Ben Pepper

by Margaret Sidney

  XXIV

  JASPER AND BEN

  "Oh," cried Jasper, "what fun! Polly could have all the fishing shewanted. Mr. St. John says the mountain brooks are just full of trout."

  Ben's eyes glistened. To go fishing had always been one of the longingsof his heart that the busy Badgertown days had given little chance toenjoy, when every minute that could earn a few pennies had to be devotedto helping Mamsie keep the wolf from the door of the little brown house.

  "You and I would have some sport, eh, Ben?" Jasper leaned over to bringhis dark eyes nearer.

  "Yes," said Ben. He couldn't for his life get out another word.

  "We _must_ go," said Jasper to himself, "after that look. Father willsay 'yes,' I almost know. And just think of Joel let loose in thosewoods," he said aloud.

  This brought Ben to. "Yes, I know," he said, "Joe would run wild."

  "Wouldn't he?" laughed Jasper. "Well, it would be the best thing forPercy and Van and all the rest of us," he added. "Oh, Ben, we _must_go!" He brought his right hand down on Ben's with a slap.

  "Yes," said Ben, "but perhaps we better not think too much about it,'cause if we couldn't, you know," he turned his face away to look out ofthe window.

  "Well, we must," persisted Jasper. "And then, you know, just think ofthe tramps you and I would have over the mountains."

  "And Polly, too," said Ben, "she can walk as good as we can, you know,Jasper."

  "Oh, yes, of course," assented Jasper. "Why, Polly would go oneverything the same as we did. Did you think I meant to leave Pollyout?" he asked in distress at the very idea.

  "No," said Ben, "I didn't think so, Jasper."

  "And Doctor Fisher would go; you know he's crazy to walk. If he hadtime, he wouldn't ever ride to see his sick people. Oh, wouldn't it beperfectly splendid, Jasper King! But we mustn't talk about it," and hepulled himself up quickly.

  "Oh, let's talk," said Jasper, "it's half the fun of making plansbeforehand. Oh, I wish Polly was here," and he gave a long sigh.

  "No," said Ben, "it isn't best to talk about it any more, for if wecan't go, we'd have an awful tumble from the clouds, and I can tell youthat would hurt."

  "Well, what shall we do?" said Jasper, with a long face. "It will haveto be something pretty absorbing to keep my mind off that camp, and ourtongues as well."

  Ben rubbed his forehead and thought a bit. "I can't think of anythingmore absorbing than Jocko," he said at last.

  "Well, Jocko it is," said Jasper, laughing. "Oh, I wish we had somepeanuts to give him," he said suddenly.

  "I'll run down town and get some," said Ben.

  "Don't be gone long," begged Jasper.

  "No, sir," said Ben, and he was off.

  Polly and all the others must be just about midway to the country townwhere they were to stop for supper--Ben couldn't help but think of it ashe dashed down the frozen driveway that gave out such a delightful"scrunch, scrunch" to his hurrying feet. He drew his breath hard, thrusthis hands in his pockets, and whistled. Oh, how gloriously the wintersunshine glistened across the snow on the lawn, and how the gayequipages with their merry loads swept by him, as he turned into thethoroughfare! He whistled harder than ever until he remembered thatMamsie didn't like him to do such things on the street; then he stoppedand set out on a run, that presently brought him up to the little storewhere Polly always bought her bird-seed. Hurrying in he bought a bagfulof peanuts; then out again and home--unchained Jocko in the small roomover the stable, and dashed upstairs.

  Jocko, who seemed to know at once there were peanuts in the bag danglingfrom Ben's other hand, got between Ben's legs at every possible chance,thus impeding the progress seriously.

  "Oh, you rascal!" exclaimed Ben, shaking the bag at him, "you shan'thave one if you don't behave," and he shortened his grip on the chain tokeep Jocko on one side if possible.

  Jocko wrinkled up his eyelids and teased and whined, sending out a briskpaw to snatch the bag if possible.

  "Be still," said Ben, giving him a cuff with the bag, "and come on anddon't dance all over those stairs. Oh, such a piece of work!" hedeclared, at last going into Jasper's room.

  "Have you come at last!" said Jasper, turning an eager face to him.

  "Have I?" said Ben, the monkey and he coming in together with a rush upto Jasper's chair, Jocko making a last dash at the paper bag; "well,yes, I should say I had. There are your peanuts," throwing them intoJasper's lap. "Look out, or he'll have them," as Jocko immediatelyleaped into the centre of the sofa blanket.

