Mr. Smithers offered to take the boy back and `` do well by him , '' averring that the father wished his son to remain where he left him , and follow the profession to which he was trained . `` Will you go , Ben ? '' asked Miss Celia , hoping to distract his mind from his grief by speaking of other things . `` No , no ; I 'd rather tramp and starve . He 's awful hard to me and Sanch ; and he 'd be worse , now father 's gone . Do n't send me back ! Let me stay here ; folks are good to me ; there 's nowhere else to go . '' And the head Ben had lifted up with a desperate sort of look , went down again on Sancho 's breast as if there were no other refuge left . `` You shall stay here , and no one shall take you away against your will . I called you ` my boy ' in play , now you shall be my boy in earnest ; this shall be your home , and Thorny your brother . We are orphans , too ; and we will stand by one another till a stronger friend comes to help us , '' said Miss Celia , with such a mixture of resolution and tenderness in her voice , that Ben felt comforted at once , and thanked her by laying his cheek against the pretty slipper that rested on the step beside him , as if he had no words in which to swear loyalty to the gentle mistress whom he meant henceforth to serve with grateful fidelity . Sancho felt that he must follow suit ; and gravely put his paw upon her knee , with a low whine , as if he said , `` Count me in , and let me help to pay my master 's debt if I can . '' Miss Celia shook the offered paw cordially , and the good creature crouched at her feet like a small lion , bound to guard her and her house for evermore . `` Do n't lie on that cold stone , Ben ; come here and let me try to comfort you , '' she said , stooping to wipe away the great drops that kept rolling down the brown cheek half hidden in her dress . But Ben put his arm over his face , and sobbed out with a fresh burst of grief , -- `` You ca n't , you did n't know him ! Oh , daddy ! daddy ! if I 'd only seen you jest once more ! '' No one could grant that wish ; but Miss Celia did comfort him , for presently the sound of music floated out from the parlor , -- music so soft , so sweet , that involuntarily the boy stopped his crying to listen ; then quieter tears dropped slowly , seeming to soothe his pain as they fell , while the sense of loneliness passed away , and it grew possible to wait till it was time to go to father in that far-off country lovelier than golden California . How long she played Miss Celia never minded ; but , when she stole out to see if Ben had gone , she found that other friends , even kinder than herself , had taken the boy into their gentle keeping .
The wind had sung a lullaby among the rustling lilacs , the moon 's mild face looked through the leafy arch to kiss the heavy eyelids , and faithful XXXXX still kept guard beside his little master , who , with his head pillowed on his arm , lay fast asleep , dreaming , happily , that Daddy had come home again .
Ben California Celia Count Sanch Sancho Smithers left paw profession