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17 - Under the Lilacs (version 3, dramatic reading) by Louisa May Alcott · U.S. Marine Operations in Korea - The Pusan Perimeter

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Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen of Under the Lilacs by Louisa may Alcot.
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Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Under the Lilacs by Louisa may Alcot,
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Speaker 1: chapter sixteen, Detective Thornton. A few days later, Miss Celia
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Speaker 1: was able to go about with her arm in a sling,
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Speaker 1: pale still and rather stiff, but so much better than
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Speaker 1: any one expected. That all agreed mister Payne was right
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Speaker 1: in pronouncing doctor Mills a master hand with broken bones.
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Speaker 1: Two devoted little maids waited on her, two eager pages
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Speaker 1: stood ready to run her errands, and friendly neighbors sent
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Speaker 1: in delicacies enough to keep these four young persons busily
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Speaker 1: employed in disposing of them. Every afternoon, the great Bambi
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Speaker 1: Blo lounging chair was brought out, and the interesting invalid
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Speaker 1: conducted to it by stout Randa, who was head nurse,
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Speaker 1: and followed by a train of shawl, cushion, footstool and
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Speaker 1: book bearers, who buzzed about like swarming bees round a
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Speaker 1: new queen. When all were settled, the little maids sewed
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Speaker 1: and the pages read aloud, with much conversation by the way,
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Speaker 1: For one of the rules was that all should listen attentively,
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Speaker 1: and if anyone did not understand what was read, he
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Speaker 1: or she should ask to have it explained on the spot.
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Speaker 1: Whoever could answer was invited to do so, and at
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Speaker 1: the end of the reading, miss Celia could ask any
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Speaker 1: she liked or add any explanations which seemed necessary. In
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Speaker 1: this way, much pleasure and profit was extracted from the
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Speaker 1: tales Ben and Thorny read, and much unexpected knowledge, as
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Speaker 1: well as ignorance displayed, not to mention piles of neatly
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Speaker 1: hemmed towels for which bab and Betty were paid like
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Speaker 1: regular sewing women. So vacation was not all play, and
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Speaker 1: the girls found their picnics, berry parties, and goin a
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Speaker 1: visitin all the more agreeable for the quiet hour spent
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Speaker 1: with miss Celia. Thorny had improved wonderfully and was getting
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Speaker 1: to be quite energetic, especially since his sister's accident, for
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Speaker 1: while she was laid up, he was the head of
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Speaker 1: the house and much enjoyed his promotion. But Ben did
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Speaker 1: not seem to flourish as he had done. At first,
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Speaker 1: the loss of Sancho preyed upon him sadly, and the
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Speaker 1: longing to go and find his dog grew into such
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Speaker 1: a strong temptation that he could hardly resist it. He
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Speaker 1: said little about it, but now and then a word
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Speaker 1: escaped him which might have enlightened any one who chanced
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Speaker 1: to be watching him. No one was just then, so
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Speaker 1: he brooded over this fancy day by day in silence
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Speaker 1: and solitude, for there was no riding and driving now.
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Speaker 1: Thorny was busy with his sister, trying to show her
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Speaker 1: that he remembered how good she had been to him
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Speaker 1: when he was ill, And the little girls had their
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Speaker 1: own affairs. Miss Celia was the first to observe the change,
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Speaker 1: having nothing to do but lie on the sofa and
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Speaker 1: amuse herself by seeing others work or play. Ben was
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Speaker 1: bright enough at the readings, because then he forgot his troubles.
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Speaker 1: But when they were over and his various duties done,
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Speaker 1: he went to his room or sought consolation with Leta,
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Speaker 1: being sober and quiet, and quite unlike the merry monkey,
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Speaker 1: all knew and liked so well. Thorny was the matter
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Speaker 1: with Ben, asked miss Celia. One day when she and
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Speaker 1: her brother were alone in the green parlor, as they
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Speaker 1: called the Lilac tree.
