I do n't expect you to understand much that you hear yet awhile ; but it is good to be there , and after reading these stories you will be more interested when you hear the names of the people mentioned here . '' `` Yes , 'm . Was n't David a fine feller ? I liked all about the kid and the corn and the ten cheeses , and killin ' the lion and bear , and slingin ' old Goliath dead first shot . I want to know about Joseph next time , for I saw a gang of robbers puttin ' him in a hole , and it looked real interesting . '' Miss Celia could not help smiling at Ben 's way of telling things ; but she was pleased to see that he was attracted by the music and the stories , and resolved to make church-going so pleasant that he would learn to love it for its own sake . `` Now , you have tried my way this morning , and we will try yours this afternoon . Come over about four and help me roll Thorny down to the grove . I am going to put one of the hammocks there , because the smell of the pines is good for him , and you can talk or read or amuse yourselves in any quiet way you like . '' `` Can I take Sanch along ? He does n't like to be left , and felt real bad because I shut him up , for fear he 'd follow and come walkin ' into meetin ' to find me . '' `` Yes , indeed ; let the clever Bow-wow have a good time and enjoy Sunday as much as I want my boys to . '' Quite content with this arrangement , Ben went home to dinner , which he made very lively by recounting Billy Barton 's ingenious devices to beguile the tedium of sermon time . He said nothing of his conversation with Miss Celia , because he had not quite made up his mind whether he liked it or not ; it was so new and serious , he felt as if he had better lay it by , to think over a good deal before he could understand all about it . But he had time to get dismal again , and long for four o'clock ; because he had nothing to do except whittle . Mrs. Moss went to take a nap ; Bab and Betty sat demurely on their bench reading Sunday books ; no boys were allowed to come and play ; even the hens retired under the currant-bushes , and the cock stood among them , clucking drowsily , as if reading them a sermon . `` Dreadful slow day ! '' thought Ben ; and , retiring to the recesses of his own room , he read over the two letters which seemed already old to him . Now that the first shock was over , he could not make it true that his father was dead , and he gave up trying ; for he was an honest boy , and felt that it was foolish to pretend to be more unhappy than he really was . So he put away his letters , took the black pocket off Sanch 's neck , and allowed himself to whistle softly as he packed up his possessions , ready to move next day , with few regrets and many bright anticipations for the future .
`` Thorny , I want you to be good to XXXXX , and amuse him in some quiet way this afternoon .
Ben Bow-wow Celia Moss Sanch cheeses first killin o'clock recesses