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18 - 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 seventeen of Under the Lilacs by Louisa may Alcott.
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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 Alcott,
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Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen, Betty's Bravery.
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Speaker 2: Celia, I've a notion that we ought to give ben something,
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Speaker 2: a sort of peace offering, you know, for he feels
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Speaker 2: dreadfully hurt about our suspecting.
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Speaker 1: Him, said Thorny at dinner that day.
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Speaker 3: I see he does, though he tries to seem as
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Speaker 3: bright and pleasant as ever. I do not wonder, and
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Speaker 3: I've been thinking what I could do to suit his feelings.
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Speaker 3: Can you suggest anything, cuffbuttons?
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Speaker 2: I saw some jolly ones over at Berryville, oxidized silver,
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Speaker 2: with dog's head on them, yellow eyes, and all as
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Speaker 2: natural as could be. Those now would just suit him
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Speaker 2: for his go to meet in white shirts, neat appropriate
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Speaker 2: and in memoria.
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Speaker 1: Miss Celia could not help laughing. It was such a
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Speaker 1: boyish suggestion, but she agreed to it, thinking Thorny knew best,
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Speaker 1: and hoping the yellow eyed dogs would be as balm
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Speaker 1: to Ben's wounds.
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Speaker 3: Well, dear, you may give those, and Glitashall gave the
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Speaker 3: little whip with a horse's foot for a handle, if
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Speaker 3: it is not gone. I saw it at a harness
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Speaker 3: shop in town, and Ben admired it so much that
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Speaker 3: a plan to give it to him on his birthday.
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Speaker 2: That would tickle him immensely. And if you'd just let
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Speaker 2: him put brown tops to my old boots and stick
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Speaker 2: a cockade in his hat when he sits up behind
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Speaker 2: the phaeton, he'd be a happy fellow.
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Speaker 1: Laughed Thorny, who had discovered that one of Ben's ambitions
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Speaker 1: was to be a tip top groom.
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Speaker 3: No, thank you, Those things are out of place in
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Speaker 3: America and would be absurd in a small country place
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Speaker 3: like that. His blue suit and straw hat please me
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Speaker 3: better for a boy, though, a nicer little groom in
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Speaker 3: livery or not, no one could desire. And you may
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Speaker 3: tell him, I said so.
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Speaker 2: I will, and he'll look as proud as punch, for
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Speaker 2: he thinks every word you say worth a dozen from
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Speaker 2: any one else. But won't you give him something, just
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Speaker 2: some little trifle to show that we are both eating
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Speaker 2: humble pie feeling sorry about the mouse money.
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Speaker 3: I shall give him a set of school books and
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Speaker 3: try to get him ready to begin when vacation is over.
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Speaker 3: An education is the best present we can make him,
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Speaker 3: and I want you to help me fit him to
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Speaker 3: enter as well as he can. Bab and Betty begin,
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Speaker 3: oh little DearS lent him their books and taught all
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Speaker 3: the new so Ben got a taste, and with a
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Speaker 3: riot encouragement, would like to go on.
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Speaker 2: I am sure that's so like you, Celia, always thinking
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Speaker 2: of the best thing and doing it handsomely. I'll help
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Speaker 2: like a house afire if he will let me. But
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Speaker 2: all day he he's been as stiff as a poker,
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Speaker 2: so I don't believe he forgives me a bit.
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Speaker 3: He will in time, and if you're kind and patient,
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Speaker 3: he will be glad to have you help him. I
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Speaker 3: shall make it a sort of favor to me on
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Speaker 3: his part to let you see to his lessons now,
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Speaker 3: and then it will be quite true why I don't
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Speaker 3: want you to touch your Laddin or Agibra to cool weather.
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Speaker 3: Teaching him will be played to you.
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Speaker 1: Miss Celia's last words made her brother unbend his brows,
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Speaker 1: for he longed to get at his books again, and
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Speaker 1: the idea of being tutor to his manservant did not
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Speaker 1: altogether suit him.
