“I’ll fix it,” and Ben went up the pine like a squirrel, tied a stout knot, and swung himself down again before Thorny could get out of the chair.
“My patience! what a spry boy!” exclaimed Randa, admiringly.
“That’s nothing; you ought to see me shin up a smooth tent-pole,” said Ben, rubbing the pitch off his hands, with a boastful wag of the head.
“You can go, Randa. Just hand me my cushion and books, Ben; then you can sit in the chair while I talk to you,” commanded Thorny, tumbling into the hammock.
“What’s he goin’ to say to me?” wondered Ben to himself, as he sat down with Sanch sprawling among the wheels.
ben and thorny in the grove.
“Now, Ben, I think you’d better learn a hymn; I always used to when I was a little chap, and it is a good thing to do Sundays,” began the new teacher with a patronizing air, which ruffled his pupil as much as the opprobrious term “little chap.”
“I’ll be—whew—if I do!” whistled Ben, stopping an oath just in time.
“It is not polite to whistle in company,” said Thorny, with great dignity.