"Oh, Ben, do put it down," begged Polly.
"All right," said Ben, depositing the stick on the table. "Lie there, but see that you behave, Mr. Jocko."
"He says he will," said Polly, with a laugh, as Jocko gave a little scream, his sugar being all gone. Then he began to hunt for more, puckering up his forehead in the search. He was quite sure there were two pieces, and he must hurry and get the last one. So he pulled and pawed and scratched and scrabbled over Jasper in his efforts to reach all his pockets that might be possible, Ben laughing as much as the other two in the process.
At last Polly looked up, "Oh, you are getting tired, Jasper," she exclaimed in dismay.
"I believe I am," confessed Jasper; "my sides fairly ache with the laughing. But don't take Jocko away," he said, clinging to him.
"Well, we ought to," said Ben, "for you are tired, and my sides ache, too."
"We might tie Jocko up for a while," suggested Polly, who hadn't the heart to go against Jasper's wish.
"That's it, tie him up till I'm a bit rested," said Jasper, eagerly. "Here, Jocko, go with your mistress," and he put the chain in Polly's hand.
"Well, where is a good place?" asked Polly, twitching Jocko off from Jasper's knee. "Come on, Ben, where shall we tie him?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Ben, looking about him doubtfully. "Why, to the door-knob, perhaps."