  "Not much he won't," declared Jasper, setting the bag back of him with aquick hand. "Hulloa, Jocko!" as the monkey gave a squeal ofdisappointment. "Oh, you shall have some peanuts all in good time.There, don't cry. Hold your paws."

  Jocko, hearing this, stopped his lament and extended both paws, hislittle eyes shining eagerly.

  "Oh, you greedy little thing," said Jasper, laughing, and emptying ahandful into them, when Jocko squatted contentedly on the sofa blanket,cracked some nuts as fast as he could, spitting out the shells to rightand to left.

  "Here, look out, you mustn't do so," said Jasper. "I'll take the peanutsaway if you do."

  At the mention of this, Jocko stuffed his nuts with both paws into hischeeks, reserving one to crack and eat as he blinked first at Jasper andthen at Ben.

  "He's making a lot of dirt," said Ben, beginning to pick up the shells.

  "I know it," said Jasper, "but he's such fun."

  "They stick awfully, those little red skins," said Ben, picking away atthe little pieces, as slap went another shot, this time in his face.

  "Well, Jane can shake the blanket," said Jasper. "Stop that, youbeggar!" to Jocko. "And they don't leave any spot," as another shell andthe shower of little red skins came flying out. "Here, I'll take thoseaway, I say." But easier said than done.

  "You can't get those out of his cheeks," said Ben, with a laugh, andgiving up the sofa blanket as a bad job. "Well, we'll just let himfinish them, and then I'll shake the skins out of the bath-room window."

  "And you won't have any more," said Jasper, with a bob at Jocko, as hesquatted on his knee. "Those peanuts are gone, sir."

  Jocko, who cared very little what was said about peanuts, as long as hehad his cheeks full, picked the nuts out one by one, cracked and threwaway the shells, with the same impartial attention to Jasper and Ben,and leisurely ate them.

  "Here's the bag, Ben," said Jasper, tossing it to him, when the monkey'scheeks began to flatten out. "Put it up on the shelf, do, for I don'twant him nosing all over me for it."

  So Ben caught the bag and set it up high in the place designated,Jocko's sharp little eyes following every movement.

  "Oh, you needn't stare that way, you greedy little thing," said Jasper,"for you can't get that bag, I'd have you to know. Oh, you are almostthrough, are you?" Which was presently without doubt the case,proclaimed as it was by a loud shout for more peanuts, and the quickextension of Jocko's long arms.

  "No, sir!" said Jasper, shaking his dark hair vehemently; "see what amuss you've made," pointing to the sofa blanket and to the floor and tohis jacket, and Ben's as well.

  Jocko, who didn't care to waste time regarding these trivial things,redoubled his cries, till the room seemed full of monkeys.

  "Goodness me, what a bedlam!" cried Ben. "You can't stand this."

  "Well, do put the bag somewhere else than on that shelf," said Jasper."If he doesn't see it, he'll stop."

  But Jocko, seeing no good reason why he should stop till he had hispeanuts, gave vent to howls in another key, much worse than the first.

  "Ow!" said Jasper, with a grimace, "that sets my teeth on edge. Here,Ben, you may have your monkey," pushing Jocko off from his lap.

  "_My_ monkey?" said Ben, running around with the peanut bag, looking fora place to hide it. "Well, I think that's nice, when you made me bringhim up here."

  "Oh, well, he's yours now, as long as he's in your care," said Jasper,coolly. "That's right, Jocko, run after Master Ben;" and h
e dropped thechain.

  There was no need to tell Jocko that, as long as Ben had the peanut bag.So he leaped to the broad back and ran down the arm, at the end of whichwas the coveted prize.

  "No, you don't," said Ben, transferring the bag to the other hand, whenJocko like lightning ran over the broad back again, and down the otherarm; this pretty game being played with no gain to either party, untilJasper begged for a pause.

  "I should think you'd laugh," said Ben, turning round with a hot, redface, Jocko sticking to one shoulder, rage in his eye.

  "O dear me!" said Jasper, faintly, and wiping his eyes. "Ha! Ha! Ha!"and he burrowed in the chair-depths, holding his sides.

  "To get me into this scrape," exclaimed Ben, flying around with a wildstep. "Stop that," for Jocko in this little diversion nearly gripped theprize. "There now!" He rushed to the closet, threw the bag in, andslammed the door. "Now, sir! who's got those peanuts?" and he gazed intothe monkey's little wrinkled face.

  Defrauded of his prize and, what was worse, with no hopes of getting it,for Jocko could see that the closet door was shut, he now set up apiteous sobbing, putting his paws up to his poor little eyes. And therehe clung on Ben's shoulder, crying like a child.

