SOMETHING QUEER
"Come right in and sit down!" was Grandma Brown's invitation. And she
said it in such a kind, pleasant voice that the strange boy looked
around as though she were speaking to some one who had come up behind
him, that he could not see.
"Come right in, and get something to eat," went on the children's
grandmother.
"Do you--do you mean _me_?" asked the strange boy.
"Why, yes. Who else do you s'pose she meant?" asked Grandpa Brown.
"I--I didn't know, sir. You see I--I'm not used to being invited into
places that way. I thought maybe you didn't mean it."
"Mean it? Of course I mean it!" said Grandma Brown.
"You're hungry; aren't you?" asked Grandpa Brown.
"Hungry. Oh, sir--I--I haven't had anything since breakfast, and then it
was only a green apple and some berries I picked."
"Land sakes!" cried Grandma Brown. "Why didn't you go up to the first
house you came to and ask for a meal?"
"I--I didn't like to, ma'am. I thought maybe they'd set the dog on me,
thinking I was a tramp."
By this time Splash, the big pet dog, had come around the path. The
strange boy looked around as though getting ready to run.
"He won't hurt you," said Bunny quickly. "Splash is a good dog."
Splash went up to the strange boy, rubbed his cold, wet nose on the
boy's legs, and then Splash began to wag his tail.
"See, he likes you," said Sue. "He's going to be in our show; Splash is.
He's going to be half a blue-striped tiger when we have our circus."
"Circus!" cried the strange boy. "Is--is there a circus around here?"
and he seemed much surprised, even frightened, Bunny thought afterward.
"No, there isn't any circus," said Grandpa Brown. "It's only a
make-believe one the children are getting up. But we musn't keep you
standing here talking when you're half starved. Get him something to
eat, Mother. The idea of being afraid to go to a house and ask for
something!" said Grandpa Brown, in a low voice.
"That shows he isn't a regular tramp; doesn't it?" asked Mother Brown.
"I should say so--yes," answered grandpa. "But there is something queer
about that boy."
By this time Grandmother Brown had gone into the kitchen. She told the
strange boy to follow her, and soon she had set out in front of him some
bread and butter, a plate of cold meat and a big bowl of cool, rich,
creamy milk.
"Now you just eat all you want," said Grandma Brown, kindly.
Bunny and Sue had come out into the kitchen, and they now stood staring
at the strange boy. He had a pleasant face, though, just now, it looked
pale, and all pinched up from hunger, like a rubber ball that hasn't any
air in it.
The boy looked around the kitchen, as though he did not know just what
to do. In his hand he held a ragged cap he had taken off his head when
he came in.
"Did you want something?" asked Grandma Brown.
"I--I was looking for a place to hang my hat. And then I'd like to wash.
I'm all dust and dirt."
Grandma Brown smiled. She was pleased--Bunny and Sue could see that--for
Grandma Brown liked clean and neat boys and girls who hung up their hats
and bonnets, and washed their faces and hands, without being told to do
so.
"Hang your cap over on that nail," said Grandpa Brown, pointing to one
behind the stove. "And you can wash at the sink to-night. Now you two
tots had better go to bed!" grandpa went on, as he saw Bunny and Sue
standing with their backs against the wall, watching the strange boy.
"We--we want to stay and see him eat," objected Sue.
The boy smiled, and Mrs. Brown laughed.
"This isn't a circus, where you watch the animals eat," she said. "You
come along with me, and, when this young man has finished his supper,
you can see him again."
"Oh, but--if you please--you're very good. But after I eat this nice
meal I'll--I'll be going on," said the boy.
"No you'll not!" said Grandpa Brown. "You'll just stay here all night.
We can put you up. I think it's going to storm. You don't want to be out
in the rain?"
"Oh, that's very good of you," the boy said, "But I don't want to be a
trouble to you."
"It won't be any trouble," Grandpa Brown said. Then he went out of the
kitchen with Mother Brown, Bunny and Sue, leaving Grandma Brown to wait
on the strange boy. Splash stayed in the kitchen too. Perhaps the big
dog was hungry himself.
"That boy isn't a regular tramp," said Grandpa Brown. "But there is
something queer about him. He seems afraid. I must have a talk with him
after he eats."
"He seems nice and neat," said Mother Brown.
"Yes, he's clean. I like him for that. Well, we'll soon find out what he
has to tell me."
But the boy did not seem to want to talk much about himself, when
Grandpa Brown began asking questions, after the meal.
"You have run away; haven't you?" Grandpa Brown asked.
"Yes--yes, sir, I did run away."
"From home?"
"No, I haven't had any home, that I can remember. I didn't run away from
home. I was working."
"On a farm?"
"No, sir. I didn't work on a farm."
"Where was it then?"
"I--I'd rather not tell," the boy said, looking around him as though he
thought some one might be after him.
"Look here!" said Grandpa Brown. "You haven't been a bad boy; have you?"
"No--no, sir. I've tried to be good. But the--the people I worked for
made it hard for me. They wanted me to do things I couldn't, and they
beat me and didn't give me enough to eat. So I just ran away. They may
come after me--that's why I don't want to tell you. If you don't know
where I ran from, you won't know what to tell them if they come after
me. But I'll go now."
The boy got up from the table, as though to go out into the night. It
was raining now.
"No, I won't let you go," said Grandpa Brown. "And I won't give you up
to the people who beat you. I'll look into this. You can stay here
to-night. You can sleep in the room with Bunker Blue. He'll look after
you. Now I hope you have been telling me the truth!"
"Oh, yes, sir. It's all true. I did work for--for some people, and they
half starved me and made me work very hard. I just had to run away, and
I hope they don't catch me and take me back."
"Well, I hope so, too," Grandpa Brown said. "I can't imagine what sort
of work you did. You don't look very strong."
"I'm not. But I didn't have to be so very strong."
"Not strong enough to work on a farm, I guess."
"Oh, I'm strong enough for that--yes, sir! Feel my muscle!" and the boy
bent up his arm. Grandpa Brown put his hand on it.
"Yes, you have some muscle," he said. "Well, maybe you will be all
right. Anyhow you'll be better off for a good night's sleep. I'll call
Bunker and have him look after you."
The strange boy, who said his name was Ben Hall, went up stairs with
Bunker Blue to go to bed. Bunny and Sue were also taken off to their
little beds.
"Well, what do you think of the new boy?" Bunny heard his father ask of
Grandpa Brown, just before the lights were put out for the night.
"Well, I think there's something queer about him," Grandpa Brown said.
"I'd like to know where he was working before he came here. But I'll ask
him again to-morrow. He seems like a nice, clean boy. But he certainly
is queer!"