Music Welcome to Snuescast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snuescast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by Cinnamon Bear. Tonight we'll read the next part too, the Box Card Children, written by First Grade Teacher, Gertrude Chandler Warner, and published in 1924. The box-car children tells the story of four orphan children, Henry, Jesse, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned box-car in the forest. In the first episode, we learned that the only relative for the orphans to live with would be their supposedly hard-hearted grandfather whom they never met because of his disapproval of their parents' marriage. So instead, the children strike out on their own into the woods. We will pick up at the end of the first episode where Jesse sees it is about to rain and finds an abandoned

box car for her siblings to shelter in just in time. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a, deep breaths. Faintly outlined among the trees, just saw an old freight or box car. Her first thought was one of fear. Her second hope for shelter. It really was a freight car. She felt of it. It stood on rusty broken rails, which were nearly covered with dead leaves. Then the thunder cracked overhead. Just came to her usual senses and started back for Henry, flying like the wind. Come, panted Jess, I've found a place, hurry, hurry." Henry did not stop to ask questions. He picked up Benny, telling Violet to gather up the hay. And then they ran headlong through the thick underbrush in Jess's wake, seeing their way only too well by the sharp flashes of lightning. "'I'll get in, and you hand-bending up to me,' panted Jess. "'No,' said Henry quietly. "'I must see first if anyone is in there. It'll rain, protested Jess, nothing will hurt me. But she knew it was useless to argue with Henry, so she hastily groped in the back for the matches and handed them to her brother. must be confessed that Jess held her breath while Henry struck one and peered about inside the car. All's well, he reported, come in everybody. Violet passed the hay up to her brother and crawled in herself. Then Jess handed Benny up like a package of groceries and taking one last look at the angry sky and waving trees she climbed in after him. The two children managed to roll the door back completely as the storm broke. But at that very instant it broke with vengeance. It seemed to the children that the sky would split so sharp were the cracks of thunder, but not a drop of rain reached them in their roomy retreat. They could see nothing at all, for the freight car was tightly made, and all outside was nearly as black as night. Through it all, Benny slept on. Presently, the thunder grew fainter, and r away down the valley and the rain spent itself. Only the drip from the trees on the top of the car could be heard, then Henry ventured to open the door. He knelt on his hands and knees and thrust his head out. The warm sunlight was filtering through the trees, making golden pools of light here and there. The beautiful trees, pines and white birches and oaks, grew thickly around, and the ground was carpeted with flowers and wonderful ferns more than a yard high. But most miraculous of all was a miniature waterfall, small but perfect, where the same little brown brook fell gracefully over some ledges and danced away down the glen. In an instant, Jess and Violet were looking over Henry's shoulder at the pretty sight. How different everything looks with the sun shining, exclaimed Jess. Things will soon be dry at this rate. It must be about noon, observed Henry, looking at the sun. And as he spoke, the faint echo of mill bells in the distance was heard. Henry said Jess sharply. Let's live here. Live here? Repeated Henry, Dully. Yes, why not? Reply Jess. Nobody uses this car and it's dry and warm quite far away, and yet we're near enough to it town so we can buy things. And we're near water, added violet. Just hugged her sister. So we are little mouse, she said. The most important thing of all. But began Henry. "'Please, Henry,' said Jess, excitedly. I could make this old freight car into the dearest little house, with beds and chairs and a table and dishes. "'I'd like to live here, too,' said a determined little voice from the corner, but I don't want to unless—unless what? Asked Henry, panicked, and—unless I can have my dinner. Benny finished anxiously. We'll have something to eat right away,' old fellow,' said Henry. "'Thinkful it was no worse. For he himself was beginning to see what a cozy home the car really would make.' Jess cut the last loaf of bread into four pieces, but alas, it was very dry. The children were so hungry that they tore it with their teeth like little dogs, but Benny was nearly crying. He did not actually cry, however. For just at the crucial moment, Viol started a funny story about cinnamon bear eating bread crusts out of the ash can. He ought to have milk, said Jess quietly to Henry. He shall have milk, replied Henry. I'll go down the railroad track to the town and get some. Jess counted out a dollar in ten dimes and handed it to Henry. By the time our four dollars are gone, you will have some work to do, she said. All the same, Henry did not like to begin his trip.

How I hate to leave you alone, Jess, he said miserably.

Oh, don't you worry, began Jess lightly.

We'll have a surprise for you when you come back.

You just wait and see.

