped at the Lodge, he had barely time to say in a whisper, + +"Ben's coming; cover Sanch and let me get him in quick!" before the dog +was out of the phaeton like a bombshell, and the approaching boy went +down as if shot, for Sancho gave one leap, and the two rolled over and +over, with a shout and a bark of rapturous recognition. + +"Who is hurt?" asked Mrs. Moss, running out with floury hands uplifted +in alarm. + +"Is it a bear?" cried Bab, rushing after her, beater in hand, for a +dancing bear was the delight of her heart. + +"Sancho's found! Sancho's found!" shouted Thorny, throwing up his hat +like a lunatic. + +"Found, found, found!" echoed Betty, dancing wildly about as if she too +had lost her little wits. + +"Where? how? when? who did it?" asked Mrs. Moss, clapping her dusty +hands delightedly. + +"It isn't; it's an old dirty brown thing," stammered Bab, as the dog +came uppermost for a minute, and then rooted into Ben's jacket as if he +smelt a woodchuck, and was bound to have him out directly. + +Then Thorny, with many interruptions from Betty, poured forth the +wondrous tale, to which Bab and his mother listened breathlessly, while +the muffins burned as black as a coal, and nobody cared a bit. + +"My precious lamb, how did you dare to do such a thing?" exclaimed Mrs. +Moss, hugging the small heroine with mingled admiration and alarm. + +"I'd have dared, and slapped those horrid boys, too. I wish I'd gone!" +and Bab felt that she had for ever lost the chance of distinguishing +herself. + +"Who cut his tail off?" demanded Ben, in a menacing tone, as he came +uppermost in his turn, dusty, red and breathless, but radiant. + +"The wretch who stole him, I suppose; and he deserves to be hung," +answered Thorny, hotly. + +"If ever I catch him, I'll--I'll cut his nose off," roared Ben, with +such a vengeful glare that Sanch barked fiercely; and it was well that +the unknown "wretch" was not there, for it would have gone hardly with +him, since even gentle Betty frowned, while Bab brandished the +egg-beater menacingly, and their mother indignantly declared that "it +was too bad!" + +Relieved by this general outburst, they composed their outraged +feelings; and while the returned wanderer went from one to another to +receive a tender welcome from each, the story of his recovery was more +calmly told. Ben listened with his eye devouring the injured dog; and +when Thorny paused, he turned to the little heroine, saying solemnly, as +he laid her hand with his own on Sancho's head, + +"Betty Moss, I'll never forget what you did; from this minute half of +Sanch is your truly own, and if I die you shall have the whole of him," +and Ben sealed the precious gift with a sounding kiss on either chubby +check. + +Betty was so deeply touched by this noble bequest, that the blue eyes +filled and would have overflowed if Sanch had not politely offered his +tongue like a red pocket-handkerchlef, and so made her laugh the drops +away, while Bab set the rest off by saying gloomily,-- + +"I mean to play with all the mad dogs I can find; then folks will think +I'm smart and give me nice things." + +"Poor old Bab, I'll forgive you now, and lend you my half whenever you +want it," said Ben, feeling at peace now with all mankind, including, +girls who tagged. + +"Come and show him to Celia," begged Thorny, eager to fight his battles +over again. + +"Better wash him up first; he's a sight to see, poor thing," suggested +Mrs. Moss, as she ran in, suddenly remembering her muffins. + +"It will take a lot of washings to get that brown stuff off. See, his +pretty, pink skin is all stained with it. We'll bleach him out, and his +curls will grow, and he'll be as good as ever--all but--" + +Ben could not finish, and a general wail went up for the departed tassel +that would never wave proudly in the breeze again. + +"I'll buy him a new one. Now form the procession and let us go in +style," said Thorny, cheerily, as he swung Betty to his shoulder and +marched away whistling "Hail! the conquering hero comes," while Ben and +his Bow-wow followed arm-in-arm, and Bab brought up the rear, banging on +a milk-pan with the egg-beater. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +BOWS AND ARROWS + +If Sancho's abduction made a stir, one may easily imagine with what +warmth and interest he was welcomed back when his wrongs and wanderings +were known. For several days he held regular levees, that curious boys +and sympathizing girls might see and pity the changed and curtailed dog. +Sancho behaved with dignified affability, and sat upon his mat in the +coach-house pensively eying his guests, and patiently submitting to +their caresses; while Ben and Thorny took turns to tell the few tragical +facts which were not shrouded in the deepest mystery. If the interesting +sufferer could only have spoken, what thrilling adventures and +hair-breadth escapes he might have related. But, alas! he was dumb; and +the secrets of that memorable month never were revealed. + +The lame paw soon healed, the dingy color slowly yielded to many +washings, the woolly coat began to knot up into little curls, a new +collar, handsomely marked, made him a respectable dog, and Sancho was +himself again. But it was evident that his sufferings were not +forgotten; his once sweet temper was a trifle soured; and, with a few +exceptions, he had lost his faith in mankind. Before, he had been the +most benevolent and hospitable of dogs; now, he eyed all strangers +suspiciously, and the sight of a shabby man made him growl and bristle +up, as if the memory of his wrongs still burned hotly within him. + +Fortunately, his gratitude was stronger than his resentment, and he +never seemed to forget that he owed his life to Betty,--running to +meet her whenever she appeared, instantly obeying her commands, and +suffering no one to molest her when he walked watchfully beside her, +with her hand upon his neck, as they had walked out of the almost fatal +backyard together, faithful friends for ever. + +Miss Celia called them little Una and her lion, and read the pretty +story to the children when they wondered what she meant. Ben, with great +pains, taught the dog to spell "Betty," and surprised her with a display +of this new accomplishment, which gratified her so much that she was +never tired of seeing Sanch paw the five red letters into place, then +come and lay his nose in her hand, as if he added, "That's the name of +my dear mistress." + +Of course Bab was glad to have everything pleasant and friendly again; +but in a little dark corner of her heart there was a drop of envy, and a +desperate desire to do something which would make every one in her small +world like and praise her as they did Betty. Trying to be as good and +gentle did not satisfy her; she must do something brave or surprising, +and no chance for distinguishing herself in that way seemed likely to +appear. Betty was as fond as ever, and the boys were very kind to her; +but she felt that they both liked "little Betcinda," as they called her, +best, because she found Sanch, and never seemed to know that she had +done any thing brave in defending him against all odds. Bab did not tell +any one how she felt, but endeavored to be amiable, while waiting for +her chance to come; and, when it did arrive, made the most of it, though +there was nothing heroic to add a charm. + +Miss Celia's arm had been doing very well, but would, of course, be +useless for some time longer. Finding that the afternoon readings amused +herself as much as they did the children, she kept them up, and brought +out all her old favorites enjoying a double pleasure in seeing that her +young audience relished them as much as she did when a child for to all +but Thorny they were brand new. Out of one of these stories came much +amusement for all, and satisfaction for one of the party. + +"Celia, did you bring our old bows?" asked her brother, eagerly, as she +put down the book from which she had been reading Miss Edgeworth's +capital story of "Waste not Want not; or, Two Strings to your Bow." + +"Yes, I brought all the playthings we left stored away in uncle's garret +when we went abroad. The bows are in the long box where you found the +mallets, fishing-rods, and bats. The old quivers and a few arrows are +there also, I believe. What is the idea now? asked Miss Celia in her +turn, as Thorny bounced up in a great hurry. + +"I'm going to teach Ben to shoot. Grand fun this hot weather; and +by-and-by we'll have an archery meeting, and you can give us a prize. +Come on, Ben. I've got plenty of whip-cord to rig up the bows, and then +we'll show the ladies some first-class shooting." + +"I can't; never had a decent bow in my life. The little gilt one I used +to wave round when I was a Coopid wasn't worth a cent to go," answered +Ben, feeling as if that painted "prodigy" must have been a very distant +connection of the respectable young person now walking off arm in arm +with the lord of the manor. + +"Practice is all you want. I used to be a capital shot, but I don't +believe I could hit any thing but a barn-door now," answered Thorny, +encouragingly. + +As the boys vanished, with much tramping of boots and banging of doors, +Bab observed, in the young-ladyish tone she was apt to use when she +composed her active little mind and body to the feminine task of +needlework,-- + +"We used to make bows of whalebone when we were little girls, but we are +too old to play so now." + +"I'd like to, but Bab won't, 'cause she 's most 'leven years old," said +honest Betty, placidly rubbing her needle in the "ruster," as she called +the family emery-bag. + +"Grown people enjoy archery, as bow and arrow shooting is called, +especially in England. I was reading about it the other day, and saw a +picture of Queen Victoria with her bow; so you needn't be ashamed of it, +Bab," said Miss Celia, rummaging among the books and papers in her sofa +corner to find the magazine she wanted, thinking a new play would be as +good for the girls as for the big boys. + +"A queen, just think!" and Betty looked much impressed by the fact, as +well as uplifted by the knowledge that her friend did not agree in +thinking her silly because she preferred playing with a harmless +home-made toy to firing stones or snapping a pop-gun. + +"In old times, bows and arrows were used to fight great battles with; +and we read how the English archers shot so well that the air was dark +with arrows, and many men were killed." + +"So did the Indians have 'em; and I've got some stone arrow-heads,--found +'em by the river, in the dirt!" cried Bab, waking up, for battles +interested her more than queens. + +"While you finish your stints I'll tell you a little story about the +Indians," said Miss Celia, lying back on her cushions, while the needles +began to go again, for the prospect of a story could not be resisted. + +"A century or more ago, in a small settlement on the banks of the +Connecticut,--which means the Long River of Pines,--there lived a +little girl called Matty Kilburn. On a hill stood the fort where the +people ran for protection in any danger, for the country was new and +wild, and more than once the Indians had come down the river in their +canoes and burned the houses, killed men, and carried away women and +children. Matty lived alone with her father, but felt quite safe in the +log house, for he was never far away. One afternoon, as the farmers were +all busy in their fields, the bell rang suddenly,--a sign that there +was danger near,--and, dropping their rakes or axes, the men hurried +to their houses to save wives and babies, and such few treasures as they +could. Mr. Kilburn caught up his gun with one hand and his little girl +with the other, and ran as fast as he could toward the fort. But before +he could reach it he heard a yell, and saw the red men coming up from +the river. Then he knew it would be in vain to try to get in, so he +looked about for a safe place to hide Matty till he could come for her. +He was a brave man, and could fight, so he had no thought of hiding +while his neighbors needed help; but the dear little daughter must be +cared for first. + +"In the corner of the lonely pasture which they dared not cross, stood a +big hollow elm, and there the farmer hastily hid Matty, dropping her +down into the dim nook, round the mouth of which young shoots had grown, +so that no one would have suspected any hole was there. + +"Lie still, child, till I come; say your prayers and wait for father,' +said the man, as he parted the leaves for a last glance at the small, +frightened face looking up at him. + +"'Come soon,' whispered Matty, and tried to smile bravely, as a stout +settler's girl should. + +"Mr. Kilburn went away, and was taken prisoner in the fight, carried +off, and for years no one knew whether he was alive or dead. People +missed Matty, but supposed she was with her father, and never expected +to see her again. A great while afterward the poor man came back, having +escaped and made his way through the wilderness to his old home. His +first question was for Matty, but no one had seen her; and when he told +them where he had left her, they shook their heads as if they thought he +was crazy. But they went to look, that he might be satisfied; and he +was; for they they found some little bones, some faded bits of cloth, +and two rusty silver buckles marked with Matty's name in what had once +been her shoes. An Indian arrow lay there, too, showing why she had +never cried for help, but waited patiently so long for father to come +and find her." + +If Miss Celia expected to see the last bit of hem done when her story +ended, she was disappointed; for not a dozen stitches had been taken. +Betty was using her crash towel for a handkerchief, and Bab's lay on the +ground as she listened with snapping eyes to the little tragedy. + +"Is it true?" asked Betty, hoping to find relief in being told that it +was not. + +"Yes; I have seen the tree, and the mound where the fort was, and the +rusty buckles in an old farmhouse where other Kilburns live, near the +spot where it all happened," answered Miss Celia, looking out the +picture of Victoria to console her auditors. + +"We'll play that in the old apple-tree. Betty can scrooch down, and +I'll be the father, and put leaves on her, and then I'll be a great +Injun and fire at her. I can make arrows, and it will be fun, won't it?" +cried Bab, charmed with the new drama in which she could act the leading +parts. + +"No, it won't! I don't like to go in a cobwebby hole, and have you play +kill me, I'll make a nice fort of hay, and be all safe, and you can put +Dinah down there for Matty. I don't love her any more, now her last eye +has tumbled out, and you may shoot her just as much as yon like." + +Before Bab could agree to this satisfactory arrangement, Thorny +appeared, singing, as he aimed at a fat robin, whose red waistcoat +looked rather warm and winterish that August day,-- + + "So he took up his bow, + And he feathered his arrow, + And said, 'I will shoot + This little cock-sparrow.'" + +"But he didn't," chirped the robin, flying away, with a contemptuous +flirt of his rusty-black tail. + +"That is exactly what you must promise not to do, boys. Fire away at +your targets as much as you like, but do not harm any living creature," +said Miss Celia, as Ben followed armed and equipped with her own +long-unused accoutrements. + +"Of course we won't if you say so; but, with a little practice, I could +bring down a bird as well as that fellow you read to me about with his +woodpeckers and larks and herons," answered Thorny, who had much enjoyed +the article, while his sister lamented over the destruction of the +innocent birds. + +"You'd do well to borrow the Squire's old stuffed owl for a target; +there would be some chance of your hitting him, he is so big," said his +sister, who always made fun of the boy when he began to brag. + +Thorny's only reply was to send his arrow straight up so far out of +sight that it was a long while coming down again to stick quivering in +the ground near by, whence Sancho brought it in his mouth, evidently +highly approving of a game in which he could join. + +"Not bad for a beginning. Now, Ben, fire away." + +But Ben's experience with bows was small, and, in spite of his +praiseworthy efforts to imitate his great exemplar, the arrow only +turned a feeble sort of somersault and descended perilously near Bab's +uplifted nose. + +"If you endanger other people's life and liberty in your pursuit of +happiness, I shall have to confiscate your arms, boys. Take the orchard +for your archery ground; that is safe, and we can see you as we sit +here. I wish I had two hands, so that I could paint you a fine, gay +target;" and Miss Celia looked regretfully at the injured arm, which as +yet was of little use. + +"I wish you could shoot, too; you used to beat all the girls, and I was +proud of you," answered Thorny, with the air of a fond