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Speaker 2: Walk reading about sanch, I suppose I declared, I wish
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Speaker 2: that dog had never been born. Losing him is just
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Speaker 2: about spoiled. Ben, not a bit of fun left in him,
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Speaker 2: and he won't have anything I offered to cheer him up.
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Speaker 1: Thorny spoke impatiently and knit his brows over the pressed
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Speaker 1: flowers he was neatly gumming into his herbal.
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Speaker 3: I wonder if it has anything on his mind. He
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Speaker 3: acts as if he was hiding on trouble he didn't
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Speaker 3: dare to tell. Have you talked with him about it?
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Speaker 1: Asked miss Celia, looking as if she was hiding a trouble.
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Speaker 1: She did not like to tell.
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Speaker 2: Oh. Yes, I poke him up now and then, but
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Speaker 2: he gets peppery, so I let him alone. Maybe he
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Speaker 2: is longing for his old circus again. Shouldn't blame him
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Speaker 2: much if he was. It isn't very lively here, and
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Speaker 2: he's used to excitement.
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Speaker 3: You know, I hope it isn't that. Do you think
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Speaker 3: he will slip away without telling us and go back
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Speaker 3: to the old life again.
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Speaker 2: Don't believe he would. Ben isn't a bit of a sneak,
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Speaker 2: and that's why I like it.
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Speaker 3: Have you ever found him sly or untrue anyway.
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Speaker 1: Asked miss Celia, lowering her voice.
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Speaker 2: No, he's as fair and square a fellow as I
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Speaker 2: ever saw. A little bit low now and then, but
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Speaker 2: he doesn't mean it and wants to be a gentleman.
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Speaker 2: Only he never lived with one before, and it's all
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Speaker 2: new to him. I'll get him polished up after a while.
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Speaker 3: Oh, Corny, there are three peacocks on the place, and
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Speaker 3: you are the finest.
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Speaker 1: Laughed miss Celia, as her brother spoke in his most
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Speaker 1: condescending way, with a lift of the eyebrows. Very droll
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Speaker 1: to see.
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Speaker 2: And two donkeys. And Ben's the biggest. Not to know
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Speaker 2: when he is well off and.
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Speaker 1: Happy, retorted the gentleman, slapping a dried specimen on the
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Speaker 1: page as if he were pounding. Discontented Ben, come here
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Speaker 1: and let me tell you something which worries me. I
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Speaker 1: would not breathe it to another soul, but I feel
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Speaker 1: rather helpless, and I dare say you can manage the
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Speaker 1: matter better than I. Looking much mystified, Thorny went and
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Speaker 1: sat on the stool at his sister's feet, while she
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Speaker 1: whispered confidentially in his ear.
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Speaker 3: I've lost some money out of my drawer, and I'm
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Speaker 3: so afraid Ben took it.
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Speaker 2: But it's always locked up, and you keep the keys
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Speaker 2: of the drawer in the little room.
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Speaker 3: It is gone, nevertheless, and I've had my keys say
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Speaker 3: all the time, But.
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Speaker 2: Why think it? Is he any more than Ronda or
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Speaker 2: Katy or me?
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Speaker 3: Because I trust you three as I do myself. I've
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Speaker 3: known the girls for years, and you have no object
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Speaker 3: in taking it, since all I have is yours, dear, and.
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Speaker 2: All mine is yours. Of course, But Celia, how could
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Speaker 2: he do it? He can't pick locks, I know, for
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Speaker 2: we fussed over my desks together and had to break it.
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Speaker 3: After all, I never really thought it possible to to
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Speaker 3: day when you were playing ball and it went in
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Speaker 3: at the upper window and Ben climbed up the porch
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Speaker 3: after it. You remember you said if it had gone
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Speaker 3: in at the gary gable, you couldn't have done it
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Speaker 3: so well, and he answered, yes, I could. There isn't
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Speaker 3: a spout. I can't shin up or a bit of
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Speaker 3: this roof. I haven't been over.
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Speaker 2: So he did. But there is no spout. Near the
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Speaker 2: little room window, there's.