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Speaker 2: I'll till him along at a great pace if he
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Speaker 2: will only go. Geography and arithmetics shall be my share,
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Speaker 2: and you may have the writing and spelling. He gives
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Speaker 2: me the fidgets to set copies, and hear children make
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Speaker 2: a mess of words. Shall I get the books when
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Speaker 2: I buy the other things? Can I go this afternoon?
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Speaker 4: Yes, here is.
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Speaker 3: The list, bab me. You can go if you will
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Speaker 3: come home early and have a tooth filled.
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Speaker 1: Gloom fell at once upon Thorny's beaming face, and he
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Speaker 1: gave such a shrill whistle that his sister jumped in
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Speaker 1: her chair, as she added persuasively.
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Speaker 3: It won't hurt a bit now, and the longer you
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Speaker 3: leave it, the worse it will be. Doctor Mann is
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Speaker 3: ready at any time, and once over you'll be at
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Speaker 3: peace for months. Come, my hero, give your orders and
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Speaker 3: take one of the girls to support you in the
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Speaker 3: trying hour. Have bab She will enjoy it and amuse
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Speaker 3: you with her chatter.
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Speaker 2: As if I needed girls round for such a trifle.
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Speaker 1: As that, returned Thorny with a shrug, though he groaned
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Speaker 1: inwardly at the prospect before him, as most of us
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Speaker 1: do on such occasions.
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Speaker 2: I wouldn't take Bab at any price. She'd only get
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Speaker 2: into some scrape and upset the whole plan. Betty is
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Speaker 2: the chicken for me, a real little lady, as nice
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Speaker 2: and purry as a kitten.
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Speaker 3: Well, ask a mother and take good care of her.
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Speaker 3: Let her tuck her dolly in and she'll be contented. Anywhere,
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Speaker 3: there's a fine air, and the awning is on the phaeton,
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Speaker 3: so you won't feel the sun. Start about three and
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Speaker 3: drive carefully.
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Speaker 1: Betty was charmed to go, for Thorny was a sort
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Speaker 1: of prince in her eyes, and to be invited to
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Speaker 1: such a grand expedition was an overwhelming honor. Bab was
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Speaker 1: not surprised, for since Sancho's loss, she had felt herself
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Speaker 1: in disgrace and been unusually meek. Ben let her severely alone,
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Speaker 1: which much afflicted her, for he was her great admiration
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Speaker 1: and had been pleased to express his approbation of her
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Speaker 1: agility and courage so often that she was ready to
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Speaker 1: attempt any foolhardy feat to recover his regard. But vainly
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Speaker 1: did she risk her neck jumping off the highest beams
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Speaker 1: in the barn, trying to keep her balance, standing on
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Speaker 1: the donkey's back, and leaping the lodge gate at a
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Speaker 1: bound Ben vouchsafed no reward by a look, a smile,
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Speaker 1: a word of commendation, and Bab felt that nothing but
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Speaker 1: Sancho's return would ever restore the broken friendship into faithful
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Speaker 1: Betty's bosom did she pour forth her remorseful lamentations, often
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Speaker 1: bursting out with the passionate exclamation, if I.
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Speaker 4: Could only find sanch and give him back to Ben,
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Speaker 4: I wouldn't care if I tumbled down and broke all
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Speaker 4: my legs right away.
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Speaker 1: Such abandonment of woe made a deep impression on Betty,
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Speaker 1: and she fell into the way of consoling her sister
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Speaker 1: by cheerful prophecies and a firm belief that the organ
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Speaker 1: man would yet appear with the lost darling.
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Speaker 5: I've got five cents of my berry money, and I'll
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Speaker 5: buy you a orange if I see.
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Speaker 1: Any, promised Betty, stepping to kiss Bab. As the phaeton
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Speaker 1: came to the door and Thorny handed in a young
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Speaker 1: lady whose white frock was so stiff with starch that
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Speaker 1: it crackled like paper.
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Speaker 4: Lemons will do if oranges are gone. I like him
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Speaker 4: to suck with lots.