elder brother; +though, at the time he alluded to, he was about twelve, and hardly up to +his sister's shoulder. + +"Thank you. I shall be happy to give my place to Bab and Betty if you +will make them some bows and arrows; they could not use those long +ones." + +The young gentlemen did not take the hint as quickly as Miss Celia hoped +they would; in fact, both looked rather blank at the suggestion, as boys +generally do when it is proposed that girls--especially small ones--shall +join in any game they are playing. + +"P'r'aps it would be too much trouble," began Betty, in her winning +little voice. + +"I can make my own," declared Bab, with an independent toss of the head. + +"Not a bit; I'll make you the jolliest small bow that ever was, +Belinda," Thorny hastened to say, softened by the appealing glance of +the little maid. + +"You can use mine, Bab; you've got such a strong fist, I guess you +could pull it," added Ben, remembering that it would not be amiss to +have a comrade who shot worse than he did, for he felt very inferior to +Thorny in many ways, and, being used to praise, had missed it very much +since he retired to private life. + +"I will be umpire, and brighten up the silver arrow I sometimes pin my +hair with, for a prize, unless we can find something better," proposed +Miss Celia, glad to see that question settled, and every prospect of the +new play being a pleasant amusement for the hot weather. + +It was astonishing how soon archery became the fashion in that town, for +the boys discussed it enthusiastically all that evening, formed the +"William Tell Club" next day, with Bab and Betty as honorary members, +and, before the week was out, nearly every lad was seen, like young +Norval, "With bended bow and quiver full of arrows," shooting away, +with a charming disregard of the safety of their fellow citizens. +Banished by the authorities to secluded spots, the members of the club +set up their targets and practised indefatigably, especially Ben, who +soon discovered that his early gymnastics had given him a sinewy arm and +a true eye; and, taking Sanch into partnership as picker-up, he got more +shots out of an hour than those who had to run to and fro. + +Thorny easily recovered much of his former skill, but his strength had +not fully returned, and he soon grew tired. Bab, on the contrary, threw +herself into the contest heart and soul, and tugged away at the new bow +Miss Celia gave her, for Ben's was too heavy. No other girls were +admitted, so the outsiders got up a club of their own, and called it +"The Victoria," the name being suggested by the magazine article, which +went the rounds as a general guide and reference book. Bab and Betty +belonged to this club and duly reported the doings of the boys, with +whom they had a right to shoot if they chose, but soon waived the right, +plainly seeing that their absence would be regarded in the light of a +favor. + +The archery fever raged as fiercely as the base-ball epidemic had done +before it, and not only did the magazine circulate freely, but Miss +Edgeworth's story, which was eagerly read, and so much admired that the +girls at once mounted green ribbons, and the boys kept yards of +whip-cord in their pockets like the provident Benjamin of the tale. + +Every one enjoyed the new play very much, and something grew out of it +which was a lasting pleasure to many, long after the bows and arrows +were forgotten. Seeing how glad the children were to get a new story, +Miss Celia was moved to send a box of books--old and new--to the +town library, which was but scantily supplied, as country libraries are +apt to be. This donation produced a good effect; for other people hunted +up all the volumes they could spare for the same purpose, and the dusty +shelves in the little room behind the post-office filled up amazingly. +Coming in vacation time they were hailed with delight, and ancient books +of travel, as well as modern tales, were feasted upon by happy young +folks, with plenty of time to enjoy them in peace. + +The success of her first attempt at being a public benefactor pleased +Miss Celia very much, and suggested other ways in which she might serve +the quiet town, where she seemed to feel that work was waiting for her +to do. She said little to any one but the friend over the sea, yet +various plans were made then that blossomed beautifully by-and-by. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SPEAKING PIECES + +The first of September came all too soon, and school began. Among the +boys and girls who went trooping up to the "East Corner knowledge-box," +as they called it, was our friend Ben, with a pile of neat books under +his arm. He felt very strange, and decidedly shy; but put on a bold +face, and let nobody guess that, though nearly thirteen, he had never +been to school before. Miss Celia had told his story to Teacher, and +she, being a kind little woman, with young brothers of her own, made +things as easy for him as she could. In reading and writing he did very +well, and proudly took his place among lads of his own age; but when it +came to arithmetic and geography, he had to go down a long way, and +begin almost at the beginning, in spite of Thorny's efforts to "tool him +along fast." It mortified him sadly, but there was no help for it; and +in some of the classes he had dear little Betty to console with him when +he failed, and smile contentedly when he got above her, as he soon began +to do,--for she was not a quick child, and plodded through First Parts +long after sister Bab was flourishing away among girls much older than +herself. + +Fortunately, Ben was a short boy and a clever one, so he did not look +out of place among the ten and eleven year olders, and fell upon his +lessons with the same resolution with which he used to take a new leap, +or practise patiently till he could touch his heels with his head. That +sort of exercise had given him a strong, elastic little body; this kind +was to train his mind, and make its faculties as useful, quick and sure, +as the obedient muscles, nerves and eye, which kept him safe where +others would have broken their necks. He knew this, and found much +consolation in the fact that, though mental arithmetic was a hopeless +task, he could turn a dozen somersaults, and come up as steady as a +judge. When the boys laughed at him for saying that China was in Africa, +he routed them entirely by his superior knowledge of the animals +belonging to that wild country; and when "First class in reading" was +called, he marched up with the proud consciousness that the shortest boy +in it did better than tall Moses Towne or fat Sam Kitteridge. + +Teacher praised him all she honestly could, and corrected his many +blunders so quietly that he soon ceased to be a deep, distressful red +during recitation, and tugged away so manfully that no one could help +respecting him for his efforts, and trying to make light of his +failures. So the first hard week went by, and though the boy's heart had +sunk many a time at the prospect of a protracted wrestle with his own +ignorance, he made up his mind to win, and went at it again on the +Monday with fresh zeal, all the better and braver for a good, cheery +talk with Miss Celia in the Sunday evening twilight. + +He did not tell her one of his greatest trials, however, because he +thought she could not help him there. Some of the children rather looked +down upon him, called him "tramp" and "beggar," twitted him with having +been a circus boy, and lived in a tent like a gypsy. They did not mean +to be cruel, but did it for the sake of teasing, never stopping to think +how much such sport can make a fellow-creature suffer. Being a plucky +fellow, Ben pretended not to mind; but he did feel it keenly, because he +wanted to start afresh, and be like other boys. He was not ashamed of +the old life; but, finding those around him disapproved of it, he was +glad to let it be forgotten, even by himself; for his latest +recollections were not happy ones, and present comforts made past +hardships seem harder than before. + +He said nothing of this to Miss Celia; but she found it out, and liked +him all the better for keeping some of his small worries to himself. +Bab and Betty came over Monday afternoon full of indignation at some +boyish insult Sam had put upon Ben; and, finding them too full of it to +enjoy the reading, Miss Celia asked what the matter was. Then both +little girls burst out in a rapid succession of broken exclamations, +which did not give a very clear idea of the difficulty,-- + +"Sam didn't like it because Ben jumped farther than he did--" + +"And he said Ben ought to be in the poor-house." + +"And Ben said he ought to be in it pigpen." + +"So he had!--such a greedy thing, bringing lovely big apples, and not +giving any one a single bite!" + +"Then he was mad, and we all laughed; and he said, 'Want to fight?' + +"And Ben said, 'No, thanky, not much fun in pounding a feather-bed.'" + +"Oh, he was awfully mad then, and chased Ben up the big maple." + +"He's there now, for Sam won't let him come down till he takes it all +back." + +"Ben won't; and I do believe he'll have to stay up all night," said +Betty, distressfully. + +"He won't care, and we'll have fun firing up his supper. Nut cakes and +cheese will go splendidly; and may be baked pears wouldn't get smashed, +he's such a good catch," added Bab, decidedly relishing the prospect. + +"If he does not come by tea-time, we will go and look after him. It +seems to me I have heard something about Sam's troubling him before, +haven't I?" asked Miss Celia, ready to defend her protege against all +unfair persecution. + +"Yes,'m, Sam and Mose are always plaguing Ben. They are big boys, and we +can't make them stop. I won't let the girls do it, and the little boys +don't dare to, since Teacher spoke to them." answered Bab. + +"Why does not Teacher speak to the big ones? + +"Ben won't tell of them, or let us. He says he'll fight his own +battles, and hates tell-tales. I guess he won't like to have us tell +you, but I don't care, for it is too bad!" and Betty looked ready to cry +over her friend's tribulations. + +"I'm glad you did, for I will attend to it, and stop this sort of +thing," said Miss Celia, after the children had told some of the +tormenting speeches which had tried poor Ben. + +Just then Thorny appeared, looking much amused, and the little girls +both called out in a breath, "Did you see Ben and get him down?" + +"He got himself down in the neatest way you can imagine;" and Thorny +laughed at the recollection. + +"Where is Sam?" asked Bab. + +"Staring up at the sky to see where Ben has flown to." + +"Oh, tell about it!" begged Betty. + +"Well, I came along and found Ben treed, and Sam stoning him. I stopped +that at once, and told the 'fat boy' to be off. He said he wouldn't till +Ben begged his pardon; and Ben said he wouldn't do it, if he stayed up +for a week. I was just preparing to give that rascal a scientific +thrashing, when a load of hay came along, and Ben dropped on to it so +quietly that Sam, who was trying to bully me, never saw him go. It +tickled me so, I told Sam I guessed I'd let him off that time, and +walked away, leaving him to hunt for Ben, and wonder where the dickens +he had vanished to." + +The idea of Sam's bewilderment amused the others as much as Thorny, and +they all had a good laugh over it before Miss Celia asked,-- + +"Where has Ben gone now?" + +"Oh, he'll take a little ride, and then slip down and race home full of +the fun of it. But I've got to settle Sam. I won't have our Ben hectored +by any one--" + +"But yourself," put in his sister, with a sly smile, for Thorny was +rather domineering at times. + +"He doesn't mind my poking him up now and then, it's good for him; and I +always take his part against other people. Sam is a bully, and so is +Mose; and I'll thrash them both if they don't stop." + +Anxious to curb her brother's pugnacious propensities, Miss Celia +proposed milder measures, promising to speak to the boys herself if +there was any more trouble. + +"I have been thinking that we should have some sort of merry-making for +Ben on his birthday. My plan was a very simple one; but I will enlarge +it, and have all the young folks come, and Ben shall be king of the fun. +he needs encouragement in well-doing, for he does try; and now the first +hard part is nearly over, I am sure he will get on bravely. If we treat +him with respect, and show our regard for him, others will follow our +example; and that will be better than fighting about it." + +"So it will! What shall we do to make our party tip-top?" asked Thorny, +falling into the trap at once; for he dearly loved to get up +theatricals, and had not had any for a long time. + +"We will plan something splendid, a 'grand combination,' as you used to +call your droll mixtures of tragedy, comedy, melodrama and farce," +answered his sister, with her head already full of lively plots. + +"We'll startle the natives. I don't believe they ever saw a play in all +their lives, hey, Bab?" + +"I've seen a circus." + +"We dress up and do 'Babes in the Wood,'" added Betty, with dignity. + +"Pho! that's nothing. I'll show you acting that will make your hair +stand on end, and you shall act too. Bab will be capital for the naughty +girls," began Thorny, excited by the prospect of producing a sensation +on the boards, and always ready to tease the girls. + +Before Betty could protest that she did not want her hair to stand up, +or Bab could indignantly decline the role offered her, a shrill whistle +was heard, and Miss Celia whispered, with a warning look,-- + +"Hush! Ben is coming, and he must not know any thing about this yet." + +The next day was Wednesday, and in the afternoon Miss Celia went to hear +the children "speak pieces," though it was very seldom that any of the +busy matrons and elder sisters found time or inclination for these +displays of youthful oratory. Miss Celia and Mrs. Moss were all the +audience on this occasion, but Teacher was both pleased and proud to see +them, and a general rustle went through the school as they came in, all +the girls turning from the visitors to nod at Bab and Betty, who smiled +all over their round faces to see "Ma" sitting up "'side of Teacher," +and the boys grinned at Ben, whose heart began to beat fast at the +thought of his dear mistress coming so far to hear him say his piece. + +Thorny had recommended Marco Bozzaris, but Ben preferred John Gilpin, +and ran the famous race with much spirit, making excellent time in some +parts and having to be spurred a little in others, but came out all +right, though quite breathless at the end, sitting down amid great +applause, some of which, curiously enough, seemed to come from outside; +which in fact it did, for Thorny was bound to hear but would not come +in, lest his presence should abash one orator at least. + +Other pieces followed, all more or less patriotic and warlike, among the +boys; sentimental among the girls. Sam broke down in his attempt to give +one of Webster's great speeches, Little Cy Fay boldly attacked + + "Again to the battle, Achaians!" + +and shrieked his way through it in a shrill, small voice, bound to do +honor to the older brother who had trained him even if he broke a vessel +in the attempt. Billy chose a well-worn piece, but gave it a new +interest by his style of delivery; for his gestures were so spasmodic he +looked as if going into a fit, and he did such astonishing things with +his voice that one never knew whether a howl or a growl would come next. +When + + "The woods against a stormy sky + Their giant branches tossed;" + +Billy's arms went round like the sails of a windmill; the "hymns of +lofty cheer" not only "shook the depths of the desert gloom," but the +small children on their little benches, and the school-house literally +rang "to the anthems of the free!" When "the ocean eagle soared," Billy +appeared to be going bodily up, and the "pines of the forest roared" as +if they had taken lessons of Van Amburgh's biggest lion. "Woman's +fearless eye" was expressed by a wild glare; "manhood's brow, severely +high," by a sudden clutch at the reddish locks falling over the orator's +hot forehead, and a sounding thump on his blue checked bosom told where +"the fiery heart of youth" was located. "What sought they thus far?" he +asked, in such a natural and inquiring tone, with his eye fixed on Mamie +Peters, that the startled innocent replied, "Dunno," which caused the +speaker to close in haste, devoutly pointing a stubby finger upward at +the last line. + +This was considered the gem of the collection, and Billy took his seat +proudly conscious that his native town boasted an orator who, in time, +would utterly eclipse Edward Everett and Wendell Phillips. + +Sally Folsom led off with "The Coral Grove," chosen for the express +purpose of making her friend Almira Mullet start and blush, when she +recited the second