THE ADVENTURES OF JOEL PEPPER

By MARGARET SIDNEY

[Illustration: "'WHY, IT'S THE MAN WHO STOLE POLLY'S BREAD!' HE ALMOSTSCREAMED. "]

CONTENTS

I. JOEL AND THE SNAKE

II. WHAT DAVE HEARD

III. DEACON BROWN'S NAIL PILE

IV. THE MUFFIN MAN AND THE TRAMP

V. ON BANDY LEG MOUNTAIN

VI. AB'M'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

VII. JOEL GOES A-FISHING

VIII. WHY THEY SAID NO

IX. THE BAG OF RYE FLOUR

X. MAMSIE'S SURPRISE

XI. DR. FISHER'S VISIT

XII. AT GRANDMA BASCOM'S

XIII. PASSENGERS FOR THE BOXFORD STAGE

XIV. DEACON BLODGETT'S BONFIRE

XV. OLD MAN PETERS' CENT

XVI. THE STAGE-COACH RIDE

XVII. THE FIGHT AT STRAWBERRY HILL

XVIII. IN THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE

XIX. CIRCUS PLANS

XX. CIRCUS OR MENAGERIE?

XXI. JOEL'S CIRCUS

XXII. THE MINISTER'S CHICKENS

XXIII. THE BLACKBERRIES AND THE BULL

XXIV. HOW JOEL STARTED THE FIRE

XXV. JOEL SELLS SHOES FOR MR. BEEBE

XXVI. Miss PARROTT'S COACH AND THE COASTING

XXVII. PRINCES AND PRINCESSES

THE ADVENTURES OF JOEL PEPPER

I

JOEL AND THE SNAKE

"Come on, Dave!"

It was Joel's voice, and Polly pricked up her ears. "'Tisn'tgoing to hurt you. Hoh! you're a 'fraid-cat--old 'fraid-cat!"

"No, I'm not 'fraid-cat, " declared little Davie, trying to speakstoutly; "I'm coming, Joel, " and his little rusty shoes patteredunevenly down the rickety board walk. 

"Jo-_el_!" called Polly, thinking it quite time now tointerfere. 

Joel scuttled behind the old woodshed, and several smotheredgrunts proclaimed his disapproval at the interruption. 

"Now I know you're up to some mischief, " declared Polly, "so youjust come into the house, Joel Pepper, and tell me what it is. "

"'Tisn't, " said Joel, loudly insisting. "_Don't go, Dave_, "in a loud whisper. Thereupon ensued a lively scuffle, evidently, by the noise they made. 

"I must, " said little Davie; "Polly called us. "

"No, she didn't call _you_, " declared Joel. "You stay here. She said 'Joel. '"

"Bo-_oys_!" sang out Polly's voice, not to have any doubtin the matter. 

"There, she did call me, " cried Davie, wriggling to get freefrom Joel's clutch; "she said 'boys!'"

"She's always calling us, " said Joel, in an injured voice, dragging himself away from the charms of the woodshed tostraggle slowly back to the house. 

There sat Polly on the big stone that served as a step for theback door, with her hands folded in her lap. Little Davieskipped by Joel, and ran up to her, with a flushed face. 

"Now I should like to know what you've been up to, Joey Pepper?"said Polly, her brown eyes full on him. 

"Haven't been up to anything, " mumbled Joel, hanging his chubbyface. 

"Yes, you have, I know, " declared Polly, in her most positivefashion; "now tell me what it is, and right straight off, Joel. Begin. " She kept her hands still folded in her lap. "What wereyou going to do?"

Joel squirmed all over the little patch of ground before theflat doorstone, and dug the toes of his shoes into the dirt. 

"Don't do so, " cried Polly. "You'll get bigger holes in 'em. Oh, Joel, to think how naughty you are, and Mamsie away!"

At that Joel gave a loud howl, nearly upsetting Polly from herstone; then, digging his two fists into his eyes, he plungedforward and thrust his black head on the folded hands in her lap. "I ain't naughty, " he screamed. "I ain't, and Mamsie won't care. O dear--ooh--ooh!"

"Tell me what you were going to do, before I can say you are notnaughty, " said Polly, dreadfully frightened at his outburst, butnot unfolding her hands. 

"I was only going to--going to--going to--" mumbled Joel, tryingto burrow past her hands, and get into the comforting lap. 

"Going to do what?" demanded Polly, still not moving. 

"I was going to--going to--" said Joel, in smothered tones. 

"Stop saying you were going to, " commanded Polly, in her firmesttones. 

"You told me to tell you, " said Joel. "O dear! I was going to--"

"Well, tell then, at once; what were you going to do? Hurry up, Joe; now go on. "

"I was going to--" began Joel again. "O dear me! I was going to--"he mumbled, burrowing deeper yet. 

"Joel Pepper!" cried Polly, in a tone that brought him boltupright, his round face streaked with tears that his dirtylittle hands had tried to wipe off, the rest of them trailingover his round nose. "O dear me! Now you must go into the'provision room' and stay. Don't you remember Mamsie said you'dhave to go there the next time you wouldn't tell what you'ddone?" And Polly looked as if she were going to cry at once. 

"Oh, no--no!" screamed Joel, in the greatest distress, andclutching Polly's arm. "I'll tell you, Polly; I'll tell. " And hebegan to rattle off a lot of words, but Polly stopped him. 

"No, it's too late now. I've said it, and you must go; forMamsie wouldn't like it if you didn't. "

Thereupon Joel gave a terrible howl. Little Davie, in distress, clapped his hands to his ears. "Oh, Polly, don't make him, " hewas saying, when heavy steps came around the corner of the house. "Any ra-ags to sell?" sang out the voice of a very big man. 

Joel took one black eye away from his brown hands, and shot asharp look at him. Then he howled worse than ever. 

"No, " said Polly, "not to-day, Mr. Biggs. There was a bagfulMamsie said I might sell, but I can't get it now. "

"Sho! that's too bad, " ejaculated Mr. Biggs. "What's the matterwith him?" pointing a square, dingy thumb at Joel. "Stomach-ache?"

"No, " said Polly, sadly, "it's worse than that. Please go away, Mr. Biggs, and come some other day. "

"Worse'n stomach-ache, " said Mr. Biggs, in astonishment, andslapping his big hands together; "then I can't take him with me. But t'other one might go, if you say so, marm. " He always calledPolly marm, and she liked it very much. He now pointed to David. 

"Where are you going?" asked Polly, while

David took away his hands from his ears to hear, too. 

"Why, you see, marm, Mis' Pettingill, up to th'East Quarter--youknow Mis' Pettingill?"

"No, " said Polly. 

"I do, " roared Joel, forgetting his distress. "I know, Polly. She lives in a nice yellow house, and there's a duck-pond, andcherry trees. " He pranced up to Mr. Biggs, smiling through histears. 

"That's it, " cried Mr. Biggs, delighted at being understood. "This boy knows. " He laid his hand heavily on Joel's shoulder. "Well, he seems to be better now, so I'll take him and t'otherone along of me, marm, if you say so. Ye see, Mis' Pettingilltold me to come up there sometime, 'cause she's got a lot o'rags--ben a-makin' quilts, she said, all winter, and I laid outto go to-day, so here I be, on my way. "

"Whickets!" shouted Joel, the last tear gone. "Come on, Dave. Oh, won't we have fun! I'm going to sit in the middle. Let me drive. Let me, Mr. Biggs. " He swarmed all over the big rag-man. 

Little David stood perfectly still and clasped his hands indelight. 

[Illustration: "'WHICKETS!' SHOUTED JOEL, THE LAST TEAR GONE"]

Polly drew a long breath, and the rosy color flew out of hercheek. "You can't go, Joe, " she said slowly. "Mamsie wouldn'tlike it, after you've been naughty. "

Joel's arms fell down at his side, and he stared wildly at her amoment. Then he flung himself flat on the ground and roared. 

"He's worse agin, " said Mr. Biggs, in great distress. "I guesshe wants pep'mint. My mother used to give me that when I'd etgreen apples. "

But Polly shook her head. "He can't go, Mr. Biggs, " she said;"but Davie can. "

At this little Davie gave a squeal of joy, and took three stepsdown the grass plot, but stopped suddenly. 

"All right, " said Mr. Biggs, heartily. "Come on, boy; I must beoff. It's a good piece down to Mis' Pettingill's. And she alwayswants me to take time a-weighin' her rags. " And he began tolumber off. 

"I don't want to go if Joel can't, " said Davie, slowly, andturning his back to the red rag-wagon waiting out in the road. He twisted his fingers hard, and kept saying, "No, I don't wantto go, Polly, if Joel can't. "

"All right, Davie, " said Polly, beginning to cuddle him; "onlyyou must remember, Mr. Biggs won't go again this summer out toMrs. Pettingill's, most likely. "

Davie shook his head again, and twisted his fingers worse thanever. "I don't want to go if Joel can't, " he said, while Joelroared harder still, if that were possible. So Polly had to rundown the grassy slope to overtake Mr. Biggs, who was now gettingup into his red cart, in front of the dangling tin dishes, brooms, and pails with which it was filled. 

"If you please, sir, " she said, the rosy color all over hercheek, "there can't either of the boys go. "

"Hey? What's the matter with the littlest one, " cried Mr. Biggs, turning around with one foot on the shaft. "Is he took sick, too?"

"No--no, " said Polly, clasping her hands in distress, "but hewon't go unless Joel goes. Oh, I do thank you so much, Mr. Biggs, for asking them. "

"Sho now! that's too bad, " said the rag-man, his foot still onthe shaft, and his big face wrinkled perplexedly. "Beats all, how suddint they're took. Now you better give 'em a dose o'pep'mint, marm, both on 'em. "

But Polly shook her head as she ran back up the grassy slopeagain. So Mr. Biggs had nothing to do but to drive off, which hedid, staring hard at them; and every little while he turned back, to gaze in astonishment over his shoulder, until the big redwagon went round the slope of the hill and was lost to view. 

"Now, Joel, " said Polly, firmly, "you must just stop making sucha noise, and go right into the provision room, and get the stool, and sit down till I tell you to get up. "

To sit down on the old wooden stool in the middle of theprovision room, with the door shut, was one of the worstpunishments that Mrs. Pepper inflicted; and Polly's cheek gotquite white. Little Davie, on seeing this, untwisted his fingersand went up to her. "Don't cry, Polly, " he said suddenly, as hesaw her face, and laid his hand in hers. 

Joel stopped roaring, and looked up at her through his tears. 

"I'm not going to cry, " said Polly, "because I know Joel will begood now, and go at once and get on his stool in the provisionroom. "

Joel swallowed hard and stumbled up to his feet, wiping hischeeks with the back of one grimy hand. 

"That's right, " said Polly; "now go right in and shut the door. "

"O dear me, " said little Davie, hiding his face in Polly's gown, as Joel went slowly off. They could hear the provision room doorshut. Then Polly turned. "Oh, Davie, " she cried. Then shestopped, at the sight of his face. 

"Now you and I must go in the house and think of something to dofor Mamsie before she gets home, " she cried in a cheery burst. So they both hurried in over the old flat stone. 

"Now what will it be, Davie?" asked Polly, with another glanceat his pale little face. "Let's think, " she wrinkled her browsin perplexity. 

"We can't wash the dishes, " said Davie, slowly, standing quitestill in the middle of the old kitchen, "'cause they're all done, Polly. "

"No, and we can't wash the floor, 'cause that's all done, " saidPolly, wrinkling her forehead worse than ever. "Dear me, we mustthink of something, Davie. O dear me, what can it be?"

"We might, " said little David, slowly, "try to write someletters, Polly. That would make Mamsie glad, I guess. "

"O dear me, " exclaimed Polly, in dismay, "I suppose it would, Davie. " She sighed, and stood quite still. 

"I s'pose Mamsie would say, 'How nice, '" said little David, reflectively. 

"And you and I ought to get right at it this very minute, "declared Polly, all her energy returning to her after that onedreadful pause, "so come on. " And presently the two had the oldtable against the wall pulled out into the middle of the kitchenfloor, and Polly ran and got the big piece of foolscap paperlaid away carefully in the upper bureau drawer in the bedroom. Across the top ran the letters set there by the minister inobedience to Mrs. Pepper's request. 

"I'll get the brown paper--let me, Polly, " cried David, quite inhis usual spirits now. And he clambered up, and got out acarefully folded piece laid away after it had come home wrappedaround one of the parcels of coats and sacks Mrs. Pepper hadtaken to sew. 

"Won't it be most beautiful when we can write on the white paper, Polly?" he cried, as he ran back into the kitchen, waving the brownpaper at her. 

Polly set the precious copy along the top of the white foolscap, straight on the table. 

"Oh, that will be a long time, Davie, " she said, gazing in anawe-struck way at the array of wonderful letters ParsonHenderson had made for them. "Mamsie won't ever let us try untilwe can make 'em good and straight. O dear me, I don't s'poseI'll ever get a chance. " She sighed; for writing bothered Pollydreadfully. "The old pen twists all up whenever I get it in myhand, and everything goes crooked. "

"Oh, Polly, you're going to write real nice, by and by, " saidlittle Davie, setting down the brown paper, and smoothing outthe creases. "Now where's the ink-bottle? Let me get it, Polly, do, " he begged, running over to the corner cupboard. 

"No, you mustn't, Dave, " said Polly in alarm, "you'll spill it. I'll get it, " hurrying after him. 

"I won't spill it, Polly"--but Polly was already on her tiptoes, and lifting down the old black ink-horn that had been FatherPepper's. "Isn't it nice that Mrs. Henderson filled it up for usso good?" she said, carrying it over carefully to set on thetable. "You can get the pen, Davie. "

So David ran over to the shelf where, in a corner behind thelittle china mug given to Phronsie when she was a baby, lay thepen in its long black holder. Getting up on a chair, he seizedit. 

"If Phronsie hadn't gone with Mamsie, she'd want to write, " hesaid, "wouldn't she, Polly?" as he hopped down again. 

"Yes, indeed, " said Polly, drawing up the inkstand into the bestplace, and sighing. "Well, dear me, I'd ever so much rather holdher hand while she writes, than to do it myself. " And she gave along stretch. 

"Then you wouldn't ever learn yourself, " said little Davie, wisely, and putting the pen down carefully. 

"No, " said Polly, with a little laugh, "I s'pose I shouldn't, Davie. " O dear me, she thought, I ought not to laugh when Joel'sin there all alone in the provision room. "Well, now we're allready. I'm just going to peek and see if he's all right. Youstay here, Davie. "

With that she hopped off down the little steps to look throughthe big crack in the old door of the provision room. 

"Why--where--" she started back and rubbed her eyes, and staredagain. "Oh! Davie, " she screamed. Then she clapped her handsover her mouth. "It never'd do to scare him, " she said. And sheopened the provision room door and rushed in. The old stoolstood in the middle of the floor, but there was no Joel to beseen. 

Polly ran here and there. "Joel--_Joel_!" she cried, peering into every corner, and looking into the potato bag andbehind some boxes that the storekeeper had given the boys tomake things out of, and that were kept as great treasures. "Odear me, what shall I do? I must tell Davie now, so he can helpme find him--" when she heard a funny noise, and rushing outside, she heard Joel say, "Don't come, Polly, he's 'most dead. "

Polly gave a gasp, and bounded to his side, as Joel floppedaround on the ground, his back toward her, his black eyesfastened on something doubled up in his fists. 

"O dear me, Joel, what is it?" cried Polly, bending over him. 

"Ow--go way!" roared Joel, twisting worse than ever, andsqueezing his brown hands together tightly; "he'll get away, maybe, and bite you. "

"Oh, he'll bite you, Joe, " cried Polly, in great alarm. "O dearme, let me see what it is! I can help, Joel, I can help. "

She flung herself down on the ground close to his side. Justthen out rushed Davie from the provision room. 

"Keep him away, keep him away, " screamed Joel, trying to turnhis back on both of them. But Polly caught sight of a danglingthing hanging from his clenched hands. 

"Oh, Joel!" She gave one scream, "It's a snake!"

"I know it, " said Joel, trying to twitch back again; "it's anugly mean old adder, Polly, but he's most dead. I've squeezedhis neck. "

"Let me see him, " cried Polly. "Turn around, Joel. I'll help you. O dear me!" as Joel whirled back, the long body of the snakeflopping from one side to the other. "If he'd keep still, Icould cut off his tail high up. I'll go and get the hatchet--"and she ran off. 

"Hoh! you needn't, " cried Joel after her, in great dudgeon, andgiving a final wrench. "There, I've deaded him; see, Polly--see, Dave!" and he held the snake up triumphantly. 

"A snake!" screamed Davie, tumbling over backward on the grass. "O dear me, it's a snake, Polly!" and he huddled up his feet andtucked them under him. 

"Ain't he big?" cried Joel, swinging the long dangling body atDavie as Polly ran back. 

"Don't scare him, Joel, " she cried. "O goodness me! What a bigone, and a gray adder, too. Oh, Joel, are you sure he didn'tbite you anywhere? Do throw him down and let me see, " she beggedanxiously. But Joel swung the snake back and forth. "Hoh, Iguess not!" he said scornfully, "not a single snip, Polly. Ain'the big! I killed him all alone by myself. "

"Yes--yes, but do put him down, Joel, " she begged, "and let mesee if you're all right. "

So Joel at last set his snake on the ground, and straightenedout his tail; then he commenced to run all around him. "Ain't hea buster, Polly!" he cried, his eyes shining. 

Polly looked at him reprovingly out of her brown eyes. "Mamsiewouldn't like you to say that word, " she began. "But you won'tagain, I know, " seeing his face. 

"No, " said Joel, brightening up, "I won't, Polly. But ain't hebig! You couldn't a-killed him, Dave, " he cried at little Davietucking up his toes under him on the grass. 

"No, " said Davie. "O dear me, he may be alive and bite us allnow. "

"Hoh!" exclaimed Joel, "he's just as dead as anything. See!" andhe twitched up the long gray snake by the tip of the tail andswung it over his head. 

"Oh, don't, Joe!" begged Polly, running over to put her armsaround David, who burrowed into them as far as he could. "Do puthim down, and come and tell us how you killed him. There, let'sall sit down on the doorstep. Come, boys. "

"I'm going to hold my snake, " announced Joel, stopping the swingin mid-air to pat the adder's head lovingly. "Ain't he sweet, Polly?"

Davie shivered and turned his eyes away. 

"No, you must not hold him, " said Polly, decisively. "If you do, you can't sit on the step beside us. "

"Then I won't hold him, " said Joel, running up to them, "butI'll have him close to me, " and he laid the snake by the side ofthe doorstep. "I'm going to sit here by you, Polly. "

Little Davie thrust up his head and looked fearfully aroundPolly. 

"You can't have that snake here, Joel, " announced Polly, in hermost determined tone. "Put him off on the grass in the orchard, "as the one scraggy apple tree was called. "Now hurry, like agood boy, and then come and tell us how you killed him. "

"I can't see him good, 'way off there, " grumbled Joel, andpicking up his snake he dragged him through the grass. "Just alittle bit nearer, " he pleaded. 

"Not a single bit of an inch nearer, Joel Pepper, " said Polly, firmly. So Joel laid the snake down and ran back and sat down onthe end of the step by Polly. 

"Now begin, " said Polly. 

"Well, I was sittin' on the old stool, " said Joel, his chubbyface getting very red, "when I heard a scrunchin' an' a swishin', an' I thought 'twas you, Polly, so I didn't look round. "

"No, " said Polly, with a little shiver, "it wasn't me. Go on, Joey. "

"Well, it scrunched an' it swished, and it didn't stop, so thenI looked around. "

"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly, throwing one arm around Joel, anddrawing him to her. Little Davie sat up quite straight andfolded his hands. 

"And he was sticking up his head behind the potato bag, lookingat me just like this. " Joel flew off the doorstep and stood upas tall as possible and ran out his tongue. 

Little Davie gave a loud scream. "Oh, you brave Joel!" exclaimedPolly, tumbling off from the doorstep to throw her arms aroundhim, and kiss his stubby black hair. 

"Phoo! that's nothing!" cried Joel, who always hated to bepraised. 

"And I'm just as proud of you as I can be, " Polly ran on withkindling eyes. "Oh, Joel!"

Joel wriggled all over with delight at that "Oh, Joel!"

"And now come back and tell us the rest, " said Polly, hanging tohis brown hand. "Go on, Joel, " as they sat down again on thedoorstep. 

"Well, he looked at me, and I looked at him, " said Joel, "andthen I said 'Squish!' and he bobbed down his head, just a minute, and I jumped and I grabbed him by the neck, and that's all, Polly. " And Joel gave a long stretch. 

But Polly had her arms around his neck. "Oh, you brave, braveJoel, " she cried. "Mamsie'll be so proud of you! Think whatshe'll say when she comes home!"

II

WHAT DAVE HEARD

"Dave, " said Joel, in a whisper. It was the middle of the night, and the loft was very still, save for Ben's breathing over inhis bed in the corner. 

"Don't say a word!" Joel laid his mouth close to the ear on thestraw pillow; "if you do, I'll nip you and snip you. "

"Ow!" said little Davie, huddling down under the scanty blanketand dragging it over his head. 

"Sh--, be still!" cried Joel, with a wrathful pinch. "Ben'llhear you, --there now, just see!"

"What's the matter, boys?" asked Ben, sleepily. 

Down flew Joel in a heap under his end of the blanket, where hebestowed a kick from one set of toes on David in a little heapagainst the wall. 

The loft was as still as a mouse, so Ben turned over again. "Iguess Joel wanted a drink of water, and he's gone to sleep andforgot all about it. Now, that's good, " and off he went again. 

Joel's black stubby head popped up, and he peered into thedarkness. "Now, I've got to wait ever'n ever so long, " hegrumbled softly to himself. "No, there he goes!" he addedjoyfully, as Ben breathed hard. "Now, Dave, " he rolled over andducked under the blanket-end, "if you scream again, I'll snip, and snip, and snip you, most dreadful. "

"I won't, " declared little David, fearfully. "Oh, I won't, Joe, "huddling off from the little brown fingers. 

"Promise, now, you'll never tell, --black and blue, --hope to dieif I do. "

"We must tell Mamsie, " said David. 

Joel gave an impatient wriggle. "Mamsie won't care, and she'stoo busy. Now say it, 'black and--"'

"And we must tell Polly, " cried little Davie, in a smotheredvoice. "Oh, Joel, we _must_ tell Polly. "

"_Sh!_" cried Joel, with a warning pinch on the small armthat sent David into a worse heap than before. "Now, you've goneand waked Ben up again, " and he pricked up one ear from under thebedclothes. 

"Oh!" exclaimed little David, thinking of Mamsie and Polly whomhe was not to tell. 

Joel drew a long breath, as Ben did not stir. 

"Well, say 'black and blue--hope to die if I do, '" commandedJoel, sliding back again under the blanket. "Hurry up, Dave. "

"'Black and--blue--hope--to die if I do, '" mumbled poor littleDavid, stuffing the end of the blanket into his mouth, tryingnot to cry as he thought of Mamsie and Polly. 

"Now, you know I've found a cave, and I'm goin' up there to livesome day, " announced Joel in a smothered whisper, his mouthclose to David's ear. 

"Where?" cried David, fearfully. 

"_Sh!_ don't speak so loud. Over in 'Bandy Leg Mountain. '"

"Ooh, --dear me!" cried David, stopping himself in the middle ofa scream. "Won't old 'Bandy Leg' catch you, Joel?"

"Hoh--no, I ain't afraid!" declared Joel. "He's been dead ahundred years, I guess. An' beside, I could knock him flat, yes, sir-ree!" He doubled up his little brown fist, and bounced up in themiddle of the old shake-down. 

"What's the matter, Joe?" called Ben, sleepily; "turn over andgo to sleep, and you'll forget again about the drink of water. "

Joel flung himself flat, and burrowed along the whole length ofthe bed, knocking Davie's shins all the way. 

"You're pullin' all the blanket off me, " said Davie, clutchinghis end from Joel's frantic grasp. 

"Go to sleep, boys, " said Ben, sharply. "And Joe, stop grumblingfor a drink of water. Now you've waked up David. "

Joel gripped Davie fast and clapped one hand over his mouth. 

"Dear me, I think Ben might stay asleep a minute, " he mutteredin an injured voice. "Now, don't you speak a single word andI'll tell you all about it, " after a long pause, in which theyheard nothing but a rat nibbling away in the corner. 

"I'm goin' up there to-morrow, an' I'm goin' to take my gun, an'some things to eat, an'--"

"Oh, Joel!" interrupted little David, "you can't ever in allthis world. Polly won't let you. "

"Polly'll let us go an' play some to-morrow, " said Joel, sturdily, "'cause there ain't any work to do. So there now! An'maybe I'll see a bear. An'----"

"O dear me!" exclaimed little Davie, quite overcome, and tremblingin every limb. "He'll eat you. Joel, I'm going to tell Polly. "

"You can't, " said Joel, coolly; "you said 'Black-an-blue-hope-to-die-if-I-do, ' and I'm goin' to take you. "

"Oh, I can't go, " declared Davie, bouncing up in terror. "Iain't goin'. I ain't, Joey. I ain't----"

"_Sh-sh_!" warned Joel, with another nip. 

"I ain't--I ain't--" cried David, softly, through his tears. 

"Pshaw! I guess there ain't any bear up there, " said Joel, scornfully. "Be still, Dave!"

"An' old--old Bandy Legs'll catch--catch me, " mumbled David, digging his small knuckles into his eyes. 

"Old Bandy Legs has been dead ever'n ever so long. I guess athousand years, " said Joel; "an' there's flowers there--oh, mostbeautiful ones!"

"Are there?" asked David, taking down his hands. "What kinds, Joel?"

"Oh, all sorts. The most be-yewtiful flowers, red and yellow andgreen, you can't think, Dave Pepper. "

"I never saw a green flower, " said little David, thoughtfully. 

"Well, they're up there. Oh, sights an' sights, " said Joel, recklessly. "An' pink and blue an'----"

"Are you sure there are green flowers up there, Joel?" askedDavid, huddling up to him close. 

"Sh--stop talking--oh, the most _beyewtiful_ things, I tellyou, grow up by that cave. "

"I might go up and get some not very near the cave, Joel, " saidDavie, after a long breath. "Not very near. "

"So you could, " said Joel, quickly. "Then I guess you'll be glad, Dave Pepper, that you came up with me. "

"I shall bring down most of the green ones, Joey, " cried littleDavid, joyfully, "'cause I can get the others down below themountain. "

"Yes--yes, " whispered Joel, impatiently. 

"An' if I plant 'em, they'll grow, and then Mamsie'll be glad, an' Polly too, " he whispered, dreadfully excited. "Won't Pollybe glad though, Joe? She's never seen a green flower. "

"Yes; now go to sleep, " cried Joel, with a nudge, "and remembernot to say a word to me to-morrow about it. "

"Can't I say anything to you behind the wood pile?" asked David, in surprise. 

"No, not a teenty word. An' don't you look at me. If you do, OldBandy Legs'll come after you. "

"You said he was dead, " cried David in a fearful whisper, andcrouching tight to Joel and gripping him with both arms. "O dearme!"

