CHAPTER VI A CIRCULATING LIBRARY

reoverthesideofthelanternframe,andkissinghishandtotheaudienceasawell-bredCupidissupposedtodoonmakinghisbow. Thelittlegirlsclappedandstampedenthusiastically,whileSancho,whohadbeencalmlysurveyingtheshow,barkedhisapprovalasheleapeduptosnapatBen'sfeet. "ComedownandtellwhatyoudidupattheSquire's.Washecross?Didyouhavetoworkhard?Doyoulikeit?"askedBab,whenthenoisehadsubsided. "It'scooleruphere,"answeredBen,composinghimselfintheframe,andfanninghishotfacewithagreenspraybrokenfromthetallbushesrustlingodorouslyallabouthim."Ididallsortsofjobs.Theoldgentlemanwasn'tcrosshegavemeadime,andIlikehimfirst-rate.ButIjusthate'Carrots'heswearsatafeller,andfiredastickofwoodatme.GuessI'llpayhimoffwhenIgetachance." Fumblinginhispockettoshowthebrightdime,hefoundthetornpage,andrememberedthethirstforinformationwhichhadseizedhiminthemorning."Lookhere,tellmeaboutthis,willyou?Whatarethesechapsupto?Theinkhasspoiltallbutthepictureandthisbitofreading.Iwanttoknowwhatitmeans.Takeitto'em,Sanch." Thedogcaughttheleafasitflutteredtotheground,andcarryingitcarefullyinhismouth,depositeditatthefeetofthelittlegirls,seatinghimselfbeforethemwithanairofdeepinterest.BabandBettypickeditupandreaditaloudinunison,whileBenleanedfromhisperchtolistenandlearn. "'Whendaydawned,landwasvisible.Apleasantlanditwas.Thereweregayflowers,andtalltreeswithleavesandfruit,suchastheyhadneverseenbefore.Ontheshorewereuncladcopper-coloredmen,gazingwithwonderattheSpanishships.Theytookthemforgreatbirds,thewhitesailsfortheirwings,andtheSpaniardsforsuperiorbeingsbroughtdownfromheavenontheirbacks." "Why,that'sColumbusfindingSanSalvador.Don'tyouknowabouthim?"demandedBab,asifshewereoneofthe"superiorbeings,"andintimatelyacquaintedwiththeimmortalChristopher. "No,Idon't.Whowasheanyway?Is'posethat'shimpaddlin'aheadbutwhichoftheInjunsisSamSalvindoor?"askedBen,ratherashamedofhisignorance,butbentonfindingoutn