line of that pleasing poem, + + "Where the purple mullet and gold-fish rove." + +One of the older girls gave Wordsworth's "Lost Love" in a pensive tone, +clasping her hands and bringing out the "O" as if a sudden twinge of +toothache seized her when she ended. + + "But she is in her grave, and O, + the difference to me!" + +Bab always chose a funny piece, and on this afternoon set them all +laughing by the spirit with which she spoke the droll poem, "Pussy's +Class," which some of my young readers may have read. The "meou" and the +"sptzz" were capital, and when the "fond mamma rubbed her nose," the +children shouted, for Miss Bab made a paw of her hand and ended with an +impromptu purr, which was considered the best imitation ever presented +to an appreciative public. Betty bashfully murmurred "Little White +Lily," swaying to and fro as regularly as if in no other way could the +rhymes be ground out of her memory. + +"That is all, I believe. If either of the ladies would like to say a +few words to the children, I should be pleased to have them," said +Teacher, politely, pausing before she dismissed school with a song. + +"Please, 'm. I'd like to speak my piece," answered Miss Celia, obeying +a sudden impulse; and, stepping forward with her hat in her hand, she +made a pretty courtesy before she recited Mary Howitt's sweet little +ballad, "Mabel on Midsummer Day." + +She looked so young and merry, and used such simple but expressive +gestures, and spoke in such a clear, soft voice that the children sat as +if spell-bound, learning several lessons from this new teacher, whose +performance charmed them from beginning to end, and left a moral which +all could understand and carry away in that last verse,-- + + "'Tis good to make all duty sweet, + To be alert and kind; + 'Tis good, like Littie Mabel, + To have a willing mind." + +Of course there was an enthusiastic clapping when Miss Celia sat down, +but even while hands applauded, consciences pricked, and undone tasks, +complaining words and sour faces seemed to rise up reproachfully before +many of the children, as well as their own faults of elocution. + +"Now we will sing," said Teacher, and a great clearing of throats +ensued, but before a note could be uttered, the half-open door swung +wide, and Sancho, with Ben's hat on, walked in upon his hind-legs, and +stood with his paws meekly folded, while a voice from the entry sang +rapidly,-- + + "Benny had a little dog, + His fleece was white as snow, + And everywhere that Benny went, + The dog was sure to go. + + He went into the School one day, + which was against the rule; + It made the children laugh and play + To see a dog--" + +Mischievous Thorny got no further, for a general explosion of laughter +drowned the last words, and Ben's command "Out, you rascal!" sent Sanch +to the right-about in double-quick time. + +Miss Celia tried to apologize for her bad brother, and Teacher tried to +assure her that it didn't matter in the least, as this was always a +merry time, and Mrs. Moss vainly shook her finger at her naughty +daughters; they as well as the others would have their laugh out, and +only partially sobered down when the Bell rang for "Attention." They +thought they were to be dismissed, and repressed their giggles as well +as they could in order to get a good start for a vociferous roar when +they got out. But, to their great surprise, the pretty lady stood up +again and said, in her friendly way,-- + +"I just want to thank you for this pleasant little exhibition, and ask +leave to come again. I also wish to invite you all to my boy's birthday +party on Saturday week. The archery meeting is to be in the afternoon, +and both clubs will be there, I believe. In the evening we are going to +have some fun, when we can laugh as much as we please without breaking +any of the rules. In Ben's name I invite you, and hope you will all +come, for we mean to make this the happiest birthday he ever had." + +There were twenty pupils in the room, but the eighty hands and feet made +such a racket at this announcement that an outsider would have thought a +hundred children, at least, must have been at it. Miss Celia was a +general favorite because she nodded to all the girls, called the boys by +their last names, even addressing some of the largest as "Mr." which won +their hearts at once, so that if she had invited them all to come and be +whipped they would have gone sure that it was some delightful joke. With +what eagerness they accepted the present invitation one can easily +imagine, though they never guessed why she gave it in that way, and +Ben's face was a sight to see, he was so pleased and proud at the honor +done him that he did not know where to look, and was glad to rush out +with the other boys and vent his emotions in whoops of delight. He knew +that some little plot was being concocted for his birthday, but never +dreamed of any thing so grand as asking the whole school, Teacher and +all. The effect of the invitation was seen with comical rapidity, for +the boys became overpowering in their friendly attentions to Ben. Even +Sam, fearing he might be left out, promptly offered the peaceful +olive-branch in the shape of a big apple, warm from his pocket, and Mose +proposed a trade of jack-knives which would be greatly to Ben's +advantage. But Thorny made the noblest sacrifice of all, for he said to +his sister, as they walked home together,-- + +"I'm not going to try for the prize at all. I shoot so much better than +the rest, having had more practice, you know, that it is hardly fair. +Ben and Billy are next best, and about even, for Ben's strong wrist +makes up for Billy's true eye, and both want to win. If I am out of the +way Ben stands a good chance, for the other fellows don't amount to +much." + +"Bab does; she shoots nearly as well as Ben, and wants to win even more +than he or Billy. She must have her chance at any rate." + +"So she may, but she won't do any thing; girls can't, though it 's good +exercise and pleases them to try." + +"If I had full use of both my arms I'd show you that girls can do a +great deal when they like. Don't be too lofty, young man, for you may +have to come down," laughed Miss Celia, amused by his airs. + +"No fear," and Thorny calmly departed to set his targets for Ben's +practice. + +"We shall see," and from that moment Miss Celia made Bab her especial +pupil, feeling that a little lesson would be good for Mr. Thorny, who +rather lorded it over the other young people. There was a spice of +mischief in it, for Miss Celia was very young at heart, in spite of her +twenty-four years, and she was bound to see that her side had a fair +chance, believing that girls can do whatever they are willing to strive +patiently and wisely for. + +So she kept Bab at work early and late, giving her all the hints and +help she could with only one efficient hand, and Bab was delighted to +think she did well enough to shoot with the club. Her arms ached and her +fingers grew hard with twanging the bow, but she was indefatigable, and +being a strong, tall child of her age, with a great love of all athletic +sports, she got on fast and well, soon learning to send arrow after +arrow with ever increasing accuracy nearer and nearer to the bull's-eye. + +The boys took very little notice of her, being much absorbed in their +own affairs, but Betty did for Bab what Sancho did for Ben, and trotted +after arrows till her short legs were sadly tired, though her patience +never gave out. She was so sure Bab would win that she cared nothing +about her own success, practising little and seldom hitting any thing +when she tried. + + + +CHAPTER XX + +BEN'S BIRTHDAY + +A superb display of flags flapped gayly in the breeze on the September +morning when Ben proudly entered his teens. An irruption of bunting +seemed to have broken out all over the old house, for banners of every +shape and size, color and design, flew from chimney-top to gable, porch +and gate-way, making the quiet place look as lively as a circus tent, +which was just what Ben most desired and delighted in. + +The boys had been up very early to prepare the show, and when it was +ready enjoyed it hugely, for the fresh wind made the pennons cut strange +capers. The winged lion of Venice looked as if trying to fly away home; +the Chinese dragon appeared to brandish his forked tail as he clawed at +the Burmese peacock; the double-headed eagle of Russia pecked at the +Turkish crescent with one beak, while the other seemed to be screaming +to the English royal beast, "Come on and lend a paw." In the hurry of +hoisting the Siamese elephant got turned upside down, and now danced +gayly on his head, with the stars and stripes waving proudly over him. A +green flag with a yellow harp and sprig of shamrock hung in sight of the +kitchen window, and Katy, the cook, got breakfast to the tune of "St. +Patrick's day in the morning." Sancho's kennel was half hidden under a +rustling paper imitation of the gorgeous Spanish banner, and the scarlet +sun-and-moon flag of Arabia snapped and flaunted from the pole over the +coach-house, as a delicate compliment to Lita, Arabian horses being +considered the finest in the world. + +The little girls came out to see, and declared it was the loveliest +sight they ever beheld, while Thorny played "Hail Columbia" on his fife, +and Ben, mounting the gate-post, crowed long and loud like a happy +cockerel who had just reached his majority. He had been surprised and +delighted with the gifts he found in his room on awaking and guessed why +Miss Celia and Thorny gave him such pretty things, for among them was a +match-box made like a mouse-trap. The doggy buttons and the horsey whip +were treasures, indeed, for Miss Celia had not given them when they +first planned to do so, because Sancho's return seemed to be joy and +reward enough for that occasion. But he did not forget to thank Mrs. +Moss for the cake she sent him, nor the girls for the red mittens which +they had secretly and painfully knit. Bab's was long and thin, with a +very pointed thumb, Betty's short and wide, with a stubby thumb, and all +their mother's pulling and pressing could not make them look alike, to +the great affliction of the little knitters. Ben, however, assured them +that he rather preferred odd ones, as then he could always tell which +was right and which left. He put them on immediately and went about +cracking the new whip with an expression of content which was droll to +see, while the children followed after, full of admiration for the hero +of the day. + +They were very busy all the morning preparing for the festivities to +come, and as soon as dinner was over every one scrambled into his or her +best clothes as fast as possible, because, although invited to come at +two, impatient boys and girls were seen hovering about the avenue as +early as one. + +The first to arrive, however, was an uninvited guest, for just as Bab +and Betty sat down on the porch steps, in their stiff pink calico frocks +and white ruffled aprons, to repose a moment before the party came in, a +rustling was heard among the lilacs, and out stepped Alfred Tennyson +Barlow, looking like a small Robin Hood, in a green blouse with a silver +buckle on his broad belt, a feather in his little cap and a bow in his +hand. + +"I have come to shoot. I heard about it. My papa told me what arching +meant. Will there be any little cakes? I like them." + +With these opening remarks the poet took a seat and calmly awaited a +response. The young ladies, I regret to say, giggled, then remembering +their manners, hastened to inform him that there would be heaps of +cakes, also that Miss Celia would not mind his coming without an +invitation, they were quite sure. + +"She asked me to come that day. I have been very busy. I had measles. +Do you have them here?" asked the guest, as if anxious to compare notes +on the sad subject. + +"We had ours ever so long ago. What have you been doing besides having +measles?" said Betty, showing a polite interest. + +"I had a fight with a bumble-bee." + +"Who beat?" demanded Bab. + +"I did. I ran away and he couldn't catch me." + +"Can you shoot nicely?" + +"I hit a cow. She did not mind at all. I guess she thought it was a +fly." + +"Did your mother know you were coming?" asked Bab, feeling an interest +in runaways. + +"No; she is gone to drive, so I could not ask her." + +"It is very wrong to disobey. My Sunday-school book says that children +who are naughty that way never go to heaven," observed virtuous Betty, +in a warning tone. + +"I do not wish to go," was the startling reply. + +"Why not?" asked Betty, severely. + +"They don't have any dirt there. My mamma says so. I am fond of dirt. I +shall stay here where there is plenty of it," and the candid youth began +to grub in the mould with the satisfaction of a genuine boy. + +"I am afraid you're a very bad child." + +"Oh yes, I am. My papa often says so and he knows all about it," +replied Alfred with an involuntary wriggle suggestive of painful +memories. Then, as if anxious to change the conversation from its +somewhat personal channel, he asked, pointing to a row of grinning heads +above the wall, "Do you shoot at those?" + +Bab and Betty looked up quickly and recognized the familiar faces of +their friends peering down at them, like a choice collection of trophies +or targets. + +"I should think you'd be ashamed to peek before the party was ready!" +cried Bab, frowning darkly upon the merry young ladies. + +"Miss Celia told us to come before two, and be ready to receive folks, +if she wasn't down," added Betty, importantly. + +"It is striking two now. Come along, girls;" and over scrambled Sally +Folsom, followed by three or four kindred spirits, just as their hostess +appeared. + +"You look like Amazons storming a fort," she said, as the girls cattle +up, each carrying her bow and arrows, while green ribbons flew in every +direction. + +"How do you do, sir? I have been hoping you would call again," added +Miss Celia, shaking hands with the pretty boy, who regarded with benign +interest the giver of little cakes. + +Here a rush of boys took place, and further remarks were cut short, for +every one was in a hurry to begin. So the procession was formed at once, +Miss Celia taking the lead, escorted by Ben in the post of honor, while +the boys and girls paired off behind, arm in arm, bow on Shoulder, in +martial array. Thorny and Billy were the band, and marched before, +fifing and drumming "Yankee Doodle" with a vigor which kept feet moving +briskly, made eyes sparkle, and young hearts dance under the gay gowns +and summer jackets. The interesting stranger was elected to bear the +prize, laid out on a red pin-cushion; and did so with great dignity, as +he went beside the standard bearer, Cy Fay, who bore Ben's choicest +flag, snow-white, with a green wreath surrounding a painted bow and +arrow, and with the letters W. T. C. done in red below. + +Such a merry march all about the place, out at the Lodge gate, up and +down the avenue, along the winding paths, till they halted in the +orchard, where the target stood, and seats were placed for the archers +while they waited for their turns. Various rules and regulations were +discussed, and then the fun began. Miss Celia had insisted that the +girls should be invited to shoot with the boys; and the lads consented +without much concern, whispering to one another with condescending +shrugs, "Let 'em try, if they like; they can't do any thing." + +There were various trials of skill before the great match came off, and +in these trials the young gentlemen discovered that two at least of the +girls could do something; for Bab and Sally shot better than many of the +boys, and were well rewarded for their exertions by, the change which +took place in the faces and conversation of their mates. + +"Why, Bab, you do as well as if I'd taught you myself," said Thorny, +much surprised and not altogether pleased at the little girl's skill. + +"A lady taught me; and I mean to beat every one of you," answered Bab, +saucily, while her sparkling eyes turned to Miss Celia with a +mischievous twinkle in them. + +"Not a bit of it," declared Thorny, stoutly; but he went to Ben and +whispered, "Do your best, old fellow, for sister has taught Bab all the +scientific points, and the little rascal is ahead of Billy." + +"She won't get ahead of me," said Ben, picking out his best arrow, and +trying the string of his bow with a confident air which re-assured +Thorny, who found it impossible to believe that a girl ever could, +would, or should excel a boy in any thing he cared to try. + +It really did look as if Bab would beat when the match for the prize +came off; and the children got more and more excited as the six who were +to try for it took turns at the bull's-eye. Thorny was umpire, and kept +account of each shot, for the arrow which went nearest the middle would +win. Each had three shots; and very soon