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Speaker 3: A tree and such a niegile boy as Ben could
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Speaker 3: swing in and out easily. Now, Thorny, I hate to
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Speaker 3: think this of him, but it has happened twice, and
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Speaker 3: for his own sake, I must stop it. If his
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Speaker 3: planning to run away, money is a good thing to have,
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Speaker 3: and he may feel that it is his own. For
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Speaker 3: you know, he asked me to put his wages in
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Speaker 3: a bank, and I did. He may not like to
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Speaker 3: come to me for that, because he can give no
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Speaker 3: good reason for wanting it. I'm so troubled. I really
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Speaker 3: don't know what to do.
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Speaker 1: She looked troubled, and Thorny put his arms about her,
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Speaker 1: as if to keep all worries but his own, away
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Speaker 1: from her.
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Speaker 2: Don't you, Fred Seilly, dear you leave it to me.
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Speaker 2: I'll fix him, ungrateful little scamp.
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Speaker 3: That is not the way to begin. I'm afraid you
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Speaker 3: will make him angry and hurt his feelings, and then
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Speaker 3: we can do nothing.
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Speaker 2: Bother his feelings. I shall just say, calmly and coolly,
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Speaker 2: now look here, Ben, hand over the money you took
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Speaker 2: out of my sister's drawer, and will let you off
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Speaker 2: easy or something like that.
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Speaker 3: It wouldn't do Thorny. His temper would be up in
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Speaker 3: a minute, and away he would go before he could
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Speaker 3: find out whether he was guilty or not. I wish
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Speaker 3: I knew how to manage.
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Speaker 1: Let me think, And Thorny leaned his chin on the
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Speaker 1: arm of the chair, staring hard at the knocker, as
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Speaker 1: if he expected the lion's mouth to open with words
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Speaker 1: of counsel. Then and there.
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Speaker 2: By, Jove, I do believe Ben ticket.
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Speaker 1: He broke out suddenly, For.
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Speaker 2: When I went to his room this morning to see
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Speaker 2: why he didn't come and do my boots, he shut
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Speaker 2: the drawer and his bureau as quick as a flash,
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Speaker 2: and looked red and queer, for I didn't knock, and
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Speaker 2: sort of startled.
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Speaker 3: He wouldn't be likely to put stolen money there. Ben
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Speaker 3: is too wise for that.
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Speaker 2: He wouldn't keep it there, but he might be looking
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Speaker 2: at it and pitch it in when I called. He's
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Speaker 2: hardly spoken to me since, and when I asked him
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Speaker 2: what his flag was at half masked, for he wouldn't answer. Besides,
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Speaker 2: you know, in the reading this afternoon he didn't listen.
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Speaker 2: And when you asked what he was thinking about, he
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Speaker 2: colored up and muttered something about sanch. I tell you, Celia,
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Speaker 2: it looks bad, very.
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Speaker 1: Bad, And Thorny shook his head with a wise air.
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Speaker 3: It does, and yet we may be all wrong. Let
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Speaker 3: us wait a little and give the poor boy a
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Speaker 3: chance to clear himself before we speak. I'd rather lose
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Speaker 3: money than suspect him falseley.
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Speaker 2: How much was it?
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Speaker 3: Eleven dollars? A one went first, and I suppose I'd
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Speaker 3: miscalculated somewhere when I took some out. But when I
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Speaker 3: missed a ten, I felt that I ought not to
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Speaker 3: let a pass.
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Speaker 2: Look here, sister, you just put the case into my
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Speaker 2: hands and let me work it up. I won't say
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Speaker 2: anything to Ben till you give the word, but I'll
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Speaker 2: watch him, and now that my eyes are open, it
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Speaker 2: won't be easy to deceive me.
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Speaker 1: Thorny was evidently pleased with the new play of detective
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Speaker 1: and intended to distinguish himself in that line, but when
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Speaker 1: miss Celia asked how he meant to begin, he could
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Speaker 1: only respond with a blank expression.
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Speaker 2: Don't know. You give me the keys and leave a
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Speaker 2: bill or two in the drawer, and maybe I can
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Speaker 2: find him out somehow.
