asked Mrs. Moss , nodding at him , fork in hand . `` Guess I did ! Never saw such a bed . I 'm used to hay and a horse-blanket , and lately nothin ' but sky for a cover and grass for my feather-bed , '' laughed Ben , grateful for present comforts and making light of past hardships . `` Clean , sweet corn-husks ai n't bad for young bones , even if they have n't got more flesh on them than yours have , '' answered Mrs. Moss , giving the smooth head a motherly stroke as she went by . `` Fat ai n't allowed in our profession , ma'am . The thinner the better for tight-ropes and tumblin ' ; likewise bareback ridin ' and spry jugglin ' . Muscle 's the thing , and there you are . '' Ben stretched out a wiry little arm with a clenched fist at the end of it , as if he were a young Hercules , ready to play ball with the stove if she gave him leave . Glad to see him in such good spirits , she pointed to the well outside , saying pleasantly , -- `` Well , then , just try your muscle by bringing in some fresh water . '' Ben caught up a pail and ran off , ready to be useful ; but , while he waited for the bucket to fill down among the mossy stones , he looked about him , well pleased with all he saw , -- the small brown house with a pretty curl of smoke rising from its chimney , the little sisters sitting in the sunshine , green hills and newly-planted fields far and near , a brook dancing through the orchard , birds singing in the elm avenue , and all the world as fresh and lovely as early summer could make it . `` Do n't you think it 's pretty nice here ? '' asked Bab , as his eye came back to them after a long look , which seemed to take in every thing , brightening as it roved . `` Just the nicest place that ever was . Only needs a horse round somewhere to be complete , '' answered Ben , as the long well-sweep came up with a dripping bucket at one end , an old grindstone at the other . `` The judge has three , but he 's so fussy about them he wo n't even let us pull a few hairs out of old Major 's tail to make rings of , '' said Betty , shutting her arithmetic , with an injured expression . `` Mike lets me ride the white one to water when the judge is n't round . It 's such fun to go jouncing down the lane and back . I do love horses ! '' 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 XXXXX 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 .
Bab Ben Jenny Mike Moss corn-husks jugglin ridin tumblin well-sweep