I am all ready , however , and we will sit down at once . This is my brother Thornton , and we are all going to be very good friends by-and-by . Here 's the droll dog , Thorny ; is n't he nice and curly ? '' Now , Ben had heard what the other boy said , and made up his mind that he should n't like him ; and Thorny had decided beforehand that he would n't play with a tramp , even if he cut capers ; go both looked decidedly cool and indifferent when Miss Celia introduced them . But Sancho had better manners and no foolish pride ; he , therefore , set them a good example by approaching the chair , with his tail waving like a flag of truce , and politely presented his ruffled paw for a hearty shake . Thorny could not resist that appeal , and patted the white head , with a friendly look into the affectionate eyes of the dog , saying to his sister as he did so , -- `` What a wise old fellow he is ! It seems as if he could almost speak , does n't it ? '' `` He can . Say ` How do you do , ' Sanch , '' commanded Ben , relenting at once , for he saw admiration in Thorny 's face . `` Wow , wow , wow ! '' remarked Sancho , in a mild and conversational tone , sitting up and touching one paw to his head , as if he saluted by taking off his hat . Thorny laughed in spite of himself , and Miss Celia seeing that the ice was broken , wheeled him to his place at the foot of the table . Then , seating the little girls on one side , Ben and the dog on the other , took the head herself and told her guests to begin . Bab and Betty were soon chattering away to their pleasant hostess as freely as if they had known her for months ; but the boys were still rather shy , and made Sancho the medium through which they addressed one another . The excellent beast behaved with wonderful propriety , sitting upon his cushion in an attitude of such dignity that it seemed almost a liberty to offer him food . A dish of thick sandwiches had been provided for his especial refreshment ; and , as Ben from time to time laid one on his plate , he affected entire unconsciousness of it till the word was given , when it vanished at one gulp , and Sancho again appeared absorbed in deep thought . But , having once tasted of this pleasing delicacy , it was very hard to repress his longing for more ; and , in spite of all his efforts , his nose would work , his eye kept a keen watch upon that particular dish , and his tail quivered with excitement as it lay like a train over the red cushion . At last , a moment came when temptation proved too strong for him . Ben was listening to something Miss Celia said ; a tart lay unguarded upon his plate ; Sanch looked at Thorny who was watching him ; Thorny nodded , Sanch gave one wink , bolted the tart , and then gazed pensively up at a sparrow swinging on a twig overhead . The slyness of the rascal tickled the boy so much that he pushed back his hat , clapped his hands , and burst out laughing as he had not done before for weeks .
Every one XXXXX round surprised , and Sancho regarded them with a mildly inquiring air , as if he said , `` Why this unseemly mirth , my friends ? ''
affected approaching clapped kept looked quivered said seating sitting tickled