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Under the Lilacs
by Louisa May Alcott
TO EMMA, IDA, CARL, AND LINA, Over The Sea, THIS LITTLE BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY THEIR NEW FRIEND AND SISTER, L. M. A.
Contents
I. A MYSTERIOUS DOG
II. WHERE THEY FOUND HIS MASTER
III. BEN
IV. HIS STORY
V. BEN GETS A PLACE
VI. A CIRCULATING LIBRARY
VII. NEW FRIENDS TROT IN
VIII. MISS CELIA'S MAN
IX. A HAPPY TEA
X. A HEAVY TROUBLE
XI. SUNDAY
XII. GOOD TIMES
XIII. SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY
XIV. SOMEBODY GETS LOST
XV. BEN'S RIDE
XVI. DETECTIVE THORNTON
XVII. BETTY'S BRAVERY
XVIII. BOWS AND ARROWS
XIX. SPEAKING PIECES
XX. BEN'S BIRTHDAY
XXI. CUPID'S LAST APPEARANCE
XXII. A BOY'S BARGAIN
XXIII. SOMEBODY COMES
XXIV. THE GREAT GATE IS OPENED
CHAPTER I
: A MYSTERIOUS DOG
The elm-tree avenue was all overgrown, the great gate was never unlocked, and the old house had been shut up for several years.
Yet voices were heard about the place, the lilacs nodded over the high wall as if they said, "We could tell fine secrets if we chose," and the mullein outside the gate made haste to reach the keyhole, that it might peep in and see what was going on. If it had suddenly grown up like a magic bean-stalk, and looked in on a certain June day, it would have seen a droll but pleasant sight, for somebody evidently was going to have a party.
From the gate to the porch went a wide walk, paved with smooth slabs of dark stone, and bordered with the tall bushes whi