the lookers-on saw that Ben and +Bab were the best marksmen, and one of them would surely get the silver +arrow. + +Sam, who was too lazy to practise, soon gave up the contest, saying, as +Thorny did, "It wouldn't be fair for such a big fellow to try with the +little chaps," which made a laugh, as his want of skill was painfully +evident. But Mose went at it gallantly; and, if his eye had been as true +as his arms were strong, the "little chaps" would have trembled. But his +shots were none of them as near as Billy's; and he retired after the +third failure, declaring that it was impossible to shoot against the +wind, though scarcely a breath was stirring. + +Sally Folsom was bound to beat Bab, and twanged away in great style; all +in vain, however, as with tall Maria Newcomb, the third girl who +attempted the trial. Being a little near-sighted, she had borrowed her +sister's eye-glasses, and thereby lessened her chance of success; for +the pinch on her nose distracted her attention, and not one of her +arrows went beyond the second ring to her great disappointment. Billy +did very well, but got nervous when his last shot came, and just missed +the bull's-eye by being in a hurry. + +Bab and Ben each had one turn more; and, as they were about even, that +last arrow would decide the victory. Both had sent a shot into the +bull's-eye, but neither was exactly in the middle; so there was room to +do better, even, and the children crowded round, crying eagerly, "Now, +Ben!" "Now, Bab!" "Hit her up, Ben!" "Beat him, Bab!" while Thorny +looked as anxious as if the fate of the country depended on the success +of his man. Bab's turn came first; and, as Miss Celia examined her bow +to see that all was right, the little girl said, With her eyes on her +rival's excited face,-- + +"I want to beat, but Ben will feel so bad, I 'most hope I sha'n't." + +"Losing a prize sometimes makes one happier than gaining it. You have +proved that you could do better than most of them; so, if you do not +beat, you may still feet proud," answered Miss Celia, giving back the +bow with a smile that said more than her words. + +It seemed to give Bab a new idea, for in a minute all sorts of +recollections, wishes, and plans rushed through her lively little mind, +and she followed a sudden generous impulse as blindly as she often did a +wilful one. + +"I guess he'll beat," she said, softly, with a quick sparkle of the +eyes, as she stepped to her place and fired without taking her usual +careful aim. + +Her shot struck almost as near the centre on the right as her last one +had hit on the left; and there was a shout of delight from the girls as +Thorny announced it before he hurried back to Ben, whispering anxiously,-- + +"Steady, old Man, steady; you must beat that, or we shall never hear the +last of it." + +Ben did not say, "She won't get ahead of me," as he had said at the +first; he set his teeth, threw off his hat, and, knitting his brows with +a resolute expression, prepared to take steady aim, though his heart +beat fast and his thumb trembled as he pressed it on the bowstring. + +"I hope you'll beat, I truly do," said Bab, at his elbow; and, as if the +breath that framed the generous wish helped it on its way, the arrow +flew straight to the bull's-eye, hitting, apparently, the very spot +where Bab's best shot had left a hole. + +"A tie! a tie!" cried the girls, as a general rush took place toward the +target. + +"No, Ben's is nearest. Ben's beat!" Hooray shouted the boys, throwing up +their hats. There was only a hair's-breadth difference, and Bab could +honestly have disputed the decision; but she did not, though for an +instant she could not help wishing that the cry had been "Bab's beat! +Hurrah!" it sounded so pleasant. Then she saw Ben's beaming face, +Thorny's intense relief, and caught the look Miss Celia sent her over +the heads of the boys, and decided, with a sudden warm glow all over her +little face, that losing a prize did sometimes make one happier than +winning it. Up went her best hat, and she burst out in a shrill, "Rah, +rah, rah!" that sounded very funny coming all alone after the general +clamor had subsided. + +"Good for you, Bab! you are an honor to the club, and I'm proud of you", +said Prince Thorny, with a hearty handshake; for, as his man had won, he +could afford to praise the rival who had put him on his mettle, though +she was a girl. + +Bab was much uplifted by the royal commendation, but a few minutes later +felt pleased as well as proud when Ben, having received the prize, came +to her, as she stood behind a tree sucking her blistered thumb, while +Betty braided up her dishevelled locks. + +"I think it would be fairer to call it a tie, Bab, for it really was, +and I want you to wear this. I wanted the fun of beating, but I don't +care a bit for this girl's thing and I'd rather see it on you." + +As he spoke, Ben offered the rosette of green ribbon which held the +silver arrow, and Bab's eyes brightened as they fell upon the pretty +ornament, for to her "the girl's thing" was almost as good as the +victory. + +"Oh no; you must wear it to show who won. Miss Celia wouldn't like it. +I don't mind not getting it; I did better than all the rest, and I guess +I shouldn't like to beat you," answered Bab, unconsciously putting into +childish words the sweet generosity which makes so many sisters glad to +see their brothers carry off the prizes of life, while they are content +to know that they have earned them and can do without the praise. + +But if Bab was generous, Ben was just; and though he could not explain +the feeling, would not consent to take all the glory without giving his +little friend a share. + +"You must wear it; I shall feel real mean if you don't. You worked +harder than I did, and it was only luck my getting this. Do, Bab, to +please me," he persisted, awkwardly trying to fasten the ornament in the +middle of Bab's' white apron. + +"Then I will. Now do you forgive me for losing Sancho?" asked Bab, with +a wistful look which made Ben say, heartily,-- + +"I did that when he came home." + +"And you don't think I'm horrid?" + +"Not a bit of it; you are first-rate, and I'll stand by you like a man, +for you are 'most as good as a boy!" cried Ben, anxious to deal +handsomely with his feminine rival, whose skill had raised her immensely +in his opinion. + +Feeling that he could not improve that last compliment, Bab was fully +satisfied, and let him leave the prize upon her breast, conscious that +she had some claim to it. + +"That is where it should be, and Ben is a true knight, winning the prize +that he may give it to his lady, while he is content with the victory," +said Miss Celia, laughingly, to Teacher, as the children ran off to join +in the riotous games which soon made the orchard ring. + +"He learned that at the circus 'tunnyments,' as he calls them. He is a +nice boy, and I am much interested in him; for he has the two things +that do most toward making a man, patience and courage," answered +Teacher, also as she watched the young knight play and the honored lady +tearing about in a game of tag. + +"Bab is a nice child, too," said Miss Celia; "she is as quick as a flash +to catch an idea and carry it out, though very often the ideas are wild +ones. She could have won just now, I fancy, if she had tried, but took +the notion into her head that it was nobler to let Ben win, and so atone +for the trouble she gave him in losing the dog. I saw a very sweet look +on her face just now, and am sure that Ben will never know why he beat." + +"She does such things at school sometimes, and I can't bear to spoil her +little atonements, though they are not always needed or very wise," +answered Teacher. "Not long ago I found that she had been giving her +lunch day after day to a poor child who seldom had any, and when I asked +her why, she said, with tears, 'I used to laugh at Abby, because she had +only crusty, dry bread, and so she wouldn't bring any. I ought to give +her mine and be hungry, it was so mean to make fun of her poorness." + +"Did you stop the sacrifice?" + +"No; I let Bab 'go halves,' and added an extra bit to my own lunch, so I +could make my contribution likewise." + +"Come and tell me about Abby. I want to make friends with our poor +people, for soon I shall have a right to help them;" and, putting her +arm in Teacher's, Miss Celia led her away for a quiet chat in the porch, +making her guest's visit a happy holiday by confiding several plans and +asking advice in the friendliest way. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +CUPID'S LAST APPEARANCE + +A picnic supper on the grass followed the games, and then, as twilight +began to fall, the young people were marshalled to the coach-house, now +transformed into a rustic theatre. One big door was open, and seats, +arranged lengthwise, faced the red table-cloths which formed the +curtain. A row of lamps made very good foot-lights, and an invisible +band performed a Wagner-like overture on combs, tin trumpets, drums, and +pipes, with an accompaniment of suppressed laughter. + +Many of the children had never seen any thing like it, and sat staring +about them in mute admiration and expectancy; but the older ones +criticised freely, and indulged in wild speculations as to the meaning +of various convulsions of nature going on behind the curtain. + +While Teacher was dressing the actresses for the tragedy, Miss Celia and +Thorny, who were old hands at this sort of amusement, gave a "Potato" +pantomime as a side show. + +Across an empty stall a green cloth was fastened, so high that the heads +of the operators were not seen. A little curtain flew up, disclosing the +front of a Chinese pagoda painted on pasteboard, with a door and window +which opened quite naturally. This stood on one side, several green +trees with paper lanterns hanging from the boughs were on the other +side, and the words "Tea Garden," printed over the top, showed the +nature of this charming spot. + +Few of the children had ever seen the immortal Punch and Judy, so this +was a most agreeable novelty, and before they could make out what it +meant, a voice began to sing, so distinctly that every word was heard,-- + + "In China there lived a little man, + His name was Chingery Wangery Chan." + +Here the hero "took the stage" with great dignity, clad in a loose +yellow jacket over a blue skirt, which concealed the hand that made his +body. A pointed hat adorned his head, and on removing this to bow he +disclosed a bald pate with a black queue in the middle, and a Chinese +face nicely painted on the potato, the lower part of which was hollowed +out to fit Thorny's first finger, while his thumb and second finger were +in the sleeves of the yellow jacket, making a lively pair of arms. While +he saluted, the song went on,-- + + "His legs were short, his feet were small, + And this little man could not walk at all." + +Which assertion was proved to be false by the agility with which the +"little man" danced a jig in time to the rollicking chorus,-- + + "Chingery changery ri co day, + Ekel tekel happy man; + Uron odesko canty oh, oh, + Gallopy wallopy China go." + +At the close of the dance and chorus, Chan retired into the tea garden, +and drank so many cups of the national beverage, with such comic +gestures, that the spectators were almost sorry when the opening of the +opposite window drew all eyes in that direction. At the lattice appeared +a lovely being; for this potato had been pared, and on the white surface +were painted pretty pink checks, red lips, black eyes, and oblique +brows; through the tuft of dark silk on the head were stuck several +glittering pins, and a pink jacket shrouded the plump figure of this +capital little Chinese lady. After peeping coyly out, so that all could +see and admire, she fell to counting the money from a purse, so large +her small hands could hardly hold it on the window seat. While she did +this, the song went on to explain,-- + + "Miss Ki Hi was short and squat, + She had money and he had not + So off to her he resolved to go, + And play her a tune on his little banjo." + +During the chorus to this verse Chan was seen tuning his instrument in +the garden, and at the end sallied gallantly forth to sing the following +tender strain,-- + + "Whang fun li, + Tang hua ki, + Hong Kong do ra me! + Ah sin lo, + Pan to fo, + Tsing up chin leute!" + +Carried away by his passion, Chan dropped his banjo, fell upon his +knees, and, clasping his hands, bowed his forehead in the dust before +his idol. But, alas!-- + + "Miss Ki Hi heard his notes of love, + And held her wash-bowl up above + It fell upon the little man, + And this was the end of Chingery Chan," + +Indeed it was; for, as the doll's basin of real water was cast forth by +the cruel charmer, poor Chan expired in such strong convulsions that his +head rolled down among the audience. Miss Ki Hi peeped to see what had +become of her victim, and the shutter decapitated her likewise, to the +great delight of the children, who passed around the heads, pronouncing +a "Potato" pantomime "first-rate fun." + +Then they settled themselves for the show, having been assured by +Manager Thorny that they were about to behold the most elegant and +varied combination ever produced on any stage. And when one reads the +following very inadequate description of the somewhat mixed +entertainment, it is impossible to deny that the promise made was nobly +kept. + +After some delay and several crashes behind the curtain, which mightily +amused the audience, the performance began with the well-known tragedy +of "Bluebeard;" for Bab had set her heart upon it, and the young folks +had acted it so often in their plays that it was very easy to get up, +with a few extra touches to scenery and costumes. Thorny was superb as +the tyrant with a beard of bright blue worsted, a slouched hat and long +feather, fur cloak, red hose, rubber boots, and a real sword which +clanked tragically as he walked. He spoke in such a deep voice, knit his +corked eye-brows, and glared so frightfully, that it was no wonder poor +Fatima quaked before him as he gave into her keeping an immense bunch of +keys with one particularly big, bright one, among them. + +Bab was fine to see, with Miss Celia's blue dress sweeping behind her, a +white plume in her flowing hair, and a real necklace with a pearl locket +about her neck. She did her part capitally, especially the shriek she +gave when she looked into the fatal closet, the energy with which she +scrubbed the tell-tale key, and her distracted tone when she called out: +"Sister Anne, O, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?" while her +enraged husband was roaring: "Will you come down, madam, or shall I come +and fetch you?" + +Betty made a captivating Anne,--all in white muslin, and a hat full of +such lovely pink roses that she could not help putting up one hand to +feel them as she stood on the steps looking out at the little window for +the approaching brothers who made such a din that it sounded like a +dozen horsemen instead if two. + +Ben and Billy were got up regardless of expense in the way of arms; for +their belts were perfect arsenals, and their wooden swords were big +enough to strike terror into any soul, though they struck no sparks out +of Bluebeard's blade in the awful combat which preceded the villain's +downfall and death. + +The boys enjoyed this part intensely, and cries of "Go it, Ben!" "Hit +him again, Billy!" "Two against one isn't fair!" "Thorny's a match for +'em." "Now he's down, hurray!" cheered on the combatants, till, after a +terrific struggle, the tyrant fell, and with convulsive twitchings of +the scarlet legs, slowly expired while the ladies sociably fainted in +each other's arms, and the brothers waved their swords and shook hands +over the corpse of their enemy. + +This piece was rapturously applauded, and all the performers had to +appear and bow their thanks, led by the defunct Bluebeard, who mildly +warned the excited audience that if they "didn't look out the seats +would break down, and then there'd be a nice mess." + +Calmed by this fear they composed themselves, and waited with ardor for +the next play, which promised to be a lively one, judging from the +shrieks of laughter which came from behind the curtain. + +"Sanch 's going to be in it, I know; for I heard Ben say, 'Hold him +still; he won't bite,'" whispered Sam, longing to "jounce up and down, +so great was his satisfaction at the prospect, for the dog was +considered the star of the company. + +"I hope Bab will do something else, she is so funny. Wasn't her dress +elegant?" said Sally Folsum, burning to wear a long silk gown and a +feather in her hair. + +"I like Betty best, she's so cunning, and she peeked out of the window +just as if she really saw somebody coming," answered Liddy Peckham, +privately resolving to tease mother for some pink roses before another +Sunday came. + +Up went the curtain