Ben Pepper Part 51

"Take care," warned Jasper, putting up both hands to the table-edge, "you'll have them all off. Yes, he is a splendid chap."

"And the camp is a big one," Ben went on, his blue eyes alight, and raising his hand again.

"Ow! Look out!" cried Jasper. But too late; down came Ben's hand, and away flew half the chessmen, running off to all quarters.

"O dear me!" exclaimed Ben, ruefully. "Now I have done it! Whatever did you speak of that mountain camp for now, Jasper King?"

"Well, I didn't suppose you'd think it necessary to knock over the whole thing into flinders," said Jasper, and lying back against the pillows.

"You'll have a perfectly sweet time, now, Ben Pepper, picking all those up."

"I rather guess I shall," said Ben, getting down on his hands and knees.

When at last he placed the last one on the table he was quite ready to sit down and rest by beginning a new game.

"And Father and Sister Marian could stay at the hotel, if they couldn't stand camp life," Jasper was saying, as he set his men. "And--"

"But I don't believe Grandpapa will want to," Ben was guilty of interrupting. "Mr. St. John says its splendid up at that camp. Oh, Jasper, don't you suppose we can go?" Ben was quite carried away now, and he got the king and queen all mixed up, while his knight and bishop had concluded to change places.

"Oh, what a chap you are!" chaffed Jasper, pointing to them. "See what a mess you've made!"

"Well, I tell you, you mustn't talk about that camp, if you want me to play," said Ben, desperately.

"Oh, well, let's drop the camp," said Jasper, turning his dark eyes on the chess-table, and revolving his plan, for it was his move.

"But I can't. I've just got to talk camp," said Ben, stubbornly.

"Well, you can't. We mustn't either of us talk," said Jasper, "when we are playing. Dear me, what a game that would be!"

"Well, I've got to think camp, then," said Ben.

"All right," said Jasper, "go ahead and think camp, if you must. Then I will beat you all around Robin Hood's barn."

Which he did. And then, as so many things occurred to both of them that had to be uttered about that mountain camp, the chessmen were shut up in their box, the new Christmas game table set back carefully in the corner, and the two boys gave themselves up without reserve to the grand plan for next summer.

XXIV

JASPER AND BEN

"Oh," cried Jasper, "what fun! Polly could have all the fishing she wanted. Mr. St. John says the mountain brooks are just full of trout."

Ben's eyes glistened. To go fishing had always been one of the longings of his heart that the busy Badgertown days had given little chance to enjoy, when every minute that could earn a few pennies had to be devoted to helping Mamsie keep the wolf from the door of the little brown house.

"You and I would have some sport, eh, Ben?" Jasper leaned over to bring his dark eyes nearer.

"Yes," said Ben. He couldn't for his life get out another word.

"We _must_ go," said Jasper to himself, "after that look. Father will say 'yes,' I almost know. And just think of Joel let loose in those woods," he said aloud.

This brought Ben to. "Yes, I know," he said, "Joe would run wild."

"Wouldn't he?" laughed Jasper. "Well, it would be the best thing for Percy and Van and all the rest of us," he added. "Oh, Ben, we _must_ go!" He brought his right hand down on Ben's with a slap.

"Yes," said Ben, "but perhaps we better not think too much about it, 'cause if we couldn't, you know," he turned his face away to look out of the window.

"Well, we must," persisted Jasper. "And then, you know, just think of the tramps you and I would have over the mountains."

"And Polly, too," said Ben, "she can walk as good as we can, you know, Jasper."

"Oh, yes, of course," a.s.sented Jasper. "Why, Polly would go on everything the same as we did. Did you think I meant to leave Polly out?" he asked in distress at the very idea.

"No," said Ben, "I didn't think so, Jasper."

"And Doctor Fisher would go; you know he's crazy to walk. If he had time, he wouldn't ever ride to see his sick people. Oh, wouldn't it be perfectly splendid, Jasper King! But we mustn't talk about it," and he pulled himself up quickly.

"Oh, let's talk," said Jasper, "it's half the fun of making plans beforehand. Oh, I wish Polly was here," and he gave a long sigh.

"No," said Ben, "it isn't best to talk about it any more, for if we can't go, we'd have an awful tumble from the clouds, and I can tell you that would hurt."

"Well, what shall we do?" said Jasper, with a long face. "It will have to be something pretty absorbing to keep my mind off that camp, and our tongues as well."

Ben rubbed his forehead and thought a bit. "I can't think of anything more absorbing than Jocko," he said at last.

"Well, Jocko it is," said Jasper, laughing. "Oh, I wish we had some peanuts to give him," he said suddenly.

"I'll run down town and get some," said Ben.

"Don't be gone long," begged Jasper.

"No, sir," said Ben, and he was off.

Polly and all the others must be just about midway to the country town where they were to stop for supper--Ben couldn't help but think of it as he dashed down the frozen driveway that gave out such a delightful "scrunch, scrunch" to his hurrying feet. He drew his breath hard, thrust his hands in his pockets, and whistled. Oh, how gloriously the winter sunshine glistened across the snow on the lawn, and how the gay equipages with their merry loads swept by him, as he turned into the thoroughfare! He whistled harder than ever until he remembered that Mamsie didn't like him to do such things on the street; then he stopped and set out on a run, that presently brought him up to the little store where Polly always bought her bird-seed. Hurrying in he bought a bagful of peanuts; then out again and home--unchained Jocko in the small room over the stable, and dashed upstairs.

Jocko, who seemed to know at once there were peanuts in the bag dangling from Ben's other hand, got between Ben's legs at every possible chance, thus impeding the progress seriously.

"Oh, you rascal!" exclaimed Ben, shaking the bag at him, "you shan't have one if you don't behave," and he shortened his grip on the chain to keep Jocko on one side if possible.

Jocko wrinkled up his eyelids and teased and whined, sending out a brisk paw to s.n.a.t.c.h the bag if possible.

"Be still," said Ben, giving him a cuff with the bag, "and come on and don't dance all over those stairs. Oh, such a piece of work!" he declared, at last going into Jasper's room.

"Have you come at last!" said Jasper, turning an eager face to him.

"Have I?" said Ben, the monkey and he coming in together with a rush up to Jasper's chair, Jocko making a last dash at the paper bag; "well, yes, I should say I had. There are your peanuts," throwing them into Jasper's lap. "Look out, or he'll have them," as Jocko immediately leaped into the centre of the sofa blanket.

"Not much he won't," declared Jasper, setting the bag back of him with a quick hand. "Hulloa, Jocko!" as the monkey gave a squeal of disappointment. "Oh, you shall have some peanuts all in good time.

There, don't cry. Hold your paws."