he boy did not seem to want to talk much about himself, when
Grandpa Brown began asking questions, after the meal.

"You have run away; haven't you?" Grandpa Brown asked.

"Yes--yes, sir, I did run away."

"From home?"

"No, I haven't had any home, that I can remember. I didn't run away from
home. I was working."

"On a farm?"

"No, sir. I didn't work on a farm."

"Where was it then?"

"I--I'd rather not tell," the boy said, looking around him as though he
thought some one might be after him.

"Look here!" said Grandpa Brown. "You haven't been a bad boy; have you?"

"No--no, sir. I've tried to be good. But the--the people I worked for
made it hard for me. They wanted me to do things I couldn't, and they
beat me and didn't give me enough to eat. So I just ran away. They may
come after me--that's why I don't want to tell you. If you don't know
where I ran from, you won't know what to tell them if they come after
me. But I'll go now."

The boy got up from the table, as though to go out into the night. It
was raining now.

"No, I won't let you go," said Grandpa Brown. "And I won't give you up
to the people who beat you. I'll look into this. You can stay here
to-night. You can sleep in the room with Bunker Blue. He'll look after
you. Now I hope you have been telling me the truth!"

"Oh, yes, sir. It's all true. I did work for--for some people, and they
half starved me and made me work very hard. I just had to run away, and
I hope they don't catch me and take me back."

"Well, I hope so, too," Grandpa Brown said. "I can't imagine what sort
of work you did. You don't look very strong."

"I'm not. But I didn't have to be so very strong."

"Not strong enough to work on a farm, I guess."

"Oh, I'm strong enough for that--yes, sir! Feel my muscle!" and the boy
bent up his arm. Grandpa Brown put his hand on it.

"Yes, you have some muscle," he said. "Well, maybe you will be all
right. Anyhow you'll be better off for a good night's sleep. I'll call
Bunker and have him look after you."

The strange boy, who said his name was Ben Hall, went up stairs with
Bunker Blue to go to bed. Bunny and Sue were also taken off to their
little beds.

"Well, what do you think of the new boy?" Bunny heard his father ask of
Grandpa Brown, just before the lights were put out for the night.

"Well, I think there's something queer about him," Grandpa Brown said.
"I'd like to know where he was working before he came here. But I'