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Speaker 1: Of sugar, answered Bab, feeling that the sour sadly predominated
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Speaker 1: in her cup. Just now, don't she look sweet, the
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Speaker 1: dear murmured missus Moss, proudly surveying her youngest. She certainly did,
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Speaker 1: sitting under the fringed canopy with Belinda all in her
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Speaker 1: best upon her lap, as she turned to smile and
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Speaker 1: nod with a face so bright and winsome under the
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Speaker 1: little blue hat that it was no wonder. Mother and
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Speaker 1: sister thought there never was such a perfect child as are.
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Speaker 4: Betty.
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Speaker 1: Doctor Mann was busy when they arrived, but would be
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Speaker 1: ready in an hour, so they did their shopping at once,
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Speaker 1: having made sure of the whip as they came along.
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Speaker 1: Thorny added some candy to Bab's lemon, and Belinda had
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Speaker 1: a cake, which her Mamma obligingly ate for her. Betty
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Speaker 1: thought that Aladdin's palace could not have been more splendid
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Speaker 1: than the jeweler's shop where the canine cuff buttons were bought.
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Speaker 1: But when they came to the book store, she forgot gold, silver,
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Speaker 1: and precious stones to revel in picture books, while Thorny
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Speaker 1: selected Ben's modest school outfit. Seeing her delight and feeling
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Speaker 1: particularly lavish with plenty of money in his pocket, the
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Speaker 1: young gentleman completed the child's bliss by telling her to
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Speaker 1: choose whichever one she liked best out of the pile
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Speaker 1: of Walter Crane's toy books lying in bewildering colors before her.
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Speaker 5: This one bab always wanted to see a dreadful cupboard,
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Speaker 5: Let a picture of it in.
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Speaker 1: Here, answered Betty, clasping a gorgeous copy of blue Beard
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Speaker 1: to the little bosom, which still heaved with the rapture
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Speaker 1: of looking at that delicious mixture of lovely fatimas in
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Speaker 1: pale azure gowns, pink sister Anne's on the turret top,
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Speaker 1: crimson tyrants, and yellow brothers with forests of plumage blowing
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Speaker 1: wildly from their mushroom shaped caps.
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Speaker 2: Very good there you are, then, Now come on, for
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Speaker 2: the fun is over and the grind begins.
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Speaker 1: Said Thorny, marching away to his doom, with his tongue
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Speaker 1: in his tooth and trepidation in his manly breast.
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Speaker 5: Shall I shumb my eyes and hold your.
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Speaker 1: Head, quavered, devoted Betty. As they went up the stairs,
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Speaker 1: so many reluctant feet had mounted before.
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Speaker 2: Them, nonsensan's child. Never mind me, you look out of
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Speaker 2: window and amuse yourself. We shall not be long, I guess.
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Speaker 1: And in went Thorny, silently, hoping that the dentist had
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Speaker 1: been suddenly called away, or some person with an excruciating
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Speaker 1: toothache would be waiting to take ether, and so give
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Speaker 1: our young man an excuse for postponing his job. But no,
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Speaker 1: Doctor Mann was quite at leisure and full of smiling interest,
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Speaker 1: awaited his victim, laying forth his unpleasant little tools with
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Speaker 1: the exasperating alacrity of his kind. Glad to be released
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Speaker 1: from any share in the operation, Betty retired to the
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Speaker 1: back window to be as far away as possible, and
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Speaker 1: for half an hour was so absorbed in her book
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Speaker 1: that poor Thorny might have groaned dismally without disturbing her.
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Speaker 5: Done now directly, only a trifle of polishing kough and
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Speaker 5: look round.
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Speaker 1: Said doctor Mann at last, and Thorny, with a yawn
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Speaker 1: that nearly rent him asunder, called.
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Speaker 2: Out, thank goodness, packet, Betty ken, I'm already.
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Speaker 1: And shutting her book with a start, she slipped down
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Speaker 1: from the easy chair in a great hurry, but looking
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Speaker 1: round and took time, and before the circuit of Thorny's
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Speaker 1: mouth was satisfactorily made, Betty had become absorbed by a
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Speaker 1: more interesting tale than even the immortal Bluebeard. A noise
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Speaker 1: of children's voices in the narrow alleyway behind the house
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Speaker 1: attracted her attention. The long window opened directly on the yard,
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Speaker 1: and the gate swung in the wind. Curious as Fatima,
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Speaker 1: Betty went to look, but all she saw was a
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Speaker 1: group of excited boys peeping between the bars of another
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Speaker 1: gate further down. What's the matter, she asked of two
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Speaker 1: small girls who stood close by her, longing but not
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Speaker 1: daring to approach the scene of.