"So he is; but he'll catch you if you say a single word. Now goto sleep, an' when I tell you to come with me to-morrow, youmust start just as quick as scat. "

"I shall take a basket for the green flowers, " said Davie, trying not to think of "Old Bandy Legs. "

"No, you mustn't; you can bring 'em down in your arms. "

"I can't bring many, " said little David, swallowing hard. "Ican't bring many, Joe, an' Polly'll want some in her garden. "

"Well, old Bandy Legs won't let you get any, if you don't stop, "said Joel, crossly, "so there now!" and he rolled off to the edgeof the old straw bed, and in two minutes was fast asleep, leavinglittle Davie peering up at the rafters to watch for the first streak oflight, determined to get as many green flowers as he possibly couldfor Polly's garden. 

"I'll twist up a birch-bark basket, to bring 'em down in, " hedecided. And the first thing either of them knew, there wasPolly shaking their arms and laughing. "You lazy little things, you--get up! I've been calling and calling and calling you tobreakfast. "

Joel and David flew up into the middle of the bed. 

"Joe was teasing all night for a drink of water, " said Ben, asPolly ran down into the kitchen. "An' I was just going to get upand fetch him some, when he tumbled to sleep again. "

"Dear me, " said Polly, rushing at her work; "well, I'll keeptheir porridge warm. Now, Phronsie, you can't help me aboutthese dishes. "

"I'm just as big since yesterday, " said Phronsie, standing up onher tiptoes to turn an injured face to Polly. "See, Polly. "

"So you are, " said Polly, bursting into a laugh. "Well, I tellyou, Pet, what you might do that would help me more. "

"More than to wash the dishes, Polly?" cried Phronsie, tumblingdown from her tiptoes. "Oh, do tell me, Polly!" And she ran upto her, and seized Polly's check apron with both fat littlehands. 

"Why, you see I can't do the dishes, all of 'em, till the boysget through their breakfast, " said Polly, with a sober face, looking at the old clock, as she thought of the seams on thesacks she was going to fly at as soon as the work was done inthe kitchen. How nice it was that Mamsie had promised she mighttry this very morning while Mrs. Pepper was down at theparsonage, mending the minister's study carpet. "Now I guess themoney'll begin to come in, and Mamsie won't have to work sohard, " thought Polly over and over, and her heart beat merrily, and the color flew over her cheek. 

"Tell me, Polly, " begged little Phronsie, holding the aprontight. 

"Well, now, Pet, there's a snarl of thread in the work-basket. Don't you remember, the spool rolled under the table, and nobodysaw it go, and the boys kicked it up and made it into a mess, an'Mamsie put it into the little bag, an' I was to pick it out whenI got time? If you only could do that, Phronsie, just think howit would help. "

Phronsie gave a long sigh. She dropped the apron, and folded herhands. "Would it help so very much, Polly?" she asked. 

"Ever an' ever so much, " said Polly. "You needn't do but alittle now, an' some other day p'raps you could do some more. "

"I'm going to do it all, " said Phronsie, shaking her yellow headdeterminedly. So she got her little wooden chair from againstthe wall, and set it in the middle of the kitchen floor, andthen brought the little cotton bag out of the old work-basket. "I shall do it all this very one minute, " she declared softly, as she sat down and drew out the snarl of thread. 

"Now, boys, " called Polly, as she took one look at her, and juststopped to drop a kiss on the yellow hair, "you must just comedownstairs this very minute. If you don't, you can't have anybreakfast. "

"Coming, " sang Joel, and presently down he tumbled, two steps ata time, pulling on his jacket as he went. 

"Such a long time to stay abed, " reproved Polly; "just think ofit, it's after seven o'clock, Joel Pepper, and Mamsie's beengone half an hour!"

"An' I'm working, " said Phronsie, twitching at the end of thethread with an important air. "I'm going to pick out the wholeof this, I am, for Mamsie. See, Joey!" She held up the snarl, and away the spool raced, as if glad to get off once more. 

"Hoh!" said Joel, "you're making it worse'n ever, Phron. "

"No, I'm not, " cried Phronsie, clutching the snarl with bothlittle fists. "Oh, no, I'm not; am I, Polly?" And the big tearsbegan to race over her round cheeks. 

"No, " said Polly. "Oh, for shame, Joel, to make Phronsie cry!"

"I didn't make her cry, " denied Joel, stoutly, his face workingbadly. "I'll get the spool--I'll get the spool. See, Polly, here'tis, " and he dived under the table, and came up bright andshining with it in his hand. 

"There now, Phronsie; see, Joel's got it for you, " said Polly, beaming at him. "Now, Pet, I'll tell you what, let's putMamsie's basket on the floor, and old Mr. Spool in it. There, Joey, drop him in, then he can't run away again. Now, then!"

"Mr. Spool can't run away again, " smiled Phronsie through hertears, and leaning out of her little wooden chair to see Joeldrop the spool in. "That's nice, Polly, isn't it? Now he can'trun away again, " she hummed. 

"Indeed, it is, " sang Polly, delighted; "he's fast now, so flyat your snarl, Pet, Mamsie'll be so pleased to think you'vepicked out some of it. "

"I'm going to pick it all out, " declared Phronsie in a tone ofdetermination. And wiping off the tears on the back of her fatlittle hand, she set to work, humming away again to herself. 

"Now, whatever keeps David!" cried Polly, dishing out Joel'smush from the kettle on the stove, and setting the bowl on thetable. 

"He's coming, " said Joel, hastily. "O dear me, I wish we everhad anything, Polly Pepper, but mush and molasses for breakfast!"

"Some people don't have anything half as good, " said Polly, starting for the stairs. 

"What don't they have?" asked Joel in alarm, as he watched hergo. 

"Oh, I don't know; different things. Da-_vid!_" she called. 

"You said they didn't have things half as good, " said Joel, stopping with a spoonful of porridge halfway to his mouth. "Soyou know what they are, now, Polly Pepper. "

"Oh, well, they don't. Plenty and plenty of people don't getnear as good things as we have every day for breakfast. "

"What are they, the things the plenty and plenty of people get?"persisted Joel, beginning on his breakfast comfortably, sincePolly was going to talk. 

"Oh--let me see, " said Polly, pausing at the foot of the stairs. "Old bread, for one thing. "

"Is it mouldy?" asked Joel. 

"Um--yes, I s'pose so, " answered Polly, wrinkling up her face. "Eat your own breakfast, Joe, and not stop to think of whatother people have. Da-_vid!_'"

"You said 'things, '" said Joel, severely, "and you only told memouldy old bread, Polly Pepper! What else?"

"O dear, I don't know. "

"You _said_----"

"I mean--well, cold potatoes, for one thing. I s'pose mosteverybody has potatoes. Now eat your breakfast, Joey Pepper. Those are things. Eat your breakfast this minute!"

When Polly spoke in that tone, the three little Peppers knewthey must obey. Joel ducked his head over his bowl of mush, andbegan to hurry the spoonfuls as fast as he could into his mouth. 

"I must go up and see what is the matter with David, " said Polly, preparing to run up the stairs. Just at this moment he appearedcoming slowly down. "Oh, here you are!" cried Polly, brightly, running over to the old stove to dish out his bowl of mush. "Now, Davie, fly at your breakfast, 'cause I've got to sew all themorning just as hard as ever I can. "

III

DEACON BROWN'S NAIL PILE

"Now, boys, " said Polly, as Joel pushed back his chair, "I wantyou to help me, that is, as soon as Davie has finished hisbreakfast. "

"Oh, that's too bad, " grumbled Joel, loudly, "when we got allour kindlings chopped yesterday, an' there ain't anything elseto do. You know you said we could play to-day, Polly Pepper!"

"I didn't say all day; but of course you can, " replied Polly, with a fine scorn, "if you don't _want_ to help, Joel. I'msure the little brown house can get along without a boy whoisn't glad to make it as nice as he possibly can. "

The idea of the little brown house getting along without himmade Joel aghast at once, and he stood quite still. Davie laiddown his spoon, and got out of his chair quickly. 

"What is it, Polly?" he cried, the pink color all over his cheek. 

"Dear me!" cried Polly, merrily, "the very idea of a boy tryingto help who hasn't finished his breakfast. Go back and eat everybit of that mush and molasses, Davie dear; then, says I, we'llsee what you can do. "

"I'll be through in just a minute, Polly. " David ran back andclambered into his chair, plying his spoon so fast that Pollycried in dismay, "Oh, Davie, you'll choke yourself!"

"No, I won't, " said Davie, with a very red face, and swallowinghard, "it's all slipping down. There, see, Polly. I'm allthrough; truly I am. " He got out of his chair again, and ran upto her. 

"So you are, " said Polly, glancing approvingly at the bare bowl. "Well now, I'll tell you, Davie, what you can do. You know thatpile of old nails that Deacon Brown said Ben might have? Well, 'tisn't nice, you know, to play all day, so you may pick oversome of 'em, and get the good ones out. Ben will be so surprised, even if you don't get but a few ready. "

"I'm going to work all the morning at 'em, " declared littleDavie, gladly, hopping off toward the door. 

"No, I don't want you to work but a little while, " said Polly, decisively, and picking up the breakfast dishes to wash. "Youcan have most all to-day to play in. And then some other day, when there isn't any other work to do, you can pick over somemore; and pretty soon, before you know it, they'll all be done, andBen'll be so surprised, for they'll be ready when he wants to mendthe woodshed. "

"I don't want to pick over any crooked old nails, " proclaimedJoel, loudly, and knocking his heels against the pantry door. "Ish'd think Deacon Brown might have given us some good ones. "

"For shame, Joel!" said Polly, hurrying across the floor withthe pile of dishes; "it's fine of him to give us these. Andthere are lots of good ones amongst 'em. "

"You told me not to say 'lots, ' the other day, " said Joel, witha sharp look out of his black eyes to see if Polly would relent. 

"So I did, " she cried, and the color flew over her cheek. "Dearme, it is so hard not to say things that you don't like to hearother people say. "

"Well, I don't want to pick over old rusty nails, " said Joel, ignoring this remark, "and it's real mean, Polly Pepper, to makeme, when I want to go and play!" And he kicked his heels worsethan ever. 

"I don't make you, " said Polly, pouring the hot water into thedish-pan and dashing in the soap, "but I shouldn't think it wasnice to go out to play right after breakfast. You might work anhour, and then you'd enjoy the play all the better. "

"I'd enjoy the play now. And a whole hour, too!" cried Joel, ina dudgeon. "Why, Polly Pepper! a whole hour!"

"That's right, Davie, " said Polly, smiling brightly at him, asthe little fellow ran out into the woodshed. Then she began tosing, without looking at Joel. 

"A whole hour, " shouted Joel. But Polly kept a cold shouldertoward him, running up and down in a merry song till a littlebird outside the window trilled away as hard as he could, tokeep her company. 

"A whole hour--" Joel ran up and pulled her dress. "It's as meanas it can be to make me work a whole hour, Polly Pepper!"

"Chee--chee--chee, " called the little bird, and away Polly sang, splashing the dishes up and down in the hot soap-suds, till theold kitchen seemed full of merry bustle. Joel regarded her closelyfor two or three minutes, and then went slowly out. 

David was up on top of the wood bin in the shed, and tugging atthe box of nails that Ben had put on one of the beams. 

"I can't get it down, " he said. "Come help me, Joel, do. "

But Joel kicked his feet on the woodshed floor. So little Davidgave another pull at the box, wavered, and clutched wildly atthe air, and before Joel could speak, came tumbling down, andafter him, the heavy box, spilling the nails as it fell. He layquite still, and Joel only stopped to take one look. 

"Oh, Polly, Dave's killed, I guess, " he screamed, rushing intothe kitchen, his face working fearfully. 

Polly stopped her song in mid-air, and turned quite white. "Oh, no, I guess not, " she said with a gasp, as she saw his face. Then she remembered Phronsie. "Come out here, Joe, " and shegently pushed him out into the little entry. 

"I guess I'll go, too, " said Phronsie, who had been humming asoft refrain to Polly's song, and laying down the snarl carefully inMamsie's big work-basket she went softly out after them. 

"Now, Joel, " Polly was saying out of white lips, "don't youscream. Think of Phronsie, and--"

"What is it, Polly?" asked Phronsie's soft voice. 

"O dear me! What shall I do!" Polly turned. "Phronsie dear, youmustn't come now. " Joel had sunk down and covered his face withhis hands, trying not to scream. "Go right back to your chair, Polly says so. Be a good girl, Pet. " She looked straight intothe blue eyes wide with astonishment at being sent back. 

"Please let me, Polly, " begged the little girl. 

"No, " said Polly, firmly, "Mamsie wouldn't like it. Go back, Phronsie, and shut the door. "

Phronsie turned without a word and went slowly back, and asPolly seized Joel's hand and sped into the woodshed, they couldhear the kitchen door shut, and knew that she had gone back toher chair. 

When Polly and Joel reached little David, Joel was beyond words, and he fell down and flung his arms around the little figure. Daviestirred and moaned. "Help me lift him up, Joe, " cried Polly, hoarsely. 

"I couldn't get the nails, " said David, "and then they allspilled. I'm sorry, Polly, " and he opened his eyes and looked upinto her white face. 

When Joel saw that David could speak, he gave a great gasp. "Itwas my fault, " he sobbed. 

"Never mind, Davie dear, " said Polly, soothingly. "We can pickthe nails up. "

"I'll pick 'em up, " cried Joel, delighted to find something todo, and he sprang up and went scrambling around and sweepingthem into a pile with his fingers, while the big tears traileddown his round cheeks. 

"See, now, " said Polly, trying to speak gayly, "how the oldnails have to hop into the box again. "

"So they do, " said David, with a wan little smile. Then he shuthis eyes. 

"Run as fast as you can, Joe, " said Polly, "and ask GrandmaBascom to come over. " Then she lifted Davie and struggled withhim to a pile of grain bags in the corner. "I can't get him into thebedroom till Joel helps me, and besides, I must get Phronsie outof the kitchen first, " she thought. "Oh, God! _please_ don'tlet Davie die, " she cried deep in her heart. 

Joel flew on the wings of the wind, his heart beating like atrip-hammer, over down across the lane to Grandma Bascom'slittle cottage. Grandma, with a tin pan full of wet corn meal, was just going out to feed her hens, when he dashed up behindher. "Please come!" he shouted, his trembling mouth close to hercap-border. "Polly wants you!"

[Illustration: "'PLEASE COME!' HE SHOUTED CLOSE TO HER CAP-BORDER"]

"Polly's here, now that's nice!" said Grandma, well pleased. "You just wait a minute, and I'll be ready to see her. Come, Biddy-Biddy, " she called, and waddling off, she gathered up ahandful of the wet corn meal. 

"Oh, come now!" roared Joe, and seizing her hand, he pulled herback toward the kitchen. "Dear Grandma Bascom, please come;Dave's killed, I guess, " and before she knew it, she was halfwayto the little brown house, and in a minute or two more there shewas before Davie lying on the pile of grain bags, and Pollyholding his hand, and fanning him with an old newspaper. 

"He's all right, " said Grandma, with a practised eye; "only justfainted a bit. Now 'tisn't anything to what my son John's Abramdid one summer he spent with me. Used to tumble over most everyday. "

"He fell, " said Polly. She could say no more, but pointed up tothe beam. Then she found her voice. "The box of nails--I didn'tknow 'twas up there, see!" and she pointed to them, where Joelhad tried to gather them up. 

"He fell down from there?" asked Grandma, looking up at the beam. 

Polly nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Joel wrung hishands together, and stood quite still. 

"In that case, " said Grandma, "this boy must go for Dr. Fisherjust as soon as he can. "

"Run, Joe, as hard as ever you can, " gasped Polly. 

No need to tell Joel that. Over the fields and across lots heran like a deer, scaling stone walls in a flash, only to reachthe doctor's house to be told that he was away twenty miles intothe country. Then Joel sat down on the grass by the roadside, and burying his face in his hands, cried as if his heart wouldbreak. 

He didn't mind that a pair of spirited black horses were comingdown the road, the bright horses all a-jingle, and the carriageall a-bloom with gay colors, and merry with cheery voices. 

"What's the matter?" called somebody to him, but he cried on ashard as he could. 

Then his little shoulder in his homespun jacket was shakensmartly. "See here, my boy, either you tell me what you'rescreaming for, or I'll pick you up and carry you off. "

Joel looked up, the streams of tears making muddy paths alonghis face, where he had rubbed it with his grimy hands. "Dave'skilled, " he burst out, "and the--the doctor's gone away!"

"Come on. " It was a kind face that was over him, and in a minuteJoel felt himself lifted by a pair of strong arms that presentlytossed him into the carriage, in amongst the occupants, whilethe owner of the arms jumped in beside him. "Do you know the wayhome?" he asked. 

"Of course, " said Joel; "it's the little brown house--" then hebegan to cry again. 

"See here, my lad, look at me. " Joel rolled his eyes up at theman, the rest of the people keeping quite still to listen. "You area brave boy, I know. Now I'm a doctor, and if you'll just take meto your house, I'll have a look at that Dave of yours. Which way?"

Joel sat bolt upright as well as he could, being crammed inbetween a big fat man and his kind friend, and directed this wayand that way, his tears all gone, and before any one couldhardly think twice, the pair of black horses and the jinglingharness and big carriage had stopped before the little brownhouse, and the doctor was springing over the stepping-stones insuch a lively fashion that Joel had to run to keep up with him, until there they were, with Grandma Bascom waddling around insearch of some herbs that were drying in the corner of thewoodshed, and Polly still holding David's hand as he lay on thepile of grain bags. And in five minutes the new doctor had allthe examination made, and Davie was sitting up, his head onPolly's shoulder; and no bones were broken, and all the troublewas the fright produced by the shock of the fall. And the colorflew back into Polly's cheek, and Grandma Bascom kept saying, "Praise the Lord--and who be ye, anyway?" bobbing her cap-borderat the new doctor. And he laughed and didn't tell her. 

But he did tell some funny stories. And little Davie laughed;and when they saw that, they all laughed, and the people out inthe carriage said, "Just like Dr. Herman, " and one tall girl, with her hat all covered with red roses, said, "Uncle John isalways doing such queer things. I do wish he would hurry andcome. It is too bad to have our driving tour interrupted likethat. " And pretty soon down the stepping-stones he came, aslight and quick as could be, Grandma Bascom lifting both handsand calling after him, "Well, you're an angel of the Lord, anyway, " and the new doctor was laughing. But he had stopped tolook into Polly's brown eyes. "Don't worry, little girl, he'sall right, " he said. 

Joel squeezed past them through the doorway, and ran after him. 

"Please stop just a minute, " he begged. 

"Hey?" said the doctor, turning his foot on the step. The tallgirl in the hat with big red roses looked impatient enough, andbeat her foot on the carriage floor, but Joel kept on. 

"I like you, " he burst out, "ever'n ever so much. "

The doctor put one hand on Joel's stubby black hair, and turnedhis grimy face up. "You've got to be a man, " he said; "now lookout for it while you're a boy. I guess you'll do. " He jumpedinto the carriage and drove the black pair of horses off at asmart gait down the road, while Joel stood on the roadside grassto see him go. 

IV

THE MUFFIN MAN AND THE TRAMP

So when the time came that was to bring Mamsie home that night, tired, but happy to fold her baby to her heart, for Phronsiealways climbed into her lap to untie her bonnet-strings, therewas David, running around brisk as a bee, his cheeks pink as arose, and Joel, who had stuck to the old box of nails all day, despite Polly's pleadings to stop and rest, gave a shout thatthe last was done, and stretched his tired legs. Then he gave ahop and skip and jump around and around the grass before thelittle brown house. 

"Whickets! that feels good!" he cried, stopping for a longbreath by the old green door; then away again, kicking up hisheels like a colt. 

"He's done 'em almost every one, " said Davie, mournfully, standing on the doorstone to see him go; "he wouldn't let mehelp only a teenty bit, and he's so tired, Polly. "

"Joel wanted to do 'em, Davie dear, " said Polly, coming to thedoor, on hearing that, and giving him a loving little pat. "Iknow all about it, why he wanted to do it"--for Joel had toldher the whole story--"and Mamsie'll be glad he did it. How Iwish she'd come!" peering down the dusty road. 

"How I wish she'd come!" echoed Phronsie, poking her head inbetween Polly's gown and the door jamb. 

"Dear me, " cried Polly, whirling around, "are you there, Pet?Well, Mamsie's coming pretty soon. I think I see--No, 'tisn't, "as David started to scamper over the stepping-stones--"it's aman turning the road. Anyway, she'll be here before we hardlyknow it, I guess. Now let's play something, and that'll make thetime go faster. "

"Oh, hooray!" cried little Davie, and, "Hooray!" piped Phronsie. "_Joel--Joel!_" screamed David; and Phronsie clapped her hands andscreamed too, and Polly laughed and called as hard as she could, forJoel, imagining himself a gay trotting horse, was slapping his legswith a switch, and careering around the back of the little brownhouse in a great state of excitement. Now hearing the calls, hecame whooping around, making all the noise he possibly could, so there was a perfectly dreadful din, and no wonder that theman Polly had seen turning the road came nearer without anyone noticing him. 

He thought it was so convenient for him that all the children inthe house should be out in the front yard, that perhaps he hadbetter hop over the stone wall and go quietly in at the backdoor; for really he was very hungry, and there must be as muchas a piece of bread, although the little brown house didn't lookas if it held much meat and pie and cake. So over the wall hewent, and slunk in through the tall grass, just as Polly wasmarshalling her forces on the greensward in front and saying, "Now, children, what shall we play?"

"Tag--tag!" screamed Joel, crowding up in front. "Now begin, Polly, do, and let me be it. "

"I'd rather have the Muffin Man, " said Davie, wistfully. 

"Muffin--Man--Muffin--Man, " echoed Phronsie, beating her smallhands. "Oh, Polly, please do let us have the Muffin Man, " shecried, her yellow hair flying over her flushed face as shehopped up and down. "Please, Polly!"

"Pshaw!" Joel exclaimed, contemptuously, "that old Muffin Man, he's no fun. I say 'Tag. ' Do begin, Polly, " he pulled her sleeveimpatiently. 

"The Muffin Man is so very nice, " said Davie, reflectively, "andwe haven't played it in so long. "

"That old--" began Joel, crossly. Then he caught Polly's eye. "All right, Dave, " he cried. "Go on, Polly. And let Dave be theMuffin Man, do, Polly. "

Polly shot him a beaming glance. "Now that's nice, " and she tookPhronsie's hand, who was so overcome with delight she could notstand still, but was engaged in making a cheese, and tumblingover in a heap on the grass. "Come on, Pet, " and Polly pulledher up, "don't you see the Muffin Man is waiting for us?" forthere was David standing off at the end of the grass-plot, asstiff as a stick, and most dignified, all ready to receive hisvisitors. 

It was after the merry line was dancing back into place thatJoel happened to glance up at the window of the kitchen. And asquick as a shot he dropped Polly's hand and skipped off on thetips of his toes over the grass and around the back of the house. 

"Dear me!" cried Polly, "whatever can have happened to Joel?"

"Do come on, Polly, " begged Phronsie, pulling at her other hand, and lifting her flushed face pleadingly, "and let us see theMuffin Man once more. "

"So we will, dear, " said Polly. "Now then!" So they danced offgayly. "We all know the Muffin Man--the Muffin Man--the MuffinMan. We all know the Muffin Man, that lives in Crumpet Lane. "

Meantime, Joel rushed in over the back doorstep and into thekitchen before the man he had seen through the kitchen windowcould hear him and turn away from the old cupboard. When he did, he said something that wouldn't have sounded nice had Joelstopped to hear it. As it was, he bounded in. "What are youdoing in our house?" he cried, doubling up his fists. "Hey?"said the man. He wasn't very nice to look at either, and hepeered over and around Joel's sturdy figure, to see if more ofthe children were coming after. When he saw that Joel was alone, and could hear the gay voices out on the grass-plot, he lookedperfectly wicked, and he laughed as he pointed a long and dirtyhand at him. 

"You scream, or stir from your tracks, and I'll make mincemeatof you!" he hissed. 

"I ain't a-goin' to scream, " declared Joel, scornfully, "an' I'mgoin' to drive you out of our house. " With that he dashed at theman with both small brown fists well doubled up, pommellingright and left, and butting his stubby black head into thestranger's waistcoat. And the next minute he was caught in thelong hands and tossed with a thump to the old kitchen floor, andthe wicked eyes were over him as he lay there panting. 

"What did I tell you!" cried the man. "Now I'm going to makemincemeat of you. "

"We all know the Muffin Man that lives in Crumpet Lane, " sangPolly and Phronsie merrily, out on the grass-plot, as theydanced away. 

"Where _is_ Joel?" cried Polly, as they stopped to takebreath. 

"Just once more, " begged Phronsie, pulling her hand; "please, Polly. " So down to see the Muffin Man again they danced. 

Meantime, Joel was tied up tight and fast with the clothes-lineto the table leg, and in order that he should not use his tongue, Seraphina's clothes, where Phronsie had thrown her on thefloor, were torn off and crammed into his mouth. 

"Now I guess you'll keep still, " said the man, turning back tothe cupboard with a grin; "and as long as those youngsters areat their noise out there, I'm safe enough, " and he pulled outPolly's bread she had just baked that day, done up in a cleanold towel. 

"Humph!" as he thrust his tousled head into the cupboard, andsearched for butter, and ran his dirty hands all over the clean, bare shelves--"well, this will keep me from starving. " So herolled the towel as tightly as he could over the bread, andslouched off, shaking his fist at Joel with a parting scowl. 

"Now, Phronsie, I can't play another single time, " said Polly. "I must see where Joel is. " So she dropped the fat little handand raced off, the other children after her. 

"Joel--Joel--" they all cried, and just then Mamsie was comingdown the road--oh! so tired, as she had had to stay later thanusual, for the Conference was to meet at the minister's housenext day, and besides the study carpet to be put down, therewere ever and ever so many things to be done. But she had anextra quarter of a dollar in her pocket, and Polly was to run overafter the Conference dinner and get a basket of the eatables. "If they leave any, " Miss Jerusha, the minister's sister, had saidgrimly, "which isn't very likely. I've heard 'em preach often enoughof starved souls. La! 'tisn't a circumstance to the starved bodiesthey bring along to Conference. " So Mrs. Pepper was turning inat the dooryard of the little brown house in a happy frame of mind, when she heard a babel of voices, and Phronsie's little shrill voiceabove them all. 

"Goodness me, the house must be afire!" she exclaimed, hurryingover the grass and in at the door. There was Joel, tied hand andfoot, his black eyes blazing, while he was talking as fast as hecould rattle, and Polly was untying the clothes-line, littleDavie getting in the way, with trembling fingers, while Phronsiestood still and screamed. 

"He's got all our bread!" shouted Joel. "Oh, Mamsie!" Phronsieturned and saw Mrs. Pepper, and ran to her with outstretchedarms. 

"Whatever in all this world, " exclaimed Mother Pepper, graspingher baby tightly. "There--there--Phronsie, don't cry, Mammy'shere. "

"Oh, Mamsie--Mamsie!" mourned Polly, tugging at the knots in theclothes-line. Davie scuttled over to Mother Pepper and tried toget within her arms, too. 

