Ben Pepper

by Margaret Sidney

  XXVI

  "COULD YOU TAKE HIM, BEN?"

  "Of course," said Grandpapa, "after this, Jocko must go."

  And "Of course," echoed every one else. "But where?"

  "Oh, do send him to the Zoo," begged Polly, "do, Grandpapa dear, andthen we can go and see him sometimes and take him nice things to eat."

  "I don't believe Ben will want to go very often," said Jasper, with alittle laugh, "will you, old fellow?"

  "Yes," said Ben, with another laugh, "as long as I don't meet him in thedark, when he jumps at me from a curtain, I'd just as soon see him asnot."

  "Oh, I'm so very glad he is going to the Zoo," said Polly, with a longbreath of relief, "he'll be real happy there with such lots of othermonkeys."

  But Jocko didn't go to the Zoo after all with "such lots of othermonkeys," for Candace, hearing the news of the disturbance by supposedburglars at Mr. King's big mansion, and the consequent plan to sendJocko away, came waddling up the driveway as fast as she could.

  "Here's Candace!" shouted Joel, who spied her first. "Come on, Pip, Iguess she's got some candy sticks."

  But Candace was so out of breath when she reached the big stone stepsthat she sank down to rest. If she had any candy sticks in the big blackwoollen pocket she always wore at her side, it couldn't have beenannounced at present. The truth was, however, that in the hurry andexcitement of leaving the little shop, she had forgotten them. WhereatJoel was wofully disappointed, but he covered it up as best he might,seeing her chagrin when she pulled out all her things and shook theempty pocket.

  "Oh, me, I've clar forgot 'em," she mourned, holding up her black handsin dismay, as the boys hung over her, still hoping that the candy sticksmight be hiding in a corner of the big pocket.

  "Shake it again, Candace! Shake it again!" cried Joel. "Here, let me,"he begged.

  "No, no, Mas'r Joel," protested Candace, in alarm, and putting bothhands over the generous black woollen pocket, "you'll done shake it todef, you will. Dey ain' dah, I tell you. Oh, me, to tink I sh'd a-gonean' forget dem. An' it's all about dat ar monkey. Oh, whee! I ain' nobref lef'," and she rocked back and forth on the step, fanning herselfwith her black alpaca apron, without which she was never attired for avisit up at the King mansion.

  "Well, Jocko isn't going to stay here any longer," announced Joel,briskly. "He's going up to the Zoo."

  "Oh, no, he ain', Mas'r Joel," contradicted Candace, stopping herfanning to seize his arm.

  "Yes, he is, Candace," declared Joel, bringing his black eyes on her insurprise; "he's got to go, he's been so naughty. Grandpapa says it isn'tsafe to keep him here any longer."

  "Well, he ain' goin' to dat ar Zoo," protested Candace, bobbing herblack bonnet, from which depended a big figured lace veil. "No, no,Mas'r Joel! Oh, your Grandpa won't neber send him dar," and she claspedher hands, while the tears came into her eyes.

  "Yes, he will," stoutly repeated Joel, twisting away to stand still andregard her in intense astonishment, "'cause he said so, and my Grandpapaalways does just what he says he will, Candace King."

  Whenever the children wished to be very impressive with her they calledher "Candace King." This usually overcame her with delight. But on thisoccasion she didn't notice it at all, but, beginning to blubber, sherocked back and forth on the step, saying between the gusts of herdistress, "Oh, no, he won't, neber in all dis worl'."

  "I'm going for Polly," said Joel, at his wits' end, and springing pasther on the steps. Pip, not to be left alone with that singular old blackwoman, who now terrified him greatly, pattering after, the two racedinto the house.

  "Polly!" called Joel. "O dear! Where is she?"

  "Here!" cried Polly, bobbing out of the music room, her practice hourbeing just over. "What is the matter, Joe?"

  "Oh, Candace is out on the steps," said Joel, "and I guess she's got afit."

  "Candace out on the steps," cried Polly, "and in a fit! O dear me!" andshe rushed out.

