Ben moved his head
impatiently, and turkey-trotted straight ahead. Tess pulled the rein
more vigorously; Ben twitched his head still more like a swear word
and, with a more pronounced shrug of his haunch, went undivertingly
onward.
"What's the matter?" asked Missy. "Is Ben a little--wild?"
"No--I don't think so," replied Tess, but her tone was anxious. "I
guess that it's just that he's used to Tim. Then I'm sort of out of
practice driving."
"Well, we can just as well stop at Lester's first, and come back by
Raymond's."
But when Tess attempted to manoeuvre Ben into Lester's street, Ben
still showed an inalienable and masterful preference for Maple
Avenue. Doggedly ahead he pursued his turkey-trotting course, un-
mindful of tuggings, coaxings, or threats, till, suddenly, at the
point where Maple runs into the Public Square, he made a turn into
Main so abrupt as to send the inner rear wheel up onto the curb.
"My!" gasped Missy, regaining her balance. "He IS wild, isn't he? Do
you think, maybe--"
She stopped suddenly. In front of the Post Office and staring at
them was that new boy she had heard about--it must be he; hadn't
Kitty Allen seen him and said he was a brunette? Even in her
agitated state she could but notice that he was of an unusual
appearance--striking.
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