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Speaker 1: So the keys were given and the little dressing room
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Speaker 1: where the old secretary stood, was closely watched. For a
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Speaker 1: day or two. Ben cheered up a trifle which looked
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Speaker 1: as if he knew an eye was upon him. But
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Speaker 1: otherwise he went on as usual, and Miss Celia, feeling
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Speaker 1: a little guilty at even harboring a suspicion of him,
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Speaker 1: was kind and patient with his moods. Thorny was very
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Speaker 1: funny in the unnecessary mystery and fuss he made, his
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Speaker 1: affectation of careless indifference to Ben's movements and his clumsy
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Speaker 1: attempts to watch every one of them, his dodgings up
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Speaker 1: and down stairs, ostentatious clanking of keys, and the elaborate
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Speaker 1: traps he set to catch his thief, such as throwing
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Speaker 1: his ball in at the dressing room window and sending
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Speaker 1: Ben up the tree to get it, which he did,
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Speaker 1: thereby proving beyond a doubt that he alone could have
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Speaker 1: taken the money. Thorny thought. Another deep discovery was that
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Speaker 1: the old drawer was so shrunken that the lock could
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Speaker 1: be pressed down by slipping a knife blade between the
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Speaker 1: hasp and socket.
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Speaker 2: Now it is as clear as day, and you'd better
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Speaker 2: let me speak.
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Speaker 1: He said, full of pride, as well as regret at
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Speaker 1: this triumphant success of his first attempt as a detective.
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Speaker 3: Not yet, and you need do nothing more. I'm afraid
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Speaker 3: it was a mistake of mine to let you do this,
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Speaker 3: and if it has boyed your friendship with Ben, I
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Speaker 3: shall be very sorry. For I do not think he
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Speaker 3: is guilty.
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Speaker 1: Answered Miss Celia, why not? And Thorny looked annoyed.
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Speaker 3: I've watched also, and he doesn't act like a deceitful
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Speaker 3: boy today. I ask him if he wanted any money
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Speaker 3: or should I put what I owe him with the rest,
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Speaker 3: and he looked me straight in the face with such honest,
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Speaker 3: grateful eyes I could not doubt him when he said,
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Speaker 3: keep it please, I don't need anything here. You're all
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Speaker 3: so good.
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Speaker 2: To me, now, Celia, don't you be soft hearted. He's
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Speaker 2: a sly little dog, and nose my eyes on him.
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Speaker 2: When I asked him what he saw in the dressing
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Speaker 2: room after he brought out the ball, and looked sharply
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Speaker 2: at him, he laughed and said, only a mouse, as
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Speaker 2: saucy as you please.
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Speaker 3: Do said the trap there. I heard the mouse nibbling
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Speaker 3: last night, and it kept me awake. We must have
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Speaker 3: a cat, or we shall be overrun.
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Speaker 2: Well, shall I give Ben a good blowing up? Or
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Speaker 2: will you?
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Speaker 1: Asked Thorny, scorning such poor prey as mice, and bound
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Speaker 1: to prove that he was in the right.
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Speaker 3: I'll let you know what I have decided in the morning.
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Speaker 3: Be kind to Ben meantime, or I shall feel as
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Speaker 3: if I had done you harm by letting you watch him.
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Speaker 1: So it was left for that day, and by the
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Speaker 1: next Miss Celia had made up her mind to speak
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Speaker 1: to Ben. She was just going down to breakfast when
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Speaker 1: the sound of loud voices made her pause and listen.
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Speaker 1: It came from Ben's room, where the two boys seemed
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Speaker 1: to be disputing about something.
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Speaker 3: I hope Thorny has kept his promise.
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Speaker 1: She thought, and hurried through the back entry, fearing a
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Speaker 1: general explosion. Ben's chamber was at the end, and she
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Speaker 1: could see and hear what was going on. Before she
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Speaker 1: was near enough to interfere, Ben stood against his closet door,
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Speaker 1: looking as fierce and red as a turkey cock. Thorny
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Speaker 1: sternly confronted him, saying, in an excited tone and with
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Speaker 1: a threatening gesture, you were.
