CHAPTER V BEN GETS A PLACE

aboutyourrunningawayandiftheSquiregivesyouajob,justthankhimforit,anddoyourbesttobesteadyandindustriousthenyou'llgeton,Ihaven'tadoubt,"shewhispered,ringingtheBenataside-door,onwhichtheword"Morris"shoneinbrightletters. "Comein!"calledagruffvoiceand,feelingverymuchasifheweregoingtohaveatoothout,Benmeeklyfollowedthegoodwoman,whoputonherpleasantestsmile,anxioustomakethebestpossibleimpression. Awhite-headedoldgentlemansatreadingapaper,andpeeredoverhisglassesatthenew-comerswithapairofsharpeyes,sayinginatestytone,whichwouldhaveratherdauntedanyonewhodidnotknowwhatakindhearthehadunderhiscapaciouswaistcoat,— "Good-morning,ma'am.What'sthematternow?Youngtrampbeenstealingyourchickens?" "Oh,dearno,sir!"exclaimedMrs.Moss,asifshockedattheidea.Then,inafewwords,shetoldBen'sstory,unconsciouslymakinghiswrongsanddestitutionsopatheticbyherlooksandtones,thattheSquirecouldnothelpbeinginterested,andevenBenpitiedhimselfasifheweresomebodyelse. "Now,then,boy,whatcanyoudo?"askedtheoldgentleman,withanapprovingnodtoMrs.Mossasshefinished,andsuchakeenglancefromunderhisbushybrowsthatBenfeltasifhewasperfectlytransparent. "'Mostanything,sir,togetmylivin'." "Canyouweed?" "Neverdid,butIcanlearn,sir." "Pullupallthebeetsandleavethepigweed,hey?Canyoupickstrawberries?" "Nevertriedanythingbuteatin''em,sir," "Notlikelytoforgetthatpartofthejob.Canyourideahorsetoplow?" "GuessIcould,sir!"—andBen'seyesbegantosparkle,forhedearlylovedthenobleanimalswhohadbeenhisdearestfriendslately. "Noanticsallowed.Myhorseisafinefellow,andI'mveryparticularabouthim."TheSquirespokesoberly,buttherewasatwinkleinhiseye,andMrs.MosstriednottosmilefortheSquire'shorsewasajokealloverthetown,beingabouttwentyyearsold,andhavingapeculiargaitofhisown,liftinghisfore-feetveryhigh,withagreatshowofspeed,thoughnevergoingoutofajog-trot.Theboysusedtosayhegallopedbeforeandwalkedbehind,andmadeallsortsoffunofthebig,Roman-nosedbeast,whoallowednolibertiestobetakenwithhim. "I'mtoofondofhorsestohurt'em,Sir.Asforridin',Iain'tafraidofanythingonfourlegs.TheKingofMoroccousedtokickandbitelikefun,butIcouldmanagehimfirst-rate." "Thenyou'dbeabletodrivecowstopasture,perhaps?" "I'vedroveelephantsandcamels,ostrichesandgrizzlybear