`` Sancho 's found ! Sancho 's found ! '' shouted Thorny , throwing up his hat like a lunatic . `` Found , found , found ! '' echoed Betty , dancing wildly about as if she too had lost her little wits . `` Where ? how ? when ? who did it ? '' asked Mrs. Moss , clapping her dusty hands delightedly . `` It is n't ; it 's an old dirty brown thing , '' stammered Bab , as the dog came uppermost for a minute , and then rooted into Ben 's jacket as if he smelt a woodchuck , and was bound to have him out directly . Then Thorny , with many interruptions from Betty , poured forth the wondrous tale , to which Bab and his mother listened breathlessly , while the muffins burned as black as a coal , and nobody cared a bit . `` My precious lamb , how did you dare to do such a thing ? '' exclaimed Mrs. Moss , hugging the small heroine with mingled admiration and alarm . `` I 'd have dared , and slapped those horrid boys , too . I wish I 'd gone ! '' and Bab felt that she had for ever lost the chance of distinguishing herself . `` Who cut his tail off ? '' demanded Ben , in a menacing tone , as he came uppermost in his turn , dusty , red and breathless , but radiant . `` The wretch who stole him , I suppose ; and he deserves to be hung , '' answered Thorny , hotly .
`` If ever I catch him , I 'll -- I 'll cut his nose off , '' roared Ben , with such a vengeful glare that Sanch barked fiercely ; and it was well that the unknown `` wretch '' was not there , for it would have gone hardly with him , since even gentle Betty frowned , while XXXXX brandished the egg-beater menacingly , and their mother indignantly declared that `` it was too bad ! ''
Bab Ben Betty Moss Sancho interruptions minute turn uppermost woodchuck