"Our bread!" screamed Joel, in a rage, and kicking at the knots. "Let me up! I'm going after him. He's got it all out of thecupboard, I tell you!"

"Joel, " said Mrs. Pepper, kneeling down by him, with Phronsie byher side, and putting both arms around his struggling figure, "Mother doesn't care about the bread; she's got you safe. "

Joel snuggled up close to her. "I couldn't help his gettin' it, "he sniffled, "Mamsie, I couldn't. " Then he broke out into a loudsob. 

"Mother knows you couldn't, " said Mrs. Pepper, and she shiveredas she thought of what might have been. "You're my brave boy. But you mustn't go after him, nor out of the house. "

"Oh, Mammy!" exclaimed Joel, lifting up his head, his tears allgone. "I can catch him. " He gave an impatient pull at the knots. 

"Take care, Joe, " cried Polly, "you're pulling 'em tighter. Oh, Mammy, let us all go after him, " she begged with flashing eyes. "We can catch the bad wicked man. "

"No, " said Mrs. Pepper, firmly, "not a single one of you muststir out of this house unless I tell you. And as for bread, why, we can do without it so long as Joel is safe. "

"Phooh!" said Joel, "he didn't hurt me any, " just as Polly gotthe last knot out that tied his arms. Then he set to work tohelp her get his legs free. And in a trice he jumped to his feetand ran to the window. 

"Oh, Mamsie, " he teased, craning his neck to look up and downthe road, "do let me go. I can get some sticks in the woodshed, and I guess I can scare him then. "

"All of us, " pleaded Polly, hurrying to Mrs. Pepper; "just think, Mamsie, with big sticks. Do let us. "

But Mother Pepper shook her head. "We'll all go over to GrandmaBascom's and see if he went there. Then Ben'll be home, and hecan run over and tell Deacon Brown. He'll know how to catch thethief. "

"I'm goin' with Ben, " announced Joel, decidedly, and coming intothe middle of the kitchen with a bound. "He's my thief. An' I'mgoin' with Mr. Brown to catch him. So there!"

Mrs. Pepper shivered again, but smiled at Phronsie, who clutchedher tightly with her little arms around the neck. "Well, Ideclare!" she said with a cheery laugh, "aren't you going tountie Mother's bonnet-strings, Baby?"

"Yes, Phronsie, " said Polly, with another little laugh, "so youought to. I declare, we're all so excited we don't know what todo. I'm going to make your tea, Mamsie, " and she spun off to theold stove. 

Mrs. Pepper smiled at her approvingly. "I won't wait for thatnow; we ought to get over and see how Grandma Bascom is. I don'tbelieve he went there, but we'll see. "

"I forgot all about her, " said Polly, in a shamefaced way. "I'llrun down the lane and see. You don't need to come, Mamsie. Wethree will go. "

"I'm goin'. I'm goin', " screamed Joel, rushing for the door. 

"Joel, " called his mother, "come here. " Joel slowly retracedhis steps. 

"Remember one thing. You stay with Polly, and do just as shesays. And now, children, hurry along. And if you see the man, you call me. " And Mrs. Pepper went to the door, and, withPhronsie in her arms, watched them scramble down the lane, andup to Grandma's little cottage. 

But Grandma Bascom hadn't seen anybody pass that way, and wasn'ta bit afraid. There she sat, drinking her bowl of tea out underthe lilac bushes. 

"Run in an' get some pep'mint drops out o' the cupboard, " shesaid sociably, "they're in the big green dish. Be careful of it, for it's cracked. "

"We can't, " said Polly, "Mamsie wants us to come right home. "

Joel's mouth watered. "'Twon't take but a minute, Polly, " hesaid. 

"No, Joe, we mustn't, " said Polly, firmly. "Good-by, Grandma. Now, let's run, boys, as fast as we can, home to Mamsie, and seewhich will get there first"

V

ON BANDY LEG MOUNTAIN

And so Joel finally went to the cave alone. But not before agood many weeks, for the two boys didn't get play-day again in along while. There was work to do picking rocks for the neighboringfarmers; and then came potato-planting time when they could helpBen as he worked for Deacon Brown, who always paid them wellin potatoes that kept them through the winter. And, dear me, therewas always wood to pick up and split, Ben doing the heaviest partof the chopping; and errands down to the store for Indian mealand molasses and flour, and to fetch and carry back the coatsand sacks that Mamsie was always sewing up. So at it they keptall the pleasant days. And, of course, on the rainy days no onecould think of getting off to the woods. So presently Joel almostforgot about wanting to go, until one day when Polly broke out, "Now, boys, you can play a good while to-day; your work's all doneup. "

Joel twitched Davie's arm and hauled him out to the woodpilebehind the shed. "Now come on, Dave, let's go to old Bandy LegMountain. "

"No, I don't want to. I'm never goin' there, " said Davie, shrinking back. 

"Not after the flowers?" said Joel, aghast at that. 

David looked longingly off to the tip of the mountainoverhanging Badgertown. 

"N-no, " he said slowly. 

"You see, " said Joel, wheedlingly, "there must be such a verygreat lot up there, and nobody to pick 'em, Dave. "

Davie turned his blue eyes full of delight: "I might go a littleway; but I'm not going to the cave; only just after the flowers--thegreen ones and the others. "

"All right, " said Joel, carelessly, thinking that after Daviegot started he could persuade him to keep on. "Now, you waithere till I get my gun. "

Joel's gun was an old willow branch out of which he had knockedthe pith; then he would put in round pebbles, when he wanted touse it, and punch them out suddenly with another stick, screamingout at the same time, "Look out, my gun's going off. _Bang!_"

So he ran off nimbly and got his gun from the corner of thewoodshed, where he had hidden it, and then in to Polly in thekitchen. 

"Give us somethin' to eat, Polly, please. Dave an' me. "

"You can get some bread in the tin pail in the provision room, Joe, " she said, without looking up. She was trying to sew up along seam in one of the coats Mother Pepper was making for Mr. Atkins, and it bothered her dreadfully, for it wouldn't looklike Mamsie's, try as she would. And she had picked it out threetimes, and was just threading her needle to begin again, whenJoel rushed in. 

"Why, you've only been through breakfast a little while, " shesaid quickly. "Dear me, Joe, seems to me you're always hungry. "

"How I wish 'twas gingerbread!" cried Joel, tumbling over therickety steps in a trice. "Polly, why don't we ever have any?"he called back, twitching off the cover of the pail. It fell tothe floor and rattled off, making a great noise. 

"Stop banging that pail, Joe, " called Polly, in a sharp little voice, and twisting the end of the thread tighter. "Dear me, this hatefulthing won't go in that eye. Go in, you!" with a push that sent thethread way beyond the needle. 

"I ain't bangin' the pail, " contradicted Joel, in a loud, injured voice; "the old thing fell down. 'Twarn't my fault. " Andhe ran noisily across the provision room to pick it up. 

"Well, set it on tight, " said Polly, "and you're a very naughtyboy, Joel, and always making a fuss over the bread pail. "

Joel didn't hear her, as he was busily engaged in cramming thecover on the pail, and in a minute or two he came up with hispockets full of dry bread, and his chubby face beaming withsatisfaction. 

Polly tried again, without avail, to thread her needle, and atlast, as he ran out with a good whoop, she laid it down and puther head back against Mamsie's big chair in which she wassitting. "O dear, " she sighed, "how I wish I could go off to-dayand play just once! How good it must be in the woods!"

"Don't you suppose you'll go when you are a big woman?" askedPhronsie, laying down Seraphina, where she sat on the floor, andregarding her gravely. "Ever, Polly?"

"O dear me, yes, " said Polly, twitching up her head again, andpicking up the needle and thread. "And I'm a bad, naughty girl, Phronsie, to fret, " she added, her ill-humor flying. "There, nowyou've concluded to go in, have you?" this to the eye of theneedle. 

"You're never bad, Polly, " said Phronsie, taking up Seraphinaonce more, feeling that everything was right, as she had seenPolly smile, and beginning to tie on a remarkable bonnet upsidedown. 

"Yes I am, Pet, often and often, " said Polly, with very redcheeks, "and I ought to be put in the corner. "

"Oh, Polly, --put in the corner!" cried Phronsie, in a tone ofhorror. "Why, you couldn't be. You're Polly!"

"Well, I need it, " said Polly, shaking her brown head, while theneedle flew in and out merrily. Suddenly she laid it down. "Imust go out and tell Joel I'm sorry. I was cross to him. I'll beback in a minute, " and she sped off. 

When she came back she looked very sober. 

"They've gone down to the brook, I suppose, " glancing at theclock. "Well, I'll tell Joe just as soon as he gets home, " andslipping into the big chair again, she set to work, andpresently the old kitchen was very quiet, except for the littlesong that Phronsie was crooning to Seraphina. At last thisstopped, and Polly, looking off from her work, saw that Phronsiehad fallen over on the floor, and was fast asleep. 

"Poor thing!" exclaimed Polly, "she wants her nap. " So she tookher up, and carried her into the bedroom, and laid her on thebig four-poster, and came out and shut the door. 

"Now I do believe I'll have time to finish these two seams, if Ifly at 'em, " she said joyfully. "Then, says I, this old coat'sdone, and Mamsie can send the bundle back to-night when she getshome"--for Mrs. Pepper was away helping one of the villagehousekeepers to make her supply of soft soap. Many and many suchan odd job did Mother Pepper get, for which she was thankfulenough, as it helped her to eke out her scanty pittance. 

Joel and David trotted on as fast as possible, by many a shortcut through the woods, till they reached the foot of "Bandy LegMountain, " so called because the hermit who had lived and diedthere had short crooked legs. And at last they began to climb up itsface, David peering on every side for any chance at spying out thewonderful flowers. 

"I most b'lieve there aren't any, " at last he said, his feetbeginning to drag. 

"Come on, " cried Joel, way ahead. "Hoh! what you stoppin' downthere for? Of course you won't find any until you get up nearerthe top. Come on!" and he disappeared in a thick clump ofundergrowth. 

"Where are you, Joel?" cried Davie. He was now too frightened tomove, and he was sure he heard a lion roar, though it was onlyhis heart beating and thumping; so he sat down on the moss andpine needles, and waited. Joel would surely come back. Meantimea little bird came up and perched on the branch above his head, and sang to him, so he felt less lonely. 

Joel, supposing Davie was close behind him, trudged on and on. "Hooray, we're most there!" he shouted at last. "Come on, Dave, "and he turned around. "Why--Dave--Dave!"

"I guess he's just back there, " and Joel ran on, for there was thebig hole in the rocks, and perhaps he'd really see a bear! and, O dear! he must have his gun ready. And Joel soon stopped thinkingabout David, but bounded ahead as fast as he could, and squirmedin through the narrow slit, and wriggled along down toward the endof the cave. 

Suddenly a very funny noise struck his ear; it wasn't a bit likea bear, nor even a wood-chuck, for they couldn't talk. And theresurely were a number of voices. Joel stopped squirming, andstared with wide eyes into the darkness. It smelt dreadfully inthere, so close and hot, and before he could stop it he gave anawful sneeze. 

"What's that?" exclaimed one of the voices. Then they whispered, and Joel heard some one say, "We're found out. " And another onesaid a bad word, and laughed, saying nobody'd ever find themthere. 

"I guess there's lots in there, " said Joel, "an' I better go, "so he wriggled back out into the light. And he hadn't been therebut a minute when something came squirming down along after him. Joel flew into the bushes and peered out between the branches. 

"Why, it's the man who stole Polly's bread!" he almost screamed. The man went past the bush, so near that his long dirty fingerscould have picked him out in a minute, and then went down theother way, looking around carefully, and whistling away softlyto himself, and presently returned to the cave. And as soon ashe had gone in again, Joel hopped out of his bush, and ran at alively pace down the mountain-side, thinking only of meetingDavid, and then to get Ben and Deacon Brown and a lot of men, "and won't we come back and catch every single one of 'em, then!"

There was David fast asleep under his tree, and the little birdsinging to him. "Dave--Dave!" shouted Joel, shaking him hastily, "wake up! The man that stole our bread's up there. The cave'sfull of 'em. I'm goin' to get Ben, an' catch 'em!"

"I'm goin'--to--get--the--flowers, " said little Davie, sittingup straight and blinking. Joel seized his hand and spun himalong as fast as he could around the rocks and boulders that nowstood in the way. 

Ben was at Deacon Blodgett's, and looked up to see Joel andDavid, hot and panting, rush into the field. "I'm so tired, "said Davie, and sank down; "O dear me, Ben, I'm so tired. "

Joel told his story, rattling it off so that Ben had to shakehis jacket many times. "Hold on there, Joe, " he said, "youhaven't seen half that. You've been asleep. "

"Come up and see, " cried Joel, excitedly. "Oh, Ben, come up andsee. "

"What's all this?" asked Farmer Blodgett, drawing near. So Bentold it as well as he could for Joel, who wanted to go overevery word again, and at last they made him understand. 

"Now that boy, " said Mr. Blodgett, shifting his quid of tobaccointo the other cheek, "bein's he's a Pepper, knows what he'sa-talkin' of. I'm of th' opinion pretty strong that I'm a-goin' upBandy Leg. "

"Oh, good! Mr. Blodgett, " exclaimed Joel, hopping up and down inhis delight. "Do please hurry this minute and come on. "

"Bein's I've lost more hens and chickens the last two weeks thanI ever have in my life before, and only yest'day wife had a hullpan o' doughnuts took off from the back steps where she'd set'em to cool, why I'm of the opinion pretty strong that Bandy LegMountain will bear lookin' into. So I'll call Peter an' Jed, an' we'llhoof it up there right away. "

"Oh, Mr. Blodgett, do hurry, " begged Joel, "and come. " And hebegan to dance off impatiently. 

"Hold on!" cried the farmer, turning back, "you ain't goin'. "

Joel stood absolutely still. "Not going!"

"Th' idee o' takin' a leetle chap like you, " laughed DeaconBlodgett. "Why, I couldn't look your Ma in the face, Joel Pepper, ef I sh'd do sech a thing. "

Joel scanned Ben's face. 

"I'm sorry, Joe, " said Ben, "but Mamsie wouldn't like it, youknow. "

Joel gave a howl. "They're mine. And he's my man who stole ourbread; an' they all b'long to me, for I found 'em. " He keptscreaming on. 

"Mercy me!" cried Ben, shaking his arm, "stop screaming so, Joe, you're scaring all Mr. Blodgett's men. They'll think you're halfkilled. See 'em running here. "

"I don't have to go after 'em, to call 'em, s'long as you yelllike that, " observed Farmer Blodgett, grimly. 

"An' they all b'long to me, every single one of 'em, " screamedJoel, harder than ever, "so there! an' Mamsie'd let me, " headded in a fresh burst. 

"Well, I can't let you, " declared Ben, decidedly, "without shesays so; and if we wait here much longer, all those fellows willbe slipping off, maybe. They can hear you up there, for all Iknow, you make such a noise. "

"See here, " cried Deacon Blodgett, sternly, "Joe Pepper, youstop that noise! Ain't you 'shamed, bein' Mrs. Pepper's boy, totake on so? Now I'll tell you what I'll do. You've done a goodthing a-drummin' up those scamps, an' I don't wonder you want togo an' see 'em ketched. "

"I want to help catch 'em, and they're mine, " said Joel, throughhis tears. 

"Well, "--and the farmer smiled grimly, --"I don't wonder, so nowI'll tell you what I'll do. Peter shall go along with you home, an' if your Ma says come, he'll bring you after us. So marchlively. "

"Mother isn't home, " said Ben. "She's at Miss Perkins' working, to-day. " While Joel screamed shrilly, "Oh, dear-dear-dear, p'r'aps she won't let me go!"

"Then you hadn't ought to want to, " said Deacon Blodgett, sternly. "Start lively, now, and see. "

But Mrs. Pepper, looking into her boy's eyes, and hearing hisstory, stood quite still, and Joel's heart went down to his toes. 

"I think a boy who can act as bravely as you have, Joe, " shesaid at last, slowly, "ought to go and see the job finished. Mother can trust you. Run along, " and Joel's feet twinkled sofast that Peter could hardly see them go. 

VI

AB'M's BIRTHDAY PARTY

The robbers were caught, and were lodged in the county jail, and all the farmers who had hen-roosts robbed, and the farmers'wives who had their doughnuts stolen, kept coming over to thelittle brown house or stopping Mrs. Pepper after church onSunday to thank her for what her boy had done, until it got sothat when Joel saw a bonnet coming along the dusty road, or awagon stop in front, he would run and hide. 

"I won't have 'em put their hands on my head and call me goodboy, " he cried, shaking his black hair viciously. "I'll kick'em--so there!" So one day, when he caught sight of a wagon justabout to stop, he ran, as usual, as fast as he could, off overto Grandma Bascom's. 

"Now that's too bad, " said a big tall woman, who got out of thewagon and made her way up to the door, "for Mis' Beebe said inpartic'ler I was to bring Joel, an' he ain't to home. "

"Go and call him, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, "Come in, won't you, and sit down?"

Phronsie tried to drag forward a chair, while Polly ran out theback door, calling, "Joel--Joel!"

"Bless her heart!" exclaimed the visitor, looking at Phronsie. "No, I can't set; I've got to keep an eye on that horse. " As Mr. Beebe, who ran the little shoe shop up in the town, owned ahorse that nothing but a whip could make go, this seemedunnecessary. However, Mrs. Pepper only smiled hospitably, whilethe woman went on. 

"You see, I've only jest about come, as 'twere, on from the West, an' bein' my boy's got a birthday, an' him bein' grandson, asyou may say, to Mis' Beebe, she thought she'd give him a party. "

"Oh, are you Mr. Beebe's daughter?" asked Mrs. Pepper, inperplexity. "I thought the old people hadn't any children. "

"No more'n they hain't, " said the visitor, leaning composedlyagainst the door jamb and keeping her eye on the horse; "but asyou may say, Ab'm's their grandson, for my husband's mother wassister to Mis' Beebe, an' she's dead, so you see it's next o'kin, an' it comes in handy to call her Grandma. "

"Oh, yes, " said Mrs. Pepper. 

"Well, an' so Mis' Beebe's goin' to give Ab'm a party. La! she'sbeen a-bakin' doughnuts all this mornin', got up at four o'clockan' begun 'em. I never see such sugary ones. They're sights, Itell you. "

Polly now ran in. "I can't find Joel, Mamsie, " she said sadly. 

"Well, Mis' Beebe said I was to bring him most partic'ler; she'drather see him than any of the rest o' you. She said, 'Marinthy, be sure to bring that boy who was so brave about them robbers. Tell him I've made some doughnuts special for him. '"

"O dear!" exclaimed Polly, clasping her hands, "whatever can wedo, Mamsie, to find him?"

"You must not wait any longer, " said Mrs. Pepper, rememberinghow, the day before, Joel, had run down to the brook, and beengone for hours, following along its course, never coming hometill dinner-time. "Get Phronsie ready, and Davie and yourself. But I'm sorry for Joey to lose the treat, " she said sadly. 

"So'm I, " said Abram's mother, "an' Mis' Beebe'll feel dreadfulbad. Well, I'm afraid that horse'll start, so I'll get in, an'you can all come out when you get ready. "

Pretty soon Polly emerged from the bedroom with a sad look onher rosy face, and her brown eyes drooped as she led Phronsiealong as fresh and sweet as a rose, all ready. 

"Tisn't nice a bit to go without Joel, Mamsie, " said Polly, disconsolately. 

"You can't help it, Polly, " replied her mother, "and it won't doto keep Abram's mother waiting. So go on, and take care of thechildren, and see that they behave nicely. And don't letPhronsie eat more than one doughnut. And be careful to tie theshawl over her when she comes home. "

"I'll remember, Mamsie, " said Polly, and wishing there wasn'tsuch a thing in the world as a party, she put Phronsie into thewagon, and climbed up beside her. Davie, with a very sober faceat thought of leaving Joel behind, craned his neck and watchedfor him as long as the little brown house was in sight. 

"You see, " said Abram's mother, twitching the reins, when atlast the old horse decided to start, "I had to hurry away an'get in. I sh'd a-liked to a' set an' passed the time o' daylonger with your Ma, but I didn't darst to. It's dretful tohave a horse run. I couldn't never a-catched him in all thisworld, stout as I be. Land! I hain't run a step for ten years, 'cept last spring I was to Sister Jane's, an' her cow tookafter me, an' I had to. "

"O dear, " breathed Phronsie, turning her face up as she satsqueezed in between Abram's mother and Polly, "did he hurt you?"

"Bless your heart!" exclaimed the woman, beaming at her, "no, for he didn't catch me. You see I had on a red shawl, an' thecritter didn't like it. "

"Oh!" said Phronsie. 

"No; sho there, easy, you!" cried Abram's mother, holding theold leather reins as tightly as possible, and bracing back; "Iguess he won't run, bein's I'm so strong in my hands. Well, yousee Jane she hollered out o' th' window, 'Throw away your shawl, M'rinthy, he'll kill you. '"

"O dear me!" exclaimed Phronsie. "An' did he kill you, Mrs. BigWoman?" she asked anxiously. 

"No; why here I be, " said Abram's mother, with a hearty laugh. "Well, how could I throw off my shawl an' me a-runnin' so, an''twas all pinned across me, an' my brother'd brought it fromover seas. So I had to run. "

Phronsie sighed, and kept her troubled eyes raised to the bigface above her. 

"An" the first thing't ever I knew, I went down kerslump into abig compost heap, an'--"

"What's a compost heap?" asked Davie, getting up to stand in thewagon back of them. 

"Oh, manure an' sich, all gone to rot, " said Abram's mother. 

"O dear me!" said Davie. 

"An' that cow--'twas a bull, I forgot to tell you, Jane'shusban' told me afterwards--he kept right on over my head, couldn't stop, you know, an' he went bang up against a tree ont'other side, an' it knocked him flat. "

"Did it hurt him?" asked Phronsie, in a sorry tone. 

"I s'pose so, " said Abram's mother, "for he didn't know nothin', an' th' men folks came who'd seen me runnin' an' heard Janehollerin' an' took him off before he came to, which he did aftera spell, as lively as a cricket. An' they dragged me up, moredead'n alive, an' I hain't run a step since. "

Phronsie drew a long breath of relief that no one was killed. Davie gazed at Abram's mother in great satisfaction. "Tell ussome more, " he said. 

"An' I might as well have flung off that red shawl, " she went on, ignoring his request, "if I could a' got out that pin, for itwas all smutched up, fallin' in that mess, an' I couldn't put iton my back. It beats all how you never know what's best to do;but then, says I, you've no call to worry afterwards, if youdecide in a hurry. Sho now, go easy, you!" And at last they drewup at Mrs. Beebe's door. 

There she stood in the doorway, in a cap with new pink ribbons, and old Mr. Beebe just a little back, smiling and rubbing hishands, and in the little window where the shoes and rubbers andslippers were hanging was a big round face plastered up againstthe small panes of glass. 

"There's Ab'm, now, " exclaimed his mother, proudly. "I guesswhen you see him you'll say there never was sech a boy. Well, I'm glad we're here safe an' sound, an' this horse hain't run nornothin'. Now, hop out, "--which injunction was not needed. 

Good Mrs. Beebe ran her eye over the little bunch of Peppers asthey jumped down over the wheel. "Why, where's Joel?" she cried. "In the bottom o' th' wagon, I s'pose, " she added, laughing andshaking her fat sides. 

"Yes, where's Joel?" cried Mr. Beebe, rubbing his hands togetherharder than ever. "I want him to tell me all about how heketched them robbers. "

Polly was just going to tell all about Joel, and why he couldn'tcome, when the big woman shouted out, "They couldn't find him, for he warn't to home. "

"Sho, now, that's too bad!" ejaculated Mr. Beebe, dreadfullydisappointed. Mrs. Beebe already had Phronsie in her arms, andwas whispering to her some of the delights to come. "Well, well, well, come right in, all of you, and make yourselves to home. I'll take care of the horse, Marinthy; go in an' set down. "

"I'm sure I'm glad to, " said Marinthy, getting over the littlesteps quickly after the Pepper children, and nearly knockingdown David, who came last. "Ab'm, come here an' make yourmanners, " she called. Ab'm got down from the pile of boxes wherehe had been looking out of the window, and slouched forward, hisfinger in his mouth. 

"Speak up pretty, now, " said his mother, pulling his jacket downwith a twitch, and looking at him admiringly; "these children'scome to your party. Say how do you do, an' you're glad to see'em. "

"How do you do, an' you're glad to see 'em--"

"Land sakes alive!" cried his mother, with a shake; "hain't youno more manners'n that? Do say it right. "

"You told me to say it so, " said Ab'm, doggedly. 

"No, I didn't, " retorted his mother with another shake. Thelittle bunch of Peppers turned quite pale, and scarcely breathed. 

"Did anybody ever see sech a boy, an' he that's had no painsspared 'n his bringin' up? Well, he's ten to-day, thank fortune, an' he'll soon be a-takin' care o' himself. "

Phronsie crept closer to Polly. "Take me home, " she said. "Iwant my Mammy. "

"O dear me, " thought Polly, "whatever shall I do! It will makedear Mr. And Mrs. Beebe feel so badly if I don't stop her. Phronsie, "and she drew her off one side of the shop, old Mrs. Beebe havinggone into the inner room, "you know Mamsie told us all to be good. "

"Yes, " said Phronsie, her lips quivering, and the tearsbeginning to come in her blue eyes. 

"Well, it would just about make dear Mrs. Beebe and dear Mr. Beebe sick to have you feel badly and go home. "

"Would it?" asked Phronsie, swallowing hard. 

"Yes, " said Polly, decidedly, "it would. People never go to aparty, and then say they must go home. "

"Don't they, Polly?" asked the little girl. 

"No, " said Polly, decidedly, "I never heard of such a thing. Andjust think, Phronsie Pepper, how Mamsie would look! Oh, youcan't mean to be a naughty girl. "

"I--won't--be a naughty--girl, Polly, " promised Phronsie, battling with her tears, "an' I won't look at the big woman, northe boy. Then I'll stay. "

So Polly kissed her, and pretty soon Mrs. Beebe bustled in, herround face quite red with the exertions she had been making, andMr. Beebe having seen to his horse, came in rubbing his handsworse than ever, saying, "Now, if we only had Joel, we'd be allright. "

"Now, my dears, "--began Mrs. Beebe. "Why, you haven't laid offyour things yet!" to the Peppers. 

"No'm, " said Polly, "but we will now, thank you, Mrs. Beebe, "and she untied Phronsie's sun-bonnet and took off the shawl, David putting his cap down on the counter, keeping a sharp, disapproving eye on Ab'm every minute. 

"When are you coming for a new pair of shoes?" whispered Mr. Beebe, getting hold of Phronsie and lifting her to his knee. 

Phronsie thrust out her little foot. "See, " she cried gleefully, forgetting for a moment the big woman and the boy, "dear, niceMr. Beebe, they're all here. " Then she poked out the other foot. "I buttoned 'em up all myself. "

"No?" cried Mr. Beebe, greatly delighted; "well, now, when thoseare worn out, you come and see me again, will you?"

"They aren't ever going to be worn out, " said Phronsie, positively, and shaking her head. 

