Ben Pepper

  XVI

  WHO WILL HELP?

  The Van Ruypen butler came down the rose-tinted room, known as madam'sboudoir, with his usual soft, catlike tread, and stood by her very chairfor a moment without being seen. She appeared lost in thought, her headbent on her hand, and her right foot tapping impatiently on the carpet.

  "If you please, madam," said the serving-man, with a little apologeticcough to announce his presence, "I--"

  "Well," interrupted his mistress, sharply, and lifting her head with animpatient gesture, "what is it, Hooper?" Then, without waiting for ananswer, she got out of her chair, and went quickly across the apartmentto her writing-desk. "I want you to take a note to Mr. King's, to littleMiss Pepper," and she began to write hastily, and as if no very goodhumor inspired her thought.

  "If you please, madam," said Hooper, obsequiously, "little Master Pepperis downstairs now."

  "Hey? What is that you are saying?" demanded the old lady, throwing downher pen to turn away from the writing-table.

  "He's downstairs," repeated Hooper, "the little Pepper lad."

  "Which one?" cried madam, quickly.

  "_The_ one, madam," said the butler; "I don't know his name."

  "Then it must be Joel," said the old lady, and a smile of greatsatisfaction began to run over her strongly marked face. "Show him up atonce, Hooper; at once," she added, with an imperious wave of her handthat set all the heirlooms of rings to shining at a great rate.

  "Yes, madam," said Hooper, getting out on his errand as expeditiously aspossible.

  "To think that Joel has really come!" she exclaimed to herself joyfully.She deserted her writing-table now and began to walk up and down theapartment, her long fingers nervously playing with the silken cord ofher elaborate morning gown. "Oh, Joel," as her restless feet brought hernear the door, "there you are, my boy."

  "Yes'm," said Joel, wholly miserable, and leaning against the casing,with his black eyes fastened on the staircase, as if the way to Paradiselay there.

  "Well, come in. Don't stand there any longer. Pray come in." She wavedher hand authoritatively toward the centre of the apartment, thenfollowed him, as he crept dismally in. "Now sit down," she said, in hermost sociable way.

  So Joel sat down and fastened his eyes on the beautiful red velvetcarpet.

  "So you've come to see me this time, instead of my going to call onyou," said Madam Van Ruypen, to set him at his ease.

  "Yes'm," said Joel, "Mamsie made me come."

  "That's not very polite," observed the old lady, dryly. Which so addedto Joel's confusion, that he folded his small brown hands togethertightly, with a wild idea of springing off down the long stairs and outof the big house--but Mamsie. Oh, he couldn't do it! So he sat still,hardly daring to breathe.

  "However, it doesn't signify, since you are here," Madam Van Ruypen wenton, her eyes twinkling, which, of course, Joel couldn't see, as hedidn't dare to look up. Then she burst out suddenly into a laugh, longand loud, from which it seemed so difficult for her to get free, that atlast Joel tore his gaze off from the carpet and stared at her in terror.

  "Oh, I'm through," said the old lady, wiping her eyes; "dear me, and Ihaven't laughed so for many a day. No, no, Lizette," to the French maid,who popped in her white-capped head at the unwonted noise, "I'm notgoing to have a fit. Go back to your work. Now then, Joel, do you knowwhat I wanted to see you for, and the errand that made me take all thetrouble to call on you the other day?"

  "No'm," said Joel, all his misery returning, and hanging his head again.

  "Well, you see, I was in great trouble."

  Joel looked up quickly. Then his head fell again, to think how he hadacted--and she, the rich old Madam Van Ruypen, in trouble! In the firstplace he couldn't believe his ears; but worse than ever it was for himthat he had been bad at such a time.

  "The _greatest_ trouble," said the old lady, whereat Joel's chin wentlower yet, and his hands twisted together miserably.

  "You see Ben, who is the really sensible one among you Peppers," saidMadam Van Ruypen, bluntly, "and the one I rely on, wasn't at home. Andto think I had gotten myself into such a scrape. Joel, you can't think,I was just about frantic!" She leaned forward, resting both hands on herknees.

