Luck and Pluck 58

Luck and Pluck 58

"By all my lucky stars!" he exclaimed; "if this isn't the lost will!

This will set John all right. I wonder how that scamp got hold of it!"

 

Sam put the will in his own inside coat-pocket, and buttoned up his

coat to make sure that it was safe. He wanted to go at once and

communicate the joyful discovery to his father, but he also wanted to

enjoy Ben's dismay when he found his clothes gone. This he could not

forego on any account, and that he might be an unseen witness of all

that occurred, he climbed up a large tree whose thick-leaved branches

hid him completely.

 

Hardly had he concealed himself before Ben emerged from the water.

He at once proceeded to the spot where he had left his clothing. In

ludicrous perplexity he gazed at the remarkable change which had taken

place. He lifted the gown and skirt, and found that his shirt, collar,

hat, stockings, and shoes were untouched.

 

He put on his shirt and stockings, and called out, angrily, thinking

the author of the trick might be within hearing:--

 

"I say, bring back my clothes!"

 

But no reply was made.

 

"Bring back my clothes, I say!" he called, in louder and more angry

accents.

 

But again this reasonable request fell unheeded. He waited anxiously

for a response, but none came.

 

"Where are you, you scoundrel?" he screamed, in very ill temper.

 

"Don't you wish you knew?" thought Sam, as he looked calmly down from a

distance upon Ben.

 

"Perhaps the scamp has hid my clothes somewhere about here," thought

Ben.

 

He proceeded to search in every direction he could think of. But the

hollow tree, rather strangely, did not occur to him and escaped his

notice.

 

His anger and dismay increased as he found his search vain.

 

"I wish I had the mean, contemptible rascal here!" he exclaimed. "I'd

break every bone in his body!"

 

"I don't know about that, Ben Brayton," silently commented Sam, from

his secure post of observation.

 

"What shall I do?" thought Ben, gloomily.

 

He sat down to consider. His situation was certainly an embarrassing

one. Of course he could not go home in his shirt, and the only

alternative was to wear the odious gown. It was hard to make up his

mind to that. He preferred to wait awhile to see if help would not come

from some quarter. Sam began to get tired in his perch.

 

"Why don't the fellow dress and go home?" he muttered.

 

At length Ben made up his mind that it must be done, and, with a hearty

anathema on the author of his perplexity, robed himself in the dress.

Sam nearly exploded with laughter as he saw Ben arrayed in the gown,

which fell lank around him. Ben gazed ruefully at his extraordinary

figure, and then at the hoop-skirt. He concluded that he would not look

quite so badly with that addition. He therefore fitted it on as well

as he could, and adjusted his dress by the help of some pins which he

found sticking in the dress.

 

"I wish I had a hood or something to hide my face," muttered Ben,

dismally. "I might pass for a girl then. Now folks will stare at me as

if I was mad, and if any one sees me I shall never hear the last of it."

 

Certainly Ben's black felt hat did not look much in keeping with the

faded calico dress, now properly filled out by the hoop-skirt, which

swayed from side to side as he walked.

 

"Oh, it's too rich!" thought Sam, almost choking with suppressed

laughter. "What a sensation he will make in the village!"

 

Just then Ben's foot got caught somehow, and he fell sprawling. He

gathered himself up with furious energy, and did not observe that

there was a conspicuous stain of mud on his dress. He took a roundabout

way, so as to remain under cover of the woods as long as he could.

 

[Illustration]

 

"I must meet Ben, and enjoy his discomfort," thought Sam.

 

He scrambled down from the tree, and cautiously made a short cut for

the road, unseen by Ben. He posted himself at a place where Ben must

emerge. He walked along, apparently absorbed in thought, till he came

face to face with Ben, who, very much ashamed of his appearance, was

walking as fast as his embarrassing clothing would allow.

 

"Good gracious, Ben Brayton!" he exclaimed, in affected amazement.

"Why, what possesses you to go round in this style?"

 

"No choice of mine. I couldn't help it," said Ben, ruefully. "I went in

swimming. Some scamp stole my clothes, and left these traps in their

place."

 

"Well, upon my word, Ben, really you do cut the queerest figure I ever

saw!" said Sam, giving vent to his pent-up mirth.

 

"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Ben, in a most aggrieved tone.

 

"You would if you could only see yourself," said Sam,--and he burst out

with laughter again.

 

"Do you mean to insult me?" said Ben, wrathfully.

 

"Excuse me, Ben; but really I can't help it. See, there's Miss Clark

coming. If she don't laugh I'll forfeit a dollar."

 

Miss Clark was one of the prettiest young ladies in the village, and to

be seen by her was most humiliating. But there was no dodging it. She

met Ben face to face, and, as might be expected, was moved to merriment.

 

"Good-morning, Miss Clark," said Ben, sheepishly.

 

The young lady tried to say good-morning, but only burst into a fresh

fit of mirth as she passed along, Sam joining her a few moments

afterwards.

 

Ben walked on very much discomposed. He was still half a mile from

home, and it was very probable that he would meet others.

 

"I'd give fifty dollars to be safe at home," he groaned.

 

He had reason to say so. Just then the scholars in the village school

were sent out to their morning recess. They espied the strange figure,

and instantly, boy-like, started in pursuit.

 

"Keep your distance!" said Ben, furiously, to his young tormentors.

 

"Oh my! what a fine young lady I am!" said one.

 

"How _do you do_ this morning, _Miss_ Brayton?" said another.

 

"What a _becoming_ dress!" commented another, with much admiration.

 

Ben tried to give chase to his tormentors, but, as might have been

expected, not being accustomed to his attire, tripped, and fell

headlong.

 

Then a shout, long and loud, went up from the boys.

 

Ben could not stand it. He gathered up his skirts, and ran towards home

with all the expedition he was capable of. The old doctor met him,

and gazed in wonder at the flying figure, not recognizing Ben in his

new costume. He began to speculate whether it might not be an insane

person, who had broken from his or her confinement.

 

Panting for breath, Ben at length brought up at his own door. It was

locked, Mrs. Oakley having followed the old adage of "shutting the

stable-door after the horse is stolen." Ben rang a tremendous peal at

the door-bell, which was quickly answered by Hannah.

 

When she saw the strange figure before her, she uttered a loud shriek,

and fled with precipitation.

 

Mrs. Oakley heard the bell and Hannah's shriek, and came hastily to the

head of the stairs.

 

"What does this ridiculous masquerading mean?" she demanded, sternly.

 

"It means that I went in swimming, and some rascal stole my clothes and

left these," growled Ben, provoked that he should be blamed for his

misfortune.

 

Then, for the first time, flashed upon Ben the crowning

misfortune,--that the lost will was in his coat-pocket. Upon the

recovery of that depended his chance of getting the two hundred

dollars. He sank into a chair, pale with dismay.

 

"Are you sick, Ben?" asked his mother, hastily.

 

"No," he said; "but I must dress as quick as possible, and go back and

find my clothes if I can."

 

He dressed in nervous haste, and set out for the woods. This time he

espied the hollow tree. There he found his clothes. He felt in the

pockets, and found that everything was safe, including his watch and

pocket-book.

 

But the will was gone! Ben instituted a strict and careful search

in every conceivable direction, but he found no trace of the lost document.