Ben Pepper Part 41

"Well, where is a good place?" asked Polly, twitching Jocko off from Jasper's knee. "Come on, Ben, where shall we tie him?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Ben, looking about him doubtfully. "Why, to the door-k.n.o.b, perhaps."

"Wouldn't the bureau handle be better?" asked Polly.

"The table leg, Polly," suggested Jasper.

"The table leg, oh, yes," cried Polly. "Now then, Jocko, you must be very good," and she knelt down by the table, dragging the monkey up to her.

"Let me fasten it for you," said Ben, coming up.

"Oh, I can do it," said Polly, pulling the chain around the table leg and taking a little loop in it. "There, sir! Now you're fast!" as she jumped up and brushed her brown gown with both hands.

"He's mussed you all up," cried Ben; "and see, his hair's all over your dress."

"Never mind," said Polly, who always liked everything very nice, "they'll come off," and she brushed away smartly. "There, that's all right now, Bensie. Oh, let's talk over what we are going to do to-morrow, our real Christmas," and she flew back to Jasper's chair.

"Yes, do," said Jasper. "Come on, Ben."

"You know, of course, there's the tree," began Polly, as the two pulled their ha.s.socks and sat down again, on either side of Jasper's chair.

"Yes, of course," said Jasper. "Christmas wouldn't be Christmas, would it, Polly, without our tree."

"No, I should think not," laughed Polly. And Ben saying the same thing they immediately launched into an animated recital of all the plans for this particular tree, and the comparison with all the other trees of the past Christmases, till they forgot Jocko and everything else in the charms of this belated holiday.

"What's that funny noise?" at last asked Ben in a lull, when all three had paused to rest.

"What? I don't hear anything," said Jasper, p.r.i.c.king up his ears.

"Nor I," said Polly. "Oh, yes, I do." She sprang off from her ha.s.sock and ran around to the table.

"Why, Jocko, where--" she cried.

Ben got off from his ha.s.sock. "Well, that explains the noise fast enough," he said grimly. "Why, where is the whip?" going over to the table.

"Dear me, I don't know," said Polly. "I haven't touched it," and she began to fly all about the room. "Jocko, Jocko dear," she cried coaxingly.

"The little scamp has taken the whip," said Ben, too vexed to smile.

"How you can laugh, Jasper, I don't see. Now then, we must find that beast. My goodness me!" He dashed off. As Ben seldom took any but deliberate steps, Jasper stopped laughing to see him go. The next instant, "Come, Polly!" called Ben.

"Where?" She was over by one of the long windows, shaking the curtain, fully expecting to see the runaway hiding within its folds.

"In the bath-room," shouted Ben. So down the little pa.s.sageway, tiled and wainscoted, clattered Polly on hasty feet, to find Ben holding Jocko by the collar, and the bath-tub running over with water, both faucets being turned on, and several articles, the broken whip among the rest, floating on the top.

Jocko was grinning and cringing, with sharp, sudden squeals for pity when he saw Polly.

"Take care, you'll wet your feet," warned Ben. "The water's all over the floor." Which Polly soon found out the moment she stepped on the tiled surface.

"O dear me!" she gasped, stepping gingerly in.

Squeal! Squeal! Jocko set up more elaborate attempts to attract her attention.

"Do turn off the faucets, Ben," said Polly, hurrying over to peer into the tub.

"Oh, I have, long ago," said Ben, "but I can't let the water out."

"Why, Ben Pepper, there is Jasper's 'As You Like It,'" said Polly, in anguish, hanging over the bath-tub.

"I know it," said Ben. "Hush, Polly, Jasper'll hear you."

"O dear! And I 'most know there are his sleeve b.u.t.tons."

"Yes, and lots of things more," said Ben, grimly, "so I can't let the water off, for they'd all run down."

"And, and,--why, Ben Pepper!" Polly forgot the wet floor and she splashed up and down in great distress. "Oh, I must bale it out," she cried. "I see Jasper's watch and chain down at the bottom."

"Stop, Polly, you're getting as wet as anything and splashing all over me," said Ben. "Now then, you little scoundrel," to Jocko, "I'll tie you up so that you won't get loose again in a hurry," and he fastened the chain, in a way that no one but Ben could do, to the door-k.n.o.b, then he came back and rolled up his sleeves, Jocko beginning to sob and whimper, since Polly wouldn't look at him.

"Do you run out in the hall and call down the tube for Jane," said Ben.

"Jasper can't hear, for his door is shut."

"But I must tell him what is the matter," said Polly, in great distress.

"Listen, he's calling."

"Pol-_ly_." Evidently Jasper _was_ calling. "Ben, what in the world is the matter?" came from Jasper's room.

"I'll tell Jasper," said Ben. "You get Jane up here to clear this water out; do, Polly."

"Well, don't tell Jasper about his Shakespeare," said Polly, hurrying off on her wet feet, "nor the watch."

"No, I won't," promised Ben.

"Oh, nothing much, old chap." He went down the pa.s.sage, and put his head in at Jasper's door, "It's Jocko, you know; we've found him."

"Oh, that's good," cried Jasper; "and nothing has happened to him, I hope?"

"No," said Ben, "there hasn't."

"That's good," said Jasper again.

So Ben went back and Jane came up with her pail and mop and cloths, and presently a fine array of articles was brought to view on the bottom of the bath-tub, to add to those floating on top.

"Oh, Ben, did you ever in all the world!" said Polly, aghast, as they fished for the things. "I don't see how he had time to do it."

"Well, he used it pretty well," said Ben. "See there, Polly Pepper,"

holding up what had once been a necktie.

"And it's quite, quite ruined," said Polly, choking off a little sob.