at last, and a voice announced "A Tragedy in Three +Tableaux." "There's Betty!" was the general exclamation, as the audience +recognized a familiar face under the little red hood worn by the child +who stood receiving a basket from Teacher, who made a nice mother with +her finger up, as if telling the small messenger not to loiter by the +way. + +"I know what that is!" cried Sally; "it's 'Mabel on Midsummer Day.' The +piece Miss Celia spoke; don't you know?" + +"There isn't any sick baby, and Mabel had a 'kerchief pinned about her +head.' I say it's Red Riding Hood," answered Liddy, who had begun to +learn Mary Howitt's pretty poem for her next piece, and knew all about +it. + +The question was settled by the appearance of the wolf in the second +scene, and such a wolf! On few amateur stages do we find so natural an +actor for that part, or so good a costume, for Sanch was irresistibly +droll in the gray wolf-skin which usually lay beside Miss Celia's bed, +now fitted over his back and fastened neatly down underneath, with his +own face peeping out at one end, and the handsome tail bobbing gayly at +the other. What a comfort that tail was to Sancho, none but a bereaved +bow-wow could ever tell. It reconciled him to his distasteful part at +once, it made rehearsals a joy, and even before the public he could not +resist turning to catch a glimpse of the noble appendage, while his own +brief member wagged with the proud consciousness that though the tail +did not match the head, it was long enough to be seen of all men and +dogs. + +That was a pretty picture, for the little maid came walking in with the +basket on her arm, and such an innocent face inside the bright hood that +it was quite natural the gray wolf should trot up to her with deceitful +friendliness, that she should pat and talk to him confidingly about the +butter for grandma, and then that they should walk away together, he +politely carrying her basket, she with her hand on his head, little +dreaming what evil plans were taking shape inside. + +The children encored that, but there was no time to repeat it, so they +listened to more stifled merriment behind the red table-cloths, and +wondered whether the next scene would be the wolf popping his head out +of the window as Red Riding Hood knocks, or the tragic end of that +sweet child. + +It was neither, for a nice bed had been made, and in it reposed the +false grandmother, with a ruffled nightcap on, a white gown, and +spectacles. Betty lay beside the wolf, staring at him as if just about +to say, "Why, grandma, what great teeth you've got!" for Sancho's mouth +was half open and a red tongue hung out, as he panted with the exertion +of keeping still. This tableau was so very good, and yet so funny, that +the children clapped and shouted frantically; this excited the dog, who +gave a bounce and would have leaped off the bed to bark at the rioters, +if Betty had not caught him by the legs, and Thorny dropped the curtain +just at the moment when the wicked wolf was apparently in the act of +devouring the poor little girl, with most effective growls. + +They had to come out then, and did so, both much dishevelled by the late +tussle, for Sancho's cap was all over one eye, and Betty's hood was +anywhere but on her head. She made her courtesy prettily, however; her +fellow-actor bowed with as much dignity as a short night-gown permitted, +and they retired to their well-earned repose. + +Then Thorny, looking much excited, appeared to make the following +request: "As one of the actors in the next piece is new to the business, +the company must all keep as still as mice, and not stir till I give the +word. It's perfectly splendid! so don't you spoil it by making a row." + +"What do you suppose it is?" asked every one, and listened with all +their might to get a hint, if possible. But what they heard only whetted +their curiosity and mystified them more and more. Bab's voice cried in a +loud whisper, "Isn't Ben beautiful?" Then there was a thumping noise, +and Miss Celia said, in an anxious tone, "Oh, do be careful," while Ben +laughed out as if he was too happy to care who heard him, and Thorny +bawled "Whoa!" in a way which would have attracted attention if Lita's +head had not popped out of her box, more than once, to survey the +invaders of her abode, with a much astonished expression. + +"Sounds kind of circusy, don't it?" said Sam to Billy, who had come out +to receive the compliments of the company and enjoy the tableau at a +safe distance. + +"You just wait till you see what's coming. It beats any circus I ever +saw," answered Billy, rubbing his hands with the air of a man who had +seen many instead of but one. + +"Ready! Be quick and get out of the way when she goes off!" whispered +Ben, but they heard him and prepared for pistols, rockets or +combustibles of some sort, as ships were impossible under the +circumstances, and no other "She" occurred to them. + +A unanimous "O-o-o-o!" was heard when the curtain rose, but a stern +"Hush!" from Thorny kept them mutely staring with all their eyes at the +grand spectacle of the evening. There stood Lita with a wide flat saddle +on her back, a white head-stall and reins, blue rosettes in her ears, +and the look of a much-bewildered beast in her bright eyes. But who the +gauzy, spangled, winged creature was, with a gilt crown on its head, a +little bow in its hand, and one white slipper in the air, while the +other seemed merely to touch the saddle, no one could tell for a minute, +so strange and splendid did the apparition appear. No wonder Ben was not +recognized in this brilliant disguise, which was more natural to him +than Billy's blue flannel or Thorny's respectable garments. He had so +begged to be allowed to show himself "just once," as he used to be in +the days when "father" tossed him up on the bare-backed old General, for +hundreds to see and admire, that Miss Celia had consented, much against +her will, and hastily arranged some bits of spangled tarlatan over the +white cotton suit which was to simulate the regulation tights. Her old +dancing slippers fitted, and gold paper did the rest, while Ben, sure of +his power over Lita, promised not to break his bones, and lived for days +on the thought of the moment when he could show the boys that he had not +boasted vainly of past splendors. + +Before the delighted children could get their breath, Lita gave signs of +her dislike to the foot-lights, and, gathering up the reins that lay on +her neck, Ben gave the old cry, "Houp-la!" and let her go, as he had +often done before, straight out of the coach-house for a gallop round +the orchard. + +"Just turn about and you can see perfectly well, but stay where you are +till he comes back," commanded Thorny, as signs of commotion appeared in +the excited audience. + +Round went the twenty children as if turned by one crank, and sitting +there they looked out into the moonlight where the shining figure +flashed to and fro, now so near they could see the smiling face under +the crown, now so far away that it glittered like a fire-fly among the +dusky green. Lita enjoyed that race as heartily as she had done several +others of late, and caracoled about as if anxious to make up for her +lack of skill by speed and obedience. How much Ben liked it there is no +need to tell, yet it was a proof of the good which three months of a +quiet, useful life had done him, that even as he pranced gayly under the +boughs thick with the red and yellow apples almost ready to be gathered, +he found this riding in the fresh air with only his mates for an +audience pleasanter than the crowded tent, the tired horses, profane +men, and painted women, friendly as some of them had been to him. + +After the first burst was over, he felt rather glad, on the whole, that +he was going back to plain clothes, helpful school, and kindly people, +who cared more to have him a good boy than the most famous Cupid that +ever stood on one leg with a fast horse under him. + +"You may make as much noise as you like, now; Lita's had her run and +will be as quiet as a lamb after it. Pull up, Ben, and come in; sister +says you'll get cold," shouted Thorny, as the rider came cantering round +after a leap over the lodge gate and back again. + +So Ben pulled up, and the admiring boys and girls were allowed to gather +about him, loud in their praises as they examined the pretty mare and +the mythological character who lay easily on her back. + +He looked very little like the god of love now; for he had lost one +slipper and splashed his white legs with dew and dust, the crown had +slipped down upon his neck, and the paper wings hung in an apple-tree +where he had left them as he went by. No trouble in recognizing Ben, +now; but somehow he didn't want to be seen, and, instead of staying to +be praised, he soon slipped away, making Lita his excuse to vanish +behind the curtain while the rest went into the house to have a +finishing-off game of blindman's-buff in the big kitchen. + +"Well, Ben, are you satisfied?" asked Miss Celia, as she stayed a moment +to unpin the remains of his gauzy scarf and tunic. + +"Yes, 'm, thank you, it was tip-top." + +"But you look rather sober. Are you tired, or is it because you don't +want to take these trappings off and be plain Ben again?" she said, +looking down into his face as he lifted it for her to free him from his +gilded collar. + +"I want to take 'em off; for somehow I don't feel respectable," and he +kicked away the crown he had helped to make so carefully, adding with a +glance that said more than his words: "I'd rather be 'plain Ben' than +any one else, for you like to have me." + +"Indeed I do; and I'm so glad to hear you say that, because I was afraid +you'd long to be off to the old ways, and all I've tried to do would be +undone. Would you like to go back, Ben?" and Miss Celia held his chin an +instant, to watch the brown face that looked so honestly back at her. + +"No, I wouldn't--unless--he was there and wanted me." + +The chin quivered just a bit, but the black eyes were as bright as ever, +and the boy's voice so earnest, she knew he spoke the truth, and laid +her white hand softly on his head, as she answered in the tone he loved +so much, because no one else had ever used it to him,-- + +"Father is not there; but I know he wants you, dear, and I am sure he +would rather see you in a home like this than in the place you came +from. Now go and dress; but, tell me first, has it been a happy +birthday?" + +"Oh, Miss Celia! I didn't know they could be so beautiful, and this is +the beautifulest part of it; I don't know how to thank you, but I'm +going to try--" and, finding words wouldn't come fast enough, Ben just +put his two arms round her, quite speechless with gratitude; then, as if +ashamed of his little outburst, he knelt down in a great hurry to untie +his one shoe. + +But Miss Celia liked his answer better than the finest speech ever made +her, and went away through the moonlight, saying to herself,-- + +"If I can bring one lost lamb into the fold, I shall be the fitter for a +shepherd's wife, by-and-by." + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A BOY'S BARGAIN + +It was some days before the children were tired of talking over Ben's +birthday party; for it was a great event in their small world; but, +gradually, newer pleasures came to occupy their minds, and they began to +plan the nutting frolics which always followed the early frosts. While +waiting for Jack to open the chestnut burrs, they varied the monotony of +school life by a lively scrimmage long known as "the wood-pile fight." + +The girls liked to play in the half-empty shed, and the boys, merely for +the fun of teasing, declared that they should not, so blocked up the +doorway as fast as the girls cleared it. Seeing that the squabble was a +merry one, and the exercise better for all than lounging in the sun or +reading in school during recess, Teacher did not interfere, and the +barrier rose and fell almost as regularly as the tide. + +It would be difficult to say which side worked the harder; for the boys +went before school began to build up the barricade, and the girls stayed +after lessons were over to pull down the last one made in afternoon +recess. They had their play-time first; and, while the boys waited +inside, they heard the shouts of the girls, the banging of the wood, and +the final crash, as the well-packed pile went down. Then, as the lassies +came in, rosy, breathless, and triumphant, the lads rushed out to man +the breach, and labor gallantly till all was as tight as hard blows +could make it. + +So the battle raged, and bruised knuckles, splinters in fingers, torn +clothes, and rubbed shoes, were the only wounds received, while a great +deal of fun was had out of the maltreated logs, and a lasting peace +secured between two of the boys. + +When the party was safely over, Sam began to fall into his old way of +tormenting Ben by calling names, as it cost no exertion to invent trying +speeches, and slyly utter them when most likely to annoy. Ben bore it as +well as he could; but fortune favored him at last, as it usually does +the patient, and he was able to make his own terms with his tormentor. + +When the girls demolished the wood-pile, they performed a jubilee chorus +on combs, and tin kettles, played like tambourines; the boys celebrated +their victories with shrill whistles, and a drum accompaniment with +fists on the shed walls. Billy brought his drum, and this was such an +addition that Sam hunted up an old one of his little brother's, in order +that he might join the drum corps. He had no sticks, however, and, +casting about in his mind for a good substitute for the genuine thing, +bethought him of bulrushes. + +"Those will do first-rate, and there are lots in the ma'sh, if I can +only get 'em," he said to himself, and turned off from the road on his +way home to get a supply. + +Now, this marsh was a treacherous spot, and the tragic story was told of +a cow who got in there and sank till nothing was visible but a pair of +horns above the mud, which suffocated the unwary beast. For this reason +it was called "Cowslip Marsh," the wags said, though it was generally +believed to be so named for the yellow flowers which grew there in great +profusion in the spring. + +Sam had seen Ben hop nimbly from one tuft of grass to another when he +went to gather cowslips for Betty, and the stout boy thought he could do +the same. Two or three heavy jumps landed him, not among the bulrushes, +as he had hoped, but in a pool of muddy water, where he sank up to his +middle with alarming rapidity. Much scared, he tried to wade out, but +could only flounder to a tussock of grass, and cling there, while he +endeavored to kick his legs free. He got them out, but struggled in vain +to coil them up or to hoist his heavy body upon the very small island in +this sea of mud. Down they splashed again; and Sam gave a dismal groan +as he thought of the leeches and water-snakes which might be lying in +wait below. Visions of the lost cow also flashed across his agitated +mind, and he gave a despairing shout very like a distracted "Moo!" + +Few people passed along the lane, and the sun was setting, so the +prospect of a night in the marsh nerved Sam to make a frantic plunge +toward the bulrush island, which was nearer than the mainland, and +looked firmer than any tussock round him. But he failed to reach this +haven of rest, and was forced to stop at an old stump which stuck up, +looking very like the moss-grown horns of the "dear departed." Roosting +here, Sam began to shout for aid in every key possible to the human +voice. Such hoots and howls, whistles and roars, never woke the echoes +of the lonely marsh before, or scared the portly frog who resided there +in calm seclusion. + +He hardly expected any reply but the astonished "Caw!" of the crow, who +sat upon a fence watching him with gloomy interest; and when a cheerful +"Hullo, there!" sounded from the lane, he was so grateful that tears of +joy rolled down his fat cheeks. + +"Come on! I'm in the ma'sh. Lend a hand and get me out!" bawled Sam, +anxiously waiting for his deliverer to appear, for he could only see a +hat bobbing along behind the hazel-bushes that fringed the lane. + +Steps crashed through the bushes, and then over the wall came an active +figure, at the sight of which Sam was almost ready to dive out of sight, +for, of all possible boys, who should it be but Ben, the last person in +the world whom he would like to have see him in his present pitiful +plight. + +"Is it you, Sam? Well, you are in a nice fix!" and Ben's eyes began to +twinkle with mischievous merriment, as well they might, for Sam +certainly was a spectacle to convulse the soberest person. Perched +unsteadily on the gnarled stump, with his muddy legs drawn up, his +dismal face splashed with mud, and the whole lower half of his body as +black as if he had been dipped in