CHAPTER XXIII SOMEBODY COMES

china,andcoveredthetablewithfoodenoughforadozen,thankingherstarsthatitwasbakingday,andeverythinghadturnedoutwell.Benandhisfathersattalkingbythewindowtilltheywerebiddento"drawupandhelpthemselves"withsuchhospitablewarmththateverythinghadanextrarelishtothehungrypair. Benpausedoccasionallytostroketherustycoat-sleevewithbread-and-butteryfingerstoconvincehimselfthat"Daddy"hadreallycome,andhisfatherdisposedofvariousinconvenientemotionsbyeatingasiffoodwasunknowninCalifornia.Mrs.Mossbeamedoneveryonefrombehindthebigtea-potlikeamildfullmoon,whileBabandBettykeptinterruptingoneanotherintheireagernesstotellsomethingnewaboutBenandhowSanchlosthistail. "NowyouletMr.Browntalkalittleweallwanttohearhowhe'camealive,'asyoucallit,"saidMrs.Moss,astheydrewroundthefireinthe"settin'-room,"leavingthetea-thingstotakecareofthemselves. Itwasnotalongstory,butaveryinterestingonetothiscircleoflistenersallaboutthewildlifeontheplainstradingformustangs,theterriblekickfromavicioushorsethatnearlykilledBen,sen.,thelongmonthsofunconsciousnessintheCaliforniahospital,theslowrecovery,thejourneyback,Mr.Smithers'staleoftheboy'sdisappearance,andthentheanxioustriptofindoutfromSquireAllenwherehenowwas. "IaskedthehospitalfolkstowriteandtellyouassoonasIknewwhetherIwasonmyheadormyheels,andtheypromisedbuttheydidn'tsoIcameofftheminuteIcould,andworkedmywayback,expectingtofindyouattheoldplace.Iwasafraidyou'dhavewornoutyourwelcomehereandgoneoffagain,foryouareasfondoftravellingasyourfather." "Iwantedtosometimes,butthefolkshereweresodreadfulgoodtomeIcouldn't,"confessedBen,secretlysurprisedtofindthattheprospectofgoingoffwithDaddyevencosthimapangofregret,fortheboyhadtakenrootinthefriendlysoil,andwasnolongerawanderingthistle-down,tossedaboutbyeverywindthatblew. "IknowwhatIowe'em,andyouandIwillworkoutthatdebtbeforewedie,orournameisn'tB.B.,"saidMr.Brown,withanemphaticslaponhisknee,whichBenimitatedhalfunconsciouslyasheexclaimedheartily,— "That'sso!"adding,morequietly,"Whatareyougoingtodonow?GobacktoSmithersandtheoldbusiness?" "Notlikely,afterthewayhetreatedyou,Sonny.I'vehaditoutwithhim,andhewon'twanttoseemeagaininahurry,"answeredMr.Brown,withasuddenkindlingoftheeyethatremindedBabofBen'sfacewhenheshookherafterlosingSancho. "There'smorecircusesthanhisintheworldbutI'llhavetolimberouteversomuchbeforeI'mgoodformuchinthatline,"saidtheboy,stretchinghisstoutarmsandlegswithacuriousmixtureofsatisfactionandregret. "You'vebeenlivingincloverandgotfat,yourascal,"andhisfathergavehimapokehereandthere,asMr.SqueersdidtheplumpWackford,whendisplayinghimasaspecimenofthefinedietatDo-the-boysHall."Don'tbelieveIcouldputyouupnowifItried,forIhaven'tgotmystrengthbackyet,andwearebothoutofpractice.It'sjustaswell,forI'veaboutmadeupmymindtoquitthebusinessandsettledownsomewhereforaspell,ifIcangetanythingtodo,"continuedtherider,foldinghisarmsandgazingthoughtfullyintothefire. "Ishouldn'two