  To be sure, there sat Candace, rocking back and forth, her face coveredwith her big hands, and wailing miserably.

  "Oh, Candace!" and Polly sank down on the step beside her and throwingher arm around the big black figure, she put her cheek up against one ofthe black hands, "do tell me what is the matter." Joel and Pip, who hadboth followed, ranged themselves on either side.

  "He won' send him away to de Zoo, will he, honey?" gasped Candace.

  "What?" cried Polly, for the words were so muffled back of Candace's bighands, it was impossible to hear a word. "What do you say, Candace?"

  So Candace went all over it again; but it wasn't much better so far asPolly's hearing it was concerned, and at last Polly gave it up indespair and started to her feet.

  "I don't know what you are talking of, Candace," she declared, "so I'mgoing to get Grandpapa to come out and see what is the matter with you."

  "Oh, no, honey, don'!" and Candace grasped Polly's gown. "You arsk him,dat's a good chile. Arsk him for pore ol' Candace," and she lifted herstreaming eyes piteously.

  "Ask him what?" cried Polly. "I don't know what you want, Candace. Ihaven't heard a word that you've been saying."

  "She's awful funny," observed Joel; "I told you she was going to have afit." With that Pip retreated suddenly and ran over to Polly's side,around whose gown he stared with very wide eyes at the big figure on thesteps.

  "She said something about the monkey," continued Joel, "and--"

  "Yes, dat's it," cried Candace, delighted to be understood by somebody."Oh, he won' send him to de Zoo, will he, Miss Polly?" she begged.

  "Indeed he will," declared Polly, positively. "And you ought not to wantGrandpapa not to send him," she said, much displeased, "for Jocko's beenvery naughty; very naughty indeed, Candace."

  "Den he won' gib him to me," wailed Candace, releasing Polly's gown, anddropping her head so that the big figured lace veil trailed on the step."O me--O my!"

  "What's that you say, Candace?" cried Polly, dropping down on her kneesagain. "Do you want Jocko?" feeling as if she couldn't believe her ears.

  "Ob course; dat's what I've been tellin' you and Mas'r Joel all debressed time," said Candace, raising her head to survey them both withextreme dignity.

  "Oh, she hasn't said a single word," began Joel.

  "Hush, Joel," said Polly. "Candace, do you really want Jocko; really andtruly?" and her eyes shone.

  "Ob course I does;" Candace's head bobbed so decidedly that Polly had noreason to doubt her. "I'm dre'ful lonesome and he'd be comp'ny," as sheswept the tears away with both hands.

  "Oh, I'm so very, very glad you want Jocko!" cried Polly, hugging thebig figure. While Joel cried "Hooray!" And Pip, when he saw all thingsturning out so well, emerged from the shelter of Polly's gown and pipedout "Hooray," because Joel did.

  "But Jocko will work mischief, I'm afraid," and Polly's face fellsuddenly, "and just think, Candace, of all the nice things in yourshop."

  But Candace was not to be balked. Having once set her heart on havingJocko as a companion, she was now prepared to show how she had countedthe cost. So she drew herself up to her utmost height.

  "Phoo!" she declared, snapping her stubby black fingers, "dat ar monkeyain' a-goin' to hurt none ob my t'ings, Miss Polly. You know my olesafe?"

  "Yes," Polly did, a certain hanging wire arrangement where variouseatables were kept, to be free from the inspection of mice that wererampant in the room behind the small shop.

  "Well, I done clared dat ole safe all out dis berry mornin', soon's eberI heard ob de trouble. Dat'll be a fine t'ing for Jocko to swing in,"cried Candace, triumphantly.

  "But where will you keep all your eatables?" said Polly, in amazement.

  "Oh, honey," exclaimed Candace, impatiently, "I keeps 'em outside, obcourse."

  "But the mice," suggested Polly, fearfully.

  "Dar ain' goin' t' be no mice," declared Candace, decidedly, andclapping her big hands together smartly. "Do you t'ink any mouse isa-goin' to touch my t'ings when he can hear dat ar monkey a-singin'
an'carryin' on? No, sir, he ain'!"