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Speaker 2: Hiding something in there, and you can't deny it. I
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Speaker 2: don't better not. I insist on seeing it.
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Speaker 4: Well, you won't.
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Speaker 2: What have you been stealing now?
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Speaker 4: Didn't steal? It used to be mine. I only took
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Speaker 4: it when I wanted to.
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Speaker 2: I know what that means. You'd better give it back
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Speaker 2: or I'll make you.
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Speaker 1: Stop, cried a third voice, as Thorny put out his
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Speaker 1: arm to clutch Ben, who looked ready to defend himself
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Speaker 1: to the last gasp.
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Speaker 3: Boys, I was said, at this affair? Is there anything
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Speaker 3: hidden in the closet?
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Speaker 1: Ben and miss Celia came between the belligerent parties, with
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Speaker 1: her one hand up to part them. Thorny fell back
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Speaker 1: at once, looking half ashamed of his heat, and Ben
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Speaker 1: briefly answered with a gulp, as if shame or anger
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Speaker 1: made it hard to speak steadily.
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Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am, there is. Does it belong to you, Yes,
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Speaker 4: ma'am it does.
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Speaker 3: Where did you get it?
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Speaker 2: Of the Squire's That's a.
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Speaker 1: Lie, muttered Thorny to himself. Ben's eye flashed and his
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Speaker 1: fist doubled up in spite of him, but he restrained
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Speaker 1: himself out of respect for Miss Celia, who looked puzzled
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Speaker 1: as she asked another question. Not quite sure how to
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Speaker 1: proceed with the investigation.
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Speaker 3: Is it money, Ben, No, ma'am, it isn't. Then what
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Speaker 3: can it be?
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Speaker 1: Yew answered a fourth voice from the closet, and as
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Speaker 1: Ben flung open the door, a gray kitten walked out,
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Speaker 1: purring with satisfaction at her release. Miss Celia fell into
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Speaker 1: a chair and laughed till her eyes were full. Thorny
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Speaker 1: looked foolish, and Ben folded his arms, curled up his nose,
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Speaker 1: and regarded his accuser with calm defiance, while Pussy sat
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Speaker 1: down to wash her face, as if her morning toilette
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Speaker 1: had been interrupted by her sudden abduction.
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Speaker 2: That's all very well, but it doesn't men matters much,
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Speaker 2: so you needn't laugh.
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Speaker 1: Celia began, Thorny recovering himself and stubbornly bent on sifting
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Speaker 1: the case to the bottom.
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Speaker 4: Now he had begun, Well it would if you'd let
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Speaker 4: the fellow alone, She said, you wanted the cats, So
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Speaker 4: I went and got the one they gave me when
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Speaker 4: I was with the Squires, and when Hurley and took
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Speaker 4: her without asking, and I had.
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Speaker 1: A right to explained, Ben, much aggrieved by having his
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Speaker 1: surprise spoiled.
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Speaker 3: Oh it was very kind of you, and I'm glad
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Speaker 3: to have this nice kitty. We'll shut it up in
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Speaker 3: my room and catch the mindes that plagued.
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Speaker 1: Me, said miss Celia, picking up the little cat and
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Speaker 1: wondering how she would get her too angry boy safely downstairs.
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Speaker 2: The dressing room. She means, you know the way, and
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Speaker 2: you don't need the keys to get in.
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Speaker 1: Added Thorny, with such sarcastic emphasis that Ben felt some
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Speaker 1: insult was intended and promptly resented it.
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Speaker 4: You won't get me the clammy Moore trees after your balls,
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Speaker 4: and my cat won't catch it in your mice, so
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Speaker 4: you needn't ask.
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Speaker 2: Cats don't catch thieves, and they are what I'm after.
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Speaker 4: What do you mean by that?
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Speaker 1: Fiercely demanded ben.
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Speaker 2: Celia has lost some money out of her drawer, and
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Speaker 2: you won't let me see what's in yours. So I
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Speaker 2: thought perhaps you'd got.
