Part 2 (1/2)
”What are you doing here?” asked Ben, who evidently did not understand how a boy could be there alone, unless he was occupied about something.
”Nothing.”
”Been in the water?”
”No.”
”Fis.h.i.+ng?”
”No.”
Ben was nonplussed. He suspected that Harry had been engaged in some mysterious occupation, which he desired to conceal from him.
”How long have you been here?” continued Ben, persistently.
”About half an hour.”
Ben stopped to think. He could make nothing of it. It was worse than the double rule of three, which he conscientiously believed had been invented on purpose to bother school boys.
”You are up to some trick, I know. Tell me what you come down here for.”
”Didn't come for anything.”
”What is the use of telling that. No feller would come clear down here for nothing.”
”I came down to think, then, if you must know,” answered Harry, rather testily.
”To think! Well, that is a good one! Ain't the poor-farm big enough to do your thinking on?”
”I chose to come down here.”
”Humph! You've got the blues, Harry. I should think old Walker had been afoul of you, by your looks.”
Harry looked up suddenly, and wondered if Ben knew what had happened.
”I should like to have the old rascal down here for half an hour. I should like to souse him into the river, and hold his head under till he begged my pardon,” continued Ben.
”So should I,” added Harry.
”Should you? You are a good feller, then! I mean to pay him off for what he did for me the other day. I wouldn't minded being turned out of school. I rather liked the idea; but the old muttonhead got me up before all the school, and read me such a lecture! He thinks there isn't anybody in the world but him.”
”The lecture didn't hurt you,” suggested Harry.
”No; it didn't. But that warn't the worst of it.”
”What else?”
”My father give me a confounded licking when I got home. I haven't done smarting yet. But I will pay 'em for it all.”
”You mean Squire Walker.”