CHAPTER XV BEN'S RIDE

elfupinthecoolgrassforanap,lookingsolikeatiredlittieoldmaninafurcoatthatthechildrenwereneverwearyofwatchinghim. Meantime,MissCeliahadcomeout,andwastalkingItaliantoGiacomoinawaythatdelightedhishomesickheart.ShehadbeentoNaples,andcouldunderstandhislongingforthelovelycityofhisbirth,sotheyhadalittlechatinthelanguagewhichisallMusic,andthegoodfellowwassogratefulthatheplayedforthechildrentodancetilltheyweregladtostop,lingeringafterwardasifhehatedtosetoutagainuponhislonely,dustywalk. "I'dratherliketotramproundwithhimforaweekorso.Couldmakeenoughtoliveonaseasyasnot,ifIonlyIhadSanchtoshowoff,"saidBen,ashewascoaxingJackointothesuitwhichhedetested."Yougowidme,yes?"askedtheman,noddingandsmiling,wellpleasedattheprospectofcompany,forhisquickeyeandwhattheboysletfallintheirtalkshowedhimthatBenwasnotoneofthem. "IfIhadmydogI'dloveto,"andwithsadeagernessBentoldthetaleofhisloss,forthethoughtofitwasneverlongoutofhismind. "ItinkIseedrolldoglikehe,wayoffinNewYork.Hedoleetletrickwidletter,anddance,andgoonhehead,andmanytingstomakelaugh,"saidtheman,whenhehadlistenedtoalistofSanch'sbeautiesandaccomplishments. "Whohadhim?"askedThorny,fullofinterestatonce. "AmanInotknow.Crossfellowwhatbeathimwhenhedolettersbad." "Didhespellhisname?"criedBen,breathlessly. "Nothatforwhymanbeathim.HenameGenerale,andhegospellSanchoalltimes,andcrywhenwhipfallonhim.Ha!yes!thatnametrueonenotGenerale?"andthemannodded,wavedhishands,andshowedhisteeth,almostasmuchexcitedastheboys. "It'sSanch!let'sgoandgethimnow,rightoff!criedBen,inafevertobegone. "Ahundredmilesaway,andnocluebutthisman'sstory?Wemustwaitalittle,Ben,andbesurebeforewesetout,"saidMissCelia,readytodoalmostanything,butnotsocertainastheboys."Whatsortofadogwasit?Alarge,curly,whitepoodle,withaqueertail?"sheaskedofGiacomo. "No,Signorinamia,henocurly,nowiteheblack,smoothdog,litteltail,small,so"andthemanhelduponebrownfingerwithagesturewhichsuggestedashort,waggingtail. "There,youseehowmistakenwewere.DogsareoftennamedSancho,especiallySpanishpoodlesfortheoriginalSanchowasaSpaniard,youknow.Thisdogisnotours,andI'msosorry." Theboys'faceshadfallendismallyastheirhopewasdestroyedbutBenwouldnotgiveup.ForhimtherewasandcouldbeonlyoneSanchointheworld,andhisquickwitssuggestedanexplanationwhichnooneelsethoughtof. "Itmaybemydog,—theycolor'emasweusedtopaintovertrickhorses.Itoldyouhewasavaluablechap,andthosethatstolehimhidehimthatway,elsehe'dbenouse,don'tyousee?becausewe'dknowhim." "Buttheblackdoghadnotail,"beganThorny,longingtobeconvinced,butstilldoubtful. Benshiveredasifthemerethoughthurthim,ashesaid,inagrimtone,— "TheymighthavecutSanch'soff." "Oh,no!no!theymustn't,—theywouldn't!HowCouldanyonebesowicked?"criedBabandBetty,horrifiedatthesuggestion. "Youdon'tknowwhatsuchfellowswoulddotomakeallsafe,sotheycoulduseadogtoearntheirlivingfor'em,"saidBen,withmysterioussignificance,quiteforgettinginhiswraththathehadjustproposedtogethisownlivinginthatwayhimself. "Henoyourdog?SorryInotfindhimforyou.Addio,signorina!Grazia,signor!Buongiorno,buongiorno!"and,kissinghishand,theItalianshoulderedorganandmonkey,readytogo. MissCeliadetainedhimlongenoughtogivehimheraddress,andbeghimtoletherknowifhemetpoorSanchinanyofhiswanderingsforsuchitinerantshowmenoftencrosseachother'spaths.BenandThornywalkedtotheschool-cornerwithhim,gettingmoreexactinformationabouttheblackdogandhisowner,fortheyhadnointentionofgivingitupsosoon. Thatveryevening,ThornywrotetoaboycousininNewYork,givingalltheparticularsofthecase,andbegginghimtohuntuptheman,investigatethedog,andseethatthepolicemadesurethateverythingwasright.Muchrelievedbythisperformance,theboyswaitedanxiouslyforareply,andwhenitcamefoundlittlecomfortinit.CousinHoracehaddonehisdutylikeaman,butregrettedthathecouldonlyreportafailure.Theowneroftheblackpoodlewasasuspiciouscharacter,buttoldastraightstory,howhehadboughtthedogfromastranger,andexhibitedhimwithsuccesstillhewasstolen.Knewnothingofhishistory,andwasverysorrytolosehim,forhewasaremarkablycleverbeast. "Itoldmydog-mantolookaboutforhim,buthesayshehasprobablybeenk