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Speaker 1: It, blurted out Thorny, finding it hard to say the words,
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Speaker 1: angry as he was, for the face opposite did not
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Speaker 1: look like a guilty one. For a minute, Ben did
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Speaker 1: not seem to understand him plainly as he spoke. Then
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Speaker 1: he turned an angry scarlet and with a reproachful glance
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Speaker 1: at his mistress, opened the little drawer so that both
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Speaker 1: could see all that it contained.
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Speaker 4: They ain't anything. I'm fond of them, and they're all
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Speaker 4: I've got. I was afraid he'd laugh at me that time,
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Speaker 4: so I wouldn't let him look. It was father's birthday, and
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Speaker 4: I felt bad about him and sanch.
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Speaker 1: Ben's indignant voice got more and more indistinct as he
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Speaker 1: stumbled on and broke down over the last words. He
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Speaker 1: did not cry, however, but threw back his little treasures
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Speaker 1: as if half their sacredness was gone, and, making a
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Speaker 1: strong effort at self control, faced around, asking of miss
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Speaker 1: Celia with a grieved look.
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Speaker 4: Did you think I'd steal anything of yours?
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Speaker 3: I tried not to, Ben, But what could I do?
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Speaker 3: It was gone, and you the only stranger about the place.
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Speaker 4: Wasn't there anyone to think bad of but me?
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Speaker 1: He said so sorrowfully that miss Celia made up her
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Speaker 1: mind on the spot that he was as innocent of
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Speaker 1: the theft as the kitten now biting her buttons. No
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Speaker 1: other refreshment being offered.
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Speaker 3: Nobody, for I know my girls well, Yet eleven dollars
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Speaker 3: are gone, and I cannot imagine where a how for
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Speaker 3: both drawer and door are always locked because my papers
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Speaker 3: and valuables are in that room.
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Speaker 2: What a lot?
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Speaker 4: But how could I get in if it was locked up?
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Speaker 1: And Ben looked as if that question was unanswerable.
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Speaker 2: Folks that can climb in at windows for a ball
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Speaker 2: can go the same way for money and get it
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Speaker 2: easy enough when they've only to pry open an old lock.
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Speaker 1: Thorny's look and tone seemed to make plain to Ben
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Speaker 1: all that they had been suspecting and being innocent. He
19:17
Speaker 1: was too perplexed and unhappy to defend himself. His eye
19:21
Speaker 1: went from one to the other, and seeing doubt in
19:25
Speaker 1: both faces, his boyish heart sunk within him, for he
19:29
Speaker 1: could prove nothing, and his first impulse was to go
19:33
Speaker 1: away at once.
19:34
Speaker 4: I can't say anything, only that I didn't take the money.
19:38
Speaker 4: You won't believe it, so I'd better go back where
19:41
Speaker 4: I come from. They weren't so kind, but they trusted me,
19:44
Speaker 4: and no one's steal assent may keep my money, and
19:49
Speaker 4: the kiddy too, don't want'em.
19:51
Speaker 1: And snatching up his hat, Ben would have gone straight
19:54
Speaker 1: away if Thorny had not barred his passage.
19:57
Speaker 2: Come now, don't be mad. Let's talk it over, and
20:00
Speaker 2: if I'm wrong, I'll take it all back and ask
20:03
Speaker 2: your pardon.
20:04
Speaker 1: He said in a friendly tone, rather scared at the
20:07
Speaker 1: consequences of his first attempt, though as sure as ever
20:11
Speaker 1: that he was right.
20:13
Speaker 3: It would break my heart have you gone that way, Ben,
20:16
Speaker 3: Stay at least to your innocence proved, then no one
20:19
Speaker 3: can doubt what you say.
20:20
Speaker 4: Now, don't see how it.
20:22
Speaker 1: Can be proved, answered Ben, appeased by her evident desire
20:27
Speaker 1: to trust him.
