Paul Prescott's Charge

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  XXVIII.

  HOW BEN GOT HOME.

  Delighted with the complete success of his practical joke, Ben took hisway homeward with the sheet under his arm. By the time he reached hisfather's house it was ten o'clock. The question for Ben to consider nowwas, how to get in. If his father had not fastened the front door hemight steal in, and slip up stairs on tiptoe without being heard.This would be the easiest way of overcoming the difficulty, and Ben,perceiving that the light was still burning in the sitting-room, hadsome hopes that he would be able to adopt it. But while he was onlya couple of rods distant he saw the lamp taken up by his father, whoappeared to be moving from the room.

  "He's going to lock the front door," thought Ben, in disappointment; "ifI had only got along five minutes sooner."

  From his post outside he heard the key turn in the lock.

  The 'Squire little dreamed that the son whom he imagined fast asleep inhis room was just outside the door he was locking.

  "I guess I'll go round to the back part of the house," thought Ben,"perhaps I can get in the same way I came out."

  Accordingly he went round and managed to clamber upon the roof, whichwas only four feet from the ground. But a brief trial served to convinceour young adventurer that it is a good deal easier sliding down a roofthan it is climbing up. The shingles being old were slippery, and thoughthe ascent was not steep, Ben found the progress he made was very muchlike that of a man at the bottom of a well, who is reported as fallingback two feet for every three that he ascended. What increased thedifficulty of his attempt was that the soles of his shoes were wellworn, and slippery as well as the shingles.

  "I never can get up this way," Ben concluded, after several fruitlessattempts; "I know what I'll do," he decided, after a moment'sperplexity; "I'll pull off my shoes and stockings, and then I guess Ican get along better."

  Ben accordingly got down from the roof, and pulled off his shoes andstockings. As he wanted to carry these with him, he was at firsta little puzzled by this new difficulty. He finally tied the shoestogether by the strings and hung them round his neck. He disposed of thestockings by stuffing one in each pocket.

  "Now," thought Ben, "I guess I can get along better. I don't know whatto do with the plaguy sheet, though."

  But necessity is the mother of invention, and Ben found that he couldthrow the sheet over his shoulders, as a lady does with her shawl. Thusaccoutered he recommenced the ascent with considerable confidence.

  He found that his bare feet clung to the roof more tenaciously thanthe shoes had done, and success was already within his grasp, when anunforeseen mishap frustrated his plans. He had accomplished about threequarters of the ascent when all at once the string which united theshoes which he had hung round his neck gave way, and both fell with agreat thump on the roof. Ben made a clutch for them in which he lost hisown hold, and made a hurried descent in their company, alighting withhis bare feet on some flinty gravel stones, which he found by no meansagreeable.

  "Ow!" ejaculated Ben, limping painfully, "them plaguy gravel stoneshurt like thunder. I'll move 'em away the first thing to-morrow. If thatconfounded shoe-string hadn't broken I'd have been in bed by this time."

  Meanwhile Hannah had been sitting over the kitchen fire enjoying asocial chat with a "cousin" of hers from Ireland, a young man whomshe had never seen or heard of three months before. In what way he hadsucceeded in convincing her of the relationship I have never been ableto learn, but he had managed to place himself on familiar visiting termswith the inmate of 'Squire Newcome's kitchen.

  "It's only me cousin, sir," Hannah explained to the 'Squire, when hehad questioned her on the subject; "he's just from Ireland, sir, and itseems like home to see him."

  On the present occasion Tim Flaherty had outstayed his usual time, andwas still in the kitchen when Ben reached home. They did not at firsthear him, but when he made his last abortive attempt, and the shoes cameclattering down, they could not help hearing.

  "What's that?" asked Hannah, listening attentively.

  She went to the door to look out, her cousin following.

  There was nothing to be seen.

  "Perhaps you was dramin' Hannah," said Tim, "more by token, it's time wewas both doin' that same, so I'll bid you good-night."

  "Come again soon, Tim," said Hannah, preparing to close the door.