"Hoh, hoh!" laughed Ab'm, suddenly finding his tongue, "yourshoes ain't never goin' to wear out! Ma, did you hear her?"

Phronsie started and hid her face on Mr. Beebe's fat shoulder. Polly hurried to her side. 

"Be still!" cried his mother; "hain't you no manners, an'they're company? Ab'm Bennett, I'm ashamed of ye. " With that sheleaned over and gave him a box on the ear. 

It was perfectly dreadful, and Polly had all she could do tokeep from bursting out crying. And what they would have done, noone knows, if Mrs. Beebe hadn't said, "Won't you all walk outinto the parlor an' set down to the table? Come, Pa, you leadwith Phronsie. "

"Ab'm oughter, " said his mother; "that's style, seein' th'party's fer his birthday. "

"Well, you go first then, Marinthy, " said old Mr. Beebe, dryly, "with him, an' Phronsie an' I'll foller on. Now then, my dear. "He set her on the floor, and bent his old white head down tosmile into her face reassuringly, while her trembling fingersheld his hand fast. 

"Polly, " said little David, as they brought up the rear of theprocession, "I am so very much afraid of that boy. "

"The party will soon be through, " said Polly, encouragingly. "I'm so glad that Joel isn't here, for he'd say something, I'mafraid, if Ab'm scares Phronsie again, " and she gave a sigh of relief. 

Oh, the table! There were doughnuts, sure enough, as Mrs. Marinthy had said, "The biggest I ever see, and the sugariest. "No wonder good Mrs. Beebe got up at four o'clock to make them!And a great dish of pink and white sticks and cunning littlebiscuits with real butter on them, and a cake, with little roundcandies sprinkled all over the top. Was there ever such abeautiful birthday party!

Phronsie, clinging to good Mr. Beebe's hand, thought not, andher glances wandered all up and down in delight, to bring hereyes at last up to Polly's brown ones, when her little facebroke into a happy smile. Ab'm was so intent on choosing whichof the pink and white sticks he should pick for, that he couldthink of nothing else, so Mrs. Beebe got them all seated withoutany further trouble. Old Mr. Beebe was just saying, "Now, ifJoel was only here, we'd be all right, " when the shop dooropened suddenly, and into the little parlor ran Joel, very redin the face. 

"Now that's nice enough, " cried Mrs. Beebe, getting out of herchair, her pink cap-ribbons all in a flutter, while old Mr. Beebeexclaimed, with a beaming face, "Well, I declare! ef I ain't gladto see you. Set right down by me. "

"No, he'll set here, Pa, " said Mrs. Beebe, pushing up the chairnext to Ab'm; "there's more room this side. " So Joel marched upand got into his seat. 

"An' so you thought you'd come, " said Mr. Beebe, with a jollylittle laugh. "Now we'll have fine times, won't we, Phronsie?"patting her hand. "How'd you git here?"

"I walked, " said Joel, who couldn't for his life keep his eyesfrom the doughnuts, "'cept when I met a man with a load of hay. An' he was so slow I got down again, for I was afraid I'd missthe party. "

"Hee, hee, hee!" chuckled Mr. Beebe; "well, wife, do give Joel adoughnut; he must be tired, a-comin' so far. "

"Oh, thank you, " cried Joel, thrusting out his hand eagerly. 

"'Tain't style, where I come from out West, to help thedoughnuts first, an' specially when that boy's just come, " saidMrs. Marinthy, with a great air. 

Joel dropped his doughnut to his plate as if it had been a hotcake, and leaned over to fasten his black eyes on her big face. "Well, pass the biscuits, do, then, " said old Mr. Beebe, good-naturedly;"let's get somethin' a-goin', Ma. " So the little biscuits werepassed, but Joel did not take one; he still sat regarding Ab'm's mother. 

"Ma, Ma, " said Ab'm in a loud whisper, and twitching her elbow, "this strange boy's a-lookin' at you all the time. Make him stop, do. "

At this Phronsie gave a little cry. "Don't let 'em hurt Joey, "she gasped, turning to Mr. Beebe. 

"There shan't nothin' hurt Joel, don't you be afraid, " hewhispered back. 

"Hoh, hoh!" cried Ab'm, pointing a big fat finger at her, thatmight have been cleaner; "hear her now. An' she said her shoeswarn't never goin' to wear out. Hoh, hoh!"

"You let our Phronsie alone, " screamed Joel, tearing his blackeyes off from Mrs. Marinthy's face to fasten them on her son. "Ow! he pinched me, " roared Ab'm, edging suddenly off to hismother. 

"I didn't, " cried Joel, stoutly; "I did't touch him a single bit!But he shan't scare Phronsie, or I'll pitch into him. Yes, sir-ree!"

"Joel!" cried Polly, in great distress, across the table. 

"Well, he shan't scare Phronsie, " cried Joel, "this boy shan't, or I will pitch into him, " and his black eyes blazed, and hedoubled up his little brown fists. 

"Joel, " commanded Polly, "do you stop, this very minute, " and, "Oh, sir!" looking up at Mr. Beebe, and, "Oh, marm!" and herbrown eyes were fixed imploringly on Mrs. Beebe's roundcountenance, "I do feel so ashamed, and Mamsie will be so sorry. But please will you let us go home?" And poor Polly could say nomore. 

"An' I sh'd think you'd better go home, " said Ab'm's mother, with asperity; "a-comin' to a birthday party and abusin' the boyit's give for. I never see th' like. An' to think how I driv'you clear over here, an' that horse most runnin' away all thetime. "

Polly got out of her chair and sorrowfully went up to Joel. "We'll sit out in the shop, if you please, dear Mr. And Mrs. Beebe, till you get through the party. And then, if you please, we'd like to go home. " Joel's head dropped, and his little brownfists fell down. "I'm sorry, " he mumbled. 

Mrs. Beebe picked off the biggest pink stick from the pile onthe dish and slid it on Joel's plate. "Eat that, " she whispered. "Ab'm's goin' home in a week, an' then, says I, you shall comeover an' visit with me. " And Mr. Beebe looked over at him andnodded his white head, and Joel was quite sure he winkedpleasantly at him. But the pink stick and doughnut lay quiteuntouched on his plate, and after a time, Polly having creptback to her seat, the biscuits had been passed around again, andthe grand cake with the candies on top had been cut, the pinkand white sticks were divided, and the doughnuts went up anddown the table, and lo and behold! the party was over. 

"I've had a birthday party, " said Ab'm, with great satisfaction, sliding out of his chair with a black look for Joel, andstuffing what he couldn't eat into his pocket. 

"You come with me, " said Mrs. Beebe to Joel, "and let the othersgo back into the shop. " So he followed her into a little entry, and out of that opened a cupboard. 

"Now there's a paper bag up on that shelf, " said Mrs. Beebe. "You can climb up and git it; that's right. Now, says I. " Shewaddled back to the supper table. "Come here, Joel, my boy, andhold it open there and there. " In went the biggest doughnutsthat were left, some little biscuits, several pieces of the finecake, and last of all, three or four pink and white sticks. 

"You tell your Ma, " said Mrs. Beebe, speaking very soft, "thatMr. Beebe an' me thinks a sight o' you, an' that you're a-comin'out here to spend the day just as soon as Ab'm goes. Nowremember. "

"Yes'm, I will, " said Joel, twisting up his bag. "An' I'll come, Mrs. Beebe, if Mamsie'll let me. "

"An' take care the things don't fall out, " warned Mrs. Beebe. 

Joel gave the bag another twist, and gripped it fast. 

"An' I guess Pa's got the horse around all right, " said Mrs. Beebe, going out into the shop, "so I s'pose you all must go, though sorry I be to have you. " She gave Polly a motherly littlepat on the shoulder, and fairly cried over Phronsie. "Well, you've got to go, I s'pose, " she said again, "'cause Pa'sa-waitin'; yes, Pa, " she called, "they're a-comin'. " And presentlythe little Peppers, except Phronsie, all clambered over thewheel; then Polly and Joel lifted her up, and away they went, Mrs. Beebe watching them off till a turn of the narrow streethid them from view. 

"That Ab'm, " said Mr. Beebe, after they had gone quite a piece, and glancing back over his shoulder, "well, he ain't reelly nokin to us, thank the Lord, an' they're a-goin' next week. I cantell you one thing, Polly, he an' his Ma don't git inside ourhouse agin. "

VII

JOEL GOES A-FISHING

Joel sat on the back doorstep and kicked his heelsdisconsolately. Davie was lying down on Mamsie's bed, fastasleep. He was tired out picking rocks all the forenoon, andPolly had shut the door and said he mustn't be waked up. Sothere he lay, his arm thrown up over his flushed cheeks; and thelong hot summer afternoon ahead of Joel, and he must spend italone. 

"All the birds have lots of themselves to play with, " grumbledJoel, idly slinging a stone at a pack of chattering young oneswho could not contain their pride at being able to fly so finely, but kept screaming every minute, "Look at me. Chee-chee-chee. See-me-chee-chee-chee!"

Now they cocked their little heads and stared down with theirblack beady eyes at Joel; when they saw it was he, they chirpedand twittered worse than ever. "See me. Chee-chee-chee!Look-at-me-chee-chee-chee!"

"Stop it!" cried Joel, crossly, looking up at them; "Davie'sabed, an' I haven't any one to play with, an' you have, lots an'lots. " Then a smile broke out and ran all over his chubby face, and he flung another stone he had picked off as far as he couldinto the grass. 

The little birds, glad to see him smile, fluttered their wingsand flew off, screaming proudly, "See-me-chee-chee-chee!"

"I'm going fishing down to Cherry Brook, " said Joel, left alonewith not a bird in sight. Even the squirrels seemed to havebusiness at a distance that afternoon; so he hopped off from hisstone and ran to get his old tin pail and the remnant of an ironspoon that Polly had given the boys to dig worms with; and verysoon he had a good quantity wriggling and squirming away, and hecame shouting, flushed and happy, by the window where she satsewing. 

"I'm goin' fishin', Polly, " he said, slinging his birch poleover his shoulder. 

"All right, " said Polly, nodding and smiling away at him. "Sh, Joel, don't make such a noise. You'll wake up Davie. "

"Then he could go with me, " declared Joel, on the edge ofanother whoop. 

"No, indeed, Mister Joel, " said Polly, with a decisive nod ofher brown head, "you needn't think it. Davie's legs aren't sostrong as yours, and he's all tired out. "

"My legs are dreadful strong, Polly, " said Joel, well pleased atPolly's words. And he set down his pail of angleworms, and thepole carefully beside it. "See, Polly, " and he flopped oversuddenly, turning two or three somersaults, to stand still onhis head. 

"Oh, Joel--Joel!" cried Polly, forgetting all about David, anddropping her work to her lap "don't. You mustn't do that. Stopit!"

"Pooh! that's nothing, " said Joel, wiggling his legs far apart, and peering at her out of his sharp black eyes. 

"Joel!" screamed Polly, "get up this minute, and don't you goupside down again! Mamsie wouldn't like it. Get up, I say!"

"Pooh! that's nothing, " again declared Joel, slowly floppingover to lie still on the grass. Then he began to slap his legsup and down. "Ain't I dreadful strong, Polly? Ain't I?"

"And your face is dreadfully red, " said Polly; "I shouldn'twonder if sometime you burst a blood vessel in you, if you dothat perfectly awful thing. "

"How could it burst?" cried Joel. "Tell me, Polly, " bringing hislegs down quite still to hear the answer. "Tell me, Polly. "

"You'd know, I guess, " answered Polly. "Don't, Joel, you make mefeel as if I sh'd fly to even think of it, and here I ought tobe sewing every single minute. " Just then the bedroom dooropened, and out walked David, dewy-eyed, and with very pinkcheeks. "Did you call, Polly?" he asked; "I heard you say something. "

"Now you've gone and waked Davie up, " exclaimed Polly, in a toneof great vexation. 

"Goody!" screamed Joel, "now you will let him go fishing, won'tyou?" And he jumped to his feet and ran to the window to thrusthis stubby head over the sill. "Dave, Dave, come out an' see thelot o' worms I've dug. "

"No, " said Polly, feeling dreadfully at the sight of David'sface, as it fell at her words. "I'm sorry, Davie, but you werereal tired, an' Mamsie wouldn't like you to go off any thisafternoon. "

"It's only to Cherry Brook, " cried Joel, loudly. 

"Now, Polly Pepper, I think you're real mean to keep him in, an'we'd catch a whole lot o' fish, an' maybe have some for supper. "

It was always Joel's ambition to catch a fish big enough to cook, but as the brook, a little tumbling stream over a few raggedrocks, on the edge of Deacon Brown's meadow lot, only heldminnows, with an occasional turtle and frog, this had never asyet happened. 

Phronsie laid down the bit of calico she was puckering up bydrawing through it a needle to which a coarse thread was tied, and looked gravely at Joel. "You must not say so of my Polly, "she said gravely, shaking her head. 

Joel's black hair ducked beneath the window. "I didn't mean--"he mumbled. "Polly, I didn't, truly. " Then he flung himself onthe grass and burst into tears, kicking over the pail. Theangleworms wriggled along till they got to the edge, thenquietly took themselves off. 

David drew a long sigh and folded his hands. "I'm not a bittired, and I should like to go, Polly, " he said. 

"No, Davie dear, " said Polly, kindly, "you'd be tired beforeyou'd gone halfway. And Mamsie wouldn't like it. Do go backand lie down again on the bed. "

"Oh, I can't, " said little David, shrugging his shoulders, "it'sall alone in there, Polly. "

"Well, I can't leave my sewing, and you must have it dark, orelse you won't go to sleep. Do try, Davie, that's a good boy. "

But little Davie still shrugged his shoulders, and wouldn't evenlook at the bedroom door, but kept his back toward it. 

"Dear me, Phronsie, " cried Polly, in despair. "Now, if you'd goin and lie down by his side and hold his hand, maybe he'd go tosleep. He's half sick, and I don't want Mamsie to come home andfind him so. "

"I've got to sew, Polly, " said Phronsie, with an important air, and holding up her mangy bit of calico, where all but one cornerwas in a pucker, "so I must stay right here and finish it. Truly, I must, Polly. "

"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly, quickly, "then I don't know whatis to be done. And Mamsie will come home, and then what will shesay?" with another worried glance at David's flushed cheeks. 

Phronsie drew a long breath and set another crooked stitch. "I'll go, Polly, " at last she said, with a long sigh, putting thepuckered calico bit, with the needle hanging, carefully on thefloor by her side. Then she got slowly out of her little wooden chair. 

"Now, that's a good girl, " cried Polly, reaching out her arms tocatch her, and nearly smothering her with kisses. "Whatevershould I do without you, Phronsie, pet? I'm sure I don't know. "

"You couldn't do without me, could you, Polly?" cried Phronsie, very much pleased as Polly let her go and flew back to hersewing again. 

"No in-_deed_!" cried Polly, warmly. "There, take Davie'shand, and both of you go into the bedroom like good children, and shut the door and go to sleep. That's nice!" and she smiledapprovingly at them as they disappeared. 

Joel cried on and on, his tears trailing off into the grass, till at last, as Polly took no notice of him, he raised his headto look in at the window at her. She didn't seem to see him, butsewed on and on quite composedly, as if Joel were not there. Sohe finally jumped up, and seeing his tin pail overturned on itsside, he hurried to investigate. 

"Oh, my worms have all run off!" he shouted. "Polly, the bad oldthings have every single one of 'em run away!" and he beat thebottom of the pail with the broken iron spoon in his vexation. 

"Joel Pepper!" cried Polly, a little red spot coming in eithercheek as she flung down her work on the floor by Phronsie'scalico bit, "that's twice you've made a most awful noise; nowyou'll wake Davie up again, you bad, naughty boy, " and withoutstopping to think, she dashed out doors, and before Joel couldhardly breathe, she seized his shoulders and shook him smartly. 

"Oh, what have I done! What have I done!" she exclaimed, andthrowing herself down on the grass, she covered her face withher hands, waving back and forth in distress. 

"You shook me!" cried Joel, his black eyes sparkling in anger. "Now I'll beat you, Polly Pepper, " and he raised the old brokeniron spoon. There they were--two little Peppers--oh, dreadful, to tell it--and Mamsie away!

"You may, Joe, " said Polly, brokenly, and rocking back and forth, while the big tears dripped down between her fingers, "for I'vebeen bad to you, and Mamsie away. " She could hardly speak forher sobs. "How could I! Oh, Joey, I'm so sorry. O dear--dear--dear!"

She went off now into such a gust of crying, that Joel forgotall about his anger. He threw away the spoon, and kneelingbeside her, he put his arms about her neck. "Don't cry, Polly, "he begged, "please don't. "

"I can't help it, Joe, " said Polly, struggling with her sobs. "Odear me! I can't ever forgive myself. I don't see how I came todo it. O dear me!"

At last Joel, in despair, jumped to his feet. "I'm going to getGrandma Bascom. "

"Oh, no, you mustn't, Joe, " cried Polly, bringing a very redface suddenly to view, the tears running in little rivers downher nose and cheeks. "There, see! I'm not going to cry any more. Come back, Joe, " for he was starting off at a lively pace. 

"Sure?" cried Joel, stopping a minute. 

"Yes, I won't cry any more, " cried poor Polly, swallowing veryhard--"there, see, Joey dear, " and she wiped off the last tear. "Now I'll help you dig some more worms, " she said, racking herbrains to think of something by which to make up to Joel for theshaking. 

"Will you?" cried Joel, in delight. "Oh, Polly, how nice! Here'sthe spoon--here's the spoon, " and he ran and picked it out ofthe long grass. 

"Yes, I will, " promised Polly, stifling a sigh as she thought ofthe work to be made up in some way on the coat seams. 

"And I'll sit here and see you, " remarked Joel, doubling up inan easy position on the grass, "'cause you see there isn't butone spoon, Polly. Now dig a good lot, " he said with a restfulstretch. 

So Polly dug and dug away, being careful to select long, fatworms. And presently there was a good number all wriggling awayin the bottom of the pail. And at last Joel hopped up and peeredin. "Oh, Polly, what a lot! An' they're juicy ones, and a greatdeal better'n mine. Now I guess I'll catch some fish, an' youshall fry 'em for supper. " He seized the pail, and slung thepole over his shoulder again, and trudged off. 

"All right, " said Polly, with a loving little pat, "and oh, Joey, I'm so sorry I was cross and shook you. "

"I don't care, " said Joel, pleasantly, "'cause you dug my wormsfor me, Polly, " and he raced off. 

But Polly went into the little brown house with a very soberface. And it wasn't till all the children, Ben and all, wereabed that night, and she crept into Mamsie's arms and sobbed itall out on her breast, that she felt better and like being Pollyagain. 

Joel rushed through the undergrowth and tangle of berry bushes, breaking through the wild grape vines that slapped him in theface and caught his pole; and, creeping and ducking under them, at last he struck the little path to the Cherry Brook, thatgurgled its way along Farmer Brown's meadow. Underneath the cooltrees it was dank and mossy, and he flung himself down to rest, first carefully setting his precious pail up against a big stone. 

"I'm just goin' to catch the biggest fish you ever saw, JoelPepper, " he exclaimed to himself, for want of company. "Yessir-_ree_, " untwisting the string which, for want of a fishingline, he had tied to his pole. "Then I guess, when Polly sees it, she'll be glad. Now I'll get the very juiciest worm in the pail. "So he went to the pail, and was just leaning over to investigateits depths, when he heard voices. 

Joel knew in a minute whose they were, and he tried to scrabblehis things together and run and hide them in the thick bushes, when the boys to whom the voices belonged broke through theundergrowth on the other side of the brook. 

"It's the Pepper boy, " said one of them in an awful whisper. Then they stood still a minute, all three staring at each other. At last Joel picked up his pole and started to march away. 

"Hold on, " called one of the boys, the biggest and dirtiest, andhe jumped across the brook. Joel went steadily along as well ashe could for the vines and stubby trees, determined not to turnback for anybody's call, at any rate that dirty Jim Belden. 

But Jim gave him no chance to think, and the first thing he knew, Joel was seized roughly by the shoulder. "Gimme them worms, " andJim tugged at the handle of the pail. 

"I won't; they're my worms, " screamed Joel, hanging on for dearlife; "so there, now! you go right away. Polly dug 'em, Pollydug 'em, " he kept saying. But the scuffle was short, as the otherboy raced up, and pulled too, so that pretty soon Joel was tumbledheels over head, into the brook, and the pail was in the hands ofthe biggest boy, who cried out joyfully, "Oh, see what a lot! nowwe'll go up to th' 'Pool. '" This was a deep spot a half mile orso away, where the stream widened. Mrs. Pepper never allowed thetwo boys to go there, unless Ben could go too, which was seldomindeed, and only looked upon as a very great treat. 

Joel burst out in a great passion, as soon as he could scrambleout of the brook, "Give me back my pail!" and he looked so veryfierce, although he was so small, that without another word theother two ran away as fast as they could. Joel plunged after them, angrier every minute, and instead of turning off to the "Pool, "Jim and the other boy ran straight across Deacon Brown's field. 

"Oh, now he'll catch 'em, " thought Joel, joyfully, without athought of giving up the race. There was a man off in thefurther corner of the field. "Mr. Br-own, " screamed Joel, shrilly. "Mr. Br-own!"

Jim and the other boy, seeing their mistake, turned off to theundergrowth. "Hold on there!" commanded Deacon Brown, in a dreadfulvoice. So there was nothing to do but stop. 

[Illustration: "'GIVE ME BACK MY PAIL!'"]

But when he got to the spot where they stood rooted to theground, there were no worms in the pail, they having beenjiggled out in the chase. So Joel had to go back, and pick uphis pole with the string hanging to it, and carry that home andhis empty pail. "But that Jim Belden didn't have the worms, anyway, " he said, with great satisfaction. 

VIII

WHY THEY SAID NO

Ben came in and hung his cap up on its peg behind the door. Polly didn't see his face, for she was tying on Phronsie'seating apron, and Mother Pepper was in the pantry, else some onewould have discovered that he was strangely excited. 

"Come, " said Polly, "we can't wait any longer for those boys. Can we, Mamsie?" she called. 

"No, we better sit down, " said Mrs. Pepper, coming out with aplate in her hand. "I'm sorry they're late, for I've got asurprise for you all to-night. " She set the plate on the table, and her black eyes sparkled. "Now, then, see that!"

"Ooh!" cried Polly, her brown eyes very wide, while Phronsiestopped climbing into her chair to precipitate herself into themidst of the group. "See, Ben! See!" exclaimed Polly, "it'swhite cake with real frosting on top. Oh, Mammy, where did youget it?"

Ben looked at the six big slices lying across the plate, but hedidn't seem to see them. However, Polly didn't notice, for shewas dancing around the table with Phronsie, to see which sidethe cake looked the best. 

"White on top--real white on top!" sang Phronsie, beating herlittle hands together. 

"I know it, " cried Polly, almost as much excited. "Oh, how Iwish those two boys were here! Mamsie, where _did_ you getit? from dear Mrs. Henderson, I s'pose. "

"No, guess again, " said Mrs. Pepper, cheerily. Then she lookedat Ben steadily out of her black eyes. "I was going past MissBarber's, and she knocked on the window, and when I stopped sheran out, and gave it to me all done up. 'I've been watching foryou, ' she said, 'for I knew you were helping at Deacon Brown'sto-day. We had comp'ny last night, and I want you to have someof sister's cake. She's had real good luck. ' So that's all thestory about the cake, Polly. " Mother Pepper still looked at Ben, though she spoke as cheerily as ever. 

"I'm so glad Miss Barber did have company last night, " saidPolly, her mouth watering for the taste of "sister's cake. "

"I want a piece, " said Phronsie, stopping her dance suddenly, to hold out both hands. 

"Oh, no, Phronsie, " said Polly, with a little laugh, "you musteat your bread first. Folks don't ever eat cake first. "

"Don't they?" asked Phronsie. 

"No, indeed; there, hop up into your chair. " Polly flew into herown. "Why don't those boys come?" she cried in a vexed littleway. 

"It won't make them come any quicker to fret over it, " observedMother Pepper, composedly, and getting into her chair. "Come, Ben, sit down, and we'll begin. "

So the grace was said, and the bread was passed. "Oh, Ben!"exclaimed Polly, in dismay, "you didn't wash your hands!" as hewas going to take a piece. 

"I forgot it, " said Ben, looking down at them. Then he got outof his chair and went out into the woodshed, where a tin basinand a towel and soap were always ready, for Mother Pepper saidthey might be poor, and that they couldn't help, but they couldkeep clean and nice. 

Polly nibbled at her dry bread, but she couldn't keep her eyesoff the cake, and Phronsie bit little pieces all around the edgeof her slice. Then she laid it down. "Now I'm ready for thecake, " she said, holding out both hands again. "Please give itto me, Mammy. "

"Oh, no, Phronsie, " said Mrs. Pepper, shaking her head, "Mothercan't give it to you till you've eaten all your slice. Besides, you must wait till Polly is through, and I will pass it to herfirst. "

"I don't want any more bread, Mammy dear, " said Phronsie, gravely. 

"You must eat it, " said Mrs. Pepper, firmly. 

"See, Phronsie, mine's going fast, " cried Polly, with anotherbite that rapidly diminished her slice. "Oh, you can't think howsoon it will be gone, if you begin to eat. " And Polly munchedaway determinedly, but she kept looking at the cake. Ben came in, and slid into his chair, and took a piece of bread. 

"Why don't those boys--" began Polly. "Oh, I forgot, Mamsie, "with a little laugh, and the door opened, and in burst Joel andDavid with very red faces, and talking at once. 

"Oh, it's comin'!"

"Over at Hillsbury--"

"Horses and--"

"Monkeys--"

"And a big elephant and--"

"A band--" this from Joel, who screamed it above Davie's fainttreble. 

"And a bear, and a hippi--hoppi--"

Polly dropped her bread-slice in astonishment, and Mrs. Peppersat quite straight in her chair. Phronsie had just concluded totry again and do like Polly, so she sat quite still and stared, with her bread halfway to her mouth. Ben's head drooped over hisplate, and he pushed his bread in rapidly, nearly chokinghimself. 

"Boys, " said Mrs. Pepper, "don't both talk together. Joel, youmay begin, because you are the oldest. " But it was impossible tostop them, as they rushed up to her and threw their arms aroundher. 

"Oh, Mammy, " cried little Davie, his cheeks aflame, "you can'tthink--there's monkeys!"

At that Phronsie gave a little squeal, and before Polly couldstop her, she slipped out of her chair and plunged over to hermother. "Oh, Mammy, I want a monkey, I do. "

"And bears--and horses, " shouted Joel, winding both arms aroundMother Pepper's neck. 

"Whatever in all this world!" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper, lookingover their heads. Then her eyes fell on Ben. "Do you knowanything of all this?" she asked. 

"Yes'm, " said Ben, his head dropping lower yet, while Joel andDavid howled on, and Phronsie screamed to be taken up in hermother's lap, and that she wanted a monkey too. Polly sat as ifparalyzed. 

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Pepper. 

"The circus, " said Ben, slowly, "coming over to Hillsbury. "

Polly sprang from her chair, upsetting it, and plunged over toMrs. Pepper. "Oh, Mamsie!" she screamed, as loud as the others, "the circus! the circus! Oh, oh! Can't we go? We must!"