  "Well then," cried Polly, springing up, "I do so want you to have Jocko.Oh, I do, Candace," and she clasped her hands. "If you are sure he won'thurt your things and you really want him."

  "I'm shore," declared Candace, solemnly. At this Joel bounded off, butPip decided to stay with Polly to see the matter through.

  "How lovely!" and Polly's eyes sparkled, "that you want Jocko, and then,just think, we can see him whenever we go to your shop, Candace." Shebestowed another hug on the broad shoulders, or so much of them as shecould compass.

  "I know it, honey." Candace showed two rows of shining white teeth in abroad smile. "An' den, w'en you ain' dar, w'y him an' me can talk, an'it'll be real sosh'ble like."

  "Yes," said Polly, quite as happy as Candace herself.

  "He'll be sech comp'ny ebenin's," said Candace, folding her arms ingreat satisfaction; "you see I gotter set up fer a spell, 'cause someone might come in an' buy somethin'. Only las' week an' Mis' Hardin'sgirl come in fer a spool o' tred. It's been mighty lonesome, MissPolly."

  "So it must have been," said Polly, sympathetically, with a littletwinge of remorse that she hadn't thought of it before; "but then,you've had your cat, Candace."

  "Yes, I know," Candace gave a truthful nod, "but w'en you says cat, yousays all dar is. Now dat ar cat kain't talk none. An' no matter how Istuffs her, she only licks her paws, an' looks fer more. And she ain'tno good as fer's comp'ny--real sosh'ble comp'ny whar dar is talkin'goin' on, I mean. An' den jus' t'ink wat a beau'ful voice Jocko's got!"At that Candace fairly beamed.

  "Oh, I'll ask Grandpapa not to send Jocko to the Zoo, but to give him toyou," said Polly, preparing to spring off. "And I 'most know he will,Candace."

  But it was really unnecessary for her to do that, for Joel at thismoment dashed in, screaming out, "Grandpapa says yes, he does; Candacecan have Jocko!"

  And presently Candace, chuckling in delight, was drawn within the bigmansion, Joel and Polly on either side, and Pip racing along in therear. And quicker than it takes to write it, the whole houseful knewwhere Jocko's new home was to be, and everybody thronged around thehappy old black woman.

  "Only don't blame me, my good Candace," said Grandpapa, laughing, whomthe uproar had drawn out of his writing room, "if that monkey eats upall your shopful."

  "He ain' a-goin' t' eat up my t'ings," declared Candace, dropping him somany courtesies it was with extra difficulty she got the words out atall.

  "Look out that he doesn't," warned Grandpapa, and he laughed again."Well now, the next thing, I presume, in the order of arrangements, isto see that Master Jocko gets down to your shop, for that he spendsanother night here is not my plan for him."

  "Oh, I'm going to take him down," announced Joel, easily.

  "You!" exclaimed Grandpapa, and he laughed harder than ever.

  "Yes, sir!" answered Joel, promptly, "and Candace is going too."

  "Well, I guess Candace wouldn't want Jocko by the time they got to theshop," said Jasper, _sotto voce_.

  "I guess not too," said Ben, with a laugh.

  "And I'm going too," declared Percy, pushing to the centre of thecircle.

  "And so am I," said Van, "if Joel's going. Can't I, Grandpapa?" hebegged.

  "Goodness, what a procession!" exclaimed Grandpapa; "and of course Davidwants to go--eh, Davie, my lad?"

  "Yes, I do," said David, "very much indeed, Grandpapa," and his blueeyes shone.

  "I thought so; and I see no reason why you shouldn't be in the party, ifall the other boys go. But, dear me, I couldn't allow it. Why, it wouldbe, for all the world, like a circus. And, besides, the monkey would getaway from you; he'd be sure to."

  "Oh, no, Grandpapa, he wouldn't," howled Joel, quite beside himself withdisappointment, and the tears began to come. "I'd hold on to his chainjust as tight," and he doubled up his brown fists to show his capacityfor keeping things. "Please let me take him."