  "Oh, I say!" exclaimed Jasper, coming out of his laugh, "I can't standthis. Do stuff something into his mouth, Ben," and Jasper thrust hisfingers into his ears.

  "He shan't have peanuts," declared Ben, firmly, yet having no heart nowto set the monkey on the floor. "There, there, Jocko, be still," and hepatted him kindly.

  "Of course not," said Jasper, taking the finger from one ear long enoughto hear Ben's reply; "but get him something else--anything--"

  So Ben set up a hunt for something to appease Jocko, and at last liftedthe lid of the cracker-jar.

  When Jocko heard the click of china, he dropped one paw enough to peeraround. Yes, he was going to have something to eat. So down went theother paw, which shot out to receive the tidbit. When on being conveyedto his mouth he found that it was nothing but cracker, a thing thatThomas and Jane and the other maids, who were always running out to pethim, gave him ever so many times a day, he spit it out disdainfully,clapped his paws to his eyes, and cried harder than ever.

  "For goodness' sake!" cried Jasper, "can't you find some candy? There isplenty there in that box. I'll come and get it myself." And in anotherminute he would have been out of the big chair.

  "You stay still," said Ben. "Hush, you beast!" to Jocko. And at last,after knocking down more things than he supposed was possible in thatshort time, the box of candy was found on the table, and a big piececrammed into Jocko's mouth.

  "O dear me! How perfectly lovely not to hear his voice," exclaimedJasper, dropping his fingers and sinking back against his pillows.

  "Um!" said Ben; then he set Jocko down in the corner, took a big pieceof chocolate, and smeared the wrinkled face from top to bottom, then setthe remainder in one paw. "When you've got through licking your face andrubbing it clean, why then you'll go downstairs, sir," he declaredgrimly. "My goodness me, I _am_ tired," and he threw himself into achair.

  "Oh, what a scheme," cried Jasper. "O dear me!" and he began to laughagain, for Jocko, having swallowed as one morsel the big chocolatepiece, was now endeavoring to lick his cheeks clean by running histongue as far out as he could. To do this, as he always fancied aftereach fresh effort that there was much more up beyond his eyebrows, whichwas quite true, as Ben had been very generous in the application, heturned his back on himself, so to speak, many a time, to achieve thesuccess he longed for--till he got out of breath, and had to squat andrest, only to up and at it again.

  Just here in came Jane with a small tray, followed by Hobson, thebutler, with a large one.

  "You are to have your supper up here, too, Master Ben," said Jane.

  "Oh, am I?" cried Ben, in a pleased tone.

  "Yes, Mrs. Fisher said so," said Jane, depositing her tray on the table."Oh, that nasty monkey!" she squealed, catching sight of Jocko, who wasjust beginning on a fresh attempt to get the sweet stuff off from hisface. "Oh, me!"

  "He won't hurt you, Jane," said Ben; "he's too much occupied. AndHobson, after you have set the table, you can take him downstairs."

  "All right, Master Ben," said Hobson, pulling out the tea-table from thewall, and opening its leaves to deftly lay the cloth, Jane goinggingerly about to help as far as she could, seeing that she must keep asharp eye on Jocko.

  "It seems so funny to have supper instead of dinner," said Jasper. "Ihaven't gotten used to it after all these weeks. And to think of itsbeing time. Haven't you made a mistake and brought it too early, Hobson?Do look at your watch, Ben."

  "It is a bit early, sir," said Hobson, "but Doctor Fisher ordered itnow."

  "It's half-past five o'clock," said Ben, "but it hasn't grown darkhardly any. Well, we must have the light turned on now," springing offto do it.

  "I know why I'm to have my supper a half-hour sooner," said Jasper;"it's because I'm to be tucked into bed earlier to-night. Well, Isuppose I must," he added resignedly, as a bright light filled the room.

  "Yes, indeed, we had such a good time last night," said Ben, flyingback. "Now this is jolly, isn't it?" his face lighting up.

  "Yes," said Jasper, "it's no end jolly!" looking across the tea-table,as Jane lighted the candles under the red shades, pulled the curtainstogether, and Hobson adjusted the tea-things. "Is there anything elseyou want, Master Jasper?" he asked.

  "No," said Jasper, with a quick eye for details, "thank you, Hobson;everything is very nice. Now if you will just take Jocko."

  "Yes, I will, Master Jasper," said Hobson, going over to Jocko, who wasstill working away on his face, supposing he had plenty of time toattack the tea-table later. Jane gave a wide range to the two on her wayout.

  When they were fairly started Jocko gave a loud cry of disappointment,turning a baffled face to the two boys and the lovely table betweenthem.