Poor Mrs. Pepper sank back in her chair, with the four littlePeppers swarming all around her, and all pleading together, tillthe kitchen seemed fairly to ring with the noise. 

"We can't, Polly, " said Ben, hoarsely. "You know we can't. AndJoel and David ought not to have told. "

Polly turned a deaf ear, and kept on, "Oh, Mamsie, we've neverseen one, 'cept the pictures. We must go!" On hearing this fromPolly, Joel and David made as much worse clamor as was possible, drowning Phronsie's voice. 

"Aren't you ashamed, Polly!" cried Ben over at her. "You know wecan't go, so what's the use?"

"We can go, " cried Polly, passionately, back at him, "ifMamsie'll only say so. We've never seen one, and we _must_go. "

"Now, children, " said Mother Pepper, in a firm voice that roseabove the din, "stop, every one of you, at once, and go and sitdown. "

When Mamsie spoke like that, the five little Peppers always knewthat she meant to be obeyed, so they drew off from her andtumbled into their chairs; all but Phronsie. "I'll take you intomy lap, " said Mother Pepper, so Phronsie snuggled, well-contented, in her usual nest, and folded her small hands. 

"Now, then, " said Mrs. Pepper, "as it is quiet enough so I canthink, I'll hear the story. Ben, you may begin. "

"Oh, let me--let me, Mamsie, " begged Joel. "You said I might, 'cause I'm the oldest. "

"That was because it was between you and David to tell it, andyou didn't take the chance, " said Mother Pepper, coolly. "NowBen must do it. "

"Why, there's a big yellow paper down to the store, " began Ben, slowly, and trying to make it as short as possible, "and--"

"It's got pictures of all the horses, " interrupted Joel, springing up from his seat, his black eyes dancing, "and--"

"Joel, sit down, " said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, "and don'tinterrupt. Go on, Ben. "

Joel dropped, as if shot, back into his chair. 

"And it's comin' to Hillsbury next week Wednesday, " went on Ben, unwillingly, "and that's all, Mamsie. Only Joe and Davidshouldn't a-told. "

"Tisn't all, " declared Polly, defiantly, with very red cheeks;"we must go! We've never seen a circus, and now it's goin' to bein Hillsbury, we _must_ go!" She seemed unable to stop herself. Benstared at her in amazement. 

"Must is a hard word to use, Polly, " said Mother Pepper, dryly. 

"I mean you'll let us, I 'most know, " mumbled Polly, her cheeksturning scarlet, and twisting her hands together. "Won't you, Mamsie?"

"Won't you, Mamsie?" piped Phronsie, poking her head up like alittle bird out of her nest, to look into Mother Pepper's face. 

"How much does it cost, Ben?" asked Mrs. Pepper, smiling down ather baby, but not answering. 

"Fifteen cents for any one over twelve, and ten cents for boysand girls under twelve, " said Ben. 

"Um, that would be one fifteen cents for you, and ten cents forPolly and Joel, and--"

"Why, you must go, Mamsie, " cried Polly; "we shouldn't any of uswant to go without you, should we, Ben?"

"No, indeed, " said Ben. "But we ain't any of us going, Polly, "he finished. 

At this there was another howl, breaking out from the two boys. Polly turned quite pale, but said nothing. 

"Be quiet, Joel and David, " said Mrs. Pepper, turning her blackeyes on them. "No, children, if I could let you go at all, Ishould trust you with such a boy as Ben, and such a girl asPolly, to look after you. " Polly raised her head, that haddrooped at her mother's reproof, and Ben sat quite straight inhis chair. "But I don't see as it's right for me to let you go. "There was a sign of another outbreak, but something in Mamsie'seyes stopped it halfway. 

"In the first place, it's five miles to Hillsbury, " said Mrs. Pepper, slowly, as if trying to put off the final decision aslong as possible; "and you younger children couldn't walk it. "

"I could, Mamsie, " declared Joel, springing up again. 

"Sit down, Joel; well, Davie couldn't. I shouldn't be willingfor him to try, and walk clear back. And Phronsie--" Mrs. Pepperlooked down at Phronsie's yellow head, and smiled. It wasn'tnecessary for her to say a word. "Mr. Tisbett'll be goin' over, "said little Davie, hopefully, "an' he can take us. "

"And that would cost money, " said Mrs. Pepper. 

"Somebody will let us sit in behind, " said Joel, confidently;"there'll be lots of wagons goin'. "

"And ever so many people going in them, " added Mrs. Pepper. "No, my children shan't ever be a burden to other folks, " and shelifted her head proudly. "Polly, run into the bedroom and getthe stocking-leg. " The stocking-leg, in the upper drawer of thebig bureau that belonged to Father Pepper's mother, always heldthe stray quarters and half dollars laid up for a nest-eggagainst a rainy day. Polly jumped out of her chair, glad to havesomething to do, and ran into the bedroom. 

"I sh'd have screamed if I'd sat there another minute longer, "she said, leaning up against the bureau. "O dear me! We_must_--I mean, what shall we do if we can't go? I guessMamsie will let us go. " And she pulled open the upper drawer, took out the stocking-leg, and ran back to put it in Mrs. Pepper's hand. 

Mrs. Pepper slowly untied the red flannel string and shook outthe contents on the table, the eyes of all five little Peppersriveted on them. There were six silver quarters, three halves, two ten-cent pieces, and eight pennies. 

"Three dollars and twenty-eight cents, " said Mrs. Pepper, slowly, as she set the pieces in a row. No one dared to speak, exceptJoel. "What a lot!" he cried joyfully; "now we can go, Mammy, can't we? Oh, whickets!" and he clapped David on the back. 

"Children, " said Mrs. Pepper, and her eyes swept the wholecircle around the table, but they rested on Polly's face, "therewon't anything pay very well, circus or anything else, if we gowhen we hadn't ought to. We haven't got a debt, thank the Lord, but that money--" she pointed to the row--"is all that keeps usfrom it. "

It was impossible for Joel not to see by Polly's and Ben's faces, more than by what Mrs. Pepper had said, that they were notreally to go, and he flung himself out of the chair and facedownward on the floor, breaking into heartrending sobs, littleDavie at once joining him. Polly got out of her seat and hurriedover to them on unsteady feet. "Boys, " she said in a brokenlittle voice, "don't cry so. You make Mamsie feel badly. Look ather face. " But they didn't hear her. 

"Boys, "--she got down close to them and put her mouth to Joel'sear, --"you are making Mamsie sick, " she said; "just look at herface. " At the word "sick, " Joel stopped screaming, and bobbed uphis head to take a good look at Mrs. Pepper. "Mamsie, don't besick, " he screamed, now thoroughly frightened. And jumping up, he ran to throw his arms around her, and hug her tightly. 

"Mother won't be sick as long as she's got such good children asshe has, " cried Mother Pepper, putting her arms around Joel, todraw him close to her. But her lips were very white. 

"Now, boys, " said Ben, "I sh'd think you were two big babies, you act so. Joel's most a man, he's so big. "

"I'm big, too, Ben, " said David, getting up from the floor andwiping off the tears with the back of a grimy hand. "I'm most astall as Joel is, " and he stood very straight. 

"Hoh! he isn't either, " contradicted Joel, turning his roundface, all tear-stained and streaky. "Now just look here, Ben, "and he sprang out from Mother Pepper's arms and rushed up toDavid's side. "There, sir!"

"Well, you are both of you big enough to act better, " said Ben, coolly. "Come on, now, to supper. "

"You're standing on your tiptoes, " cried little David, gettingdown on the floor by Joel to investigate. "Isn't he, Polly? Comeand see. "

"I'm not either, " cried Joel, flatly; "hear my heels. " And heslapped them down on the floor smartly. "Children, don'tquarrel, " said Polly, finding her voice, "and come to supper. Idon't b'lieve you know what we've got. "

"What?" asked Joel, indifferently, feeling quite sure of the drybread and possible molasses. 

"Come and see, " called Polly, trying to speak gayly. 

"I see, " piped David, craning his neck. Since he couldn't be astall as Joel, it was well to turn his attention to other matters. "_Cake!_"

"Yes, " said Phronsie, poking her head up again to shake it verygravely, "it's cake. And please may I have some, Mammy?" holdingout her hand. 

"So you shall, " said her mother; "dear knows, I can't expect youto wait any longer for it. Polly, give her a good piece. "

When Joel saw Polly handing out cake with white frosting on top, his black eyes stuck out, and he rushed without delay for hisseat, teasing for a piece at once. But on Polly's assuring himthat the bread must be eaten first, he began at once on theslice she cut for him. And being really very hungry, now thatthey had time to think about it, the two boys soon had theirportions eaten, nobody discovering, in the excitement, that thelittle hands were grimy, until Phronsie spoke. "See Joey's hands, Polly, " and then everybody looked. 

"My!" exclaimed Polly, quite herself, now. "I never saw suchhands, Joel Pepper! Go right away and wash 'em as soon as everyou can. "

"Smutty hands and cake!" exclaimed Mother Pepper. 

Joel was so busy cramming the cake into his mouth that he didn'thalf hear. "I'm most through, " he mumbled. 

"Lay down your cake, and go and wash your face and hands at once, Joel, " commanded Mrs. Pepper. 

"Dave'll eat it, " said Joel, his mouth half full. 

"Oh, no, I won't, " said little David, "and I'm going too, towash mine. " So he laid his cake-slice on his plate, and ran intothe woodshed. 

"You had a bigger piece than mine, " said Joel, getting the tinbasin first, and filling it at the pump. 

"No, I didn't, " said David; "they were just alike. "

"Well, it's bigger now, " said Joel, bringing the basin to setit on the wood bench and thrust his face in. Then he splashedhis hands, and gave them a hasty wipe on the long brown towelhanging from the rack. "Anyway, it's bigger now. There, I'm done, and you ought to give me a bite of yours. "

Little David gave a sigh. "Well, you may have just one, " he saidslowly. Then he threw out the water from the basin, andcarefully filled it again, while Joel dashed back gleefully intothe kitchen. 

"Joel, what are you doing, biting Davie's cake!" exclaimed Polly, a minute afterward, and looking across the table while shesnipped off a little piece of the white frosting from her slice, wishing the whole world was made of cake with white on top, andwondering how long she could make hers last. 

"Dave said I might, " said Joel, with a very red face, and onecheek very much puffed out, while he turned David's slice overso that it didn't show where the big bite had been taken off. But his face grew quite red, and he didn't look in her browneyes. 

"For shame, Joe!" cried Ben at him, in a way that made MotherPepper look around. She hadn't heard Polly. Down went Joe underthe table, and in a minute or two David hurried in. 

Nobody said a word. David picked up his cake, and his face fellas he saw the big hole. But he said nothing, and fell tonibbling. 

"I'd give some back, but mine's et up, " said Joel, miserably, under the table. 

"It's too bad, David, " said Polly; "here now, you may have someof mine, " and she broke off a generous bit. 

"I told him he might have a bite, " meekly said David, who nevercould bear to have Joel blamed. "I wanted him to have it, " headded cheerfully. 

"O dear-dear-dear, " boohooed Joel. 

Davie dropped his cake in a worried way. 

"Don't, Joey, " he said, leaning over to look at him. 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, " blubbered Joel. "O dear me!"

David, unable to bear it any longer, slipped out of his chair, and crept under the table to comfort Joel. But it wasn't tillPolly said, "Come, Joey, " that he would show his face. Then hetwisted his knuckles into his eyes, and hung his head. 

Mother Pepper said never a word, only held out her arms, andJoel walked straight into them, bursting into the loud sob hehad held back so long; and then she took his hand and led himinto the bedroom, and the rest of the children sat still andvery uncomfortable, and Davie wouldn't look at his cake. Whenthey came out again, Joel marched straight to David, and said, "You may have my knife. "

Joel's knife, with the tip of one blade broken, and the otherall gone, was his dearest treasure. 

It had been given to him by Deacon Brown, and its possession hadmade him very proud and boastful. It was the one thing Davielonged for, above all others. 

"Oh, no, Joe, not your knife!" he cried, aghast, and shrinkingback. 

"Yes, you may have it, " said Joel, decidedly, and running outinto the entry to hurry into the woodshed to the wooden boxwhere he kept his treasures. 

"Yes, Davie, I would take it, " said Mrs. Pepper. "Joel feelsvery sorry he's taken any of your cake, and he'd rather you hadthe knife. "

"But it's Joel's knife, " said Davie, "and he loves it. "

"Not so much as he does to grow up a good boy, " said MotherPepper, proudly, as Joel came running in and laid the knife onthe table in front of David. "It's yours, and I'm sorry I etyour cake, " he said in one burst. 

Polly hopped out of her seat, and ran around the table to takeJoel's black stubby head in her two hands. "Oh, Joel! I'm soglad!" she cried, in a happy little gust. 

"Good for you, Joe!" cried Ben, approvingly. 

"Pooh!" exclaimed Joel, twisting off, his face getting redderand redder. "Mamsie, stop 'em--do;" yet he liked it very much. 

"Oh, Ben, " cried Polly, after the last scrap of the wonderfulcake had disappeared, the dishes were cleared away, and Phronsieput to bed, and everything was spick-span once more, "I've justthought of something perfectly splendid!"

"What is it?" cried Joel, who, despite all his efforts, was justbeginning to think of the circus again. "Do tell, Polly! Nowyou're goin' to whisper with Ben, and you won't tell us. "

"No, I shan't--and yes, I will, " said Polly, all in the same breath. "It's this, Mamsie. Mayn't we have a little play out in theorchard next Wednesday, and can't Joel and David sit up a littlelonger to-night to talk it over? I've just thought of somethingsplendid to act. "

"Oh, may we, may we?" cried the two boys, in a tumult. 

"Instead of the circus, " Polly's brown eyes were saying. "Do, Mammy. "

"Yes, you may, " said Mrs. Pepper, indulgently, "sit up half anhour longer. "

"We've had a cake to-night, and now Mamsie's going to let youtwo boys sit up. I think nobody ever had such a perfectlybeautiful time, " declared Polly, as they dragged their chairsaround the table again, and Mamsie got out her big mendingbasket, "did you, Ben Pepper?"

"No, I never did, Polly, " said Ben, happy in seeing her facebright and rosy once more, with the little smiles running allover it. 

"Now begin, " cried Joel, drumming impatiently on the table;"what's the play to be, Polly? I'm going to be a bear, " heannounced. 

"Oh, Joel, you were a bear last time, " said Polly, with alittle frown between her eyebrows. 

"I don't care, I'm going to be a bear, " repeated Joel, obstinately. 

"See here, now, Polly makes this play, and you've got to be justwhat she says, " said Ben. 

"I'm so tired making plays with bears in 'em, " said Polly, pushing off the little rings of brown hair with an impatienthand. Then she caught her mother's eye. "Never mind, Joey, " shesaid with a gay little laugh, "I'll make the bear. "

"Yes, you must be tired, " declared Ben. "Joe, you oughtn't totease Polly so. It's bad enough to have to make the plays, Ithink. "

"Oh, I don't care, " laughed Polly. "Well, now here's the play. You see, we want something quite fine and extra, " and she lookedat Ben meaningly. He nodded, so she rushed ahead, well pleased. "Well, the name is Mr. Primrose and his Cat. "

"And the bear, " shouted Joel. "And I know what I'm going to do, Polly, I'm going to eat the cat up. "

"Oh, no, you mustn't, Joe, " said Polly, "for the cat is going tobe Phronsie. Now you must be good and not scare her. "

"I'll tell her I'm nothing but Joel, and I ain't a bear, " saidJoel. 

"Hush about your old bear, Joe, " said Ben. "Polly can't get onat all if you don't keep still. "

"I'll fix it, Joey, " said Polly, kindly, "so you can be a bear, only you must promise not to roar too much and scare Phronsie. "

"I won't scare her a single bit, Polly, " promised Joel, eagerly. 

So then Joel and his bear being settled, Polly launched forth onthe wonderful play, and Mother Pepper glanced up now and thenfrom her mending, and a smile began to come on the face that hadbeen soberly bent on her work. 

"Poor things!" she said to herself. "And bless 'em, for thecomforts they are!" But she sighed as she glanced around thebare old kitchen. 

IX

THE BAG OF RYE FLOUR

All that week Mother Pepper kept Joel and David away from theStore, and Polly or Ben had to go, whenever the errands made itnecessary. Polly, when it was her turn, did not trust herself tolook at the flaming yellow sheets of paper with the big staringletters across them, stuck up in the dirty store windows, orhung from the beams in among the kitchen utensils, or breadthsof calico and gingham, wherever they would attract the mostattention. 

One, in particular, was nailed up just inside the door. It waspretty hard to avoid this, but Polly turned her head away, andtried not to think of it, but keep her mind on what Mamsie saidjust before starting. "Don't keep looking at what you want andcan't have, but keep busy over what you can have;" so she sether brain hard to work over the play, trying to decide whethershe would have Mr. Primrose, who was to be Ben, rescue from thebear the white cat, who was to be Phronsie, in the remains ofthe old white fuzzy mat that Mrs. Henderson had given them toplay with, or whether she (Polly), who was to be the fairy, should change her back into the small damsel she was at first, or whether--"

"Well, Polly, my girl, " said Mr. Atkins, with a hearty laugh, "I've spoke to you three times, and you seem deef to-day. "

He was a jolly good-tempered man, and very kind to Mrs. Pepper, sometimes giving her sacks and coats to make when he reallydidn't need them just then; and though he never waited for hismoney but once, and that was when the children had the measles, and Joel nearly died, he used to give large measures of things, and sometimes he'd slip in an apple or two, and once a wholefine orange went into the bag of Indian meal, so as to be asurprise when it was opened at home. So Polly liked Mr. Atkinsvery much. 

Now she blushed rosy red. "Oh, I didn't mean--" she began, andwas just going to say, "Please, I'd like three pounds rye flour, Mr. Atkins, " when he broke out, "I s'pose you're athinkin'about the circus--don't wonder--I got my mind some on itmyself. "

"O dear, no, " cried Polly, hastily, all in a tremble, and onlyanxious to get it out of her mind as soon as possible, andwhirling around with her back to the wonderful picture. 

"I s'pose, now, your Ma don't approve of 'em, " he said, lookingquite solemn all at once; "well there, I s'pose they ain't quite'xactly the thing, but they look pretty nice on paper. See thatfellow, now, Polly, a-flyin' through that ring. Beats all howthey do it. Makes my head spin to look at him. See there!" andMr. Atkins pointed a stubby forefinger, shaking with excitement, to the big poster hanging by the counter. 

"Oh, I can't look, Mr. Atkins, " she said hastily. "Please dohurry and give me the flour. " And then she got so very miserable, for fear she had been rude, that she stood quite still, and thecolor flew out of her cheek. 

"I s'pose your Ma don't approve, " observed Mr. Atkins again, notbeing able to tear his gaze off from the splendid evolutions ofthe man flying through the ring, and others of a like nature;"well-well-well, I d'no's 'tis 'xactly the thing, but then--an'then them horses. Why, Polly, this man is a-ridin' five greatstrong prancing ones all to once, dancing like ginger. " Pollygave a great gasp. "Oh, if Joel could only see those horses once!It was too bad--it was cruel. " Her heart seemed to jump into herthroat, and to choke her. "We _must_ go!" It seemed to heras if she screamed it, as she started suddenly and ran out ofthe store on wild little feet. 

But Mr. Atkins, and the men and boys and women and girls leftbehind, were all staring open-mouthed at the pictures, andspelling out the no less wonderful descriptions of the staringyellow posters with the big flaring letters, so no one noticedher particularly, until the storekeeper tore his gaze away fromthe man flying through the paper rings, and the other one ridingfive prancing horses, and remarked, "I declare, I don't b'lieveI put up that rye flour for Polly Pepper, after all. Well, she'll come back for it, most likely, so I'll get it ready. Three pounds, she said. " So he weighed it out, and tied it up, and set it to one side, saying to the frowsy-haired boy whohelped him, "Jim, that's Mrs. Pepper's little girl's bundle, nowremember. "

"Yes, " said Jim, with no eyes or ears for anything but thecircus posters. 

Polly ran across the road, and into Mr. Slimmen's meadowopposite, and to the further end, where she flung herself downon the stone wall, and pushed off the brown hair from her hotforehead. "O dear me, how could I!" she cried, twisting herhands tightly together. "What would Mamsie say! Now she never'lltrust me to go to the store again. Oh, I shall cry! O dear, dear!"

"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, coming close to the stonewall, to lay a friendly nose on Polly's gingham sleeve, and tostare with wide eyes of surprise at her being there at all. 

"O dear me!" cried Polly, glad of anything to speak to, andlaying her hot face against the soft one so near, and she threwher arms up over the cow's neck. 

"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, as if she quite understoodthe matter, and no one need explain. And Polly felt quitecomforted, although the dreadful thought of going back into thestore nearly overcame her. But remembering that Mamsie would bewaiting for her, and worry if she did not soon come back, Pollymade a desperate effort and hopped off the stone wall. 

"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, as if sorry to have her go, as Polly ran off, determined to get it over with as soon aspossible. 

She had her bundle tucked under her arm, glad that no one hadspoken to her; for Jim just pointed to it, when she laid themoney down on the counter, and then turned back to study theposter again, and was skipping over the ground, when she metJoel coming at a lively pace down the road. 

"Oh, Polly, what a lot of time you've been gone!" he exclaimed. "Mamsie sent me after you. "

"Did she?" cried Polly, in dismay. "Well, we must hurry backthen, as fast as we can. "

"I'm goin' to the store, " said Joel, edging down toward Mr. Atkins'. 

"What for?" demanded Polly, stopping a moment. "Did Mamsie sendyou for anything?"

"N-no--not exactly, " said Joel, digging his bare toes into thesand; "but I might--might--p'r'aps get a letter, Polly, " headded, as a bright idea struck him. Mr. Atkins, besides beingthe storekeeper, was also postmaster. 

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Polly; "why, Mamsie never has any letters, Joel. There isn't anybody to write to her. "

"She may, p'r'aps, " said Joel, confidently "there may be onethis afternoon. I'm goin' to see, " and he darted off beforePolly had time to stop him. 

"_Joel_!" she called, running after him. But as well try tostop the north wind. Joel raced up over the steps and disappearedwithin the store. Polly, endeavoring to reach him before he sawthe yellow and red posters again, put forth all her effort, butstubbed her toe against a big stone, and fell flat. Away flew herbundle of flour--thud went the paper bag, and off came the string, and there it was all spilled on the ground. 

Joel didn't ask about the letter for Mamsie, but the minute hisblack eyes fell on those horses careering and prancing anddancing, he was nearly beside himself. And pushing in betweenthe men and boys of the largest group, he stared, spellbound, and lost to everything else. 

"Now that's too bad!" said a voice that Polly loved dearly tohear, and some one lifted her up out of the sandy road. The dustwas all in her eyes, so she couldn't see for a minute, but sheknew 'twas Parson Henderson. "Well, Polly, I don't believe youare much hurt, " he said kindly. "A tumble in the dirt isn't theworst thing in the world, is it?"

Polly looked around for her bundle, anxiously. All the while shewas saying, "Oh, thank you, sir. I'm not hurt a bit. " But allthe money for the rye flour gone! She could get no more, forMamsie never had things charged, although Mr. Atkins was quitewilling to do so. "'Tisn't safe, " Mrs. Pepper always said; "if Ido it once, I may again, so I'll pay as I go. "

Parson Henderson looked off the road over his spectacles and sawthe rye flour all sprinkled on every side, just where it hadflown. "Now that's too bad!" he said. "Well, Polly, they sayit's no use to cry over spilt milk, and I suppose spilt flour isjust as bad, " and he took her hand. "Let us see if Mr. Atkinshasn't some more. " But Polly hung back; still, she must go intothe store and get Joel. So she started forward again, and saidimpulsively, "I won't get any more flour, please, Mr. Henderson, but Joel's there, and he must come home with me. "

"I'm intending to get some flour to send to Mrs. Pepper, " saidParson Henderson, "and you don't have anything to do about it, but to carry the bundle, Polly, " he added lightly. So they werepresently in the centre of the store. When Mr. Atkins saw theminister, he got away from the red and yellow poster as soon ashe could, and came forward, rubbing his hands. So Mr. Henderson, not saying a word about Polly's accident, bought some rye flour, and several other things for the parsonage, chatting pleasantlyall the time. But the storekeeper didn't say a word about thecircus. 

Polly was up by Joel, where he stood, his round face plasteredup to the flaming sheet. "Come home, Joey, " she whispered, trying to draw him off. 

"Gee-wheezes!" exclaimed Joel, his cheeks red as fire, and hisblack eyes sticking out. "See, Polly, I can ride as good as thatman, " pointing to the one who had so roused Mr. Atkins'admiration, "if I had five horses. Yes, sir-_ree_!"

The farmers standing about burst out laughing, and punched eachother to see him. 

"Joel, " said Polly, in a low voice, and putting her arm aroundhim, "come home at once, that's a good boy!"

"Look at that white horse, Polly!" cried Joel, quite gone withexcitement. "See him dance, like this, Polly, " and he slappedhis sturdy leg, and kicked out suddenly. Everybody laughed, thefarmers guffawing in delight; and one small girl on the edge ofthe group who burst out, "Tehe-ee!" couldn't stop. Joel suddenlyturned and saw them all; and he doubled up his little brownfists, and squared his shoulders. "Stop laughing at me!" hecried, throwing back his head defiantly, his black eyes sparklingin anger. 

[Illustration: "'GEE-WHEEZES! I CAN RIDE AS GOOD AS THAT MAN'"]

"Joel!" commanded Polly, in great distress. Then a hand reachedover between them and touched him on the shoulder. "Come here, my boy, " said Parson Henderson, and before Joel knew it, therehe was marching off out of the store. 

Parson Henderson said not a word, only, "Run back, Polly, andget the bundle of rye flour for me. Tell Mr. Atkins I'll step infor the other things. " And Polly, doing as she was bidden, andcatching up with them as they walked slowly down the dusty road, heard the minister say, "Well now, Joel, I should like to gofishing with you some day. "

Joel, who had hung his head sheepishly, now raised it. "Oh, would you?" he cried; "that would be prime!"

"Yes, " said Parson Henderson, "I think it would be, Joel, " andhe laughed gayly. 

"O dear, isn't he good!" cried Polly, softly, to herself, as shegained Joel's other side. Then she suddenly ran around him, andstepped up to the minister. 

"I think you might walk next to me, " said Joel, in a dudgeon, craning his neck to look past Parson Henderson. 

"So I will, Joel, " answered Polly, "in a minute. " Then shelooked up into the minister's face. "Oh, thank you so very much, sir!" she said, the color rushing all over her round cheeks. 

"All right, Polly, " said the minister, smiling down at her. "I've enjoyed my walk very much, and Joel and I are goingfishing together, some day. Now I must say good-by, " and hestopped. 

"Here is your bundle, " said Polly, handing up the rye flour. 

"That's Mrs. Pepper's bundle, " answered Parson Henderson, cheerily, and he was gone. 

