But a little breeze that was playing truant round the steps did Ben a service without knowing it , for a sudden puff blew a torn leaf to his feet , and seeing a picture he took it up . It evidently had fallen from some ill-used history , for the picture showed some queer ships at anchor , some oddly dressed men just landing , and a crowd of Indians dancing about on the shore . Ben spelt out all he could about these interesting personages , but could not discover what it meant , because ink evidently had deluged the page , to the new reader 's great disappointment . `` I 'll ask the girls ; may be they will know , '' said Ben to himself as , after looking vainly for more stray leaves , he trudged on , enjoying the bobolink 's song , the warm sunshine , and a comfortable sense of friendliness and safety , which soon set him to whistling as gayly as any blackbird in the meadow . CHAPTER VI A CIRCULATING LIBRARY After supper that night , Bab and Betty sat in the old porch playing with Josephus and Belinda , and discussing the events of the day ; for the appearance of the strange boy and his dog had been a most exciting occurrence in their quiet lives . They had seen nothing of him since morning , as he took his meals at the Squire 's , and was at work with Pat in a distant field when the children passed . Sancho had stuck closely to his master , evidently rather bewildered by the new order of things , and bound to see that no harm happened to Ben . `` I wish they 'd come . It 's sundown , and I heard the cows mooing , so I know they have gone home , '' said Betty , impatiently ; for she regarded the new-comer in the light of an entertaining book , and wished to read on as fast as possible . `` I 'm going to learn the signs he makes when he wants Sancho to dance ; then we can have fun with him whenever we like . He 's the dearest dog I ever saw ! '' answered Bab , who was fonder of animals than her sister . `` Ma said -- Ow , what 's that ? '' cried Betty with a start , as something bumped against the gate outside ; and in a moment Ben 's head peeped over the top as he swung himself up to the iron arch , in the middle of which was the empty lantern frame . `` Please to locate , gentlemen ; please to locate . The performance is about to begin with the great Flyin ' Coopid act , in which Master Bloomsbury has appeared before the crowned heads of Europe . Pronounced by all beholders the most remarkable youthful progidy agoin ' . Hooray ! here we are ! '' Having rattled off the familiar speech in Mr. Smithers 's elegant manner , Ben begin to cut up such capers that even a party of dignified hens , going down the avenue to bed , paused to look on with clucks of astonishment , evidently fancying that salt had set him to fluttering and tumbling as it did them .
Never had the old gate beheld such antics , though it had XXXXX gay doings in its time ; for of all the boys who had climbed over it , not one had ever stood on his head upon each of the big balls which ornamented the posts , hung by his heels from the arch , gone round and round like a wheel with the bar for an axis , played a tattoo with his toes while holding on by his chin , walked about the wall on his hands , or closed the entertainment by festooning himself in an airy posture over the side of the lantern frame , and kissing his hand to the audience as a well-bred Cupid is supposed to do on making his bow .
appeared blew come dancing fallen meant seeing seen stuck wish