CHAPTER XII GOOD TIMES

EveryonewasverykindtoBenwhenhislosswasknown.TheSquirewrotetoMr.Smithersthattheboyhadfoundfriendsandwouldstaywherehewas.Mrs.Mossconsoledhiminhermotherlyway,andthelittlegirlsdidtheirverybestto"begoodtopoorBenny."ButMissCeliawashistruestcomforter,andcompletelywonhisheart,notonlybythefriendlywordsshesaidandthepleasantthingsshedid,butbytheunspokensympathywhichshoweditselfjustattherightminute,inalook,atouch,asmile,morehelpfulthananyamountofcondolence.Shecalledhim"myman,"andBentriedtobeone,bearinghistroublesobravelythatsherespectedhim,althoughhewasonlyalittleboy,becauseitpromisedwellforthefuture. Thenshewassohappyherself,itwasimpossibleforthoseabouthertobesad,andBensoongrewcheerfulagaininspiteoftheverytendermemoryofhisfatherlaidquietlyawayinthesafestcornerofhisheart.Hewouldhavebeenaveryunboyishboyifhehadnotbeenhappy,forthenewplacewassuchapleasantone,hesoonfeltasif,forthefirsttime,hereallyhadahome.Nomoregrubbingnow,butdailytaskswhichnevergrewtiresome,theyweresovariedandsolight.NomorecrossPatstotryhistemper,butthesweetestmistressthateverwas,sincepraisewasofteneronherlipsthanblame,andgratitudemadewillingserviceadelight. Atfirst,itseemedasiftherewasgoingtobetroublebetweenthetwoboysforThornywasnaturallymasterful,andillnesshadlefthimweakandnervous,sohewasoftenbothdomineeringandpetulant.Benhadbeentaughtinstantobediencetothoseolderthanhimself,andifThornyhadbeenamanBenwouldhavemadenocomplaintbutitwashardtobe"orderedround"byaboy,andanunreasonableoneintothebargain. AwordfromMissCeliablewawaythethreateningcloud,howeverandforhersakeherbrotherpromisedtotrytobepatientforhersakeBendeclaredheneverwould"getmad"ifMr.Thornydidfidgetandbothverysoonforgotallaboutmasterandmanandlivedtogetherliketwofriendlylads,takingeachother'supsanddownsgood-naturedly,andfindingmutualpleasureandprofitinthenewcompanionship. Theonlypointonwhichtheynevercouldagreewaslegs,andmanyaheartylaughdidtheygiveMissCeliabytheirwarmandseriousdiscussionofthisvexedquestion.ThornyinsistedthatBenwasbowleggedBenresentedtheepithet,anddeclaredthatthelegsofallgoodhorsemenmusthaveaslightcurve,andanyonewhoknewanythingaboutthematterwouldacknowledgebothitsnecessityanditsbeauty.ThenThornyWouldobservethatitmightbeallverywellinthesaddle,butitmadeamanwaddlelikeaduckwhenafootwhereatBenwouldretortthat,forhispart,hewouldratherwaddlelikeaduckthantumbleaboutlikeahorsewiththestaggers.Hehadhisopponentthere,forpoorThornydidlookverylikeaweak-kneedcoltwhenhetriedtowalkbuthewouldneverownit,andcamedownuponBenwithcrushingallusionstocentaurs,ortheGreeksandRomans,whowerefamousbothfortheirhorsemanshipandfinelimbs.Bencouldnotanswerthat,exceptbyproudlyreferringtothechariot-racescopiedfromtheancients,inwhichhehadborneapart,whichwasmorethansomefolkswithlonglegscouldsay.Gentlemenneverdidthatsortofthing,nordidtheytwittheirbestfriendswiththeirmisfortunes,Thornywouldremarkcastingapensiveglanceathisthinhands,longingthewhiletogiveBenagoodshaking.Thishintwouldremindtheotherofhisyoungmaster'slatesufferingsandallheowedhisdearmistressandheusuallyendedthecontroversybyturningafewlivelysomersaultsasaventforhisswellingwrath,andcomeupwithhistemperallrightagain.Or,ifThornyhappenedtobeinthewheeledchair,hewouldtrothimroundthegardenatapacewhichnearlytookhisbreathaway,therebyprovingthatif"bow-legs"werenotbeautifultosomebenightedbeingstheywere"goodtogo." Thornylikedthat,andwoulddropthesubjectforthetimebypolitelyintroducingsomemoreagreeabletopicsotheimpendingquarrelwouldendinalaughoversomeboyishjoke,andtheword"legs"beavoidedbymutualconsenttillaccidentbroughtitupagain. Thespiritofrivalryishiddeninthebestofus,andisahelpfulandinspiringpowerifweknowhowtouseit.MissCeliaknewthis,andtriedtomaketheladshelponeanotherbymeansofit,—notinboastfulorungenerouscomparisonofeac