"What's in the bundle?" cried Joel, crowding up to Polly. "Letme see; let me see, Polly. "

"Take care, Joe, " said Polly, whirling around and covering thebundle with her arms as best she could, "or you'll spill itagain. "

"Spill it again?" repeated Joel, wonderingly. "I haven't spilledany bundle, Polly Pepper. Let me see what's in it?" and he triedto get hold of one end that stuck out. 

"Joel Pepper!" exclaimed Polly, quite worn out, "you've been abad, wicked boy, and now you're going to tear this bundle all topieces. Stop it!" she commanded sharply. 

"I haven't been a bad, wicked boy, " contradicted Joel, in a loud, vehement tone, and stamping with his bare heel in the dust thatflew up in their faces in a little cloud, "so there now, PollyPepper!"

And there they were, those two little Peppers, in the middle ofthe road, in such a state, and Mamsie smiling over her work asshe thought of her children!

X

MAMSIE'S SURPRISE

Polly cried herself to sleep that night, although Mother Pepperhad comforted and cuddled her when the whole story had come outon their return; how in a minute the passion had died down whenthe two children thought of Mamsie as they stood there in theroad. "Joel was the first to be sorry, " Polly had said generously, when confessing it all. 

"No, I wasn't, " contradicted Joel, "Polly looked sorry first. "

"Polly was older, " Mother Pepper had said gravely. 

"I know it, " said Polly, and her head drooped lower yet. 

"But Joey was very naughty indeed in Mr. Atkins' store andbesides, he ought not to have gone there. " And Mrs. Pepper'sface looked very sad indeed. 

The two children, not having a word to say to this, stood verymournfully in front of her. The bedroom door was shut fast, andBen was doing his best out in the kitchen to keep the other twochildren amused, in this unwonted state of affairs. 

"I wish you'd punish me, Mammy, " said Polly, in a broken littlevoice, "real hard. "

"And me, too, " cried Joel, sniffling. 

"I've never punished you children since you were big enough toknow better, " said Mother Pepper, slowly, "and I don't believe Ican begin now. And it seems to me it's the best way for you topunish yourselves. So I'll leave you to think over it, " and shewent out and closed the door on them. 

How long they sat there, Polly didn't know, and as for Joel, hewas in such a state of mind, he couldn't tell anything, onlythat Polly and he finally crept out in the gathering dusk of thelong afternoon. No one but Mother Pepper ever knew the reasonfor the many unwelcome little tasks that Joey did after that, and, strange to relate, without a single grumble, while as Pollycouldn't very well do more work than she did at present, and asthere were no luxuries to give up in the way of eatables, thePeppers having butter and other nice things only when peoplewere good enough to send them some, it is hard to think what shecould do to punish herself. But that was Mother Pepper's and Joel'sand her secret. And then Mamsie cuddled them and comfortedthem. Only Polly, when she went to bed that night, felt the tearsdrop quite fast on her pillow, and that was the last thing sheremembered before she dropped to sleep. 

Meantime, it was rather hard work rehearsing the little play. "We'd give that up, Mamsie, " cried Polly, though Joel made a wryface as he agreed to it, "but the others want it so much. "

"But that wouldn't be a very good way: to make other people sufferfor your faults, " Mrs. Pepper had replied. So the work over thelittle play went on, as if nothing sad had happened. But Pollycarried a sorry little face about, until Phronsie would look ather wonderingly, or Davie would forget to smile; on suchoccasions Mrs. Pepper would look at her and raise her fingerwarningly, and Polly would exclaim, "Oh, I forgot, " and then shewould toss them a merry little bit of nonsense that made themhappy at once. But down in her heart Polly had many sad thoughts. At last it was the great day. Nobody said "circus, " but all thefive little Peppers shouted it was the Play Day! And it reallydidn't rain, and the sky was as blue as could be, and Mamsiestayed home that day, and oh! Polly was quite sure she smeltsomething very nice, when she raced into the kitchen in themiddle of the morning. Mother Pepper had sent them all out torehearse the play in the orchard, and in the midst of it Pollycried out that she had forgotten the wings she was to put on asfairy godmother, when she appeared in time to rescue the littlewhite cat, and to change her into a small girl again. She hadmade them, with the greatest trouble, out of thin paper and someold wire, and for fear they would get broken in the woodshed, Mamsie had said she might put them in the lower drawer of thebig bureau in the bedroom, where Phronsie's red-topped shoeswere always kept wrapped up. So now Polly dashed suddenly intothe kitchen to run after them. 

"Oh, Mamsie!" she exclaimed suddenly, wrinkling up her nose atthe unwonted smell of something baking. 

Mother Pepper was stooping over the oven door, which was open. She closed it quickly, and stood straight. "Polly, " she said, and there was a little laugh in her eyes, although her firm lipswere closed, "you are not to say anything what you think to theother children. "

"No, Mamsie, I won't, " promised Polly, with a wild thought ather heart, "Could Mamsie possibly be making a cake?" as sherushed into the bedroom, got the wings, and raced out again. Andall through the rehearsing she kept thinking how good it smeltwhen that little whiff from the oven flew out. 

And Mother Pepper smiled away to herself, and the voices fromthe orchard, with its one scraggy apple tree, came pealing inthrough the open window, as the rehearsal for the grand play wasin progress. And then the whole bunch of little Peppers hurriedoff to get some wild flowers, "for it won't be much, " Polly hadsaid, "without some posies to put on the table" (the big stoneBen had tugged home from Deacon Brown's meadow). 

"I'm glad Polly'll have her posies, " said Mrs. Pepper, hearingthat, and seeing them go on the flower-hunt, as she paused amoment at the window. "Now they'll be good to trim the ca--"

And it almost popped out, and she didn't mean to whisper thesecret, even to herself!

When the children came back from roaming the fields and woods, with the blossoms and green vines gathered in their aprons andarms, and they were all nicely set in the cracked teacup withthe handle gone that Mamsie had given them some time before, andsome other dishes that Mrs. Pepper had handed out with strictcharges to be careful of 'em, they all stood off in a row fromthe stone table, in delighted admiration. 

"Isn't it perfectly beautiful!" exclaimed Polly, in a rapture, and clasping her hands. 

"Perfectly beautiful!" breathed little David. 

"Be-_yew_-ful!" echoed Phronsie, hopping up and down withvery pink cheeks, and her hair flying. 

"It looks very well, Polly, " said Ben, in a practical way. 

"I wish we had somethin' to eat, " began Joel. 

"Oh, Joey!" cried Polly, reproachfully. But her heart jumped atthe recollection of the lovely smell that came from the oven, and Mamsie's face. "Now, children, " she said, "we've goteverything all done, " with a quick glance around, "and Phronsiemust have her nap, so's to be a nice little wide-awake white cat. Oh, Ben, leave the fur rug and the other things out under thetable, " as Ben began piling them up to carry back to thewoodshed. 

"Mamsie said, Always put everything back when we'd got throughplaying, " said Ben. 

"Well, she'll let us put them there, we're going to use them sosoon, I know, " said Polly, "if you tuck 'em in neatly. Won't you, Mamsie?" she cried, running to the window to thrust her brownhead in. 

"Yes, " said Mrs. Pepper. 

"And may we all come in now?" asked Polly. 

"Yes, " said Mother Pepper again. 

"Don't forget your wings, Polly, " cried Joel, picking them upwhere Polly had carefully laid them against the tree, andrushing to her, waving them aloft. 

"Take care, Joel" warned Ben, but too late. One wing floppedover, and caught in a knobby old branch of the apple tree, andin a minute there was a big hole right in the middle!

"Oh, you--" began Polly, passionately, when she turned and sawwhat was done. In a minute she dashed over to Joel and threw herarms around him. "You couldn't help it, " she finished, "and Ican paste a piece of paper over it, and it will be most as goodas new, " while the children stood aghast at the mischief, andBen exclaimed, "How could you, Joe! Why didn't you let italone?"

"I didn't mean to. And now it won't fly--fly, " screamed Joel, ina gust. 

"Oh, yes, it will, " declared Polly, merrily; "you'll see. Andwhen I get it on, Joey Pepper, look out and look if you don'tsee me sailing up to the sky. "

Joel came out of his sobs and looked up to the blue sky, andsmiled through his tears, and when David and Phronsie saw Pollyso merry, they smiled too, and Ben caught Polly's eye and didn'tsay any more. So they all marched into the house, and Phronsiewas tucked up on Mamsie's bed, for her nap, and Polly sat downto mend her broken wing. 

Mrs. Pepper, going on with her work, sent her a smile and lovinglook, that said just as plainly as words could speak it, "You'retrying hard, Polly, my girl, and Mother knows it. " So Pollybegan to hum at her task, and presently the kitchen became thevery cheeriest place possible. What they would have done if anyof them had happened to spy out what was on the upper shelf ofthe cupboard, covered carefully with a clean old towel, cannotpossibly be told. 

At last it came to be three o'clock, the hour of the grand play. Mrs. Pepper, as audience, was seated in her big rocking chairthat Ben had brought out from the kitchen and placed in the bestspot on the grass to see it all, and Polly and Ben and Joel andDavid and Phronsie were in the depths of excitement, andflitting here and there, Polly, as chief director, having aperfectly awful time to get them into their parts, particularlyas Phronsie would keep rushing up, the old white fur rug nearlytripping her up every step, to lay her soft face against MotherPepper's, and cry out, "I'm to be a white cat, Mamsie. I trulyam!" And Joel would insist on roaring like a bear, and prancingand waving his arms, around which Polly had tied a lot of blackhair that Mamsie had let her take out of her cushion. 

[Illustration: "'I'M TO BE A WHITE CAT, MAMSIE'"]

"Joel, you spoil everything!" cried Ben at him. "See here, nowall your hair is tumbling off from your arms. "

"They ain't arms. They're paws, " said Joel, stopping suddenlyto look with dismay at the damage he was making. "Polly didn'ttie it on good, " he said, trying to stuff back the loose hair. 

"Yes, she did, too, real good, " retorted Ben, "only you areflourishing round so, nothing would keep on you. Keep still, can't you!"

"And I'll tie it on again, " said Polly, "if you'll wait till Ifix Davie--just a minute--there, Davie, you're all right. Now, says I, Mr. Bear, " and she flew over to Joel again. 

Once more Mother Pepper sent her a swift approving smile, andPolly's heart was so warm that a little sunbeam seemed suddenlyto have hopped right down there. And the little play went onfrom first to last perfectly splendidly, and Mrs. Pepper, feeling very strange indeed to be sitting there in the middle ofthe afternoon with nothing in her hands to work over, clappedthem together and applauded enough for a big audience. And therenever was such a good time in all this world--no, not even underthe big white circus tent over in Hillsbury!

"I'm glad you like it!" cried Polly, tumbling over in a heap onthe grass when it was all over, and the audience got out of thebig rocking chair. 

"It was very nice indeed, Polly, " said Mother Pepper, withshining eyes. 

"Indeed it was!" declared Ben with enthusiasm, which meant agreat deal from him. 

"And now, children, " said Mrs. Pepper, "you rest on the grassand talk it over, and I will call you into the house by and by. "

"I don't ever want to go in, " declared Joel, positively, androlling over on the grass to wave his legs in the air, whilelittle Davie lay quite still. "It was good to be in the play, Polly, " he said, "but it's nice to rest here. "

"I was a white cat, Polly, " said Phronsie, sitting down on thegrass as close to Polly as she could get, and tucking up herfeet under her. 

"So you were, Pet, " cried Polly, "the loveliest, sweetest whitecat in all the world, Phronsie dear, " giving her a little hug. "O dear me, I'm glad it's done, and that it was nice. "

"It was the nicest thing you've ever done, Polly, " declared Ben, with emphasis. 

"Chil-_dren_!" Mamsie's voice, and it had a new sound. 

But Joel gave his sturdy legs another wave. "I wish we couldstay out here longer, " he said. So it happened that he was lastin the procession filing into the little brown house, instead offirst, as was usually the case. 

"_Oh, Mamsie_!" cried Polly, and, "_Oh, Mamsie_!"exclaimed every one of the others, while Joel pushed in betweenthem as fast as he could, anxious to see what it all was. 

There was the table drawn out in the middle of the kitchen andspread with a clean white cloth. And on it stood a cake, yes, abig one, and there was--yes, there actually was white on top!When Polly saw that, she sat right down in the first chair. Asfor Ben, he was just as much astonished, and couldn't stop thechildren from reaching out to pick at the cake. 

"I took some of your flowers, Polly, to trim it with, " saidMother Pepper, pointing to the wreath running around the bigcake. "Now, children, all of you sit down, and Polly shall cutit, for she made the play. " She handed Polly the big knife, sharpened up till it shone as bright as could be. 

"Let me--let me!" screamed Joel, with no eyes now for anythingbut the sharp knife "I've never cut a cake. Mammy, let me!"

"Neither has Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, quietly. "No, Joe, Pollymade the play, else you couldn't any of you have had this nicetime. "

"And she's worked herself most to death to get us through it, "said Ben. 

Polly had seized the big knife, and taken one step toward thewonderful cake. Now she stopped, and looked over at Joel. "Youmay, " she said, smiling brightly. 

"Oh, goody!" cried Joel, plunging forward. Then he stoppedsuddenly, on meeting his mother's eye. "I'd rather not, " he said. 

"Go on, Polly, Joel's right, " said Mrs. Pepper, in satisfaction. So the slices were cut very slowly, Polly breathing hard withanxiety. But the white frosting didn't fall off a bit, and eachpiece was soon laid on a plate by Mother Pepper, and passed, first to Ben and then to the others, and to Phronsie last of all, of course, because she was the youngest. 

When it was all over, this delightful surprise of Mamsie's, andPolly and Mrs. Pepper were clearing up, Joel nudged David. "Comeon, Dave, " he whispered, and the two boys ran out to the orchardagain. 

"I'm goin' to be bear again, " cried Joel. "O dear me! Ben'staken in all the black hair, " he cried, in great disappointment. 

"He had to put it back in Mamsie's cushion again, " said David. "You know he promised. "

"He might have left it a little bit of a while, " grumbled Joel. 

"He said he'd do it right away, " persisted David, "so he had to, Joel. "

"Well, anyway, I'll be bear again without the black hair, then, "declared Joel. "Now, look out, Dave, 'cause I'm goin' to climbup th' apple tree. "

"Bears don't climb up trees, " observed little David, critically, watching Joel's progress, quite content to sit down on the grassmeanwhile. 

"Well, I'm goin' to, when I'm a bear, " cried Joel, now well upin the midst of the gnarled branches. "I'm goin' to climb trees, and do everything I want to, so there, Dave Pepper!"

Little David said nothing, and turned his gaze downward, and abig green worm, that had somehow lost his way in the tall grass, meandered past him, trying to get home. So he put forth a gentlefinger, bending down the biggest spears accommodatingly, and wasso absorbed in the matter that he forgot Joel, until he heard avoice, "Hi, there; look, Dave, look!"

"O dear me, Joe!" exclaimed David, letting the green spearsswing back abruptly, and viewing Joel in alarm, "you'll fall. Docome down. "

"Pooh! I can bend way out. See, Dave! See!" cried Joel, twistinghis legs around the branch on which he sat, almost at the verytip of the apple tree, and he swung both arms exultingly. Therewas a crack, a swish, and something came tumbling through theair, and before David could utter a sound, there lay Joel on thegrass at his feet. 

XI

DR. FISHER'S VISIT

Ben picked him up, as Mother Pepper and the others hurried out, on hearing David scream. Joel lay so still and white in Ben'sarms that Polly turned quite faint. But when she saw Mamsie'sface, she bent over to Phronsie. "Come here, Pet, " she tried tosay, as she drew her off that she might not see. 

"What is it, Polly?" asked Phronsie, wonderingly. "What is Bencarrying Joey for?"

"Now I must wash off the cake-crumbs, they're all over your face, Phronsie, " said Polly, desperately. 

"Carry him into the bedroom, " Mother Pepper was saying. 

"Come, child, " Polly pulled Phronsie hastily toward the woodshed, "you must really let me wash your face. "

"Why do you want to wash it in the woodshed, Polly?" askedPhronsie, obstinately, holding back. "I want to wash it inMamsie's nice bowl. "

"Oh, Phronsie, please come, " begged Polly, still holding her arm. "See, if you don't, I shall cry. " Which was the truth as thetears were beginning to come in Polly's brown eyes. Seeing this, Phronsie yielded, and pattered along by Polly's side obediently, and allowed her little face to be scrubbed and wiped quite dry, Polly's heart all the while going like a triphammer, and herears pricked up for any word that might tell her of Joel. Atlast she could bear it no longer. 

"Phronsie, " she said, when the round cheeks and hands were asclean as clean could be, "now look at me, dear. "

Phronsie lifted her blue eyes and fixed them in wide-eyedastonishment on Polly's face. 

"What makes you do so, Polly?" she asked wonderingly. 

"Never mind, " said Polly, with an awful feeling at her heart, itwas so still out in the kitchen and bedroom. "Now, you must dojust as I tell you, and not ask me any questions. Polly wantsyou to do it, to go and sit down on that bench, " pointing to alittle low one in the corner, "and not stir till I call you. "

Phronsie looked over at the little bench. 

"I'll go, Polly, " she said with a sigh, "if you want me to. "

Polly dropped a hasty kiss on the yellow hair, then fled onunsteady feet through the kitchen and into the bedroom. MotherPepper was bending over Joel. Ben was holding the bowl of water, and Davie was crying and wringing his hands at the foot of thebed, with his eyes on Joel's face. 

"You better go for Dr. Fisher, Ben, " Mrs. Pepper said hoarsely, putting the wet cloth into the bowl. 

Polly crept up to her side. "Hasn't Grandma Bascom anything?"she asked. "Shall I go and see?"

"No, " said Mrs. Pepper. "And the doctor must see if he's brokenany limbs, or is hurt inside. " Ben was already out and runningdown the road at top speed. 

It seemed an hour. It was really but ten minutes, when a stepbounded out in the kitchen. Mrs. Pepper looked at Polly, whostole silently out, and with a gasp almost tumbled into the armsof a little man with very big spectacles. "Oh, Dr. Fisher!" shecried, "I'm _so_ glad!"

"And I'm glad, too, " said little Dr. Fisher, beaming at her. "Why, what's the matter, Polly, my girl?" as Polly seemed to bealmost tumbling over. "You see, I've come to take Phronsie toride. I haven't been able to a good while back, " he mourned, "but perhaps you'd better go, " setting his spectacles to take akeen look at her. 

"Oh, Dr. Fisher! Ben's gone for you, " gasped Polly, seizing hishand, to draw him to the bedroom door. 

"Gone for me!" repeated Dr. Fisher, taking the words out of hermouth. "Who's sick?" and his face paled abruptly. 

"Joel, " gasped Polly; "he fell from the apple tree. Oh, do come, dear Dr. Fisher. "

The little doctor was by this time in the bedroom. "Don't worry, ma'am, " he said to Mrs. Pepper, then he hurried to the side ofthe bed and bent over Joel. 

"I ain't sick, " exclaimed Joel, opening his eyes to look up intothe big spectacles. "I wish people'd let me alone, " and he gavean irritable flounce. "Oh--it's Dr. Fisher, " he finishedjoyfully. 

"So it is, " assented the little doctor, bobbing his head amiably, so that the big spectacles slipped down to the end of his nose. Then he looked to the others to keep still. 

"You'll take me to ride with you in the gig, won't you, Dr. Fisher?" begged Joel. His face was still white, but his eyeswere as bright as ever. 

"Maybe, " said the little doctor. "Well, now let's see. You'vebeen playing up in the apple tree, haven't you?" Meanwhile, hislong thin fingers were going rapidly all over Joel's bones andmuscles. 

"Yes, " said Joel, nodding. "And I was a bear, Dr. Fisher. "

"I used to play bear when I was no bigger than you are, Joel, "said Dr. Fisher, whose fingers seemed to be everywhere at once. 

"I don't b'lieve you were as big a bear as I was, " said Joel, sturdily. "No, sir-_ree_! And I went clear out to the tipof th' apple tree. Now could you do that, Dr. Fisher?" he askedtriumphantly. 

"I wouldn't try it again, if I were you, " said the little doctor, ignoring the question, while his fingers went rapidly on theirwork. 

"And may I go to ride in your gig?" begged Joel, twisting awayto the other side of the bed, "and what are you feeling my legsall over for?"

Little Dr. Fisher stood up quite straight and looked across atMrs. Pepper. "He's sound as a nut, " he said. 

"Praise the Lord!" exclaimed Mother Pepper. Polly ran up to herand threw her arms around her. "Mamsie, just think, Joel's allwell!" she cried convulsively. 

Little Davie threw himself flat on the floor and cried as hardas he could. Polly ran over to him, "Why, Davie, " she cried, getting down on the floor by his side, "don't you understand?Joel's all well. Dr. Fisher says so. "

"I know it, " sobbed Davie, "but I can't stop. I'm so happy, Polly. "

"Well, you must stop, " commanded Polly, firmly, "'cause you'llmake Joel feel badly if he hears you, Davie. "

So Davie hushed his tears. Since Joel might hear him, there mustbe no crying. But he sat on the floor, and wouldn't get up. 

And then the door opened suddenly, and Ben hurried in with awhite, disappointed face. "He isn't home, and they don't knowwhen--Why!" for there sat little Dr. Fisher laughing and peering athim over his big spectacles. 

"Yes, Joel may go to ride, " said Dr. Fisher, when Ben had gottenover his surprise a bit; "that is, if Polly will give up herseat, --for I'd invited her, " and he looked over at her. 

"Yes, I will, indeed, " said Polly, with a happy little laugh. "Oh, Joe, you'll have such a good time!" kissing his cheek, intowhich the color was slowly coming back. 

"I know it, " said Joel, wheeling over to give a roll out of bed. 

"Take it easy, " said Dr. Fisher, "there's plenty of time. Feelall right, my boy?"

"No, I don't, " said Joel, standing on the floor. Mrs. Pepper's cheek paled, and an anxious look came into herblack eyes at once. 

"Whereabouts do you feel badly?" asked the doctor, in surprise. 

"Here, " said Joel, laying his hand on his jacket-front. "I'm sohungry. "

"Do give him something to eat, Mrs. Pepper, " said Dr. Fisher, laughing heartily, "then we'll be off. And Polly, you and I willhave a ride next time, " he said, darting off before Mrs. Pepperhad a chance to pay him, or even to thank him. 

"But that I never could do enough, " she said, wiping her eyes onher apron, "but the Lord will, I know. "

Joel was already in the gig, peeping out at them, and teasing Dr. Fisher to hurry. They had driven off, and been gone some time, when suddenly Polly started in dismay as she was setting thetable for supper. 

"You most dropped that dish, Polly, " said little Davie, lookingat her in amazement. 

"I forgot--Phronsie--O dear!" gasped Polly, setting the dish inher hand suddenly on the table, and plunging out of the room. 

There sat Phronsie in the woodshed on the little bench, herrusty little shoes placed patiently before her, and her handsfolded in her lap. "I'm so tired, Polly, " she said plaintively. 

"So you must be!" cried Polly, in a spasm of remorse, andlifting her up. "Well, now we'll have such a nice time, Phronsie, you can't think, " covering her with kisses. 

"You never came, Polly, " said Phronsie, mournfully shaking heryellow head, "never at all. "

"Don't, Phronsie, " cried Polly, almost smothering her as she huggedher tightly. 

"Oh, Polly, you hurt me!" cried Phronsie. 

"Did I, Pet? well, I won't do so any more. Now, says I, one, two--three, here we go into the kitchen!" and Polly set her downon the floor. 

"It is nice to walk with my feet, " said Phronsie, giving a longstretch to her fat little legs. "Little things kept stickinginto 'em, Polly, most all the time. "

"The prickles, from sitting still, " said Polly. "Oh, Phronsiedear, I never shall forgive myself for forgetting you, " asPhronsie pattered across the kitchen, to clamber into MotherPepper's lap. 

But notwithstanding all the wonderful things that happened thatday, Joel didn't quite forget the circus, and he whispered toDavid that night, after they had hopped into bed, and pulled thesheet over their heads, "I'm goin' to have a circus of my own, so there!"

Little David was all worn out with the exciting events of theday, and he didn't hear him, as he fell asleep almost as soon ashis head touched the pillow. So Joel, not finding it very muchfun to talk when there was no one to listen, closed his eyes, and before he knew it, he was asleep too. Ben, looking acrossat the two little faces, as he came up into the loft to go to bed, said to himself, "Well, I'm thankful that Joe's asleep. " And hegave a sigh of relief. 

The next days were full of work. "Play can't come all the time, "Mrs. Pepper observed wisely. She sent Polly down with the moneyfor the doctor's visit, pinned up carefully in a paper, whichthe little doctor promptly returned the next day, Polly havingleft it, as he was away on his rounds. So Mrs. Pepper could donothing but tie it into the old stocking-leg again, in thebureau drawer. "Children, " she said, drawing them all up aroundher, "we must never forget to do something for Dr. Fisher, andmay the Lord give us a chance soon. He's been so good to us. "

"There never'll come a chance, Mamsie, " said Polly, disconsolately, "we're so poor. "

"Chances come, if people look for 'em, " observed Mrs. Pepper, shortly, as she shut the drawer. 

"We ain't poor, " cried Joel, who never could bear to be calledso. 

"Yes, we are, " said Polly, positively, "we are poor, Joel. That's the truth, Joel, and you oughtn't to mind hearing it. "

"Well, we ain't goin' to be poor, " declared Joel, confidently. 

"When Joel's ships come in, I s'pose he means, " said Ben, andthe children shouted. 

"I don't care, " said Joel, when the laugh died down, "we ain'tgoin' to be poor when I git to be a man. I'm goin' to be awfulrich. "

"Well, you'll have to work when you're a boy, then, " said Mrs. Pepper, sensibly. "Riches don't tumble into lazy folks' laps. "

"Then I'm goin' to work right straight off, " cried Joel, springing away on nimble feet. "Come on, Dave, and help pickthose old rocks. "

But a terrible shower came on, and drove them all within doors, and it grew so dark that Polly couldn't see to sew. So the threeyoungest children gathered around her and clamored for a story. 

"Yes, " said Polly, "I will. Let's get down on the floor in aring. " So they all sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor, after some delay, caused by Joel's vociferous demand to sitnext to Polly. 

"Phronsie must be one side, " said Polly, "of course. "

"Yes, I must, Joey, " said Phronsie, cuddling up closer yet toPolly. 

"Well, the other side, then, " said Joel, struggling to slip inbetween Polly and little David, and twitching Davie's arm. 

"Stop, Joe, and sit down over here, " cried Ben, seizing him bythe jacket, "else you shan't sit anywhere. "

"Ow!" howled Joel, pulling smartly at David. 

"Davie got here first, " said Polly, "and he's younger. How canyou, Joe?" she added reproachfully. 

"He's always younger, " said Joel, gloomily, "and I never sit nextto you, Polly. "

"Oh!" cried Polly, "yes, you did, Joel Pepper, just the verylast time I told stories. "

"Well, that was just forever ago, " said Joel, still holdingDavid's arm, and showing no disposition to give up. 