And she nodded her head wisely, as Henry walked slowly off through the woods. The moment he was out of sight, she turned to Benny and Violet. Now children, she said, what do you think we're going to do? Do you know what I saw over in the sunny part of the woods? I saw some blueberries. Oh, oh, cried Benny, who knew what blueberries were. Can't we have some blueberries in milk? We certainly began, Jess, but the sentence sentence never was finished for a sharp crackle of dry leaves was heard. Something was moving in the woods. A new home. still whispered Jess, Benio B Bay. The three children were as motionless as stone images huddled inside the freight car. Jess opened her mouth in order to breathe at all. Her heart was thumping so wildly.

She watched like a cat through the open door in the direction of the rustling noise. And in a moment the trembling bush is parted and outcrawled a dog. He was an air-dale and was pulling himself along on three legs, whimpering softly. Just drew a long breath of relief and said to the children, it's all right, only a dog, but he seems to be hurt. the sound of her voice, the dog lifted his eyes and wagged his tail feebly. He held up his front foot. Poor doggy murmured just soothingly as she clambered out of the car. Let just see your poor lame foot. She approached the dog carefully. For she remembered that her mother had always told her, never to touch a strange dog unless he wagged his tail. But this dog's tail was wagging, certainly, so Jess bent over without fear to look at the paw.

An exclamation of pity escaped her when she saw it. For a stiff, sharp thorn had been driven completely through one of the cushions of the dog's foot, and around it the blood had dried. I guess I can fix that.

Said Jess, briskly.

But taking the thorn out is going to hurt you old fellow. The dog looked up at her as she laid his paw down and licked her hand. Come here, Violet and Benny, directed Jess. She took the animal gently in her lap and turned him on his side. She padded his head and stroked his nose with one finger and offered him the rest of her bread crust which she had put in her apron pocket. The dog snapped it up as if he were nearly starved. Then she held the soft paw firmly with her left hand and pulled steadily on the thorn with her right hand. The dog did not utter a sound. He lay motionless in her lap until the thorns suddenly let go and lay in Jess's hand. Good, good! cried Violet. Wet my handkerchief, Jess ordered briskly. Violet did so, dipping it in the running brook.

Just wrapped the cool, wet folds around the hot paw, and gently squeezed it against the wound. The dog, meanwhile, trying to lick her hands. Will's prize Henry won't we?

Left Benny delightedly.

Now we got a dog.

To be sure, said Jess, struck with a thought. But that isn't what I intended for a surprise. You know I was intending to get a lot of blueberries, and maybe find some old dishes in a dump or something. And't we look while you hold the dog? Ask Violet anxiously. Of course you can, pet," said Jess. Look over there by those rocks. Benny and Violet scrambled through the underbrush to the place Jess pointed out and investigated. But they did not hunt long, for the blueberries were so thick that the bushes almost bent over with their weight. Oh, Jessy screamed Benny, you never saw so many in your life, what do we pick them into?" "'Come and get a clean towel,' said Jess, who noticed that Benny was already picking into his own mouth. But that's just as well,' she thought, because he won't get so hungry waiting for the milk. She watched the two children a moment as they dropped handfuls of the bluish globes on the towel. Then, she carefully got up with her little patient and went over and sat down in the center of the patch. The berries were so thick, she did not have to change her position before the towel held over a quart. Oh dear, Side Jess, I wish I could hunt for some dishes so we could have blueberries and milk. "'Never mind tonight,' said Violet, we can just eat a handful of berries and then take a drink of milk when Henry comes.