  "Oh, do toss the poor beggar a piece of cake, Ben," said Jasper.

  Which Ben did, and Jocko, wisely considering it better to take it thanto get nothing, was borne off; the cake having been swallowed before hereached the bottom of the stairs, his cries pealed up till at lastHobson had him well out of hearing.

  Jane set the little silver bell on the tea-table, and withdrew to thesitting room as usual, when the two sat a long time over the supperenjoying it hugely. At last it was time for her to summon Hobson, andthe two trays were carried off.

  "And now what?" asked Ben. "Shall I read to you, Jasper?"

  "Oh, if you don't mind--are you tired of chess?" Jasper leaned forwardto search the round face.

  "No, not a bit; only it can't be any pleasure to you, I'm so stupid,"said Ben.

  "I tell you what it is, Ben Pepper, you are _not_ stupid," declaredJasper, warmly; "now don't say so again," he begged.

  "Oh, I won't if it makes you feel badly," said Ben, laughing, "only Ishall think so."

  "You mustn't think so," declared Jasper, decidedly; "and do hurry andget the table and the men."

  So the little game-table, inlaid and beautiful, was carefully broughtout and set in place by Ben, the box of chessmen put in Jasper's hands,and then Ben sat down to the table.

  "You choose this time," said Ben, picking up a red and also a whitepiece, to hold back of him, "only, as I said--"

  "Ugh!" interrupted Jasper, "you weren't to say that again. You promised,Ben," he added reproachfully.

  "So I did," said Ben. "Well, I won't again."

  "See that you don't," said Jasper, laughing. "Well--I choose the lefthand. Oh! You have the first move," as a white pawn came to view.

  And after that there was nothing heard in the big room but the tickingof the French clock, and the crackling of the hickory logs, if we exceptBen's hard breathing when his men were pushed pretty hard.

  And the first thing any one knew there was little Doctor Fisher lookingat them through his big spectacles and beaming all over his face.

  "Well--well--well!" he
could hardly stop himself. "And so you are havinga good time," he said to Jasper.

  "I should rather think so," said Jasper, lifting a bright face.

  "I suppose now you don't know what time it is," said the little Doctor.

  "Oh, it's early, I know," said Jasper, easily; "why, we have hardly gotthrough supper, it seems to me."

  "Then you must have been a good while at supper," said Doctor Fisher,composedly, and pulling out his big silver watch, "for it's nineo'clock."

  "Nine o'clock!" exclaimed Jasper and Ben together.

  "Fact." Doctor Fisher nodded so briskly that his spectacles slipped downto the end of his nose, "And so it's time for you to hop into bed,Jasper."

  "O dear!" said Jasper, with a glance at the silken canopy and covers,and trying not to show a wry face.

  "In with you! I give you ten minutes." The little Doctor laughed andwent off, and immediately the room was in a bustle, Ben helping alongthe operation of getting Jasper to bed. And presently the light was outand Jasper was saying, "Oh, thank you, Ben, ever so much. Good night."

  "Good night," said Ben, and he shut the door softly and went downstairs.

  It was so still all through the big mansion--little Dick and Phronsie ofcourse being abed and asleep hours ago, and all the other children away.Ben opened the big front door and stepped out on the stone porch. Oh,how good the crisp air was! He sniffed it in, and threw back his broadshoulders for another and another breath; then he hurried into the houseto get his coat and cap,--and, jamming this last on his head, he thrusthis hands in his pockets, and set off for a walk. Yes, they must--themerry sleighs full--be well on their way home by this time, becauseGrandpapa, who, of course, was going with them, had told Mother Fisherhe should bring them home early.

  Oh, how good the air was! Ben thought he hadn't tasted any quite sosweet since he left Badgertown--and he deserted the sidewalk now, havingreached the thoroughfare, and struck out in the middle of the road,where it was more fun crunching down the snow. How long he walked hedidn't know. Suddenly sleigh-bells jingled,--and merry voices,--and,yes, there was Polly's laugh,--and, why, of course, there wasGrandpapa's voice,--and then,--

  "_Oh, there he is!_" screamed Polly. "_Oh, Ben!_" stretching out herarms.

  And "Hop up here," called Grandpapa, his cheeks rosy under the whitehair. And up Ben went like a flash! One word to the driver of the fourhorses and off they went, turning first in the direction from which theyhad just come--the other big sleigh following fast.

  "Oh, Grandpapa, we are going to give Ben a sleigh-ride," cried Polly, ina glad little voice, and clapping her brown gloves together.

  "Of course," said Grandpapa; "we are going to give him a little one thistime, and a big one, all made up on purpose for him, some other night."