"Well, I think if Mamsie should come in now, " warned Polly, forMrs. Pepper had gone over to Grandma Bascom's--the old ladyhaving been sick for a day or two--and been caught there by thesudden shower, "and should see you, you'd feel badly, Joey. "

At the mention of Mamsie, Joel's grasp on Davie's arm dropped, and he slunk back. Then Ben pulled him into a place next to him, quiet was restored, and Polly was soon launched on one of herwonderful stories, "Mr. Kangaroo and the silly little Duck, " andpresently they were all so absorbed that no one noticed the sunwas shining brightly, until they heard a voice, "Well, I declare, sitting down in the day-time to tell stories!"

Polly sprang to her feet and stared. 

"Ugh!" cried Joel, taking one look at their visitor. "I should think, " said Miss Jerusha, the minister's sister, in avery tart voice, and raising her black mitts very high, "thatchildren as old as you are could find some work to do, withoutsitting down to fold your hands and tell good-for-nothingstories. "

"They aren't good-for-nothing, " shouted Joel. "You haven't heard'em; they're just beautiful!"

"Be still, Joe, " commanded Ben. But Joel broke away from him, and jumped to his feet. 

"And Mamsie lets Polly tell us stories, " he blurted out fiercely. 

"Well, then, she's a very unwise woman, " said Miss Jerusha, calmly seating herself in Mrs. Pepper's rocking chair. 

"She ain't!" screamed Joel, quite beside himself with rage. 

"Our mother's just right, " said Ben, slowly getting to his feet. There was a light in his pale blue eyes as he bent them on MissJerusha, that made her look away a minute, but she soon returnedto the charge. "_I_ never was allowed to sit idle in the day-time, "she said, "when I was a little girl. "

"I don't believe you ever were little, " said Joel, bluntly, andglaring at her across the kitchen. 

"Joel, Joel!" cried Polly, in great distress. "Oh, please excusehim, Ma'am, he never talks so, and Mamsie will feel so verybadly, when she knows it. "

"I am very glad I came, " said Miss Jerusha, sitting up stiff andtall, "for you children need some instruction, I can plainly see. Poor things! well, it's not to be wondered at, when we consideryou've had no bringing up. "

"We have had bringing up, Miss Jerusha, " said Ben. "Children, you go into the bedroom, and shut the door, and stay there, "he said to the three little ones. And never having seen him sobefore, the two boys went off wonderingly, without a word, andholding Phronsie by the hands. "Our mother is our mother, " wenton Ben, proudly, "the very best mother in all the world, andshe's brought us up, oh, how she has worked to bring us up!and if we're naughty, it's all our own fault!" It was a longspeech for Ben to make, and Polly stared at him in an amazementmingled with pride, while her breast heaved, and she clasped herhands tightly together, so afraid she should speak a word and spoilit all, for Miss Jerusha was really uncomfortable, that they couldboth see. 

Meantime, Joel was climbing out of the bedroom window. "I'mgoin' to Grandma Bascom's for Mamsie, " he cried passionately. 

"We must stay here, Phronsie, " said little Davie, holdingtightly to her hand, and standing still in the middle of thefloor, "'cause Ben told us to, you know. "

"Ugh!" they could hear Joel exclaim, as he jumped clear of thewindow sill to the grass beneath; but they didn't know that theold cracked pane of glass had given away under his hand, northat a little stream of blood was trickling down his wrist, as heraced over through the lane, and rushed into Grandma Bascom'slittle cottage. 

XII

AT GRANDMA BASCOM'S

"The land sakes!" exclaimed Grandma Bascom, seeing him first. She was propped up in bed, and Mrs. Pepper was heating somegruel on the stove out in the shed. "What's the matter?" as Joelheld his arm out, and the blood was dripping down his littleblouse. 

"Nothin', " said Joel, shortly; "where's Mamsie?"

"Out in the shed, " said Grandma. "Now you show her your arm assoon as you can. "

"Tisn't my arm, " said Joel, "it's my hand, " and he ran into theshed. "Come over home, Mamsie, do, " he implored. "That old womanup to the minister's is at our house. "

"I can't come, " said Mrs. Pepper, not turning around, "till Ifix Grandma comfortable. And for shame, Joel, to speak so ofMiss Jerusha! Remember how good Parson Henderson is to us; andhis wife, too. "

"That ain't Miss Jerusha, " said Joel, setting his teeth together, and wishing his hand wouldn't ache so; "and she's talking awful, and Ben's sent us all out. "

"Then she must be disagreeable, " said Mrs. Pepper, beginning tolook worried. "Well, I'll soon have this done, then I'll be over. Ben'll have to bear it as best he can, " and she sighed. 

So Joel turned off and went out of doors, and the little streamof blood kept on trickling. 

"Has he cut it bad?" asked Grandma, anxiously, when Mrs. Pepperbrought in the cup of steaming gruel a few minutes later. 

"Who?" asked Mother Pepper, absently. 

"Why--Joel. Hain't you seen it?" screamed Grandma, who, like agreat many deaf people, always spoke her loudest, especiallywhen she was excited. "The blood was all runnin' like everythingdown his arm. I guess he's most cut it off, " she added with agroan, for Grandma always had a warm spot in her heart for Joel. 

Mrs. Pepper's face grew very pale, and she set the cup of grueldown hastily on the little stand by the bed-head, where Grandmacould reach it. Then she hurried to the door. "_Joel_!" shecalled, prepared to run over home if he didn't answer. 

"What?" said a miserable little voice, as unlike Joel's aspossible. There he sat crouching down under the big "laylocks, "as Grandma always called them. 

It wasn't a moment, then, before Mother Pepper had him in thekitchen and the blood washed off, and as well as she could see, for the little stream that flowed again, she found out where thetrouble was, in the long zigzag cut down the fleshy part ofJoel's little brown hand. 

"Mother'll fix you up all right, " she kept saying. And Joel, whodidn't mind anything, now that he had Mamsie, watched everymovement out of attentive black eyes. 

"Has he cut it bad? O dear me!" shouted and groaned Grandma fromthe bed. 

"No, " screamed Joel, "'tain't hurt at all. "

"Oh, Joey!" reproved Mrs. Pepper, tying up the poor hand in abit of old cloth. "Now run in and show Grandma, and I'll ask herif she has got any court plaster. "

So Joel ran in and sat on the edge of Grandma's bed, on top ofthe gay patched quilt, and recounted just how it all happened. 

"Hey?" exclaimed Grandma, every minute. 

"I can't make her hear nothin', " said Joel at last, in despair, turning to his mother. "What gets into folks' ears to make 'emdeaf, Mamsie?"

"Oh, it often comes on when they're old, " answered Mrs. Pepper, who had been searching all this time in all the cracked bowlsand cups for the scraps of court plaster. "It will be such apiece of work to get her to tell me where it is, " she said toherself. 

"I ain't ever goin' to be deaf when I'm old, " declared Joel, inalarm. 

"You don't know whether you will or not, " said Mrs. Pepper, rummaging away, "so you better use your ears to good advantagenow, while you've got 'em. "

"I'll always have 'em, " said Joel, putting up both hands to feelof these appendages and see if they were there. "I guess theycan't get off, " and he shook his head smartly. 

"How'd you cut it?" asked Grandma, shrilly, for the fiftiethtime. 

Joel slipped off the gay patched bedquilt, and ran up to hismother, drawing a long breath. 

"O dear me!" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper, seeing the bandage of oldcloth, which was quite red and damp. "Go and sit down and holdyour hand still. I must ask Grandma where that court plaster is. I know she has some, because when Polly cut her finger, you know, Grandma gave her a piece. "

"You can't make her hear, " said Joel, despairingly, and sittingdown as his mother bade. 

"I must, " said Mrs. Pepper, firmly; "and if a thing has to bedone, why it has to be, that's all; we've got to have that courtplaster. "

So she put her ear close to Grandma's cap-border, and after agreat deal of explaining on Mother Pepper's part, and as manyinterruptings on Grandma Bascom's, who wanted everything saidover again, at last it was known that the court plaster laybetween the leaves of the big Bible, on the stand under the oldlooking-glass between the windows. 

"I put it there so's to have it handy, " screamed Grandma, leaning back in great satisfaction against her pillows again. 

Mrs. Pepper, feeling quite worn out, got the court plaster andcut off a piece. "Now then, Joel, " she said, coming up to him. 

"The cloth's all wet and soppy, " said Joel, beginning to twitchat the bandage. 

"Don't do that, Joey, " commanded Mother Pepper, quickly, "you'llmake it bleed worse'n ever. Dear me! I should think it was wet!"suppressing a shiver, as she rapidly unwound the old cloth, nowvery red. "Come here, over the basin. " And presently the poorhand was washed off again with warm water, the long cut closed, and the strip of black court plaster stuck firmly over the wound. 

"Why don't you put cold water on, Mammy?" asked Joel; "it wouldfeel so good. "

"Is it cut bad?" Grandma kept screaming. 

"You can go and let her see it, Joey, now that it's all done upnicely. There's no use in trying to tell her, " said MotherPepper, clearing away the traces of the accident. So Joel hoppedup on the big bed again and displayed his wounded hand, andGrandma oh-ed and dear me-ed over it, and then she reached overto the little drawer in the stand at the head of the bed. 

"Put your hand in, Joel, " she said, "and take as many's youwant. "

Joel's black eyes stuck out as he saw the big peppermint drops, pink ones and white ones, rolling round in the drawer the minuteit was pulled open. "Can I have as many as I want, Grandma?" hescreamed, hopping off from the bed to hang over the drawer. 

"Yes, " said Grandma, delighted to think she could do somethingto help, "'cause you've hurt your hand. "

"I'm glad I hurt it!" exclaimed Joel. "O my! what a lot, Grandma!" which Grandma didn't hear, only she knew he waspleased by the sight of his chubby face; so she smiled, too. Mrs. Pepper found them so when she came up to the bed. 

"I'm going home now, Grandma, " she said. "I'll be over again byand by, or Polly will. "

"Hey?" said Grandma. So Mrs. Pepper nodded and smiled andpointed to the door, and Grandma seemed satisfied. 

"She told me I might have as many's I wanted, " said Joel, withgreat satisfaction. "I like Grandma ever so much. "

"Take care, Joey, you don't take too many, " said Mrs. Pepper. "Grandma's good to you, so you must be good to her, and comeright home from here. You may stay half an hour, " pointing tothe old clock. "Miss Jerusha will be gone by that time, " shesaid to herself with a grim smile. 

"I'll come right home, Mamsie, " said Joel, quite upset in hismind whether to take two white peppermint drops and two pinkones, or if it would do to take three apiece. 

"And don't let any cold water get on that hand, " charged Mrs. Pepper the last thing. 

"Why, Mamsie?" asked Joel, looking up. 

"'Cause it would be very bad, " said Mother Pepper, shaking herhead warningly, "very bad, Joel. Remember, now. "

"What would it do to me?" asked Joel. 

"I don't know, " said Mrs. Pepper; "it might almost kill you tochill it. Maybe you'd have lockjaw, Joel Pepper. "

"What's that?" demanded Joel, deserting the peppermint drops fora minute to run to the door and seize his mother's gown. "What'slockjaw, Mammy?"

"I guess you'd find out if you had it, " said Mrs. Pepper, grimly. "Why, you can't open your jaws. Let go of my gown, Joel. I musthurry home. " And with visions of Miss Jerusha in the littlebrown house, she hurried off as fast as she could down the lane. 

"Huh!" exclaimed Joel, left quite alone staring after her. "Iguess I ain't going to have any old lockjaw. And I could open myjaws, too. " Thereupon wide apart flew his two sets of whiteteeth, at such a distance that he seemed to be all mouth. Thenhe snapped them together again so quickly that it made him winkviolently; repeating this operation till he was quite convincedthat nothing should ever be the matter with his jaws. "And ifthey ever do get locked up, I'm goin' to keep the key myself. "Then he ran back to his peppermint drops again, quite satisfied. Grandma Bascom was sound asleep. 

Joel softly moved two pink peppermint drops over to one side ofthe drawer, and set two white ones next to them. "They're awfulsmall, " he said to himself, and changed the pink ones for twoothers of the same color. Then the same thought occurring to himin regard to the white ones, those had to go back and twodifferent white ones take their places. Then he drew back, andgazed at them admiringly. 

"I don't s'pose Mamsie'd care if I took one more, if 'twas alittle one, " he presently thought. But the difficulty was, shouldit be a pink one or a white one? It took Joel so long to decidethis, that at last he put one of each over in his collection atthe side of the drawer, then hastily pushed the rest of Grandma'sinto a pile at one end. "There, she's got a lot, " he exclaimed. Andas he looked at them, the pile seemed to grow bigger yet; so hepicked off one, a great pink drop, from the very top. 

"Now I must get a white one to match it, " he said, fumbling overthe pile till he had flattened it quite out. They looked so manymore when this was done, that Joel felt quite right in extractingthe last two. "It might a' made her sick. P'r'aps she's been eatingtoo many. " And as this thought struck him, he pulled out two more, picked up the ones he had set to one side, slammed to the drawer, by this time realizing that Grandma could not hear, and ran outof the bedroom to the "laylock" bushes, where he sat down toenjoy the peppermint drops. 

He had demolished the third one, eating as slowly as possible, in a way Phronsie had of nibbling around the edges to make itlast as long as possible; and then, with his cut hand, therewasn't anything he could do; when suddenly Mamsie's words, "Begood to Grandma, " swept through his mind, with an awful twinge. Joel stopped eating and looked at the heap of pink and whitepeppermint drops he had laid down on the grass by his side; thenturned his back to them, and began his nibbling again. "She'sgot enough, " he said, munching on. "She said, take as many's Iwanted. So there now!"

But in a minute he had hopped to his feet, and snatched up thepink and white pile, raced through the kitchen and into thebedroom, and twitching open the drawer to the little stand, hedumped his fistful in, all except one. Then, without trustinghimself to look at them, he slammed the drawer quite tight, andleaning over Grandma, he put his mouth close to her cap-borderwhere she lay snoring away. "I put 'em all back, Grandma, " hewhispered, "except four. "

Something made him glance up at the old clock. It was fiveminutes past the half hour, and Joel, with a dreadful feeling athis heart, for disobedience was a thing Mamsie never overlooked, fled over to the little brown house. 

XIII

PASSENGERS FOR THE BOXFORD STAGE

"I declare, that's fine!" said Ben, the next day. It was dulland cloudy, and he squinted up at the sky. "There isn't a bit ofwind. Now Mr. Blodgett'll have that bonfire, I guess; that'llsuit you, Joe, as you can't have much fun with that hand. "

Joel squealed right out. "That's prime! And I can pile in thesticks and straw just as well with my other hand. "

"You aren't goin' to touch that bonfire, once it's lighted, "declared Ben, in his most decided way. "Now you remember that, Joe Pepper!"

"There ain't any good in it, if I can't help, " cried Joel, horribly disappointed. 

"You can see it, " said Ben, "same's David. "

"Hoh! what's that!" cried Joel; "that won't be any fun. "

"Then you can stay at home, " said Ben, coolly. "As for havingyou, Joe, careering round that fire, and cutting up your capers, we ain't goin' to let you. Like enough you'd be half burnt up. "

"Phoo!" cried Joel, in high disdain, and snapping the fingers ofhis well hand, "I wouldn't get afire. "

"I wouldn't trust you. You'd be afire before you knew it. Youneedn't tease, Joe; Mamsie wouldn't allow it. " And Ben walkedoff and shut the door. 

"Ben never let's me do anything, " howled Joel, twisting his faceup into a dreadful knot, and wishing there was something hecould do with his left hand, for the other was all tied up in asling, Mother Pepper wisely concluding that to be the only wayto keep it still. "If I tie it up, Joel, you can't use it, " shehad said, fastening the broad strip of white cloth firmly overhis shoulder. And Joel, knowing there was no use in protesting, had borne it as well as he could, making Davie wait on him, anddriving Polly almost to despair in her efforts to amuse him, while she did up the morning work, Mother Pepper being away. "Why don't you play stage-coach, Joel?" proposed Polly now, asJoel couldn't vent his disappointment loudly enough. 

"That's no fun, with one hand, " said Joel, disconsolately, drumming on the window pane. 

"Some folks always drive with their left hand, " said Polly. 

"Mr. Tisbett doesn't, " said Joel, gloomily regarding the bunchof white cloth that covered his right hand. "He always driveswith this one, " sticking it out, "'cept when he takes both. "

"Well, you can play there's been an accident, and you got hurt, and so you had to drive with that hand, " said Polly. 

"So I can, " cried Joel, bounding away from the window, "so I can, Polly Pepper. I'll have it right now, and it's to be a perfectlyawful one. Come on, Dave, let's fix up the coach, and you getinside, and I'll upset you, and most smash everything to death. "And Joel ran hither and thither, dragging the chairs, andPhronsie's little cricket, and everything movable into place aswell as he could with one hand. 

"Take care, Joe, " warned Polly, wondering if she hadn't donewrong in proposing stagecoach, "don't fly round so. You'll hurtyour hand. I'd get up on the front seat if I were you, and beginto drive. "

"Would you have the horses run into something, Polly, kersmash, "cried Joel, tugging at Mamsie's rocking chair to bring it intoline, "or make the stage-coach tumble over and roll down hill?"

"Dear me, " cried Polly, going into the pantry to mix up herbrown bread, and wondering which would be the less of the twoevils, "I'm sure I don't know, Joel. "

"I'm goin' to have 'em do both, " decided Joel. "Dave, pull thisup, will you?" So little David ran and gave a lift on the otherside of the big rocking chair, to haul it into place. "We'll runinto somethin' an' th' horse'll shy, and that'll make the oldstage-coach roll down hill. Gee-whickets!" he brought up, inhuge delight. 

"I shan't let you play it at all, " said Polly, from the pantry, "if you say such words, Joel. You'll just have to stop and goand sit down. So remember. "

Joel was clambering up into Mr. Tisbett's seat on the box, buthe ducked his head at Polly's rebuke. "Get in, Dave, " he shouted, recovering himself. "Hurry up. You're the passenger that wantsto go to Boxford. You're awful slow. I'll drive off without youif you don't make haste, " he threatened, gathering up in hisleft hand the bits of string that were fastened to a nail in thecorner of the shelf. 

Little David, feeling it a dreadful calamity to be left behindwhen he wanted to go to Boxford, hopped nimbly into the openingin the pile of chairs that represented the stage-coach, and offthey drove. 

"I can't hold my whip, " cried Joel in distress, after a minuteor so of bowling along on the road to Boxford, accompanied withmuch shouting to Mr. Tisbett's pair of black horses, andexcitement generally as the stage-driver tried to get out of theway of the great number of teams on the turnpike. "O dear, itain't any fun without the whip!" and the whole establishmentcame to a dead stop. 

"I'll hold the whip, " cried the passenger, eagerly, poking hishead out of the stage-coach window. 

"No, you won't, either, " cried Joel. "You're the passenger. Odear me, there ain't any fun without th' whip!"

"Then I can drive, " said little David. "Do let me, Joel, " hepleaded. 

"I won't either, " declared Joel, flatly. "I'm Mr. Tisbett, andbesides, there won't be anybody inside if you get up here. "

"Phronsie might be passenger, " said David, reflecting a moment. 

"Goody, oh, so she might!" cried Joel, "and Seraphina too. Andthat'll make more upset. Then you may come up here, Dave, " hepromised. But when Polly was made acquainted with this fine plan, she refused to allow Phronsie to enter into such a noisy play. AndJoel's face dropped so dismally that she was at her wits' endto know how to straighten out the trouble. Just then one ofthe Henderson boys came up to the door with a little pat ofbutter in a dish for Mrs. Pepper. 

"Here comes Peletiah Henderson, " announced Polly, catching sightof him through the window. "Now, p'r'aps he can stop and playwith you, Joel. "

"He ain't much good to play, " answered Joel, who never seemed tobe able to wake up the quiet boy to much action. 

"Oh, Joel, he'll play real pretty, I guess, " said Polly, reprovingly, "and he's such a good boy. "

"He might be the passenger, " said Joel, thinking busily, asPolly ran to the door to let the Henderson boy in. "We'll playhe's the minister goin' over to preach in Boxford, and we'llupset him just before he gets there. Jump out, Dave, and getup here. "

"I don't know as we ought to upset him if he's the minister, "objected David, doubtfully, as he clambered up to Joel's side. Still, a perfect thrill of delight seized him at his promotionto the seat of honor, and his little hands trembled as Joel laidthe precious whip within them. 

"No, I guess I'd rather you had the reins, " decided Joel, twitching away the whip to lay the bits of string in David'slittle brown hands. "You can drive first, 'cause I want to crackthe whip awful loud as we start. And then I'll take 'em again. "

David, who would much rather have cracked the whip, said nothing, feeling it bliss enough to be up there on the box and doingsomething, as Peletiah, a light-haired, serious boy, walkedslowly into the kitchen. 

"You're the passenger, " shouted Joel at him, and cracking hiswhip, "and you're going over to Boxford. Hurry up and get intothe stage-coach. I'm Mr. Tisbett. "

[Illustration: "'YOU'RE THE PASSENGER!' SHOUTED JOEL"]

"And I'm helping, Peletiah, " cried David, turning a very pinkand happy face down toward him. 

"I don't want to go to Boxford, " said Peletiah, deliberately, and standing quite still, while Polly ran into the pantry toslip the little pat of butter on to another plate. 

"Oh, how good it looks!" she said, longing for just one taste. 

"Well, you've got to go, " said Joel, obstinately, "so get in. "

"I don't want to go to Boxford, " repeated Peletiah, not stirring. 

Joel cracked the whip angrily, and glared down at him. 

"P'r'aps he wants to go somewhere else, " said little David, leaning forward and clutching the reins carefully, "and that'llbe just as good. "

"Do you?" asked Joel, crossly. "Want to go anywheres else, Peletiah?"

Peletiah considered so long over this that Joel, drumming withhis heels on the dashboard, got tired out, and shouted, "Hurryup and get in--th' stage-coach's goin'!" which had the desiredeffect, to make the passenger skip in much livelier than heintended. 

"Now we're goin' to Boxford, " announced Joel, positively, cracking his whip at its loudest. "Be careful, David; hold thehorses up. "

"He said he didn't want to go to Boxford, " put in little David, trembling all over at the vast responsibility of holding in Mr. Tisbett's black horses, and the passenger's being taken where hedidn't want to go. 

"Well, he didn't tell us where he did want to go, " said Joel, "and th' stage is goin' to Boxford. Boxford, Box, " he screamedto imaginary people along the road. "Anybody want to go toBoxford?"

"I said I didn't want to go to Boxford, " interrupted thepassenger in the general din. 

"Well, you've got to, " said Joel, "'cause the stage is goin'there. Boxford--Boxford! Anybody goin' to Boxford? Want to go, Marm?" an imaginary old woman sitting on a stone by the roadside. 

"I'm goin' to get out, " announced Peletiah, in a tone thatconvinced Joel that remonstrance was useless. 

"No, you mustn't, " cried Joel, "and you can't, either, for th'accident's comin' now, " he added cheerfully. 

Davie held his breath, and clutched the lines tighter yet, andJoel screamed shrilly, "Look out!" and gave an awful kick withhis heels to the back of the top chair, and before anybody couldsay a word, over it came, knocking Davie with it, and before thepassenger could get out, Mr. Tisbett and his assistant and thebest part of the whole establishment seemed to be on top of him. 

Polly heard the noise and came rushing out. "Oh, boys--boys!"she cried in a fright, "are you hurt?" for everything seemed tobe in a heap together, with some small legs kicking wildly about, trying to extricate the persons to whom they belonged. 

"I ain't, " announced Joel, hopping out of the heaps and shakingthe black hair out of his eyes. "Oh, Polly, it was such fun!" hecried. 

"Davie! Davie and Peletiah!" cried Polly, an awful dread at herheart, on account of the little guest, as she hung over thewreck, pulling busily at the chairs, "are you all safe?"

Little David tried to speak, but his head ached dreadfully, andthe breath seemed to have left his body. Peletiah said slowly, "I barked my shin, and I didn't want to go to Boxford. "

"O dear me, " exclaimed Polly, fishing him out, "that's too bad!Joel, you oughtn't to have taken him to Boxford if he didn'twant to go. "

"That wouldn't 'a' made any difference, " declared Joel, "'causewe had to get upset, anyway. "

"Well, Davie's hurt, I expect, " said Polly, looking Peletiahcarefully all over, as in duty bound to a guest, as he stood upbefore her. 

"Oh, no, I ain't, Polly, " said little David, trying to speakcheerfully, and crawling out with a big lump on his forehead. 

"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly, at sight of it. "Well, I'm glad, child, it's no worse, " as she rapidly examined the rest of him. "Now you must have some pieces of wet brown paper on that. "

"I'm glad I haven't got to have wet brown paper all over me, "declared Joel, with a grimace--"old, slippery, shiny brownpaper. "

"I barked my shin, " gravely announced Peletiah, standing quitestill. 

"Oh, so you did, " cried Polly, with a remorseful twinge. "Nowyou must wait, Davie, till I fix Peletiah up, for he's company, you know. "

"I guess Grandma's got some wormwood--the stuff she made forPhronsie's toe when 'twas pounded, " suggested Joel, quiteoblivious to the black looks which Peletiah was constantlycasting on him. 

"You may run over and see, " said Polly. "O dear me, no, youcan't, Joe, just look at your hand!" as she happened to glanceup. 

Joel looked down quickly at the big white bundle in the sling. "There ain't nothin'--" He was going to say, "the matter with myhand, Polly, " when he saw some very red spots spreading quicklyalong its surface. 

"Oh, now you've burst open the cut, " cried Polly, forgettingherself, and turning quite white. "What shall we do, and Mamsieaway!"

Little David, at that, burst into a loud cry, and Joel tried tosay, "No, I haven't, " but looking very scared at Polly's scream. 

"Oh, I'll fix it, Joe, " she exclaimed in haste, though how shemanaged to get the words out she never knew. "Let me see, Mamsiewould untie it if she were here, and put on court plaster. Now, David, you run over to Grandma's and ask her to give us somemore. She told us to come if we wanted it, and I'll put on a freshpiece just as tight, oh, you can't think!" Polly kept talking all thetime, feeling that she should drop if she didn't, and little David, forgetting all about the lump on his forehead, that now was mostas big as an egg, ran off as fast as he could, and presently returnedwith the court plaster, waving it over his head. 

Polly took off the bloody rag, setting her lips tightly together, until she saw Joel's face again. Then she began quickly, "Oh, what a nice time you're goin' to have at the bonfire, Joe!"

"Is there goin' to be a bonfire?" asked Peletiah, with moreinterest than he had hitherto shown. 

"Yes, " said Polly, "there is, Peletiah. Mr. Blodgett's goin' toburn up all that rubbish left after he pulled down his cow-pen, you know. "

"When's he goin' to burn it?" continued Peletiah. 

"This afternoon, " said Polly. "Ben's over there, and Joel's goin', and David. " All the while she was dabbing off the blood runningout of the side where the court plaster slipped when the stagewent over. Then she cut off another bit from the piece Grandmasent over, and quickly pasted it over the edge of the old piece. "There now, Joey, " she cried, "that's as nice as can be! NowI'll get you a fresh piece of cloth to tie it up in. "

"I don't want it tied up, " cried Joel, wiggling his fingers;"they feel so good to be out, Polly. "

"Oh, you must have 'em tied up, " cried Polly, decisively, running back with the cloth. "Hold your hand still, Joe; therenow, says I, that's all done!" She gave a great sigh of relief, when at last Joel's arm was once more in its sling. 

