CHAPTER XIX SPEAKING PIECES

clearideaofthedifficulty,— "Samdidn'tlikeitbecauseBenjumpedfartherthanhedid—" "AndhesaidBenoughttobeinthepoor-house." "AndBensaidheoughttobeinitpigpen." "Sohehad!—suchagreedything,bringinglovelybigapples,andnotgivinganyoneasinglebite!" "Thenhewasmad,andwealllaughedandhesaid,'Wanttofight?' "AndBensaid,'No,thanky,notmuchfuninpoundingafeather-bed.'" "Oh,hewasawfullymadthen,andchasedBenupthebigmaple." "He'stherenow,forSamwon'tlethimcomedowntillhetakesitallback." "Benwon'tandIdobelievehe'llhavetostayupallnight,"saidBetty,distressfully. "Hewon'tcare,andwe'llhavefunfiringuphissupper.Nutcakesandcheesewillgosplendidlyandmaybebakedpearswouldn'tgetsmashed,he'ssuchagoodcatch,"addedBab,decidedlyrelishingtheprospect. "Ifhedoesnotcomebytea-time,wewillgoandlookafterhim.ItseemstomeIhaveheardsomethingaboutSam'stroublinghimbefore,haven'tI?"askedMissCelia,readytodefendherprotegeagainstallunfairpersecution. "Yes,'m,SamandMosearealwaysplaguingBen.Theyarebigboys,andwecan'tmakethemstop.Iwon'tletthegirlsdoit,andthelittleboysdon'tdareto,sinceTeacherspoketothem."answeredBab. "WhydoesnotTeacherspeaktothebigones? "Benwon'ttellofthem,orletus.Hesayshe'llfighthisownbattles,andhatestell-tales.Iguesshewon'tliketohaveustellyou,butIdon'tcare,foritistoobad!"andBettylookedreadytocryoverherfriend'stribulations. "I'mgladyoudid,forIwillattendtoit,andstopthissortofthing,"saidMissCelia,afterthechildrenhadtoldsomeofthetormentingspeecheswhichhadtriedpoorBen. JustthenThornyappeared,lookingmuchamused,andthelittlegirlsbothcalledoutinabreath,"DidyouseeBenandgethimdown?" "Hegothimselfdownintheneatestwayyoucanimagine"andThornylaughedattherecollection. "WhereisSam?"askedBab. "StaringupattheskytoseewhereBenhasflownto." "Oh,tellaboutit!"beggedBetty. "Well,IcamealongandfoundBentreed,andSamstoninghim.Istoppedthatatonce,andtoldthe'fatboy'tobeoff.Hesaidhewouldn'ttillBenbeggedhispardonandBensaidhewouldn'tdoit,ifhestayedupforaweek.Iwasjustpreparingtogivethatrascalascientificthrashing,whenaloadofhaycamealong,andBendroppedontoitsoquietlythatSam,whowastryingtobullyme,neversawhimgo.Ittickledmeso,ItoldSamIguessedI'dlethimoffthattime,andwalkedaway,leavinghimtohuntforBen,andwonderwherethedickenshehadvanishedto." TheideaofSam'sbewildermentamusedtheothersasmuchasThorny,andtheyallhadagoodlaughoveritbeforeMissCeliaasked,— "WherehasBengonenow?" "Oh,he'lltakealittleride,andthenslipdownandracehomefullofthefunofit.ButI'vegottosettleSam.Iwon'thaveourBenhectoredbyanyone—" "Butyourself,"putinhissister,withaslysmile,forThornywasratherdomineeringattimes. "Hedoesn'tmindmypokinghimupnowandthen,it'sgoodforhimandIalwaystakehispartagainstotherpeople.Samisabully,andsoisMoseandI'llthrashthembothiftheydon'tstop." Anxioustocurbherbrother'spugnaciouspropensities,MissCeliaproposedmildermeasures,promisingtospeaktotheboysherselfiftherewasanymoretrouble. "Ihavebeenthinkingthatweshouldhavesomesortofmerry-makingforBenonhisbirthday.MyplanwasaverysimpleonebutIwillenlargeit,andhavealltheyoungfolkscome,andBenshallbekingofthefun.heneedsencouragementinwell-doing,forhedoestryandnowthefirsthardpartisnearlyover,Iamsurehewillgetonbravely.Ifwetreathimwithrespect,andshowourregardforhim,otherswillfollowourexampleandthatwillbebetterthanfightingabo