Free The Clockwork Twin by Walter R. Brooks Page B

sakes!” said Mrs. Bean, “you’d swear the creature was alive. What won’t Uncle Ben think up next!”
    â€œThe Beans are a smart family, Mrs. B.,” said her husband.
    â€œIt takes you to say it,” said Mrs. Bean.
    â€œYes, sir,” said Mr. Bean, “smart’s the word for ’em. But I can only think of one of ’em that ever did anything smarter than what Uncle Ben’s done with this Bertram.”
    â€œAnd what was that, Mr. B.?”
    â€œThat was when I married you,” said the farmer, and slapped Mrs. Bean on the shoulder.
    â€œGet along with you!” said Mrs. Bean blushing, and then she turned to Adoniram and said: “Well, how do you like him?”
    â€œOh, I think he’s grand,” said the boy. “We can have lots of fun together.”
    â€œHow about going fishing this afternoon, Adoniram?” said Bertram.
    Adoniram was delighted with the idea, and he ran and got the poles and dug some worms, and he and Bertram strode off down the road together, talking and laughing as happily as if they were really two boys going fishing.
    The animals had all gathered by the back door to see Bertram presented to the family, and now several of them started after the boys. But Mr. Bean called to them to stop. “You animals mind your own business. You’re going to have plenty of chances to look at Bertram without chasing after him now. What fun do you think Adoniram’ll have fishing if there’s an animal hiding in every bush? I know what it was like, that time you were all playing detective, and I couldn’t move a blade of grass without finding a pig or a rabbit under it. Leave ’em alone.” And he picked up his hoe and started for the garden.
    But Mrs. Bean stopped him. “Before you go,” she said, “did you see this letter that came this morning? It’s from Adoniram’s folks, but I didn’t want to speak about it in front of him.”
    Mr. Bean took the letter, put on a pair of very small steel spectacles, and read the letter through once upside down, and then he read it through right side up, and then he scratched his head and said: “Shucks!”
    â€œThey’re comin’ for him tomorrow,” said Mrs. Bean.
    â€œWhat!” exclaimed Uncle Ben.
    â€œThey won’t let us adopt him,” said Mrs. Bean. “They want him back.”
    â€œFury!” said Uncle Ben.
    â€œNothing we can do, Mrs. B.,” said Mr. Bean. “They got the rights of it, seemingly. Poor boy! I was gettin’ right fond of him, too.”
    â€œWell, they shan’t have him back,” said Mrs. Bean, getting very red. It was the first time any of the animals had ever seen her angry. “Horrid, cruel people! I won’t give him up. I—”
    â€œNow, now, Mrs. B.,” said her husband, “no use gettin’ het up over it. I talked it all over with Mr. Jerks, the attorney, over to Centerboro, and he says—”
    â€œI don’t care what your old attorney says,” burst out Mrs. Bean. “That boy’s not going back! Not if I have to get that old shotgun of yours and drive ’em off.”
    Uncle Ben and Mr. Bean looked at each other and pursed up their lips, and then they looked around at the ring of interested animals. “We mustn’t get the wrong side of the law,” said Mr. Bean at last. “Just the same, it seems as if we ought to be able to think up something. After all, we got a whole day. You animals,” he said suddenly “—what’s the matter with you all? You’re smart—you’ve got the name of being the smartest animals in York State. Well—prove it! Get to thinking. Hold a meeting. Hold six meetings. But think of something before tomorrow.
    â€œWait a minute,” he added, as the animals started to walk away, all trying very hard to look thoughtful. “Remember, we don’t want to hurt these