an inkstand, he presented such a +comically doleful object that Ben danced about, laughing like a naughty +will-o'-the-wisp who, having led a traveller astray then fell to jeering +at him. + +"Stop that, or I'll knock your head off!" roared Sam, in a rage. + +"Come on and do it; I give you leave," answered Ben, sparring away +derisively as the other tottered on his perch, and was forced to hold +tight lest he should tumble off. + +"Don't laugh, there 's a good chap, but fish me out somehow, or I shall +get my death sitting here all wet and cold," whined Sam, changing his +tune, and feeling bitterly that Ben had the upper hand now. + +Ben felt it also; and, though a very good-natured boy, could not resist +the temptation to enjoy this advantage for a moment at least. + +"I won't laugh if I can help it; only you do look so like a fat, +speckled frog, I may not be able to hold in. I'll pull you out pretty +soon; but first I'm going to talk to you, Sam," said Ben, sobering down +as he took a seat on the little point of land nearest the stranded +Samuel. + +"Hurry up, then; I'm as stiff as a board now, and it's no fun sitting +here on this knotty old thing," growled Sam, with a discontented squirm. + +"Dare say not, but 'it is good for you,' as you say when you rap me over +the head. Look here, I've got you in a tight place, and I don't mean to +help you a bit till you promise to let me alone. Now then!" and Ben's +face grew stern with his remembered wrongs as he grimly eyed his +discomfited foe. + +"I'll promise fast enough if you won't tell anyone about this," answered +Sam, surveying himself and his surroundings with great disgust. + +"I shall do as I like about that." + +"Then I won't promise a thing! I'm not going to have the whole school +laughing at me," protested Sam, who hated to be ridiculed even more than +Ben did. + +"Very well; good-night!" and Ben walked off with his hands in his +pockets as coolly as if the bog was Sam's favorite retreat. + +"Hold on, don't be in such a hurry!" shouted Sam, seeing little hope of +rescue if he let this chance go. + +"All right!" and back came Ben, ready for further negotiations. + +"I'll promise not to plague you, if you'll promise not to tell on me. +Is that what you want?" + +"Now I come to think of it, there is one thing more. I like to make a +good bargain when I begin," said Ben, with a shrewd air. "You must +promise to keep Mose quiet, too. He follows your lead, and if you tell +him to stop it he will. If I was big enough, I'd make you hold your +tongues. I ain't, so we'll try this way." + +"Yes, Yes, I'll see to Mose. Now, bring on a rail, there's a good +fellow. I've got a horrid cramp in my legs," began Sam, thinking he had +bought help dearly, yet admiring Ben's cleverness in making the most of +his chance. + +Ben brought the rail, but, just as he was about to lay it from the +main-land to the nearest tussock, he stopped, saying, with the naughty +twinkle in his black eyes again, "One more little thing must be settled +first, and then I'll get you ashore. Promise you won't plague the girls +either, 'specially Bab and Betty. You pull their hair, and they don't +like it." + +"Don't neither! Wouldn't touch that Bab for a dollar; she scratches and +bites like a mad cat," was Sam's sulky reply. + +"Glad of it; she can take care of herself. Betty can't; and if you +touch one of her pig-tails I'll up and tell right out how I found you +snivelling in the ma'sh like a great baby. So now!" and Ben emphasized +his threat with a blow of the suspended rail which splashed the water +over poor Sam, quenching his last spark of resistance. + +"Stop! I will!--I will!" + +"True as you live and breathe!" demanded Ben, sternly binding him by the +most solemn oath he knew. + +"True as I live and breathe," echoed Sam, dolefully relinquishing his +favorite pastime of pulling Betty's braids and asking if she was at +home. + +"I'll come over there and crook fingers on the bargain," said Ben, +settling the rail and running over it to the tuft, then bridging another +pool and crossing again till he came to the stump. + +"I never thought of that way," said Sam, watching him with much inward +chagrin at his own failure. + +"I should think you'd written 'Look before you leap,' in your copy-book +often enough to get the idea into your stupid head. Come, crook," +commanded Ben, leaning forward with extended little finger. Sam +obediently performed the ceremony, and then Ben sat astride one of the +horns of the stump while the muddy Crusoe went slowly across the rail +from point to point till he landed safely on the shore, when he turned +about and asked with an ungrateful jeer,-- + +"Now what's going to become of you, old Look-before-you-leap?" + +"Mud turtles can only sit on a stump and bawl till they are taken off, +but frogs have legs worth something, and are not afraid of a little +water," answered Ben, hopping away in an opposite direction, since the +pools between him and Sam were too wide for even his lively legs. + +Sam waddled off to the brook in the lane to rinse the mud from his +nether man before facing his mother, and was just wringing himself out +when Ben came up, breathless but good natured, for he felt that he had +made an excellent bargain for himself and friends. + +"Better wash your face; it's as speckled as a tiger-lily. Here's my +handkerchief if yours is wet," he said, pulling out a dingy article +which had evidently already done service as a towel. + +"Don't want it," muttered Sam, gruffly, as he poured the water out of +his muddy shoes. + +"I was taught to say 'Thanky' when folks got me out of scrapes. But +you never had much bringing up, though you do 'live in a house with a +gambrel roof,'" retorted Ben, sarcastically quoting Sam's frequent +boast; then he walked off, much disgusted with the ingratitude of man. + +Sam forgot his manners, but he remembered his promise, and kept it so +well that all the school wondered. No one could guess the secret of +Ben's power over him, though it was evident that he had gained it in +some sudden way, for at the least sign of Sam's former tricks Ben would +crook his little finger and wag it warningly, or call out "Bulrushes!" +and Sam subsided with reluctant submission, to the great amazement of +his mates. When asked what it meant, Sa, turned sulky; but Ben had much +fun out of it, assuring the other boys that those were the signs and +password of a secret society to which he and Sam belonged, and promised +to tell them all about it if Sam would give him leave, which, of course, +he would not. + +This mystery, and the vain endeavors to find it out caused a lull in the +war of the wood-pile, and before any new game was invented something +happened which gave the children plenty to talk about for a time. + +A week after the secret alliance was formed, Ben ran in one evening with +a letter for Miss Celia. He found her enjoying the cheery blaze of the +pine-cones the little girls had picked up for her, and Bab and Betty sat +in the small chairs rocking luxuriously as they took turns to throw on +the pretty fuel. Miss Celia turned quickly to receive the expected +letter, glanced at the writing, post-mark and stamp, with an air of +delighted surprise, then clasped it close in both hands, saying, as she +hurried out of the room,-- + +"He has come! he has come! Now you may tell them, Thorny." + +"Tell its what? asked Bab, pricking up her cars at once. + +"Oh, it's only that George has come, and I suppose we shall go and get +married right away," answered Thorny, rubbing his hands as if he enjoyed +the prospect. + +"Are you going to be married? asked Betty, so soberly that the boys +shouted, and Thorny, with difficulty composed himself sufficiently to +explain. + +"No, child, not just yet; but sister is, and I must go and see that all +is done up ship-shape, and bring you home some wedding-cake. Ben will +take care of you while I'm gone." + +"When shall you go?" asked Bab, beginning to long for her share of cake. + +"To-morrow, I guess. Celia has been packed and ready for a week. We +agreed to meet George in New York, and be married as soon as he got his +best clothes unpacked. We are men of our word, and off we go. Won't it +be fun?" + +"But when will you come back again?" questioned Betty, looking anxious. + +"Don't know. Sister wants to come soon, but I'd rather have our +honeymoon somewhere else,--Niagara, Newfoundland, West Point, or the +Rocky Mountains," said Thorny, mentioning a few of the places he most +desired to see. + +"Do you like him?" asked Ben, very naturally wondering if the new master +would approve of the young man-of-all-work. + +"Don't I? George is regularly jolly; though now he's a minister, perhaps +he'll stiffen up and turn sober. Won't it be a shame if he does?" and +Thorny looked alarmed at the thought of losing his congenial friend. + +"Tell about him; Miss Celia said you might", put in Bab, whose +experience of "jolly" ministers had been small. + +"Oh, there isn't much about it. We met in Switzerland going up Mount +St. Bernard in a storm, and--" + +"Where the good dogs live?" inquired Betty, hoping they would come into +the story. + +"Yes; we spent the night up there, and George gave us his room; the +house was so full, and he wouldn't let me go down a steep place where I +wanted to, and Celia thought he'd saved my life, and was very good to +him. Then we kept meeting, and the first thing I knew she went and was +engaged to him. I didn't care, only she would come home so he might go +on studying hard and get through quick. That was a year ago, and last +winter we were in New York at uncle's; and then, in the spring, I was +sick, and we came here, and that's all." + +"Shall you live here always when you come back? asked Bab, as Thorny +paused for breath. + +"Celia wants to. I shall go to college, so I don't mind. George is +going to help the old minister here and see how he likes it. I'm to +study with him, and if he is as pleasant as he used to be we shall have +capital times,--see if we don't." + +"I wonder if he will want me round," said Ben, feeling no desire to be a +tramp again. + +"I do, so you needn't fret about that, my hearty," answered Thorny, with +a resounding slap on the shoulder which reassured Ben more than any +promises. + +"I'd like to see a live wedding, then we could play it with our dolls. +I've got a nice piece of mosquito netting for a veil, and Belinda's +white dress is clean. Do you s'pose Miss Celia will ask us to hers?" +said Betty to Bab, as the boys began to discuss St. Bernard dogs with +Spirit. + +"I wish I could, dears," answered a voice behind them; and there was +Miss Celia, looking so happy that the little girls wondered what the +letter could have said to give her such bright eyes and smiling lips. "I +shall not be gone long, or be a bit changed when I come back, to live +among you years I hope, for I am fond of the old place now, and mean it +shall be home," she added, caressing the yellow heads as if they were +dear to her. + +"Oh, goody!" cried Bab, while Betty whispered with both arms round Miss +Celia,-- + +"I don't think we could bear to have anybody else come here to live." + +"It is very pleasant to hear you say that, and I mean to make others +feel so, if I can. I have been trying a little this summer, but when I +come back I shall go to work in earnest to be a good minister's wife, +and you must help me." + +"We will," promised both children, ready for any thing except preaching +in the high pulpit. + +Then Miss Celia turned to Ben, saying, in the respectful way that always +made him feel at least twenty-five,-- + +"We shall be off to-morrow, and I leave you in charge. Go on just as if +we were here, and be sure nothing will be changed as far as you are +concerned when we come back." + +Ben's face beamed at that; but the only way he could express his relief +was by making such a blaze in honor of the occasion that he nearly +roasted the company. + +Next morning, the brother and sister slipped quietly away, and the +children hurried to school, eager to tell the great news that "Miss +Celia and Thorny had gone to be married, and were coming back to live +here for ever and ever." + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +SOMEBODY COMES + +Bab and Betty had been playing in the avenue all the afternoon several +weeks later, but as the shadows began to lengthen both agreed to sit +upon the gate and rest while waiting for Ben, who had gone nutting with +a party of boys. When they played house Bab was always the father, and +went hunting or fishing with great energy and success, bringing home all +sorts of game, from elephants and crocodiles to humming-birds and +minnows. Betty was the mother, and a most notable little housewife, +always mixing up imaginary delicacies with sand and dirt in old pans and +broken china, which she baked in an oven of her own construction. + +Both had worked hard that day, and were glad to retire to their favorite +lounging-place, where Bab was happy trying to walk across the wide top +bar without falling off, and Betty enjoyed slow, luxurious swings while +her sister was recovering from her tumbles. On this occasion, having +indulged their respective tastes, they paused for a brief interval of +conversation, sitting side by side on the gate like a pair of plump gray +chickens gone to roost. + +"Don't you hope Ben will get his bag full? We shall have such fun +eating nuts evenings observed Bab, wrapping her arms in her apron, for +it was October now, and the air was growing keen. + +"Yes, and Ma says we may boil some in our little kettles. Ben promised +we should have half," answered Betty, still intent on her cookery. + +"I shall save some of mine for Thorny." + +"I shall keep lots of mine for Miss Celia." + +"Doesn't it seem more than two weeks since she went away?" + +"I wonder what she'll bring us." + +Before Bab could conjecture, the sound of a step and a familiar whistle +made both look expectantly toward the turn in the road, all ready to cry +out in one voice, "How many have you got?" Neither spoke a word, +however, for the figure which presently appeared was not Ben, but a +stranger,--a man who stopped whistling, and came slowly on dusting his +shoes in the way-side grass, and brushing the sleeves of his shabby +velveteen coat as if anxious to freshen himself up a bit. + +"It's a tramp, let's run away," whispered Betty, after a hasty look. + +"I ain't afraid," and Bab was about to assume her boldest look when a +sneeze spoilt it, and made her clutch the gate to hold on. + +At that unexpected sound the man looked up, showing a thin, dark face, +with a pair of sharp, black eyes, which surveyed the little girls so +steadily that Betty quaked, and Bab began to wish she had at least +jumped down inside the gate. + +"How are you?" said the man with a goodnatured nod and smile, as if to +re-assure the round-eyed children staring at him. + +"Pretty well, thank you, sir," responded Bab, politely nodding back at +him. + +"Folks at home?" asked the man, looking over their heads toward the +house. + +"Only Ma; all the rest have gone to be married." + +"That sounds lively. At the other place all the folks had gone to a +funeral," and the man laughed as he glanced at the big house on the +hill. + +"Why, do you know the Squire?" exclaimed Bab, much surprised and +re-assured. + +"Come on purpose to see him. Just strolling round till he gets back," +with an impatient sort of sigh. + +"Betty thought you was a tramp, but I wasn't afraid. I like tramps ever +since Ben came," explained Bab, with her usual candor. + +"Who 's Ben!" and the man came nearer so quickly that Betty nearly fell +backward. "Don't you be scared, Sissy. I like little girls, so you set +easy and tell me about Ben," he added, in a persuasive tone, as he +leaned on the gate so near that both could see what a friendly face he +had in spite of its eager, anxious look. + +"Ben is Miss Celia's boy. We found him most starved in the coach-house, +and he's been here ever since," answered Bab, comprehensively. + +"Tell me about it. I like tramps, too," and the man looked as if he did +very much, as Bab told the little story in a few childish words that +were better than a much more elegant account. + +"You were very good to the little feller," was all the man said when she +ended her somewhat confused tale, in which she had jumbled the old coach +and Miss Celia, dinner-pails and nutting, Sancho and circuses. + +"'Course we were! He's a nice boy and we are fond of him, and he likes +us," said Bab, heartily. + +"'Specially me," put in Betty, quite at ease now, for the black eyes +had softened wonderfully, and the brown face was smiling all over. + +"Don't wonder a mite. You are the nicest pair of little girls I've seen +this long time," and the man put a hand on either side of them, as if he +wanted to hug the chubby children. But he didn't do it; he merely smiled +and stood there asking questions till the two