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Speaker 5: Action boys chasing a great black cat, I.
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Speaker 1: Believe, answered one child, want to come and see, added
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Speaker 1: the other, politely extending the invitation to the stranger. The
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Speaker 1: thought of a cat in trouble would have nerved Betty
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Speaker 1: to face a dozen boys, so she followed at once,
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Speaker 1: meeting several lads hurrying away on some important errand, to
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Speaker 1: judge from their anxious countenances, hold.
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Speaker 3: Tight Jimmy and let him pique if they want to.
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Speaker 3: He can't hurt anybody now.
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Speaker 1: Said one of the dusty huntsmen, who sat on the
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Speaker 1: wide coping of the wall while two others held the
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Speaker 1: gate as if a cat could only escape that way.
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Speaker 4: You pique first, Susie, and see if it looks nice.
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Speaker 1: Said one little girl, boosting her friend so that she
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Speaker 1: could look through the bars in the upper part of
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Speaker 1: the gate.
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Speaker 5: No, it's only an ugly old.
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Speaker 1: Dog, responded Susy, losing all interest at once and descending
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Speaker 1: with a bounce.
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Speaker 5: He's mad, and Jud's gone to get his gun so
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Speaker 5: we can shoot.
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Speaker 1: Him, called out one mischievous boy, resenting the contempt expressed
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Speaker 1: for their capture. Ain't neither, howled another lad from his perch.
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Speaker 4: Mad dogs won't drink, and this one is laughing out
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Speaker 4: of a tub of water.
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Speaker 3: Well he may be, and we don't know him, and
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Speaker 3: he hasn't got any muscle on and the police. We'll
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Speaker 3: kill him if Jud.
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Speaker 1: Don't, answered the sanguinary youth who had first started the
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Speaker 1: chase after the poor animal, which had come limping into
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Speaker 1: town so evidently a lost dog that no one felt
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Speaker 1: any hesitation in stoning him.
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Speaker 5: We must go right home. My mother's dreadful afraid of
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Speaker 5: mad dogs, and so is yours.
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Speaker 1: Said Susy, and having satisfied their curiosity, the young ladies
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Speaker 1: prudently retired. But Betty had not had her peep and
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Speaker 1: could not resist one look, for she had heard of
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Speaker 1: these unhappy animals and thought bab would like to know
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Speaker 1: how they looked. So she stood on tiptoe and got
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Speaker 1: a good view of a dusty brownish dog lying on
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Speaker 1: the grass close by, with his tongue hanging out while
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Speaker 1: he panted as if exhausted by fatigue and fear, for
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Speaker 1: he still cast apprehensive glances at the wall which divided
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Speaker 1: him from his tormentors.
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Speaker 5: His eyes are just like sanches.
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Speaker 1: Said Betty to herself, unconscious that she spoke aloud till
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Speaker 1: she saw the creature prick up his ears and half
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Speaker 1: rise as if he had been called.
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Speaker 5: It looks as if he knew me, But it isn't
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Speaker 5: her Sancho. He was a lovely dog.
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Speaker 1: Betty said that to the little boy peeping in beside her,
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Speaker 1: But before he could make any reply, the brown beast
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Speaker 1: stood straight up with an inquiring bark, while his eyes
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Speaker 1: shone like topaz, and the short tail wagged excitedly.
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Speaker 5: Why that's just the way Sanche's to.
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Speaker 1: Do, cried Betty, bewildered by the familiar ways of this
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Speaker 1: unfamiliar looking dog. As if the repetition of his name
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Speaker 1: settled his own doubts, he leaped toward the gate and
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Speaker 1: thrust a pink nose between the bars with a howl
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Speaker 1: of recognition. As Betty's face was more clearly seen, the
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Speaker 1: boys tumbled precipitately from their perches, and the little girl
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Speaker 1: fell back alarmed, yet could not bear to run away
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Speaker 1: and leave those imploring eyes pleading to her through the
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Speaker 1: bars so eloquently.
