cried Bab , bobbing up and down on the blue bench to imitate the motion of white Jenny . `` I guess you are a plucky sort of a girl , '' and Ben gave her an approving look as he went by , taking care to slop a little water on Mrs. Puss , who stood curling her whiskers and humping up her back at Sancho . `` Come to breakfast ! '' called Mrs. Moss ; and for about twenty minutes little was said , as mush and milk vanished in a way that would have astonished even Jack the Giant-killer with his leather bag . `` Now , girls , fly round and get your chores done up ; Ben , you go chop me some kindlings ; and I 'll make things tidy . Then we can all start off at once , '' said Mrs. Moss , as the last mouthful vanished , and Sancho licked his lips over the savory scraps that fell to his share . Ben fell to chopping so vigorously that chips flew wildly all about the shed ; Bab rattled the cups into her dish-pan with dangerous haste , and Betty raised a cloud of dust `` sweeping-up ; '' while mother seemed to be everywhere at once . Even Sanch , feeling that his fate was at stake , endeavored to help in his own somewhat erratic way , -- now frisking about Ben at the risk of getting his tail chopped off , then trotting away to poke his inquisitive nose into every closet and room whither he followed Mrs. Moss in her `` flying round '' evolutions ; next dragging off the mat so Betty could brush the door-steps , or inspecting Bab 's dish-washing by standing on his hind-legs to survey the table with a critical air . When they drove him out he was not the least offended , but gayly barked Puss up a tree , chased all the hens over the fence , and carefully interred an old shoe in the garden , where the remains of the mutton-bone were already buried . By the time the others were ready , he had worked off his superfluous spirits , and trotted behind the party like a well-behaved dog accustomed to go out walking with ladies . At the cross-roads they separated , the little girls running on to school , while Mrs. Moss and Ben went up to the Squire 's big house on the hill . `` Do n't you be scared , child . I 'LL make it all right about your running away ; and if the Squire gives you a job , just thank him for it , and do your best to be steady and industrious ; then you 'll get on , I have n't a doubt , '' she whispered , ringing the Ben at a side-door , on which the word `` Morris '' shone in bright letters . `` Come in ! '' called a gruff voice ; and , feeling very much as if he were going to have a tooth out , Ben meekly followed the good woman , who put on her pleasantest smile , anxious to make the best possible impression . A white-headed old gentleman sat reading a paper , and peered over his glasses at the new-comers with a pair of sharp eyes , saying in a testy tone , which would have rather daunted any one who did not know what a kind heart he had under his capacious waistcoat , -- `` Good-morning , ma'am . What 's the matter now ? Young tramp been stealing your chickens ? '' `` Oh , dear no , sir ! '' exclaimed Mrs. Moss , as if shocked at the idea .
Then , in a few words , she told Ben 's story , unconsciously making his wrongs and destitution so pathetic by her looks and tones , that the XXXXX could not help being interested , and even Ben pitied himself as if he were somebody else .
Good-morning Puss Sancho Squire kindlings mush right stealing sweeping-up whither