chatterboxes had told him +every thing there was to tell in the most confiding manner, for he very +soon ceased to seem like a stranger, and looked so familiar that Bab, +growing inquisitive in her turn, suddenly said,-- + +"Haven't you ever been here before? It seems as if I'd seen you." + +"Never in my life. Guess you've seen somebody that looks like me," and +the black eyes twinkled for a minute as they looked into the puzzled +little faces before him, then he said, soberly,-- + +"I'm looking round for a likely boy; don't you think this Ben would +suite me? I want just such a lively sort of chap." + +"Are you a circus man?" asked Bab, quickly. + +"Well, no, not now. I'm in better business." + +"I'm glad of it--we don't approve of 'em; but I do think they're +splendid!" + +Bab began by gravely quoting Miss Celia, and ended with an irrepressible +burst of admiration which contrasted drolly with her first remark. + +Betty added, anxiously: "We can't let Ben go any way. I know he +wouldn't want to, and Miss Celia would feel bad. Please don't ask him." + +"He can do as he likes, I suppose. He hasn't got any folks of his own, +has he?" + +"No, his father died in California, and Ben felt so bad he cried, and we +were real sorry, and gave him a piece of Ma, 'cause he was so lonesome," +answered Betty, in her tender little voice, with a pleading look which +made the man stroke her smooth check and say, quite softly,-- + +"Bless your heart for that! I won't take him away, child, or do a thing +to trouble anybody that's been good to him." + +"He 's coming now. I hear Sanch barking at the squirrels!" cried Bab, +standing up to get a good look down the road. + +The man turned quickly, and Betty saw that he breathed fast as he +watched the spot where the low sunshine lay warmly on the red maple at +the corner. Into this glow came unconscious Ben, whistling "Rory +O'Moore," loud and Clear, as he trudged along with a heavy bag of nuts +over his shoulder and the light full on his contented face. Sancho +trotted before and saw the stranger first, for the sun in Ben's eyes +dazzled him. Since his sad loss Sancho cherished a strong dislike to +tramps, and now he paused to growl and show his teeth, evidently +intending to warn this one off the premises. + +"He won't hurt you--" began Bab, encouragingly; but before she could +add a chiding word to the dog, Sanch gave an excited howl, and flew at +the man's throat as if about to throttle him. + +Betty screamed, and Bab was about to go to the rescue when both +perceived that the dog was licking the stranger's face in an ecstasy of +joy, and heard the man say as he hugged the curly beast,-- + +"Good old Sanch! I knew he wouldn't forget master, and he doesn't." + +"What's the matter?" called Ben, coming up briskly, with a strong grip +of his stout stick. There was no need of any answer, for, as he came +into the shadow, he saw the man, and stood looking at him as if he were +a ghost. + +"It's father, Benny; don't you know me?" asked the man, with an odd sort +of choke in his voice, as he thrust the dog away, and held out both +hands to the boy. Down dropped the nuts, and crying, "Oh, Daddy, Daddy!" +Ben cast himself into the arms of the shabby velveteen coat, while poor +Sanch tore round them in distracted circles, barking wildly, as if that +was the only way in which he could vent his rapture. + +What happened next Bab and Betty never stopped to see, but, dropping +from their roost, they went flying home like startled Chicken Littles +with the astounding news that "Ben's father has come alive, and Sancho +knew him right away!" + +Mrs. Moss had just got her cleaning done up, and was resting a minute +before setting the table, but she flew out of her old rocking-chair when +the excited children told the wonderful tale, exclaiming as they ended,-- + +"Where is he? Go bring him here. I declare it fairly takes my breath +away!" + +Before Bab could obey, or her mother compose herself, Sancho bounced in +and spun round like an insane top, trying to stand on his head, walk +upright, waltz and bark all at once, for the good old fellow had so lost +his head that he forgot the loss of his tail. + +"They are coming! they are coming! See, Ma, what a nice man he is," said +Bab, hopping about on one foot as she watched the slowly approaching +pair. + +"My patience, don't they look alike! I should know he was Ben's Pa +anywhere!" said Mrs. Moss, running to the door in a hurry. + +They certainly did resemble one another, and it was almost comical to +see the same curve in the legs, the same wide-awake style of wearing the +hat, the same sparkle of the eye, good-natured smile and agile motion of +every limb. Old Ben carried the bag in one hand while young Ben held the +other fast, looking a little shame-faced at his own emotion now, for +there were marks of tears on his cheeks, but too glad to repress the +delight he felt that he had really found Daddy this side heaven. + +Mrs. Moss unconsciously made a pretty little picture of herself as she +stood at the door with her honest face shining and both hands ont, +saying in a hearty tone, which was a welcome in itself, + +"I'm real glad to see you safe and well, Mr. Brown! Come right in and +make yourself to home. I guess there isn't a happier boy living than Ben +is to-night." + +"And I know there isn't a gratefuler man living than I am for your +kindness to my poor forsaken little feller," answered Mr. Brown, +dropping both his burdens to give the comely woman's hands a hard shake. + +"Now don't say a word about it, but sit down and rest, and we'll have +tea in less'n no time. Ben must be tired and hungry, though he's so +happy I don't believe he knows it," laughed Mrs. Moss, bustling away to +hide the tears in her eyes, anxious to make things sociable and easy all +round. + +With this end in view she set forth her best china, and covered the +table with food enough for a dozen, thanking her stars that it was +baking day, and every thing had turned out well. Ben and his father sat +talking by the window till they were bidden to "draw up and help +themselves" with such hospitable warmth that every thing had an extra +relish to the hungry pair. + +Ben paused occasionally to stroke the rusty coat-sleeve with +bread-and-buttery fingers to convince himself that "Daddy" had really +come, and his father disposed of various inconvenient emotions by eating +as if food was unknown in California. Mrs. Moss beamed on every one from +behind the big tea-pot like a mild full moon, while Bab and Betty kept +interrupting one another in their eagerness to tell something new about +Ben and how Sanch lost his tail. + +"Now you let Mr. Brown talk a little; we all want to hear how he 'came +alive,' as you call it," said Mrs. Moss, as they drew round the fire in +the "settin'-room," leaving the tea-things to take care of themselves. + +It was not a long story, but a very interesting one to this circle of +listeners; all about the wild life on the plains trading for mustangs, +the terrible kick from a vicious horse that nearly killed Ben, sen., the +long months of unconsciousness in the California hospital, the slow +recovery, the journey back, Mr. Smithers's tale of the boy's +disappearance, and then the anxious trip to find out from Squire Allen +where he now was. + +"I asked the hospital folks to write and tell you as soon as I knew +whether I was on my head or my heels, and they promised; but they +didn't; so I came off the minute I could, and worked my way back, +expecting to find you at the old place. I was afraid you'd have worn out +your welcome here and gone off again, for you are as fond of travelling +as your father." + +"I wanted to sometimes, but the folks here were so dreadful good to me I +couldn't," confessed Ben, secretly surprised to find that the prospect +of going off with Daddy even cost him a pang of regret, for the boy had +taken root in the friendly soil, and was no longer a wandering +thistle-down, tossed about by every wind that blew. + +"I know what I owe 'em, and you and I will work out that debt before we +die, or our name isn't B.B.," said Mr. Brown, with an emphatic slap on +his knee, which Ben imitated half unconsciously as he exclaimed +heartily,-- + +"That's so!" adding, more quietly, "What are you going to do now? Go +back to Smithers and the old business?" + +"Not likely, after the way he treated you, Sonny. I've had it out with +him, and he won't want to see me again in a hurry," answered Mr. Brown, +with a sudden kindling of the eye that reminded Bab of Ben's face when +he shook her after losing Sancho. + +"There's more circuses than his in the world; but I'll have to limber +out ever so much before I'm good for much in that line," said the boy, +stretching his stout arms and legs with a curious mixture of +satisfaction and regret. + +"You've been living in clover and got fat, you rascal," and his father +gave him a poke here and there, as Mr. Squeers did the plump Wackford, +when displaying him as a specimen of the fine diet at Do-the-boys Hall. +"Don't believe I could put you up now if I tried, for I haven't got my +strength back yet, and we are both out of practice. It's just as well, +for I've about made up my mind to quit the business and settle down +somewhere for a spell, if I can get any thing to do," continued the +rider, folding his arms and gazing thoughtfully into the fire. + +"I shouldn't wonder a mite if you could right here, for Mr. Towne has a +great boarding-stable over yonder, and he's always wanting men." Said +Mrs. Moss, eagerly, for she dreaded to have Ben go, and no one could +forbid it if his father chose to take him away. + +"That sounds likely. Thanky, ma'am. I'll look up the concern and try +my chance. Would you call it too great a come-down to have father an +'ostler after being first rider in the 'Great Golden Menagerie, Circus, +and Colossem,' hey, Ben?" asked Mr. Brown, quoting the well-remembered +show-bill with a laugh. + +"No, I shouldn't; it's real jolly up there when the big barn is full and +eighty horses have to be taken care of. I love to go and see 'em. Mr. +Towne asked me to come and be stable-boy when I rode the kicking gray +the rest were afraid of. I hankered to go, but Miss Celia had just got +my new books, and I knew she'd feel bad if I gave up going to school. +Now I'm glad I didn't, for I get on first rate and like it." + +"You done right, boy, and I'm pleased with you. Don't you ever be +ungrateful to them that befriended you, if you want to prosper. I'll +tackle the stable business a Monday and see what's to be done. Now I +ought to be walking, but I'll be round in the morning ma'am, if you can +spare Ben for a spell to-morrow. We'd like to have a good Sunday tramp +and talk; wouldn't we, Sonny?" and Mr. Brown rose to go with his hand on +Ben's shoulder, as if loth to leave him even for the night. + +Mrs. Moss saw the longing in his face, and forgetting that he was an +utter stranger, spoke right out of her hospitable heart. + +"It's a long piece to the tavern, and my little back bedroom is always +ready. It won't make a mite of trouble if you don't mind a plain place, +and you are heartily welcome." + +Mr. Brown looked pleased, but hesitated to accept any further favor from +the good soul who had already done so much for him and his. Ben gave him +no time to speak, however, for running to a door he flung it open and +beckoned, saying, eagerly,-- + +"Do stay, father; it will be so nice to have you. This is a tip-top +room; I slept here the night I came, and that bed was just splendid +after bare ground for a fortnight." + +"I'll stop, and as I'm pretty well done up, I guess we may as well turn +in now," answered the new guest; then, as if the memory of that homeless +little lad so kindly cherished made his heart overflow in spite of him, +Mr. Brown paused at the door to say hastily, with a hand on Bab and +Betty's heads, as if his promise was a very earnest one,-- + +"I don't forget, ma'am, these children shall never want a friend while +Ben Brown's alive;" then he shut the door so quickly that the other +Ben's prompt "Hear, hear!" was cut short in the middle. + +"I s'pose he means that we shall have a piece of Ben's father, because +we gave Ben a piece of our mother," said Betty, softly. + +"Of course he does, and it's all fair," answered Bab, decidedly. "Isn't +he a nice man, Ma? + +"Go to bed, children," was all the answer she got; but when they were +gone, Mrs. Moss, as she washed up her dishes, more than once glanced at +a certain nail where a man's hat had not hung for five years, and +thought with a sigh what a natural, protecting air that slouched felt +had. + +If one wedding were not quite enough for a child's story, we might here +hint what no one dreamed of then, that before the year came round again +Ben had found a mother, Bab and Betty a father, and Mr. Brown's hat was +quite at home behind the kitchen door. But, on the whole, it is best not +to say a word about it. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE GREAT GATE IS OPENED + +The Browns were up and out so early next morning that Bab and Betty were +sure they had run away in the night. But on looking for them, they were +discovered in the coach-house criticising Lita, both with their hands in +their pockets, both chewing straws, and looking as much alike as a big +elephant and a small one. + +"That's as pretty a little span as I've seen for a long time," said the +elder Ben, as the children came trotting down the path hand in hand, +with the four blue bows at the ends of their braids bobbing briskly up +and down. + +"The nigh one is my favorite, but the off one is the best goer, though +she's dreadfully hard bitted," answered Ben the younger, with such a +comical assumption of a jockey's important air that his father laughed +as he said in an undertone,-- + +"Come, boy, we must drop the old slang since we've given up the old +business. These good folks are making a gentleman of you, and I won't be +the one to spoil their work. Hold on, my dears, and I'll show you how +they say good-morning in California," he added, beckoning to the little +girls, who now came up rosy and smiling. + +"Breakfast is ready, sir," said Betty, looking much relieved to find +them. + +"We thought you'd run away from us," explained Bab, as both put out +their hands to shake those extended to them. + +"That would be a mean trick. But I'm going to run away with you," and +Mr. Brown whisked a little girl to either shoulder before they knew what +had happened, while Ben, remembering the day, with difficulty restrained +himself from turning a series of triumphant somersaults before them all +the way to the door, where Mrs. Moss stood waiting for them. + +After breakfast Ben disappeared for a short time, and returned in his +Sunday suit, looking so neat and fresh that his father surveyed him with +surprise and pride as he came in full of boyish satisfaction in his trim +array. + +"Here's a smart young chap! Did you take all that trouble just to go to +walk with old Daddy?" asked Mr. Brown, stroking the smooth head, for +they were alone just then, Mrs. Moss and the children being up stairs +preparing for church. + +"I thought may be you'd like to go to meeting first," answered Ben, +looking up at him with such a happy face that it was hard to refuse any +thing. "I'm too shabby, Sonny, else I'd go in a minute to please you." + +"Miss Celia said God didn't mind poor clothes, and she took me when I +looked worse than you do. I always go in the morning; she likes to have +me," said Ben, turning his hat about as if not quite sure what he ought +to do. + +"Do you want to go?" asked his father in a tone of surprise. + +"I want to please her, if you don't mind. We could have our tramp this +afternoon." + +"I haven't been to meeting since mother died, and it don't seem to come +easy, though I know I ought to, seeing I'm alive and here," and Mr. +Brown looked soberly out at the lovely autumn world as if glad to be in +it after his late danger and pain. + +"Miss Celia said church was a good place to take our troubles, and to be +thankful in. I went when I thought you were dead, and now I'd love to go +when I've got my Daddy safe again." + +No one saw him, so Ben could not resist giving his father a sudden hug, +which was warmly returned as the man said earnestly,-- + +"I'll go, and thank the Lord hearty for giving me back my boy better'n I +left him!" + +For a minute nothing was heard but the loud tick of the old clock and a +mournful whine front Sancho, shut up in the shed lest he should go to +church without an invitation. + +Then, as steps were heard on the stairs, Mr. Brown caught up his hat, +saying hastily,-- + +"I ain't fit to go with them, you tell 'm, and I'll slip into a back +seat after folks are in. I know the way." And, before Ben could reply, +he was gone. Nothing was seen of him along the way, but he saw the +little party, and rejoiced again over his boy, changed