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Speaker 5: He acts just like our dog, But I don't see
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Speaker 5: how it can be him. Sancho, Sancho, is it witty?
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Speaker 1: You called Betty at her WIT's end? What to do?
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Speaker 1: Answered the well known bark, and the little tale did
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Speaker 1: all it could to emphasize the sound. While the eyes
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Speaker 1: were so full of dumb love and joy, the child
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Speaker 1: could not refuse to believe that this ugly stray was
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Speaker 1: their own. Sancho strangely transformed. All of a sudden, the
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Speaker 1: thought rushed into her mind, how glad Ben would be
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Speaker 1: and bab would feel all happy again, I must carry him.
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Speaker 1: Never stopping to think of danger, and forgetting all her doubts,
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Speaker 1: Betty caught the gate handle out of Jimmy's grasp, exclaiming eagerly,
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Speaker 1: he's an our dog.
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Speaker 5: Let me go in.
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Speaker 4: I ain't afraid, not till Jude comes back. He told us.
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Speaker 1: We mustn't, answered the astonished Jimmy, thinking the little girl
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Speaker 1: as mad as the dog, With a confused idea that
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Speaker 1: the unknown jud had gone for a gun to shoot
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Speaker 1: sanch Betty gave a desperate pull at the latch and
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Speaker 1: ran into the yard, bent on saving her friend. That
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Speaker 1: it was a friend, there could be no further question,
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Speaker 1: for though the creature rushed at her as if about
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Speaker 1: to devour her at a mouthful, it was only to
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Speaker 1: roll ecstatically at her feet, lick her hands, and gaze
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Speaker 1: into her face, trying to pant out the welcome which
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Speaker 1: he could not utter. An older and more prudent person
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Speaker 1: would have waited to make sure before venturing in, But
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Speaker 1: confiding Betty knew little of the danger which she might
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Speaker 1: have run, her heart spoke more quickly than her head,
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Speaker 1: and not stopping to have the truth proved, she took
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Speaker 1: the brown dog, on trust and found it was indeed,
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Speaker 1: dear Sanch sitting on the grass. She hugged him close,
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Speaker 1: careless of tumbled hat, dusty paws on her clean frock,
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Speaker 1: or a row of strange boy staring from the wall.
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Speaker 5: Darling doggie, where have you been so long?
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Speaker 1: She cried, the great things sprawling across her lap, as
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Speaker 1: if he could not get near enough to his brave
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Speaker 1: little protector.
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Speaker 5: Did they make you black and beat you? Dear oh Sanch?
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Speaker 5: Where'd your tell your pretty tale?
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Speaker 1: A plaintive growl and a pathetic wag was all the
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Speaker 1: answer he could make to these tender inquiries, for never
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Speaker 1: would the story of his wrongs be known, and never
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Speaker 1: could the glory of his doggish beauty be restored. Betty
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Speaker 1: was trying to comfort him with pats and praises when
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Speaker 1: a new face appeared at the gate, and Thorny's authoritative
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Speaker 1: voice called.
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Speaker 2: Out, Betty Moss, what on earth are you doing in
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Speaker 2: there with that dirty beast.
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Speaker 5: It's sank, It's sank.
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Speaker 1: Oh come and see, shrieked Betty, flying up to lead
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Speaker 1: forth her prize, But the gate was held fast, for
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Speaker 1: someone said the words meant dog, and Thorny was very
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Speaker 1: naturally alarmed because he had already seen one.
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Speaker 2: Don't stay there another minute. Get up on the bench
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Speaker 2: and I'll pull you.
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Speaker 1: Over, directed Thorny, mounting the wall to rescue his charge
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Speaker 1: in hot haste. For the dog did certainly behave queerly,
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Speaker 1: limping hurriedly to and fro as if anxious to escape.