  "Oh, what was it? What was it?" cried Joel, forgetting all else exceptthis dreadful thing that had happened to her, and, hopping off from hischair, he ran over to her, clutching her morning gown with excitedfingers.

  Madam Van Ruypen put both strong hands on his shoulders. "I'd gone andwritten to that washerwoman up in the country to send down some of herchildren for a visit here. Think of that, Joel Pepper; I must have beencrazy!"

  Joel drew a long breath, his black eyes fastened on her face.

  "And I don't know any more what to do with children, nor what to say tothem, for that matter," declared the old lady, dropping her hands in herlap, "than--" she cast her eyes about the apartment, "that table there,"bringing them up to the nearest article.

  "So I went for you in my trouble," she continued--Joel, not thinking ofanything to say, wisely keeping still. "You understand, Joel," with akeen glance at him, "you aren't anyway to be compared with Ben, butseeing I couldn't get him, and two of the three children that are comingare boys, why, I had to make you do to help me out."

  "Are some boys coming?" asked Joel, finding his tongue.

  "Yes," said the old lady. "Oh, didn't I tell you? I wrote to the motherto send the two biggest boys and one girl--I couldn't take any more thanone girl, but she'll be a quiet, gentle little thing, of course, andkeep the boys civilized. That's what I wanted her for."

  "Ugh!" exclaimed Joel in great disgust, and digging the toes of one footwell into the thick carpet.

  "Oh, she won't trouble you, Joel," said the old lady, confidently;"she'll want to play with dolls all the time. I will keep her supplied.And if she should get discontented, why I'll ask Polly what to do. Butwhat I want to know from you, Joel, is, will you help me out with thoseboys?"

  Madam Van Ruypen grasped him again by the shoulders to look him squarelyin the face. "Will you, Joel?"

  "Pip is coming home with Ben and Jasper," said Joel, irrelevantly.

  "What? Not that boy who almost killed Jasper King?" cried Madam VanRuypen, and letting her hands again fall, this time in sheerastonishment.

  "He didn't," contradicted Joel, bluntly.

  "Well, he was the cause of it, anyway," said the old lady,inconsequently, "so never mind, we won't waste words about him. Iwouldn't have believed that Mr. King would do such a thing. Dear me, Ishouldn't want ever to see the boy again."

  "Well, Grandpapa does," said Joel, bobbing his black head, "'cause he'sgoing to bring him; an' I'm glad of it."

  "Well, supposing this boy, this Pip, does come," said Madam Van Ruypen,much discomfited, "what of it? That won't make any difference abouthelping me out with these two dreadful ones I've gone and fastenedmyself up with. Now will you do it, Joel? You must."

  "I've got to help about Pip," said Joel, reluctantly.

  "Pip! Well, who cares about your Pip?" began the old lady in anautocratic way.

  "I've got to help about Pip," said Joel again, and beginning to backslowly away from her.

  "See here, Joel!" she exclaimed in alarm, and seizing the end of hisblouse, "you won't refuse to help me? Just think of it, I don't in theleast know what to say to boys, let alone entertaining them--and they'recoming, Joel Pepper, they actually are!"

  She dropped the blouse-end and wrung her hands together. "And thatminister is going to send them along. Like enough they'll get hereto-day, although he hasn't telegraphed yet. And what shall I do, inHeaven's name!" She was so nervous by this time that it was impossiblefor her to sit still, so she got off from her chair and began to pace upand down the room, with long, excited steps.

  "I've got to help about Pip," said Joel again, and standing quite stillby her deserted chair.

  "Well, don't you say that again," commanded the old lady in an angrytone, and not pausing in her walk. "He
lp about your Pip if you want to,Joel Pepper. I'm sure I don't care if your Grandfather is foolish enoughto burden himself with that dreadful boy. And I guess I'll telegraph toMr. what's-his-name--the minister--oh, St. John, to keep those childrenback. They can stay in their poor old cabin for all me. I can't havethem here," and she turned off to the writing-table.

  "Oh, no, don't, don't," screamed Joel, flying after her. "I'll help you.Let 'em come--I will!"