20:28
Speaker 3: We'll try as well as we know how, and the
20:30
Speaker 3: first thing we would do is to give that old
20:33
Speaker 3: secretary a good rummage from top to bottom. I've done
20:37
Speaker 3: it once, but it is just possible that the bills
20:40
Speaker 3: may have slipped out of sight. Come now, I contresst
20:44
Speaker 3: to have done all I can to comfort you and
20:46
Speaker 3: convince Thorny.
20:47
Speaker 1: Miss Celia rose as she spoke and led the way
20:51
Speaker 1: to the dressing room, which had no outlet except through
20:54
Speaker 1: her chamber. Still holding his hat, Ben followed with a
20:58
Speaker 1: troubled face, and Thorny brought up the rear doggedly, determined to.
21:03
Speaker 2: Keep his eye on the little scamp.
21:06
Speaker 1: Till the matter was satisfactorily cleared up. Miss Celia had
21:10
Speaker 1: made her proposal more to soothe the feelings of one
21:13
Speaker 1: boy and to employ the superfluous energies of the other,
21:18
Speaker 1: than in the expectation of throwing any light upon the mystery,
21:22
Speaker 1: For she was sadly puzzled by Ben's manner, and much
21:25
Speaker 1: regretted that she had let her brother meddle in the matter. There,
21:30
Speaker 1: she said, unlocking the door with the key, Thorny reluctantly
21:34
Speaker 1: gave up to her.
21:35
Speaker 3: This is the room, and that is the drawer on
21:37
Speaker 3: the right. The lower ones have seldom been opened since
21:41
Speaker 3: we came, and hold only some of Papa's old books.
21:45
Speaker 3: Those upper ones you may turn out and investigate as
21:48
Speaker 3: much as you bless me. Here's something your trap.
21:52
Speaker 1: Thorny, and miss Celia gave a little skip as she
21:55
Speaker 1: nearly trod on a long gray tail which hung out
21:59
Speaker 1: of the hole, now filled by a plump mouse. But
22:03
Speaker 1: her brother was intent on more serious things, and merely
22:06
Speaker 1: pushed the trap aside as he pulled out the drawer
22:09
Speaker 1: with an excited gesture, which sent it and all its
22:13
Speaker 1: contents clattering to the floor.
22:16
Speaker 2: Confound the old thing it always stuck so I had
22:19
Speaker 2: to give it a jerk. Now there it is topsy turvy.
22:22
Speaker 1: And Thorny looked much disgusted at his own awkwardness.
22:26
Speaker 3: No harm, dum, I left nothing of value in it.
22:29
Speaker 3: Look back there, Ben, and see if there's room for
22:32
Speaker 3: a paper to get worked over the top of the drawer.
22:36
Speaker 3: I felt quite a crack, but I don't believe it
22:38
Speaker 3: is possible for things to slip out. The place was
22:41
Speaker 3: never fool enough to overflow you anyway.
22:44
Speaker 1: Miss Celia spoke to Ben, who was kneeling down to
22:47
Speaker 1: pick up the scattered papers, among which were two marked
22:51
Speaker 1: dollar bills, Thorny's bait for the thief. Ben looked into
22:55
Speaker 1: the dusty recess and then put in his hand, saying careless.
23:00
Speaker 4: Ah, there's nothing but the bit of red stuff.
23:03
Speaker 3: My old pen wiper. Why what's the matter.
23:07
Speaker 1: Asked miss Celia, as Ben dropped the handful of what
23:10
Speaker 1: looked like rubbish.
23:12
Speaker 4: Something warm and wriggly inside of.
23:13
Speaker 1: It, answered Ben, stooping to examine the contents of the
23:18
Speaker 1: little scarlet bundle.
23:19
Speaker 4: Baby mice, ain't they funny? Look just like MIT's a
23:23
Speaker 4: young pigs. I'll have to kill em if you've caught
23:26
Speaker 4: their mamma.
23:27
Speaker 1: He said, forgetting his own trials. In boyish curiosity about
23:31
Speaker 1: his find, Miss Celia stooped also and gently poked the
23:36
Speaker 1: red cradle with her finger, for the tiny mice were
23:40
Speaker 1: nestling deeper into the fluff with small squeals of alarm.