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Speaker 1: No wonder when Sancho heard a voice he knew and
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Speaker 1: recognized another face, yet did not meet as kind a
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Speaker 1: welcome as before.
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Speaker 5: No, I'm I'm comeing out till heed us it is that,
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Speaker 5: and I'm going to take him home.
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Speaker 1: To bed, answered Betty decidedly, as she wet her handkerchief
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Speaker 1: in the rain water to bind up the swollen paw
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Speaker 1: that had traveled many miles to rest in her little hand.
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Speaker 2: Again, you're crazy, child. That is no more than Ben's
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Speaker 2: dog than I am.
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Speaker 1: See if it isn't, cried Betty, perfectly, unshaken in her faith,
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Speaker 1: and recalling the words of command as well as she could,
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Speaker 1: she tried to put Sancho through his little performance as
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Speaker 1: the surest proof that she was right. The poor fellow
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Speaker 1: did his best, weary and footsore though he was, But
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Speaker 1: when it came to taking his tail in his mouth
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Speaker 1: to waltz, He gave it up and, dropping down, hid
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Speaker 1: his face in his paws, as he always did when
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Speaker 1: any of his tricks failed. The act was almost pathetic.
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Speaker 1: Now one of the paws was bandaged, and his whole
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Speaker 1: attitude expressed the humiliation of a broken spirit. That touched
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Speaker 1: Thorny and quite convinced both of the dog's sanity and identity.
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Speaker 1: He sprung down from the wall with Ben's own whistle,
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Speaker 1: which gladdened Sancho's longing ear as much as the boy's
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Speaker 1: rough caresses comforted his homesick heart.
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Speaker 5: Now let's carry him right home, untuplies Ben, won't he
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Speaker 5: be pleased?
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Speaker 1: Said Betty, so in earnest that she tried to lift
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Speaker 1: the big brute in spite of his protesting yelps.
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Speaker 2: You are a little trump to find him out, in
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Speaker 2: spite of all the horrid things that have been done
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Speaker 2: to him. We must have a rope to lead him,
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Speaker 2: for he's got no collar and no muzzle. He has
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Speaker 2: got friends, though, and i'd like to see anyone touch him.
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Speaker 2: Now out of the way, there, boy.
20:55
Speaker 1: Looking as commanding as a drum major, Thorny cleared a passage,
20:59
Speaker 1: and was with one arm about his neck. Betty proudly
21:02
Speaker 1: led her treasure magnanimously, ignoring his late foes and keeping
21:07
Speaker 1: his eye fixed on the faithful friend, whose tender little
21:11
Speaker 1: heart had known him in spite of all disguises. I
21:15
Speaker 1: found him, sir, and the lad who had been most
21:17
Speaker 1: eager for the shooting, stepped forward to claim any reward
21:21
Speaker 1: that might be offered for the now valuable victim. I
21:25
Speaker 1: kept him safe till she came, added the jailer, Jimmy,
21:29
Speaker 1: speaking for himself, I said he wasn't. Matt cried a third,
21:34
Speaker 1: feeling that his discrimination deserved approval. JU dain't, my brother,
21:39
Speaker 1: said the fourth, eager to clear his skirts from all offense.
21:43
Speaker 2: But all of you chased and stoned him. I suppose
21:46
Speaker 2: you'd better look out, or you'll get reported to the
21:49
Speaker 2: Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
21:53
Speaker 1: With this awful and mysterious threat, Thorny slammed the doctor's
21:58
Speaker 1: gait in the faces of the mercenary youths, nipping their
22:01
Speaker 1: hopes in the bud and teaching them a good lesson.
22:05
Speaker 1: After one astonished stare, Leta accepted Sancho without demure, and
22:10
Speaker 1: they greeted one another cordially, nose to nose instead of
22:14
Speaker 1: shaking hands. Then the dog nestled into his old place
22:19
Speaker 1: under the linen duster with a grunt of intense content,
22:23
Speaker 1: and soon fell fast asleep, quite worn out with fatigue.