  "No, you don't want to," said the old lady, perversely. "I see it inyour face, Joel." She turned and looked at him keenly. "It's no use,those children can't get this chance. They must stay at home."

  "Let them come," howled Joel. Then he laid hold of her gown andblubbered into it. "O dear! _Please_ let 'em come!"

  Just then in came Hooper, who appeared not to notice the astonishingstate of things as he held out to his mistress a yellow envelope, andthen discreetly retired.

  "It's well you promised, Joel," said Madam Van Ruypen, grimly, throwingdown the yellow sheet, which she tore out of the envelope, "and it wasjust in the nick of time. Those children are on the way, and will behere this afternoon."

  * * * * *

  Meantime an express train from another direction was rapidly bearing theparty from the Presbrey School. And at this identical minute Pip waspressing his thin little face against the window-pane, as he had slippedfrom his parlor chair to rest his tired legs. "What would it be like togo to Ben's house and be with him all the time?" For Pip never for amoment lost sight of the fact that it was Ben, and Ben alone, who wasall the world to him.

  He stood so for some minutes, his gaze idly resting on the flyinglandscape, of which he could not have told a single feature. Then hegave a long sigh and glanced longingly across the aisle at Ben,comfortable in his chair over a book, for Jasper was asleep in the chairahead. Besides, he wasn't to be talked to, so the doctor had givenorders, on the home journey.

  "Hey--what is it?" Ben in turning a page happened to glance up and catcha glimpse of the earnest little eyes.

  "Nothing," Pip tried to say, but he made no success of it.

  "Oh, come over here," said Ben, in a low voice, because of Jasper. Andtossing aside the book, he crowded Pip in next to his window. "Now then,sir, what is it?"

  "Nothing," said Pip, in a joyful little way. He could say it now, as hehad what he wanted--Ben to himself.

  Ben leaned over and picked up his book. "You can have a nice timelooking out of the window, eh, Pip?"

  "Yes," said Pip, but his thin little face fell, and he turned it away tocast a dismal glance on what he didn't care in the least to see.

  Ben found his place in the book and plunged in. Was Bob really to bepursued by the shark, or would the good sailor who had befriended himbefore, save him now? He read on--whirled a page--what was that, a sigh?He glanced quickly around his book, and took one look at Pip. "Oh, say,"he broke out, and down the book went to the floor, "what shall we donow, I wonder?"

  "Do you mean it; are we going to do anything, Ben?" cried Pip, in ajoyful voice, and whirling around in great excitement.

  "Yes--hush, we might wake Jasper," warned Ben, but he smiled into thehappy little face. "It must be something quiet, you know." He threw hisarm around the small figure and drew it down beside him on the parlorchair. "There's room enough for us both, isn't there?" he saidpleasantly.

  "You're so awful big," said Pip, squirming in, and snuggling up to Benas tightly as he could in quite an ecstatic frame of mind. "Oh, I wishyou'd draw something, Ben, I really do."

  "Well, so I will," said Ben, after a bit of consideration. "Now then,you sit still and I'll get my bag," which he soon did, from the rackoverhead. And extracting the drawing materials, every movement beingsuperintended by Pip in the greatest satisfaction, he soon had them alllaid out, ready to begin operations.

  "Well, sir, and now what shall we draw?" he asked, balancing his pencilthoughtfully on his fingers.

  Pip turned around, his pale eyes searching the parlor car in alldirections. "Draw that old woman," he said at last, pointing to thesubject of his choice; "she's awful funny."

  "Hush!" said Ben, pulling down his finger.

  "Oh, no, I couldn't draw the people in the car; they wouldn't like it.Choose something else, Pip."

  "There isn't anything else," said Pip, in a disconsolate voice."Everything outside is running so fast."

  "I tell you, I'll draw something from memory," said Ben, quickly. "I'llshow you the little brown house where I used to live--that'll be nice.You'd like that, Pip."

  "Yes," said Pip, "I should."

  If Ben said so, that was quite enough, so he crowded as closely to thescene of operations as he could get.

  "See here," said Ben, twisting off, "you don't leave me room enough. Youmustn't crowd so, Pip."

  "I can't see, then," said Pip, dreadfully disappointed.

