The Story of Dago | Page 8

would still be there, and he could go on
putting flowers on it just the same. Sim was the one who had first
spoken of it, and Sim had half the money.

I was not in the room all of the time, so I cannot tell what passed
between Stuart and his father. I could hear the doctor's voice for a long
time, talking in low, deep tones, very earnestly. I know he said
something about Phil's being such a little fellow, and how the mother
who had gone away would have been grieved to know that he was so
unhappy. What he said must have hurt Stuart more than a whipping, for
when he came out his eyes were red, and he looked as solemn as an
owl.
He had promised his father several things. One was that he would have
nothing more to do with Sim Williams, who was always leading him
into trouble, and another was that he would beg Phil's pardon, and do
something to make up for the injury he had done him. Stuart thought
and thought a long time what that should be. I know the doctor's talk
must have gone deep, for by and by he took me,--Dago,--his
best-beloved possession, and gave me to Phil.
At first the little fellow couldn't believe it. "Oh, brother!" he cried. "Do
you really mean it? Is it for keeps?"
"Yes, it's for keeps," said Stuart, grimly. Then he put his hands in his
pockets and walked away, whistling, although there were tears in his
eyes. But Phil ran after him with me in his arms.
"Oh, I couldn't take all of him, Stuart," he said. "You are too good.
That would be too much, when you are so fond of him. But I'd love to
own half of him. Let's go partnerships. You claim half, and I'll claim
half."
Well, they decided to settle it that way, after a great deal of talking.
You can't imagine, Ring-tail, how queer it makes me feel to be divided
up in such a fashion. Sometimes I puzzle over it until I am dizzy.
Which of me belongs to Stuart, and which of me belongs to Phil?
CHAPTER III.
WHAT THE MIRROR-MONKEY HEARD ON WEDNESDAY.

Do you see any gray hairs in my fur, Ring-tail, or any new wrinkles in
my face? Life in this family is such a wear and tear on the nerves that I
feel that I am growing old fast. So much happens every day. Something
is always happening here. Really, I have had more exciting experiences
in one short forenoon, here in this house, than I used to have in a whole
month in the Zoo. It is bad for me to be in such a state of constant
fright.
The day after I was divided between Phil and Stuart, the boys of the
neighbourhood had a Cuban war in our back yard. At least they started
to have one,--built a camp-fire and put up a tent and got their
ammunition ready. Each side made a great pile of soft mud-balls, and it
was agreed that as soon as a soldier was hit and spotted by the moist
clinging stuff he was to be counted dead. You see the sport was not
dangerous, only dirty.
Stuart had his coat off, rolling mud-balls with all his might and main.
He was plastered with mud to his elbows, and his face was a sight.
Phil was busy sweeping up dead leaves for the camp-fire. Suddenly he
dropped his old broom and went trotting off toward the house. "I am
going to get something that will make it sound like a real war," he said
to me as he left. The boys did not hear him, and he came back presently,
with his little blue blouse all pouched out in front with the things he
had stuffed inside of it.
I followed him into the tent and watched him unload. First there was
the old powder-horn that always hangs over the hall mantelpiece. Then
there was a big, wide-necked bottle, a large, clean handkerchief, and a
spool of thread. "You see this, Dago?" he said to me. "Now you watch
and see what happens."
He tore the hem off the handkerchief, poured a lot of powder into the
middle of the square that was left, and then drew the corners together in
one hand. With the other hand he squeezed the powder into a ball in the
middle of the handkerchief, and wrapped the thread around and around
above it to keep the wad in place.

"Now I'll put the wad of powder into the bottle," he said, "and leave the
ends of the cloth sticking out for a fuse. See?"
I didn't know anything about gunpowder then, so I put