22:27
Speaker 1: No Roman conqueror, bearing untold treasures with him ever approached
22:32
Speaker 1: the eternal city feeling richer or prouder than did Miss
22:36
Speaker 1: Betty as she rolled rapidly toward the little brown house
22:40
Speaker 1: with the captive won by her own arms. Poor Belinda
22:44
Speaker 1: was forgotten in a corner, Bluebeard was thrust under the cushion,
22:49
Speaker 1: and the lovely lemon was squeezed before its time by
22:52
Speaker 1: being sat upon. For all the child could think of
22:56
Speaker 1: was Ben's delight, Bab's remorseful burden, lifted off Ma's surprise,
23:01
Speaker 1: and Miss Celia's pleasure. She could hardly realize the happy fact,
23:06
Speaker 1: and kept peeping under the cover to be sure that
23:09
Speaker 1: the dear dingy bunch at her feet was truly there.
23:13
Speaker 2: I'll tell you how we'll do it.
23:15
Speaker 1: Said Thorny, breaking a long silence, as Betty composed herself
23:20
Speaker 1: with an irrepressible wriggle of delight. After one of these
23:23
Speaker 1: refreshing peeps.
23:25
Speaker 2: We'll keep sanch hidden and smuggle into Ben's old room
23:29
Speaker 2: at your house, and then I'll drive on to the
23:31
Speaker 2: barn and not say a word, but send Ben to
23:34
Speaker 2: get something out of that room. You just let him
23:37
Speaker 2: in to see what he'll do. I'll bet you a
23:40
Speaker 2: dollar he won't know his own dog.
23:43
Speaker 5: I don't believe I him keep him screamin' lay out
23:47
Speaker 5: when I see him, but I'll try. Oh won't it
23:50
Speaker 5: be fun?
23:51
Speaker 1: And Betty clapped her hands in joyful anticipation of that
23:55
Speaker 1: exciting moment. A nice little plan. But Master Thorny forgot
24:00
Speaker 1: the keen senses of the amiable animals snoring peacefully among
24:04
Speaker 1: his boots, And when they stopped at the lodge, he
24:08
Speaker 1: had barely time to say, in a whisper.
24:10
Speaker 2: BeIN's cove, me cover sanch and let me get him
24:14
Speaker 2: in quick.
24:15
Speaker 1: Before the dog was out of the phaeton like a
24:18
Speaker 1: bomb shell, and the approaching boy went down as if shot,
24:22
Speaker 1: for Sancho gave one leap and the two rolled over
24:26
Speaker 1: and over with a shout and a bark of rapturous recognition.
24:30
Speaker 1: Who is hut, asked missus Moss, running out with flowery
24:35
Speaker 1: hands uplifted in alarm.
24:37
Speaker 4: Is it a bear?
24:38
Speaker 1: Cried Bab, rushing after her beat her in hand. For
24:42
Speaker 1: a dancing bear was the delight of her heart.
24:45
Speaker 2: Sancho's found.
24:46
Speaker 1: Sancho's found, shouted Thorny, throwing up his hat like a lunatic.
24:51
Speaker 5: Down, down, Down.
24:54
Speaker 1: Echoed Betty, dancing wildly about as if she too had
24:58
Speaker 1: lost her little wits.
25:00
Speaker 4: How when who did it?
25:03
Speaker 1: Asked missus Moss, clapping her dusty hands delightedly.
25:07
Speaker 4: It isn't. It's an old, dirty brown thing.
25:11
Speaker 1: Stammered Bab, as the dog came uppermost for a minute,
25:15
Speaker 1: and then rooted into Ben's jacket as if he smelt
25:18
Speaker 1: a woodchuck and was bound to have him out directly.
25:22
Speaker 1: Then Thorny, with many interruptions from Betty, poured forth the
25:26
Speaker 1: wondrous tail, to which Bab and his mother listened breathlessly,
25:31
Speaker 1: while the muffins burned as black as coal, and nobody
25:34
Speaker 1: cared a bit. My precious Lamb, how did you dare
25:38
Speaker 1: to do such a thing? Exclaimed missus Moss, hugging the
25:42
Speaker 1: small heroine with mingled admiration and alarm.
25:46
Speaker 4: I'd have dared and slapped those horrid boys too. I
25:50
Speaker 4: wish I'd gone.
