ince saw that, he gave a growl, and
then the man saw us, and he looked so mean and cringing I knew there
must be something wrong, and I inquired of him what he was doing with
that little girl, and then she looked up and begged so with her eyes,
and all of a sudden broke away from him and ran towards me screaming--'I
want Polly!' Well, the man sprang after her; then I tell you--" here the
boy forgot his caution about waking Phronsie--"we went for him, Prince
and I! Prince is a noble fellow," (here the dog's ears twitched very
perceptibly) "and he kept at that man; oh! how he bit him! till he had
to run for fear the monkey would get killed."

"Was Phronsie frightened?" asked Ben; "she's never seen strangers."

"Not a bit," said the boy, cheerily; "she just clung to me like
everything--I only wish she was my sister," he added impulsively.

"What were you going to do with her if I hadn't come along?" asked Ben.

"Well, I got out on the main road," said the boy, "because I thought
anybody who had lost her, would probably come through this way; but if
somebody hadn't come, I was going to carry her in to Hingham; and the
father and I'd had to contrive some way to do."

"Well," said Ben, as the boy finished and fastened his bright eyes on
him, "somebody did come along; and now I must get her home about as fast
as I can for poor mammy--and Polly!"

"Yes," said the boy, "I'll help you lift her; perhaps she won't wake
up."

The big dog moved away a step or two, but still kept his eye on
Phronsie.

"There," said the boy, brightly, as they laid the child on the wagon
seat; "now when you get in you can hold her head; that's it," he added,
seeing them both fixed to his satisfaction. But still Ben lingered.

"Thank you," he tried to say.

"I know," laughed the boy; "only it's Prince instead of me," and he
pulled forward the big black creature, who had followed faithfully down
the hill to see the last of it. "To the front, sir, there! We're coming
to see you," he continued, "if you will let us--where do you live?"

"Do come," said Ben, lighting up, for he was just feeling he couldn't
bear to look his last on the merry, honest face; "anybody'll tell you
where Mrs. Pepper lives."

"Is she a Pepper?" asked the boy, laughing, and pointing to the
unconscious little heap in the wagon; "and are you a Pepper?"

"Yes," said Ben, laughing too. "There are five of us besides mother.

"Jolly! that's something like! Good-bye! Come on,