  "Well, I tell you, get on my other side, then,--there, that's fine," asPip hopped over. "Now my right hand is free. Well, here goes!" And intwo minutes the little brown house began to stare right up at them fromthe paper, and Ben was drawing furiously away, until it seemed as ifevery revolution of the car wheels was whirling them to Badgertown.

  "Oh, do teach me to draw houses, Ben," cried Pip, as the little lanedown to Grandma Bascom's began to come in sight. "Do, Ben, please," hebegged.

  "So I will," promised Ben, kindly. "Now you can take the pencil whenI've finished this, Pip, and I'll give you your first lesson."

  "May I? May I?" and Pip ended up with a glad little crow.

  "Hush! You'll wake Jasper," warned Ben. "Yes, and I'll sharpen you up anice new point on my best pencil, and you shall make a try. There, thisis almost done." He put in a few more strokes, and held it off toexamine with a critical eye, "All except a bit of shading in thosetrees,--there, now it's all right," and he laid the sketch in Pip'shands.

  "I'm going to draw just like that," declared Pip, with the utmostconfidence, devouring the picture with his eyes.

  "Oh, you'll draw one better than that, sometime," said Ben, laughing, ashe whittled away on his best pencil. "Now then, that _is_ a point foryou," and he held it up in satisfaction.

  Pip seized the pencil, and made some quick, jerky strokes that snappedthe beautiful point quite off.

  "O dear, dear!" he exclaimed, ready to cry.

  "Never mind, we'll soon have another point on, just as good," said Ben,reassuringly, opening his knife. "Now then, Pip, I'll begin yourlesson," holding up the pencil; "here you are, all ready."

  "I want to draw a picture first, just as you did," said Pip, with aneager hand for the pencil.

  "You can't," said Ben, sturdily, "not the first go. You must learn how,Pip."

  "Let me try, do," begged Pip, earnestly, and his thin little facetwitched.

  "Oh, well, you may if you want to," said Ben, laughing; "but you mustn'tbe discouraged if you don't succeed. Now then, go at it if you wish."

  For the next few moments nothing was to be heard but Pip's hardbreathing and the scratching of his fine pencil over the paper. Benyawned and looked longingly at the book on the floor. And there was Bob,and the shark in full pursuit, with the prospect of the sailor puttingin an appearance at the last moment. No, it wouldn't do to desertPip--and--why, really there was something worth while coming on the bigpiece of white paper. Ben leaned over the thin little figure. "Why,Pip!"

  Pip said nothing, but drew his breath harder yet, with every effort onhis work. He gripped the pencil as if it were to run away from him, andbent lower yet to his task.

  "Don't clutch it so; hold it easier," said Ben, laying his hand on thelittle thin one, guiding the pencil.

  Pip released his grasp for just one moment, then tightened it up again.Seeing which, Ben wisely let him alone. "It'll make him nervous," hesaid to himself, and turned his attention to watching the sketch grow."My goodness, to think he can draw like that!"

  For there unmistakably was an old man, very withered and bent, holdingout his hand, and by his
side a little girl in a tattered shawl. Anybodywith half an eye could see that the old beggar was blind, and that thegirl had been crying.

  "Pip! why, where,"--Ben was beaming at him now, as Pip lifted hisface,--"how did you learn to draw like that?" and he seized the sketch.It was very rough and uneven, but there they were, sure enough, the twofigures.

  "I used to see them," said Pip, explaining. "They stood on the corner,don't you know, when the master let us go up to town from school."

  "Well, I guess you don't want any lessons from me," declared Ben, notable to take his eyes from the picture.

  "Oh, yes, I do, I do," cried Pip, in mortal terror that he was going tolose the very thing above all others that he prized. "I'll tear it up,"he cried, with a savage lunge at the picture, and venom written all overhis little pale face.

  "No, you don't, sir," declared Ben, with a laugh, and holding the sketchoff at arm's length; "this picture is mine in return for the one I gaveyou. And I'll teach you all I know, Pip, I really will. So now we willset to work."

  And the first thing that either of them knew, Grandpapa was leaning overthem and smiling, to say, "The next station, and we are home!"