  "No, no;" Grandpapa shook his white head. And he didn't look at Joe norat one of the other boys, either, for their eyes seemed to be givingthem so much trouble. "But I tell you what I will let you do; you canall go down this afternoon and see Jocko in his new home. That is, ifCandace will allow it?" and he bowed his white head as courteouslytoward her as if she had been a great lady.

  "Fo' shore, Mas'r King," said Candace, showing all her teeth, her smilewas so expansive. "Jocko an' me'll be ter home, an' den I'll gib you decandy sticks," she said, turning to Joel.

  "Oh, goody!" exclaimed Joel. Then his face fell. "Oh, you can't, 'twouldtake such a lot, Candace; we're all coming."

  "Oh, yer go long," said Candace, poking him with her big black finger,"ye're goin' to hab dem candy sticks. Yer Gran'pa's done gib me dat armonkey, an' don' yo' suppose I'm goin' ter gib nuffin'? Oh, yer go long,Mas'r Joel."

  Meantime Jasper was asking, "Well, Father, how are you going to getJocko down to Candace's?"

  "It is something of a problem," said the old gentleman, stroking hiswhite head thoughtfully, "but the best way that suggests itself is," andhe hesitated and looked anxiously at Ben,--"it's too bad to ask it, butcould you take him, Ben, in the depot carriage? Thomas will drive youdown."

  "Oh, I'll be company for Jocko," said Ben, laughing, "we'll have a fineride together."

  "How I wish I could go with you," cried Jasper. "O dear me! I'm wellenough. Let me, Father, do!"

  "The idea!" exclaimed the old gentleman, in horror, "and you've been sosick, Jasper King!"

  "O dear me! 'Twould be such fun," mourned Jasper.

  "Well, Polly, you come," said Ben, persuasively.

  "Yes," said Polly, "I will;" but her face drooped, and she couldn't lookat Jasper in his disappointment.

  "And see here," old Mr. King cried suddenly, "Candace can drive downtoo. So go get your monkey, and be off, Ben and Polly! And, Candace,remember what I said, and don't blame me for whatever Jocko does in thatshop of yours," and Grandpapa went back to his writing room. But theycould hear him laughing even after he had closed the door.

  It was one thing to plan this fine drive in such pleasant company tointroduce Jocko to his new home, and quite another to carry it out. Inthe first place, the monkey couldn't be found in his accustomed littleroom up next to that of Thomas over the stable. And Polly turned so palethat Ben hastened to say, "Oh, nothing has happened to him; don't beafraid, Polly. Nothing could happen to that monkey."

  "Oh, there has; I know there has, Ben," she declared, clasping her handsin dismay, while the rest of the children, all except Jasper, who, ofcourse, was shut up in the library watching proceedings as best he couldfrom one of the long windows, ran this way and that, calling franticallyon Jocko to come, with every imaginable blandishment they could think ofas inducement, and Candace sat down on the stable steps and wrung herhands, and lifted up her voice in dismal cries.

  This was as much worse as it was possible to be, than if Jocko had goneto the Zoo, for now he had run away, of course, and probably never wouldbe found. "He's done gone to--whar's dat place he come from, MissPolly?" wailed Candace.

  "India," cried Polly, hearing Candace's question, and running up in theinterval of exploring several places where Jocko might be expected tohide. "Oh, he couldn't go there, Candace."

  "Oh, yes, he could," contradicted Candace, obstinately; "he come fromdar, and he could go back dar;" and she redoubled her sobs.

  "But he came in a big ship," cried Polly, laying her hand soothingly onthe fat shoulder. "Do stop crying, Candace, we'll find him soon, Iguess;" but she looked very much worried. "Have you found him, Ben?" sheasked in a low voice, as he suddenly appeared.

  "No." Ben didn't really say the word, on account of Candace, but heshook his head, and Polly running over to him, he drew her off into aquiet corner. "I really believe the little scamp has run off."

  "Oh, Ben, how very dreadful!" exclaimed Polly, turning quite white."Whatever shall we do with Candace, and what _will_ happen to Jocko? Odear me!" and she wrung her hands.

