"What were you going to do with her if I hadn't come along?"
asked Ben.

"Well, I got out on the main road," said the boy, "because I thought
anybody who had lost her, would probably come through this way;
but if somebody hadn't come, I was going to carry her in to
Hingham; and the father and I'd had to contrive some way to do."

"Well," said Ben, as the boy finished and fastened his bright eyes
on him, "somebody did come along; and now I must get her home
about as fast as I can for poor mammy-- and Polly!"

"Yes," said the boy, "I'll help you lift her; perhaps she won't wake
up."

The big dog moved away a step or two, but still kept his eye on
Phronsie.

"There," said the boy, brightly, as they laid the child on the wagon
seat; "now when you get in you can hold her head; that's it," he
added, seeing them both fixed to his satisfaction. But still Ben
lingered.

"Thank you," he tried to say.

"I know," laughed the boy; "only it's Prince instead of me," and he
pulled forward the big black creature, who had followed faithfully
down the hill to see the last of it. "To the front, sir, there! We're
coming to see you," he continued, "if you will let us--where do you
live?"