“It’s his pet name,” answered Mr. Martin. “Though he does get into trouble now and then. But we must let you rest. Please stay here as long as you like, and you must not go until we have had another talk. I may be able to find out-of-doors work for you that will not be as hard as farming or as work on shipboard.”
“I wish you could!” said Uncle Ben eagerly. “I want to work. I don’t like being a tramp. And I want to be a real Uncle Ben to these Curlytops!” and he smiled at Ted and Jan.
“I ’ikes you!” said Trouble again. “You be my Unk Ben, too?”
“If you want me to, I will,” was the smiling answer.
“Yes—me wants!” said Trouble, as if that settled it. And not until then did he slip down out of the comfortable lap.
“It’s nice to have an Uncle Ben, isn’t it?” asked Ted of Janet after they had left the room.
“Awful nice,” she replied. “I hope he’ll stay with us forever.”
“And I hope Tom and I can catch the burglars and get back Miss Ransom’s queer box,” said Teddy. “Maybe she’ll give us a reward.”
“I’d rather get back Skyrocket than the box,” said Janet. “But course I want Miss Ransom to get her box too. But I want Skyrocket most of all!”
“Oh, so do I!” exclaimed her brother. “Oh, Jan!” he cried. “I just thought of it! Maybe the burglars took our dog!”