  "Well now, se
e here, Polly," said Ben, turning her around and gatheringup her hands in his bigger ones to hold them fast, "we have just got tomake the best of this, and--"

  "Yes," Thomas was saying, and the rattling of a chain, together with thesound of his foot-steps, struck upon their ears. "I thought I'd justtake the monkey out for a bit of an airing;" and in they both came tothe stable, he and Jocko together.

  It was impossible to describe the delight of the whole company at therestoration of the lost one. Jocko, who had felt his loss of casteconsiderably since his escapade of the previous night, put on at oncehis old airy demeanor, and capered and blinked and wrinkled up his face,and wheedled and begged, and altogether quite outdid any of his formerattempts in that line, until the children hung over him and protestedthat he must not leave them. Oh, no, he mustn't!

  At that, Candace, who had found her feet in a surprisingly quick mannerat the monkey's entrance, began to take alarm at once, and her blackface fell.

  "But he has just got to go," said Polly; "you know, boys, Grandpapa hassaid so." And Ben reiterating the same thing, the children declared,"Yes, he's going to Candace's."

  "And you are going down to see him," cried Polly. "Do hurry, Ben, wemust take him right straight off, 'cause they want to go to Candace'sshop just as soon as ever they can."

  So pretty soon the depot carriage, so called because it was one of thevehicles for common use in the establishment, being all ready, withThomas, whip in hand, quite equipped for the start, Polly and Ben helpedCandace in, or rather Polly did, Ben having quite as much as he could doto take care of Jocko; then Polly hopped in, and then Ben, with Jockocrowding in between his legs, got in with some difficulty.

  "Oh, wait, do wait," begged Davie, before the door was shut. "I want tobid him good-by."

  "Oh, Dave, you are going to see him in a little while," cried Joel,trying to pull him back, "just as soon as we get down to Candace'sshop."

  But David persisted. "He's going away," he said, "and I shall bid himgood-by from here."

  "Yes," said Polly, "I think he ought to, Ben, because Jocko is goingaway from this home."

  So David climbed up on the carriage steps and shook Jocko's paw, andsaid "Good-by" two or three times, because from the monkey's face hedidn't seem to realize the parting at all.

  And then, as David had done it, why, Joel concluded that after all hewanted to. So up he climbed on the carriage step, and went through thesame performance. Only he shook both of Jocko's paws. And then, ofcourse, Percy and Van had to do the same thing, each being a littlelonger than the other about it.

  And then little Dick piped up, standing on his tiptoes, "It's my turn;I'm going to bid my Jocko good-by, I am."

  "Yes, do lift him up, Joe," said Ben.

  So Joel gave little Dick a good fine lift, Dickie protesting soviolently that he was going to get up on the carriage step himself, andtrying to kick off any assistance, that he was precipitated to the floorof the carriage in a small heap.

  "Dear me!" exclaimed Ben, huddling up Jocko, who pretended to be verymuch frightened, "this is a circus, I'm sure."

  "Well now, Dick, hurry and say good-by," said Polly, "for Grandpapaexpects us to start right off. And now, Phronsie. Come, pet!" as littleDick shook Jocko's paws briskly and tumbled out.

  Phronsie, who had waited patiently till her turn came to say good-by,now put out her arms. "Take me, Polly," she said.

  "Yes, I will," said Polly, flying out of the carriage. So Phronsie waslifted in, when she laid her soft little cheek on Jocko's wrinkled face."I love you," she said, "and you are going to Candace's house."

  "Oh, Phronsie," exclaimed Ben, with a grimace, trying to draw Jocko off.

  But Phronsie was not quite through, so she held fast.

  "And I'm coming to see you," she finished. Then she held up her arms forPolly to lift her out.

  And then Polly hopped in again, Thomas cracked the whip, and off theywent, Jocko showing a grinning face at the window, as long as thechildren were in sight. Then he sat up straight and looked the stoutblack figure on the opposite seat all over with extreme condescension.