23:44
Speaker 1: Suddenly she cried.
23:46
Speaker 3: Out, boys, boys, I've found a thief. Look here, pull
23:50
Speaker 3: out this pis and see if they won't make up
23:52
Speaker 3: my lost bills.
23:53
Speaker 1: Down went the motherless babies as four ruthless hands pulled
23:57
Speaker 1: apart their cozy nest, and there, among the nibbled fragments
24:02
Speaker 1: appeared enough finely printed greenish paper to piece out parts
24:06
Speaker 1: of two bank bills. A large cipher and part of
24:10
Speaker 1: a figure one were visible, and that accounted for the ten.
24:14
Speaker 1: But though there were other bits, no figures could be found,
24:18
Speaker 1: and they were willing to take the other bill on trust.
24:21
Speaker 4: Now, then am I a thief?
24:23
Speaker 1: Nallar demanded Ben, pointing proudly to the tell tale letters
24:28
Speaker 1: spread forth on the table over which all three had
24:31
Speaker 1: been eagerly bending.
24:33
Speaker 3: No, I beg your pardon, and I am very sorry
24:37
Speaker 3: that we didn't look more carefully before we spoke. Then
24:40
Speaker 3: we all should have been spared this pain.
24:43
Speaker 2: All right, old fellow, forgive and forget. I'll never think
24:47
Speaker 2: hard of you again. On my honor, I won't.
24:50
Speaker 1: As they spoke, miss Celia and her brother held out
24:53
Speaker 1: their hands frankly and heartily. Ben shook both, but with
24:57
Speaker 1: a difference, for he pressed the soft one gratefully, remembering
25:02
Speaker 1: that its owner had always been good to him. But
25:05
Speaker 1: the brown paw he gripped with a vengeful squeeze that
25:08
Speaker 1: made Thorny pull it away in a hurry, exclaiming good
25:12
Speaker 1: naturedly in spite of both physical and mental discomfort.
25:16
Speaker 2: Come Ben, don't you bear malice, for you've got the
25:19
Speaker 2: laugh on your side. And we feel pretty small. I do, anyway,
25:24
Speaker 2: for after my fidgets, all I've caught is a mouse.
25:27
Speaker 3: And their family. I'm so relieved. I'm almost sorry. The
25:31
Speaker 3: poor little mother is dead. She and her babies were
25:34
Speaker 3: so happy in the old penwiper.
25:36
Speaker 1: Said miss Celia, hastening to speak merrily, for Ben still
25:40
Speaker 1: looked indignant, and she was much grieved at what had happened.
25:44
Speaker 2: A pretty expensive house.
25:46
Speaker 1: Began Thorny, looking about for the interesting orphans who had
25:50
Speaker 1: been left on the floor while their paper hangings were examined,
25:54
Speaker 1: no further anxiety need be felt for them. However, Kitty
25:58
Speaker 1: had come upon the scene, and as Judge, Jury and
26:02
Speaker 1: prisoner turned to find the little witnesses, they beheld the
26:06
Speaker 1: last pink mite going down Pussy's throat in one mouthful.
26:10
Speaker 3: I call that summary justice. The whole family executed on
26:15
Speaker 3: a spot. Give Kit the mouse also, and let us
26:18
Speaker 3: go for breakfast. I feel as if I had found
26:20
Speaker 3: my appetite, not as worries off my mind.
26:23
Speaker 1: Said miss Celia, laughing so infectiously that Ben had to
26:28
Speaker 1: join in spite of himself, as she took his arm
26:31
Speaker 1: and led him away with a look which mutely asked
26:34
Speaker 1: his pardon over.
26:35
Speaker 2: Again, rather lively for a funeral procession.
26:39
Speaker 1: Said Thorny, following with the trap in his hand and
26:42
Speaker 1: Puss at his heels, adding to comfort his pride as
26:46
Speaker 1: a detective.
26:47
Speaker 2: Well, I said I'd catch the thief, and I have,
26:51
Speaker 2: though it is rather a small one.
26:54
Speaker 1: End of Chapter sixteen.