human
What is he? demanded Bartlemy, and added, shaking his fist at the goat:
gpt
You old sign of the zodiac, I wasn't interfering with you, was I?
human
That's our--our nice--gentle--oh, dear me!--our nice, gentle, old Ben Bolt,
gpt
Gentle!
human
He's our little pet, said Rob.
gpt
Come here, Ben, dear. Why did you go for to do it? Bowling over a harmless boy who was painting of your missus!
human
Can you hold him, Rob? Is he likely to go off again?
gpt
Never, said Rob, confidently.
human
I think he may not like art.
gpt
Probably suspects camel-hair brushes of being made of goat-hair, suggested Basil, pulling Bruce into shape, who was quite weak from laughing.
human
Where did you get the little angel, Rob?
gpt
Why, when Prue was only eight years old she found some boys abusing a little grey kid--probably she felt for him because she was a little Grey kid herself. At any rate, she purchased him for all her wealth--a quarter--and brought him home. He's been a good goat, and used to drag Prue in her wagon until she outgrew it. We named him Ben Bolt because he bolted everything in sight, but though I used to sing to him, inquiring if he didn't 'remember sweet Alice, Ben Bolt,' it never affected him visibly.
human
Painting is over for to-day, announced Bartlemy.
gpt
My easel has a fractured limb, and my palette is broken.
human
Oh, can't you go on?
gpt
Not to-day. We'll try again--sans Ben Bolt--soon,
human
It's such a pity; my dress is so clean,
gpt
She finds it a world of stains and pains, observed Rob.
human
Never mind, Prue; you aren't losing your hair yet.
gpt
Come on, kid; help with these peas, since you can't paint,
human
Meaning me, or the goat?
gpt
Give Ben Bolt the pods, and let's sing to him; then he'll be ashamed of himself,
human
Or ashamed of us,