"Well, Jocko it is," said Jasper, laughing. "Oh, I wish we had some peanuts to give him," he said suddenly.
"I'll run down town and get some," said Ben.
"Don't be gone long," begged Jasper.
"No, sir," said Ben, and he was off.
Polly and all the others must be just about midway to the country town where they were to stop for supper—Ben couldn't help but think of it as he dashed down the frozen driveway that gave out such a delightful "scrunch, scrunch" to his hurrying feet. He drew his breath hard, thrust his hands in his pockets, and whistled. Oh, how gloriously the winter sunshine glistened across the snow on the lawn, and how the gay equipages with their merry loads swept by him, as he turned into the thoroughfare! He whistled harder than ever until he remembered that Mamsie didn't like him to do such things on the street; then he stopped and set out on a run, that presently brought him up to the little store where Polly always bought her bird-seed. Hurrying in he bought a bagful of peanuts; then out again and home—unchained Jocko in the small room over the stable, and dashed upstairs.
Jocko, who seemed to know at once there were peanuts in the bag dangling from Ben's other hand, got between Ben's legs at every possible chance, thus impeding the progress seriously.
"Oh, you rascal!" exclaimed Ben, shaking the bag at him, "you shan't have one if you don't behave," and he shortened his grip on the chain to keep Jocko on one side if possible.
Jocko wrinkled up his eyelids and teased and whined, sending out a brisk paw to snatch the bag if possible.
"Be still," said Ben, giving him a cuff with the bag, "and come on and don't dance all over those stairs. Oh, such a piece of work!" he declared, at last going into Jasper's room.
"Have you come at last!" said Jasper, turning an eager face to him.