25:52
Speaker 1: And Bab felt that she had forever lost the chance
25:55
Speaker 1: of distinguishing herself.
25:57
Speaker 2: Hoo cut his tail off.
25:59
Speaker 1: Demand Ben in a menacing tone, as he came uppermost
26:03
Speaker 1: in his turn, dusty, red and breathless, but radiant.
26:08
Speaker 2: The wretch who stole him, I suppose, and he deserves
26:11
Speaker 2: to be.
26:12
Speaker 1: Hunged, answered Thorny hotly.
26:14
Speaker 2: If I ever catch him out, don't tell his nose.
26:19
Speaker 1: Off, roared Ben with such a vengeful glare that sanch
26:23
Speaker 1: barked fiercely. And it was well that the unknown wretch
26:27
Speaker 1: was not there, for it would have gone hardly with him,
26:30
Speaker 1: since even gentle Betty frowned, while Bab brandished the egg
26:34
Speaker 1: beater menacingly, and their mother indignantly declared that it was
26:39
Speaker 1: too bad. Relieved by this general outburst, they composed their
26:43
Speaker 1: outraged feelings, and while the returned wanderer went from one
26:48
Speaker 1: to another to receive a tender welcome from each, the
26:51
Speaker 1: story of his recovery was more calmly told. Ben listened
26:56
Speaker 1: with his eye devouring the injured dog, and when Thorny pawed,
27:00
Speaker 1: he turned to the little heroine, saying, solemnly as he
27:04
Speaker 1: laid her hand with his own on Sancho's head. Betty Moss,
27:09
Speaker 1: I'll never forget what you did from this minute.
27:12
Speaker 2: Half of Sanch's your truly own, and if I die,
27:15
Speaker 2: you shall have the whole of him.
27:16
Speaker 1: And Ben sealed the precious gift with a sounding kiss
27:20
Speaker 1: on either chubby cheek. Betty was so deeply touched by
27:25
Speaker 1: this noble bequest that the blue eyes filled and would
27:28
Speaker 1: have overflowed if sanch had not politely offered his tongue
27:32
Speaker 1: like a red pocket handkerchief, and so made her laugh
27:36
Speaker 1: the drops away, while Bab set the rest off by
27:39
Speaker 1: saying gloomily.
27:41
Speaker 4: I mean to play with all the mad dogs I
27:43
Speaker 4: can find. Then folks will think I'm smart and give
27:46
Speaker 4: me nice things.
27:47
Speaker 5: Poor old Bab, I'll forgive you now and then jim
27:50
Speaker 5: my half whenever you wanted.
27:52
Speaker 1: Said Ben, feeling at peace now with all mankind, including girls.
27:57
Speaker 2: Who tagged come and show him to Celia.
28:00
Speaker 1: Begged Thorny, eager to fight his battles over again.
28:05
Speaker 5: Better wash him up first.
28:06
Speaker 2: He's a sight to see, poor.
28:08
Speaker 1: Thing, suggested missus Moss as she ran in, suddenly remembering
28:12
Speaker 1: her muffins.
28:15
Speaker 3: Take a lot of washings to get that brown stuff off.
28:18
Speaker 5: See his pretty pink skin is all stained with it.
28:21
Speaker 4: We'll bleach him out and this curls will grow and
28:23
Speaker 4: he'll be as good as ever.
28:25
Speaker 1: All but Ben could not finish, and a general wail
28:30
Speaker 1: went up for the departed tassel that would never wave
28:33
Speaker 1: proudly in the breeze again.
28:35
Speaker 2: I'll buy him a new one. Now form the procession
28:38
Speaker 2: and let us go in style.
28:40
Speaker 1: Said Thorny cheerily, as he swung Betty to his shoulder
28:45
Speaker 1: and marched away, whistling Hale, the conquering hero comes, while
28:49
Speaker 1: Ben and his bow Wow followed arm in arm, and
28:53
Speaker 1: bab brought up the rear, banging on a milk pan
28:56
Speaker 1: with the egg beater. End of chapter seventeen. Yeah ye