in so many ways +for the better; for Ben was the one thing which had kept his heart soft +through all the trials and temptations of a rough life. + +"I promised Mary I'd do my best for the poor baby she had to leave, and +I tried; but I guess a better friend than I am has been raised up for +him when he needed her most. It won't hurt me to follow him in this +road," thought Mr. Brown, as he came out into the highway from his +stroll "across-lots," feeling that it would be good for him to stay in +this quiet place, for his own as well as his son's sake. + +The Bell had done ringing when he reached the green, but a single boy +sat on the steps and rail to meet him, saying, with a reproachful look,-- + +"I wasn't going to let you be alone, and have folks think I was ashamed +of my father. Come, Daddy, we'll sit together." + +So Ben led his father straight to the Squire's pew, and sat beside him +with a face so full of innocent pride and joy, that people would have +suspected the truth if he had not already told many of them. Mr. Brown, +painfully conscious of his shabby coat, was rather "taken aback," as he +expressed it; but the Squire's shake of the hand, and Mrs. Allen's +gracious nod enabled him to face the eyes of the interested +congregation, the younger portion of which stared steadily at him all +sermon time, in spite of paternal frowns and maternal tweakings in the +rear. + +But the crowning glory of the day came after church, when the Squire +said to Ben, and Sam heard him,-- + +"I've got a letter for you from Miss Celia. Come home with me, and bring +your father. I want to talk to him." + +The boy proudly escorted his parent to the old carry-all, and, tucking +himself in behind with Mrs. Allen, had the satisfaction of seeing the +slouched felt hat side by side with the Squire's Sunday beaver in front, +as they drove off at such an unusually smart pace, it was evident that +Duke knew there was a critical eye upon him. The interest taken in the +father was owing to the son at first; but, by the time the story was +told, old Ben had won friends for himself not only because of the +misfortunes which he had evidently borne in a manly way, but because of +his delight in the boy's improvement, and the desire he felt to turn his +hand to any honest work, that he might keep Ben happy and contented in +this good home. + +"I'll give you a line to Towne. Smithers spoke well of you, and your +own ability will be the best recommendation," said the Squire, as he +parted from them at his door, having given Ben the letter. + +Miss Celia had been gone a fortnight, and every one was longing to have +her back. The first week brought Ben a newspaper, with a crinkly line +drawn round the marriages to attract attention to that spot, and one was +marked by a black frame with a large hand pointing at it from the +margin. Thorny sent that; but the next week came a parcel for Mrs. Moss, +and in it was discovered a box of wedding cake for every member of the +family, including Sancho, who ate his at one gulp, and chewed up the +lace paper which covered it. This was the third week; and, as if there +could not be happiness enough crowded into it for Ben, the letter he +read on his way home told him that his dear mistress was coming back on +the following Saturday. One passage particularly pleased him,-- + +"I want the great gate opened, so that the new master may go in that +way. Will you see that it is done, and all made neat afterward? Randa +will give you the key, and you may have out all your flags if you like, +for the old place cannot look too gay for this home-coming." + +Sunday though it was, Ben could not help waving the letter over his head +as he ran in to tell Mrs. Moss the glad news, and begin at once to plan +the welcome they would give Miss Celia, for he never called her any +thing else. + +During their afternoon stroll in the mellow sunshine, Ben continued to +talk of her, never tired of telling about his happy summer under her +roof. And Mr. Brown was never weary of hearing, for every hour showed +him more plainly what a lovely miracle her gentle words had wrought, and +every hour increased his gratitude, his desire to return the kindness in +some humble way. He had his wish, and did his part handsomely when he +least expected to have a chance. + +On Monday he saw Mr. Towne, and, thanks to the Squire's good word, was +engaged for a month on trial, making himself so useful that it was soon +evident he was the right man in the right place. He lived on the hill, +but managed to get down to the little brown house in the evening for a +word with Ben, who just now was as full of business as if the President +and his Cabinet were coming. + +Every thing was put in apple-pie order in and about the old house; the +great gate, with much creaking of rusty hinges and some clearing away of +rubbish, was set wide open, and the first creature who entered it was +Sancho, solemnly dragging the dead mullein which long ago had grown +above the keyhole. October frosts seemed to have spared some of the +brightest leaves for this especial occasion; and on Saturday the arched +gate-way was hung with gay wreaths, red and yellow sprays strewed the +flags, and the porch was a blaze of color with the red woodbine, that +was in its glory when the honeysuckle was leafless. + +Fortunately it was a half-holiday, so the children could trim and +chatter to their heart's content, and the little girls ran about +sticking funny decorations where no one would ever think of looking for +them. Ben was absorbed in his flags, which were sprinkled all down the +avenue with a lavish display, suggesting several Fourth of Julys rolled +into one. Mr. Brown had come to lend a hand, and did so most +energetically, for the break-neck things he did with his son during the +decoration fever would have terrified Mrs. Moss out of her wits, if she +had not been in the house giving last touches to every room, while Randa +and Katy set forth a sumptuous tea. + +All was going well, and the train would be due in an hour, when luckless +Bab nearly turned the rejoicing into mourning, the feast into ashes. She +heard her mother say to Randa, "There ought to be a fire in every room, +it looks so cheerful, and the air is chilly spite of the sunshine;" and, +never waiting to hear the reply that some of the long-unused chimneys +were not safe till cleaned, off went Bab with an apron full of old +shingles, and made a roaring blaze in the front room fire-place, which +was of all others the one to be let alone, as the flue was out of order. + +Charmed with the brilliant light and the crackle of the tindery fuel, +Miss Bab refilled her apron, and fed the fire till the chimney began to +rumble ominously, sparks to fly out at the top, and soot and swallows' +nests to come tumbling down upon the hearth. Then, scared at what she +had done, the little mischief-maker hastily buried her fire, swept up +the rubbish, and ran off, thinking no one would discover her prank if +she never told. + +Everybody was very busy, and the big chimney blazed and rumbled +unnoticed till the cloud of smoke caught Ben's eye as he festooned his +last effort in the flag line, part of an old sheet with the words +"Father has come!" in red cambric letters half a foot long sewed upon +it. + +"Hullo! I do believe they've got up a bonfire, without asking my leave. +Miss Celia never would let us, because the sheds and roofs are so old +and dry; I must see about it. Catch me, Daddy, I'm coming down!" cried +Ben, dropping out of the elm with no more thought of where he might +light than a squirrel swinging from bough to bough. + +His father caught him, and followed in haste as his nimble-footed son +raced up the avenue, to stop in the gate-way, frightened at the prospect +before him, for falling sparks had already kindled the roof here and +there, and the chimney smoked and roared like a small volcano, while +Katy's wails and Randa's cries for water came from within. + +"Up there with wet blankets, while I get out the hose!" cried Mr. Brown, +as he saw at a glance what the danger was. + +Ben vanished; and, before his father got the garden hose rigged, he was +on the roof with a dripping blanket over the worst spot. Mrs. Moss had +her wits about her in a minute, and ran to put in the fireboard, and +stop the draught. Then, stationing Randa to watch that the falling +cinders did no harm inside, she hurried off to help Mr. Brown, who might +not know where things were. But he had roughed it so long, that he was +the man for emergencies, and seemed to lay his hand on whatever was +needed, by a sort of instinct. Finding that the hose was too short to +reach the upper part of the roof, he was on the roof in a jiffy with two +pails of water, and quenched the most dangerous spots before much harm +was done. + +This he kept up till the chimney burned itself out, while Ben dodged +about among the gables with a watering pot, lest some stray sparks +should be over-looked, and break out afresh. + +While they worked there, Betty ran to and fro with a dipper of water, +trying to help; and Sancho barked violently, as if he objected to this +sort of illumination. But where was Bab, who revelled in flurries? No +one missed her till the fire was out, and the tired, sooty people met to +talk over the danger just escaped. + +"Poor Miss Celia wouldn't have had a roof over her head, if it hadn't +been for you, Mr. Brown," said Mrs. Moss, sinking into a kitchen chair, +pale with the excitement. + +"It would have burnt lively, but I guess it's all right now. Keep an eye +on the roof, Ben, and I'll step up garret and see if all's safe there. +Didn't you know that chimney was foul, ma'am?" asked the man, as he +wiped the perspiration off his grimy face. + +"Randa said it was, and I 'in surprised she made a fire there," began +Mrs. Moss, looking at the maid, who just then came in with a pan full of +soot. + +"Bless you, ma'am, I never thought of such a thing, nor Katy neither. +That naughty Bab must have done it, and so don't dar'st to show +herself," answered the irate Randa, whose nice room was in a mess. + +"Where is the child?" asked her mother; and a hunt was immediately +instituted by Betty and Sancho, while the elders cleared up. + +Anxious Betty searched high and low, called and cried, but all in vain; +and was about to sit down in despair, when Sancho made a bolt into his +new kennel and brought out a shoe with a foot in it while a doleful +squeal came from the straw within. + +"Oh, Bab, how could you do it? Ma was frightened dreadfully," said +Betty, gently tugging at the striped leg, as Sancho poked his head in +for another shoe. + +"Is it all burnt up?" demanded a smothered voice from the recesses of +the kennel. + +"Only pieces of the roof. Ben and his father put it out, and I helped," +answered Betty, cheering up a little as she recalled her noble +exertions. + +"What do they do to folks who set houses afire?" asked the voice again. + +"I don't know; but you needn't be afraid, there isn't much harm done, I +guess, and Miss Celia will forgive you, she's so good." + +"Thorny won't; he calls me a 'botheration,' and I guess I am," mourned +the unseen culprit, with sincere contrition. + +"I'll ask him; he is always good to me. They will be here pretty soon, +so you'd better come out and be made tidy," suggested the comforter. + +"I never can come out, for every one will hate me," sobbed Bab among the +straw, as she pulled in her foot, as if retiring for ever from an +outraged world. + +"Ma won't, she's too busy cleaning up; so it's a good time to come. +Let's run home, wash our hands, and be all nice when they see us. I'll +love you, no matter what anybody else does," said Betty, consoling the +poor little sinner, and proposing the sort of repentance most likely to +find favor in the eyes of the agitated elders. + +"P'raps I'd better go home, for Sanch will want his bed," and Bab gladly +availed herself of that excuse to back out of her refuge, a very +crumpled, dusty young lady, with a dejected face and much straw sticking +in her hair. + +Betty led her sadly away, for she still protested that she never should +dare to meet the offended public again; but in fifteen minutes both +appeared in fine order and good spirits, and naughty Bab escaped a +lecture for the time being, as the train would soon be due. + +At the first sound of the car whistle every one turned good-natured as +if by magic, and flew to the gate smiling as if all mishaps were +forgiven and forgotten. Mrs. Moss, however, slipped quietly away, and +was the first to greet Mrs. Celia as the carriage stopped at the +entrance of the avenue, so that the luggage might go in by way of the +lodge. + +"We will walk up and you shall tell us the news as we go, for I see you +have some," said the young lady, in her friendly manner, when Mrs. Moss +had given her welcome and paid her respects to the gentleman who shook +hands in a way that convinced her he was indeed what Thorny called him, +"regularly jolly," though he was a minister. + +That being exactly what she came for, the good woman told her tidings as +rapidly as possible, and the new-comers were so glad to hear of Ben's +happiness they made very light of Bab's bonfire, though it had nearly +burnt their house down. + +"We won't say a word about it, for every one must be happy to-day," said +Mr. George, so kindly that Mrs. Moss felt a load taken off her heart at +once. + +"Bab was always teasing me for fireworks, but I guess she has had enough +for the present," laughed Thorny, who was gallantly escorting Bab's +mother up the avenue. + +"Every one is so kind! Teacher was out with the children to cheer us as +we passed, and here you all are making things pretty for me," said Mrs. +Celia, smiling with tears in her eyes, as they drew near the great gate, +which certainly did present an animated if not an imposing appearance. + +Randa and Katy stood on one side, all in their best, bobbing delighted +courtesies; Mr. Brown, half hidden behind the gate on the other side, +was keeping Sancho erect, so that he might present arms promptly when +the bride appeared. As flowers were scarce, on either post stood a rosy +little girl clapping her hands, while out from the thicket of red and +yellow boughs, which made a grand bouquet in the lantern frame, came +Ben's head and shoulders, as he waved his grandest flag with its gold +paper "Welcome Home!" on a blue ground. + +"Isn't it beautiful!" cried Mrs. Celia, throwing kisses to the children, +shaking hands with her maids, and glancing brightly at the stranger who +was keeping Sanch quiet. + +"Most people adorn their gate-posts with stone balls, vases, or +griffins; your living images are a great improvement, love, especially +the happy boy in the middle," said Mr. George, eying Ben with interest, +as he nearly tumbled overboard, top-heavy with his banner. + +"You must finish what I have only begun," answered Celia, adding gayly +as Sancho broke loose and came to offer both his paw and his +congratulations. "Sanch, introduce your master, that I may thank him for +coming back in time to save my old house." + +"If I'd saved a dozen it wouldn't have half paid for all you've done for +my boy, ma'am," answered Mr. Brown, bursting out from behind the gate +quite red with gratitude and pleasure. + +"I loved to do it, so please remember that this is still his home till +you make one for him. Thank God, he is no longer fatherless!" and her +sweet face said even more than her words as the white hand cordially +shook the brown one with a burn across the back. + +"Come on, sister. I see the tea-table all ready, and I'm awfully +hungry," interrupted Thorny, who had not a ray of sentiment about him, +though very glad Ben had got his father back again. + +"Come over, by-and-by, little friends, and let me thank you for your +pretty welcome,--it certainly is a warm one;" and Mrs. Celia glanced +merrily from the three bright faces above her to the old chimney, which +still smoked sullenly. + +"Oh, don't!" cried Bab, hiding her face. + +"She didn't mean to," added Betty, pleadingly. + +"Three cheers for the bride!" roared Ben, dipping his flag, as leaning +on her husband's arm his dear mistress passed under the gay arch, along +the leaf-strewn walk, over the threshold of the house which was to be +her happy home for many years. + +The closed gate where the lonely little wanderer once lay was always to +stand open now, and the path where children played before was free to +all comers, for a hospitable welcome henceforth awaited rich and poor, +young and old, sad and gay, Under the Lilacs. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Under the Lilacs, by Louisa May Alcott + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNDER THE LILACS *** + +***** This file should be named 3795.txt or 3795.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/9/3795/ + +Produced by Joanne Hogan. 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