  A new plan of entrance flashed upon Ben.

  He quickly put on his shoes and stockings, unfolded the sheet andprepared to enact the part of a ghost once more,--this time for thespecial benefit of Hannah.

  After fully attiring himself he came to the back door which Hannah hadalready locked, and tapped three times.

  Hannah was engaged in raking out the kitchen fire.

  "Sure it's Tim come back," thought she, as she went to the door."Perhaps he's forgotten something."

  She opened the door unsuspiciously, fully expecting to see her Irishcousin standing before her.

  What was her terror on beholding a white-robed figure, with extendedarms.

  "Howly virgin, defend me!" she exclaimed, in paralyzing terror, whichwas increased by a guttural sound which proceeded from the throat ofthe ghost, who at the same time waved his arms aloft, and made a steptowards Hannah.

  Hannah, with a wild howl dropped the lamp and fed towards thesitting-room, where 'Squire Newcome was still sitting.

  Ben sped upstairs at the top of his speed, dashed into his own chamber,spread the sheet on the bed, and undressed so rapidly that he seemedonly to shake his clothes off, and jumped into bed. He closed his eyesand appeared to be in a profound slumber.

  Hannah's sudden appearance in the sitting-room in such a state naturallyastonished the 'Squire.

  "What's the matter?" he demanded of the affrighted servant.

  "Oh, sir," she gasped, "I'm almost kilt entirely."

  "Are you?" said the 'Squire, "you appear to be more frightened thanhurt."

  "Yes, sir, shure I am frightened, which indeed I couldn't help it, sir,for I never saw a ghost before in all my life."

  "A ghost! What nonsense are you talking, Hannah?"

  "Shure it's not nonsense, for it's just now that the ghost came to thedoor, sir, and knocked, and I went to the door thinking it might be mecousin, who's been passing the evening with me, when I saw a great whiteghost, ten foot tall, standing forninst me."

  "Ten feet tall?"

  "Yes, sir, and he spread out his arms and spoke in a terrible voice, andwas going to carry me off wid him, but I dropped the lamp, and O sir,I'm kilt entirely."

  "This is a strange story," said 'Squire Newcome, rather suspiciously; "Ihope you have not been drinking."

  Hannah protested vehemently that not a drop of liquor had passed herlips, which was true.

  "I'll go out and hunt for the ghost," said the 'Squire.

  "Oh, don't sir. He'll carry you off," said Hannah, terrified.

  "Nonsense!" exclaimed the 'Squire. "Follow me, or you may stay here ifyou are frightened."

  This Hannah would by no means do, since the 'Squire had taken the lampand she would be left in the dark.

  Accordingly she followed him with a trembling step, as he penetratedthrough the kitchen into the back room, ready to run at the least alarm.

  The back-door was wide open, but nothing was to be seen of the ghost.

  "Perhaps the ghost's up-stairs," said Hannah, "I can't sleep up therethis night, shure."

  But something had attracted Squire Newcome's attention. It was quitemuddy out of doors, and Ben had tracked in considerable mud with him.The footprints were very perceptible on the painted floor.

  "The ghost seems to have had muddy shoes," said the 'Squire dryly; "Iguess I can find him."

  He followed the tracks which witnessed so strongly against Ben, to whosechamber they led.

  Ben, though still awake, appeared to be in a profound slumber.

  "Ben-ja-min!" said his father, stooping over the bed.

  There was no answer.

  "Ben-ja-min!" repeated his
father, giving him a shake, "what does allthis mean?"

  "What?" inquired Ben, opening his eyes, and looking very innocent.

  "Where have you been, to-night?"

  "You sent me to bed," said Ben, "and I came."

  But the 'Squire was not to be deceived. He was already in possessionof too much information to be put off. So Ben, who with all his loveof mischief was a boy of truth, finally owned up everything. His fathersaid very little, but told him the next morning that he had made up hismind to send him to a military boarding-school, where the discipline wasvery strict. Ben hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry, but finally,as boys like change and variety, came to look upon his new prospectswith considerable cheerfulness.