But it was even better than that. For when Henry came, he had two bottles of milk under one arm, a huge loaf of brown bread under the other, and some golden cheese in waxed paper in his pocket. But you should have seen Henry stare when he saw what Jess was holding. Where in the world began the boy? He came to us, volunteered Benny. He came for a surprise for you, and he's a nice doggy. Henry knelt down to look at the visitor who wagged his tail. "'It wouldn't be a bad thing to have a watchdog,' said Henry. "'I worried about you all the time I was gone.' "'Did you bring some milk?' inquired Benny, trying to be polite, but looking at the bottles with longing eyes. «Bless his heart», said Jess, struggling to her feet with the dog. «We'll have supper right away. Or is it dinner?» «Call it supper», suggested Henry, for it's the last thing we'll have to eat today. And then tomorrow we'll start having three meals every day, laugh Jess. It was certainly a strange meal, whatever it was. Jess, who liked above all things to be orderly, spread out the big gray laundry bag on the pine needles for a tablecloth. The brown loaf was cut by a very excited little hostess into five thick squares. The cheese into four. Dogs don't eat cheese. Benny remarked cheerfully. The poor little fellow was glad of it, too, for he was very hungry. He could hardly wait for Jess to set the milk bottles in the center of the table and heaped the blueberries in four little mounds, one at each place. I'm sorry we haven't cups," Jess remarked. We'll just have to drink out of the same bottle. "'No, we won't,' said Henry. We'll drink half of each bottle so that we'll make it at least two things to drink out of.' "'Good for you, Henry,' said Jess, much relieved. You and Benny use one, and Violet and I will use the other.' So the meal began. Look, Benny, directed Henry, eat a handful of blueberries, then take a bite of brown bread, then a nibble of cheese. Now a drink of milk. It's good, it's good! Mumbled Benny to himself all through the meal. You must not imagine that the poor wandering dog was neglected, for Jess fed him gently as he lay in her lap, poking morsels of bread into his mouth, and pouring milk into her own hand for him to lap up. When the meal was over, and exactly half of each bottle of milk remained. Just said, we're going to sleep on beds tonight and just as soon as we get our beds made, we're all going to be washed. That'll be fun, Benny, added violet. We'll wash our paws in the brook just the way cinnamon does. First, let's gather armfuls of dry pine needles, ordered Jess. Get those on top that had been lying in the sunshine. Jess laid the dog down on a bed of moss as she spoke and started energetically to scoop up piles of the fragrant needles. Soon a pile as high as her head stood just under the freight car door. I think we have enough. She said at last. Taking the scissors from Violet's work bag, she cut the laundry bag carefully into two pieces, saving the cord for a clothesline. One of the big squares was laid across Benny's hay and tucked under. That was the softest bed of all. Violet's apron and her own, she cut off at the belt. I'll sleep next to Benny," said Henry, with my head up by the door, then I can hear what is going on. A big pile of pine needles was loaded into the freight car for Henry bed and covered with the other half of the laundry bag. The remainder of the needles just piled into the farthest corner of the car for herself and Violet. We'll all sleep on one side so we can call it the bedroom. will be be on the other side? Enquired Benny? The other side? Repeated Jess. Let me think. I guess that'll be the sitting room. And perhaps some of the time, the kitchen. On rainy days, maybe the dining room. Added Henry wink. Could it be the power? Begged Benny. Certainly, the parlour, we forgot that, agreed just returning the wink. She was covering the last two soft beds with the two aprons. The tops of these aprons are washcloths, she said severely. Then, armed with the big cake of soap, she led the way to the brook. The dog watched them anxiously, but when Jess said, life's still, he obeyed. From the moment Jess drew the thorn from his foot he was her dog to obey her slightest command and to follow her wherever she went. The clean, cool brook was delightful even to Benny. The children rolled up their sleeves and plunged their dusty arms into its waters, quarreling good naturedly over the soap and lathering their stained faces in next with it. When they were well-rinsed with clear water, they dried themselves with the towel. Then Jess washed both towels nicely with soap, rinsed them, and hung them on the clothesline of tape, which she had stretched between two slender birch trees. They flapped lazily in the wind. Looks like home already Jess, said Henry, smiling at the washing. The tired children clambered into the bedroom, just coming last with the wounded dog. "'We'll have to leave the door open, it's so hot,' said Henry, lying down with a tired sigh. And in less than ten minutes, they were fast asleep, dog and all, sleep at six o'clock, a sleep without naming the dog, without locking the door, without fear. For this was the first night in four that they had been able to go to sleep at night as children should. The next morning, just was up before the others, as was fitting for a little housekeeper. That is, she was first if we accept the dog, who had opened one eye instantly every time his little mistress stirred in her sleep. He sat, watching gravely in the door of the car, as just descended get breakfast. She walked from the little waterfall quite a distance down the brook, looking at it with critical eyes. This will be the well she said to herself, regarding a small but deep and quiet basin just below the falls. Below that she found a larger basin lined with gravel with flat stones surrounding it. This will be the watchtub she decided, and now I must go back to the refrigerator. This was the strangest spot of all. for behind the little waterfall was a small quiet pool in

which just had set the milk bottles the night before. Not a drop of water could get in, but all night long, the cool, running water had surrounded the bottles. They were now fairly icy to the touch, just smiled as she drew them out. Is it good? Ask Benny's voice. There he sat in the door of the car, swinging his legs, his arm around the shaggy dog. It's delicious, declared Jess cold as ice. She climbed up beside him as she spoke, Bringing the breakfast with her. The other two children sat up and looked at it. you you you you