"I'm glad it's all back again, Polly, " said little David, viewing the white bundle with satisfaction. 

"So am I, I declare, " said Polly, folding her hands to rest abit. 

"I guess I'll go to that bonfire, " observed Peletiah. At thesound of his voice, Polly came to herself with a little gasp. "Oh, I forgot all about you, Peletiah, and David's head. I'llsee your shin first, 'cause you're company. "

When Peletiah's small trouser leg was pulled up, Polly saw withdismay a black and blue spot rapidly spreading. "O dear me, " shecried, down on her knees, "what will dear Mrs. Henderson say?and she's so good to us!"

"And I didn't want to go to Boxford, either, " said Peletiah. 

"Well, David, you must just run back and ask Grandma if we mayhave a little wormwood, " said Polly. "I'd go, but I don't liketo leave you children alone, " in distress as she saw Davie'slump on his forehead, and his hot, tired face. "I'm sorry, foryou've just been over. "

"I'll go, " cried Joel, springing off, but Polly called him back. 

"No, you can't, Joe, " she cried, "you'll burst that cut openagain, maybe. Davie must go. Tell Grandma one of the minister'sboys has got hurt. "

So Davie ran over again, trying not to think how his head ached, and in he came in a few minutes with the bunch of wormwooddangling at his side. 

"She said--Grandma did--pound it up and tie it on with a rag, ifyou haven't got time to steep it, " said Davie, relinquishing thebundle into Polly's hand, "and to put some on my head, too, " headded, feeling this to be a calamity as much worse as could beimagined than to have on the brown paper bits. 

"So I will, " declared Polly. "Oh, how good of Grandma! Boys, wemust do ever and all we can for her, she's so nice to us. Now Imust pound this up, just as she said. "

This operation was somewhat delayed by all three of the boyshanging over her and getting in the way. And Phronsie, who hadbeen busy with Seraphina in the bedroom, now running out to addherself to the number, it was a little time before Peletiah'ssmall leg had the wet rag tied on. 

"Well, now you're done, " said Polly, thankfully, "and you'dbetter run home, Peletiah, and tell your mother all about it, and how sorry we are. "

"Yes, " said Peletiah, slowly moving off, "I will, 'cause shetold me to come right back. "

"Oh, Peletiah!" exclaimed Polly, in horror, "and you've beenhere all this time!"

"And I didn't want to go to Boxford, " said Peletiah, going off. Pretty soon, back he came, just as Polly finished bathingDavie's head. "I'll take the dish, " he said. "Mother said bringit back. "

XIV

DEACON BLODGETT'S BONFIRE

But that afternoon it began to rain smartly, so nobody went tothe bonfire after all. "P'r'aps, " Polly had kept saying toherself, "all Mr. Atkins' sacks will be sewed up by the nexttime Mr. Blodgett tries to burn up his rubbish, and then I cango, " but she didn't speak a word to her mother, for then Mrs. Pepper would find out how dreadfully disappointed Polly had beenat the thought of not seeing the grand spectacle. So she workedon busily, expecting every day to hear Ben say, "Now we're goin'to set it off to-day, " for he was at work pretty steadily now, for Farmer Blodgett. But he never did. 

At last one day, Ben came home very late to supper, so late thatPolly ran to the window ever so many times, exclaiming, "Bensienever was so late before. " Phronsie had long been in bed, andthe boys were anxiously looking up at the clock to see if itwere anywhere near half-past seven, when Ben came in. 

"Why, Ben Pepper!" exclaimed Polly, aghast, "whatever is thematter?"

"I should ask so, too, " said Mother Pepper, "only I know Benwill tell when he is rested. Let him eat his supper, Polly, anddon't bother him with questions. "

So Polly took off the clean towel that had covered Ben's supperon the table, and hovered over him, watching every mouthful. Butshe didn't say a word. 

"You see, " said Ben, when he had appeased his appetite somewhat, and eating more slowly, "I really couldn't help it, for thebonfire was such a big one. "

"The bonfire?" screamed Polly. "What do you mean, Ben?"

"Why, Mr. Blodgett's bonfire, to be sure, " said Ben. "Whateverelse could I mean, Polly?" leaning back to look over hisshoulder at her. 

"You haven't gone and had that bonfire without telling us, BenPepper!" cried Polly, in amazement. "Oh, how could you do such adreadful mean thing!" she added passionately. 

"Polly--Polly!" cried Mother Pepper, in dismay. 

"Well, I don't care, " said Polly, recklessly, "it was perfectlyawfully mean, Mamsie, to go and have that bonfire without tellingus a single thing about it. Now we can't one of us ever see it, "she mourned. 

"Better not judge Ben till you hear the reason, Polly, " advisedMother Pepper, gravely. "I'll warrant he had some good one. "

"So I have, " cried Ben, with a dreadful feeling at his heartthat his comrade Polly blamed him. "Mr. Blodgett told me Imustn't run home and tell you, though I begged him as hard as Icould to let me. "

"Then he is a very mean man, " exploded Polly, with flashing eyesand a little red spot on either cheek. 

"Take care, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper. 

"I don't think so, " said Ben, decidedly, shaking his head indisapproval of Polly; "he's been as good as gold to me, and--"

"So he has, Ben, " Mother Pepper was guilty of interrupting. 

"And he's been bothered to death to get the right time to workon that old bonfire, and today the men said the rubbish ought tobe got off, 'cause two of 'em can come only a day more, and theywant to get the ground ready for planting. So all of a sudden Mr. Blodgett comes over to the south meadow and calls out, 'Come, boys, we're going to set to on that bonfire!' And then I beggedhim to let me just run home and tell you all, and he couldn't, and that's all, " said Ben, calmly finishing the account. 

"I don't see how you could help it, Ben, " said his mother, "norMr. Blodgett either, for that matter. "

Polly stood quite still, the waves of color spreading over herface. Then she took a step forward, and threw her arms aroundBen's neck. 

"Oh, Ben!" she cried convulsively, "I'm so sorry I was cross. "

"All right, Polly, " said Ben, reassuringly, and patting hercheek, "and I guess next time you'll wait and hear aboutthings. "

"I surely will, " promised poor Polly. 

So no one saw the wonderful Blodgett bonfire, after all, exceptPeletiah Henderson, who was going past that farm when theexcitement was at its height. But Ben comforted them all, andPolly helped out wonderfully, by repeating everything he said. "Now, children, I'll watch; there'll be other bonfires, I expect. Maybe before long; so I shouldn't wonder if we got another chanceto see a big fire. " It came sooner than they expected, but it wasn'ta bonfire. 

It was one night about a week after. The little brown house wasas still as a mouse, everybody abed and asleep. SuddenlyPhronsie woke up with a fretful little cry. "I want a drink ofwater, " she wailed, sitting straight in the trundle bed. 

"Oh, no, you don't, " said Polly, sleepily. "Hush, Phronsie, andlie down again. You'll wake Mamsie. "

Phronsie's little lips quivered. In the darkness Polly couldn'tsee the small face and its sorrowful eyes, so she turned overagain on her pillow. "Go to sleep, like a good girl, " she said, almost asleep. 

"I can't, Polly, " said Phronsie, almost ready to cry out, "and Iam truly thirsty. Please, Polly, a drink of water. " She put outher little hand to feel for Polly's, but in a minute the regularbreathing told her that Polly had fallen asleep. So Phronsie satstill in the middle of the trundle bed, and choked back thetears. 

But her little throat was parched and dry, and at last the tearsrolled over the round cheeks. 

"I won't wake poor Polly up, " she said; "I can get it myself, "and she crawled out of the trundle bed, having some difficultyin getting over the side, and made her way out into the kitchen. It was very bright there, at which Phronsie stared wonderingly, as there was no candle lighted, so she easily found her way tothe pail of water which Ben always got the last thing at nightand set on the bench by the window. 

"I can reach the dipper, " said Phronsie, standing on tiptoes, and seizing it, she thrust it into the pail. How it happened, she didn't know, and there was no one else there to see, butover with a great clatter came the pail and the dipper to thefloor. 

Polly started up in bed. Mamsie, who was very tired, still slepton. "Phronsie, " cried Polly, remembering in a flash about thedrink of water, "I'll get it for you, " and she put out her handto pat the little figure in the trundle bed. There was noPhronsie there!

Polly hopped wildly out into the kitchen, to hear Phronsiegurgling out her distress, as she stood in her little white nightie, her hands stuck straight out, and the water dripping from herevery pore. The pail and dipper were rolling away at their ownsweet wills across the old kitchen floor. And over all shone agreat light as bright as day, only it was tinged with red. 

"Phronsie Pepper!" exclaimed Polly, and "What's this light?" allin the same breath. And huddling Phronsie up in her arms, Pollyraced along to the window. A great burst of light, red andglaring, shot across the sky, and lighted up the whole heavens. 

"Oh, we're burning up! Something's afire! Grandma Bascom!"screamed Polly. "Ben--Ben--wake up! Mamsie! Fire--fire!" shecalled. 

She could hear Ben spring out of bed, and Mrs. Pepper was in thekitchen in a minute, and Joel and David were tumbling downstairsat Ben's heels, and they all threw on their clothes and rushedout of doors. But it wasn't Grandma Bascom's. Her little cottagestood peaceful and quiet, with only the dreadful red lightplaying over it. 

"I can't think where it is, " said Ben. "It seems so near, and weknow it isn't, 'cause Grandma's is the only house for more'n halfa mile. " Meanwhile, the smoke was pouring into the sky, and whenit cleared there was that dreadful red light glare again. "Oh, Ben!" exclaimed Polly, with clasped hands, as they allstood in front of the little brown house, breathlessly watching, "it must be Parson Henderson's. "

"No, " said Ben, "that isn't the right direction. "

"It's nice Mrs. Beebe's, I know, " said Joel, racing aroundexcitedly. "And now it will burn up all those boots and shoes, "which, luckily, Phronsie didn't hear. 

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ben, "it isn't anywhere near Mr. Beebe'sshop. It's ever so far off. And a barn, I guess, 'cause it burnslike hay. "

"I hope there aren't any horses in it, " sighed Polly, with ashiver, sitting down on the doorstone, and holding Phronsie veryclosely in her arms. 

"Wherever it is, you ought to go and help, Ben, " said his mother. 

"I was thinking so myself, now I know 'tisn't near here, and I canleave you all, " said Ben, hurrying off. 

"I'm goin', I'm goin', " cried Joel, wildly darting off. 

"No--no, Joel, " said Mrs. Pepper, "you're too little to go to a fire. "

"I'd pass buckets, " said Joel, "and climb the ladders--and--"

"No, " said his mother, firmly. 

He was afraid to cry, lest she should send him in the house, sohe ran out into the road and watched impatiently to see ifanybody was coming along to go to the fire. Presently they allheard wagon wheels. 

"Somebody's comin'!" screamed Joel, running back into the yard. "Oh, Mammy, mayn't I ride with 'em and just see the fire? Iwon't get out of the wagon; truly, I won't. "

"No, " said Mrs. Pepper, "it's no use to ask it, Joel, " and heknew it wasn't. "It's hard enough to let Ben go, though that'shis duty. You can ask the people in the wagon if they know wherethe fire is. " And Joel, delighted that there was some part inthe excitement for him, tore madly down to the roadside anddemanded this of the people in the team. 

"It's Deacon Blodgett's barn, " they screamed at him as the oldhorse spun by, raising a cloud of dust. 

"What did he say?" asked Mrs. Pepper, as Joel raced backbreathlessly. 

"It's Deacon Blodgett's barn, " screamed Joel, quite overcome. "Odear me! So we are seeing his bonfire, ain't we, Mammy?"

"Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, her face looking ghastly in the redlight, "this is perfectly dreadful for poor Mrs. Blodgett andthe good deacon. Oh, if we could only help them!" She looked offat the clouds of smoke now obscuring the red glare, and herhands usually so quiet were wringing each other. 

"Ben's there by this time, " said Polly, feeling that nothing washopeless with Ben close by. "Think of that, Mamsie. "

"I'm so glad of that, " breathed Mrs. Pepper, thankfully. "Nowhe'll have a chance to show his gratitude for what DeaconBlodgett's done for him. "

"Polly, " said Phronsie, suddenly raising her head where she hadhidden it on Polly's arm, "do you suppose Mr. Blodgett's nicemooly cow is going to burn up?" She clasped her fat hands asshe brought out the question fearfully. 

"No, I hope not, Pet, " said Polly, soothingly. "Don't let'sthink of it, " but her heart ached, nevertheless. How good Mrs. Blodgett had been to send down that sweet, rich milk, once in awhile, for Phronsie. 

"See! Oh, ain't it a buster!" shouted Joel out in the road, hoping some other team would come by. 

"Joel, " called Mrs. Pepper, even in her anxiety over goodfriends' trouble, unwilling to let the word pass, "what did yousay?"

"Well, it's a big fire, anyway, " said Joel. "Come on, Dave, outhere and see it, " for Dave, at the first glimpse, had slunk downon the grass silently to watch the sky. 

"No, " said little David, "I don't want to go, Joel. Mamsie--"and he turned a troubled face to her--"do you suppose God'sgoing to let good Mr. Blodgett's barn burn up?"

"No, " said Mrs. Pepper, "I don't b'lieve God had anything to dowith it, Davie. Like enough it's some man been in there with apipe, but we'll hope the fire'll be put out. And don't you betroubled; God wouldn't let any one be hurt, least of all a good manlike Deacon Blodgett. "

"Oh, " said little David, quite relieved. 

And when Ben came home in the early dawn--Mamsie and the rest ofthe bunch of the little Peppers sitting up for him, for Phronsiewouldn't go to bed, so Polly held her in her arms--they foundthis was just the case. 

"And they've caught the tramp who was smoking the pipe, " criedBen, excitedly, "but that won't save the barn, and the horseand--"

"Hush!" cried Polly, with a look at Phronsie. But her eyes wereclosed, and her head was bobbing sleepily on Polly's breast. 

"Better lay her on my bed now, Polly, " said her mother, "andshe'll doze off, most likely. "

"Yes, the cow has gone with the rest of the tools and wagons, "said Ben, mixing things up inextricably. "O dear me!" And herested his streaked face on his grimy hands. 

"Oh, Ben, " cried Joel, "you're as black as you can be! How Iwish I could 'a' gone!" he added, feeling it the highest stateof bliss to come home looking like that from working in a fire. "Well, I feel black, " said Ben, and down went his head lower yetin his hands. 

His mother went swiftly over to him and pressed her hand gentlyon his hair. "You couldn't help it, Ben, " she said, "you'd 'a'saved it, if you'd been able. "

"Yes, " said Ben, brokenly, "I would, Mamsie. "

XV

OLD MAN PETERS' CENT

Joel was walking along the road very slowly, swinging on his armthe tin pail that was to bring home the molasses. "I wish someone would come along who'd give me a ride, " he thought, feelinghot, and wishing he were home, to lie on the cool grass in theorchard, after he had first drunk all he wanted to at the well. 

"I could drink the whole bucketful, " he declared. "My, ain't Ithirsty! Oh, goody, I hear a wagon!" and he hopped to one sideof the road. "Ugh--it's old man Peters!"

Mr. Peters slackened up as he passed Joel, but he didn't offerto let him ride. And Joel didn't want to, anyway. After a grumpylook at the Pepper boy, the old man in the wagon put the well-wornleather reins between his knees and took out a battered pocket-book, scowling above its contents as he went over a business transactionjust completed at Badgertown. Then he slapped it together andstuck it into his pocket, and seizing the reins, he doubled themup, cutting the horse across the thin flanks. 

"Gee-lang, there--will you!" cried old man Peters, shrilly, "orI'll make ye!"

Joel stepped back into the middle of the road, and began totrudge along in the wake of the wagon. Suddenly he stopped, andstared at something shining in the road. It was little and round, but it sent up a bright gleam that found an answering one inJoel's black eyes. 

"Oh, I've found a whole cent!" he exclaimed joyfully. Then hisheart stood quite still. It must belong to old man Peters. 

"I don't care, " said Joel, defiantly, to himself, "he left it inthe road. It's mine, now, for I picked it up. " And he clutchedit tightly in his warm little palm, and dug his heels into thehot sand, glad enough he had had to go to the store after thatmolasses, for otherwise he wouldn't have found that cent. 

"It doesn't belong to you. " It seemed as if Mamsie was walkingthere beside him, and had said the words, and involuntarily Joelglanced on either side. "I don't know as he dropped it, " he saidto himself, walking very fast, and trying to shake off theunwelcome thoughts; "I didn't see him. "

"But you did see him take his pocket-book out, and you ought tohurry after him and give it back, " and Joel started on a livelyrun, without giving himself a chance to think twice. 

"Mr. Peters! Mr. Peters!" he cried, running along, and screamingafter the retreating wagon. 

Mr. Peters looked back and shook his whip at him. "I ain'ta-goin' to give you a ride, " he said, "an' you needn't think youcan catch on behind. " So he gave the horse another cut, thatmade him amble along at his best speed. 

Joel chased as long as he was able to, the perspirationstreaming from his red face, screaming when he could find breath, "Stop, Mr. Peters, a minute, " till Mr. Peters shook his fist athim as well as his whip. At last Joel dropped from sheerexhaustion on the roadside grass. 

"That Pepper boy--th' one they call Joel--is a perfectnuisance, " snarled Mr. Peters, after putting his horse up in thebarn, and going into the house. "I passed him on the road, andhe looked as if he 'xpected me to give him a lift. "

"Oh, Pa, why didn't you?" said Mrs. Peters, pityingly, "theyhave such a hard time, those little Pepperses. I s'pose he wasdreadful tired. "

"S'pose he was, " said Mr. Peters, going into the keeping room tosit down over the weekly paper. "I warn't a-goin' to take him up;and then the imperdent little chap started to run after me, a-yellin' all the way. I'd a horsewhipped him if I c'd 'a' reachedhim. "

"I wish you wouldn't feel so about boys, " deprecatingly said hiswife, a little woman; "they don't hurt you none, and I wish youwouldn't, Pa. "

"Well, I ain't a-goin' to have 'em round me, " snarled Mr. Peters. "An' there ain't no call for you to say any more about's fur'sI know, Marindy, " and he jerked open the newspaper, put his feeton the round of another chair, got his spectacles out of theircase and on his nose, and prepared to be comfortable. He neverknew when his paper slid to the floor, and his bald head wasbobbing over his empty hands. Mrs. Marinda Peters was upstairssorting rags to give the rag-man when next he came by, the onlyway she could earn a little money for her own use, and thedaughter was away; so Joel Pepper walked in without any one'sknowing it. He had knocked and knocked at the kitchen door untilhis knuckles were sore, and tired of waiting, concluded to walkin by himself; for go home he would not, with Mr. Peters' centin his pocket. So he marched in and stood by the old man's chair. 

"Here's your cent, " he said, holding it out in his hot fingers. His empty pail struck suddenly on the edge of the chair with aclang, the noise, more than the words, waking the old man up. 

"Hey? What d'ye want?" cried Mr. Peters, his eyes flying opensuddenly. 

"Your cent, " said Joel, holding it out. "A cent? I hain't anymoney to give ye, " snarled old Mr. Peters, now fully aroused, "And d'ye git out of this house soon's ye can, or I'll give yesuthin' to git for. " His spectacles slipped to the end of hisnose as he started to get out of the chair. 

"I don't want any cent, " said Joel, hotly, sticking the onebetween his finger and thumb up under the old man's nose. "Here, take it. Don't you see it? It's yours. "

"Mine? My cent?" repeated the old man, staring at it. "What d'yemean? I hain't give ye no cent. "

"I found it in the road. You dropped it, " said Joel, feelingtired to death. And dropping it hastily on the window-ledge hehurried off, swinging his tin pail violently. 

"What's the matter?" asked Mrs. Peters, at the sound of thevoices; and, leaving the rag-bag suddenly, she hurried over thestairs. Old Mr. Peters, hearing her coming, picked up the cent, and, not stopping to put it in the old leather pocket-book, slipped it into his vest pocket, and seizing the newspaper, fellto reading. 

"Joel, " called Mrs. Peters, as Joel was running out of theuntidy yard, "what is it? Come here and tell me. "

"Let th' boy alone, can't ye, Marindy?" screamed Mr. Peters, irritably; "beats all how you allers interfere in my business--justlike a woman!" he fumed, as Joel came back slowly. 

[Illustration: "'HEY, WHAT D'YE WANT?' CRIED MR. PETERS"]

But Mrs. Peters was as persistent in her way as her husband, andshe soon had the whole story laid bare. When that was done, shetook Joel into the buttery and gave him a big wedge of custardpie. "You better go t'other way, and not past the keepin' roomwindow, " she said, "and eat it. "

Joel, with enthusiasm considerably abated as he examined his piein the shadow of the big seringa bushes, concluded he didn'twant it very much. But feeling very hungry, which was his usualcondition, he finished it to the last crumb. "There warn't anysugar in, for one thing, " he said critically. "I wonder whyfolks can bake pies who don't know how, and Mamsie never canhave any. "

"That boy found your cent in th' road, and brought it clear wayup here, " cried Mrs. Marindy, on a high key, going into thekeeping room, where the old man sat absorbed in his paper. 

"S'pose he did?" grunted old Mr. Peters. 

"I sh'd think you'd 'a' give it to him, Pa. It's a shame. Such ahot day as 'tis, too. "

"I don't have no cents to throw away, " snarled old Mr. Peters. "And I wish you'd let me read my paper in peace and quiet. "

"Well, I sh'd think anybody who'd got a heart in their bosom 'udfeel sorry for them five little Pepperses. I don't s'pose theysee a cent to spend from one year's end to another. " And shemade up her mind to bake a whole custard pie, sometime, andsmuggle it down to Mrs. Pepper. 

"Though how I'll manage, " she lamented, "would puzzle the Dutchand Tom Walker. But I'll try, just the same. "

Meanwhile, Joel, though he made light of the cent business, wasrelating his visit to the Peters' homestead, and the presentationof the piece of pie. 

"'Twas most horrid old pie, " he said, with a wry face. 

"Oh, Joey, " said Mrs. Pepper, "when Mrs. Peters tried to be kindto you. You ate it, didn't you?" and she laughed with the otherswhen he said yes. 

"But 'twas horrid, " cried Joe. "I can't help it, Mamsie. Therewasn't any sugar in it, and it was black and smutty and thin. Why don't we ever have any pie in the little brown house, Mamsie?" he asked suddenly. 

"Why don't little boys talk sensibly?" asked Mrs. Pepper. "It'sa great deal to have the little brown house, anyway, Joel, I sh'dthink you'd know that. "

"Mamsie, " said Polly, hearing this, "s'posin' we didn't have thelittle brown house; just s'posin', Mammy, " and her cheek turnedquite white. 

"I know it, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, quickly, setting busystitches on Davie's jacket, where she was rapidly sewing a patch, "that's the way to talk. Just supposing we hadn't any littlebrown house. "

"But we have got it, Mamsie, " said Joel, throwing himself flaton the floor, to indulge in a long and restful roll. 

"Well, we may not always have it. If folks don't appreciatetheir blessings, sometimes they fly away. "

"How's the little brown house going to fly away, Mamsie?"demanded Joel, sitting quite straight. 

"Well, it may, " said Mrs. Pepper, with a wise little nod. "Mercies often take to themselves wings. Come, Polly, you maypick out these basting threads; that patch is done, thankfortune!"

Joel hopped to his feet, and ran swiftly out, craning his neckto see the tip of the chimney on the little house, and surveying itcritically on all sides. 

"It isn't going to fly--it isn't, " he declared, quite relieved. Polly humming away some merry nonsense to Mamsie, neither ofthem heard him. So he came close to their chairs and repeated it:"Say, the little brown house can't fly away--there ain't anywings. "

"You take care you don't say anything discontented about nothaving pie and other things, " said Mother Pepper with a smile, looking off from her work for a minute to let her eyes rest onhis face, "and I guess the wings won't grow, Joey. "

"Anyway, I'm glad I don't live at old man Peterses house, " saidJoel, going back to his resting-place on the floor, and wavinghis feet in the air. 

"Mamsie, do you suppose old Mr. Peters ever was a little boy?"asked Davie, thoughtfully. 

"Dear me, yes, " said Mrs. Pepper, abstractedly, as she was lostin thought over the question, Could she get the patch on Joel'slittle trousers before dark?

"A real boy?" persisted David. "Yes, of course, " answered MotherPepper, moving her chair to get a little more of the waninglight. "But I don't know what kind of a boy, " she added. "I don't think he was a very nice boy, Mamsie, " declared David. "Not a real, very splendid one. "

"Huh!" cried Joel, in a tone of contempt. "I guess he wasn't, Dave Pepper! I wouldn't have played with him at all, " he added, in great disgust. 

"Wouldn't you, Joel?" cried little David, running over to sitdown by him on the floor, and observing great care to keep clearof the waving legs. 

"No, indeed, sir, " declared Joel. "I wouldn't have played oncewith him, not if he'd lent me his knife. An' his skates and--"

"Oh, Joel, not even if he'd lent you his skates?" cried David, incredulously. 

"No, sir-ree! Nor if he'd let me have his horse to drive as muchas I wanted to, " declared Joel, most positively, with anotherwave of his legs. 

Little David collapsed on the floor by his side, his eyes fixedon the ceiling, as he lay and thought it over. 

"I'd 'a' said, 'Go right away, you bad old Peters boy. '" criedJoel, delighted at impressing David so completely, "'or I'lltake a stick to you. '"

"And then you'd be very much like old Mr. Peters yourself, Joel, " said Polly, catching the last words. 

XVI

THE STAGE-COACH RIDE

"Children, " said Mrs. Pepper, and how her eyes shone! "I've gotsomething very nice to tell you--that is, for Joel and David. Your turn will come sometime, Polly, " and Mother Pepper smiledencouragingly at her. 

"Polly's turn never comes, " said Ben, gloomily, who feltdreadfully fretted to think he couldn't earn money enough to dosomething nice for her. "We eat it all up as fast as we getpaid, " he had once said to his mother. 

"And that's what we have mouths for, " she had answered brightly. It never would do for Ben to get discouraged, so she kept allthe little ache in her heart out of sight. Now she beamed at Ben. 

"Oh, Polly's time's coming, " she said; "never fear, Ben. "

Ben looked ashamed when he heard Mamsie's hopeful words, andbrightened up at once. 

"Thank you, Ben, " she said, going up to his chair to lay herhand on his shoulder. "Mother doesn't know what she'd do if herbig boy failed her. Well now, children, I must hurry and tellyou the good news about Joel and David. Mr. Tisbett has invitedthem to go on the stage to-morrow to Strawberry Hill. "

Once a week Mr. Tisbett ran the stage down to Strawberry Hill, returning by the East District. It was quite the prettiest rideout of Badgertown, following now and then the course of Cherrybrook, and past fertile fields and forests, by a winding, rambling thoroughfare. And when once the settlement of StrawberryHill was reached, there were Green's Tavern and the stop for dinner!

Joel and David greeted this announcement with howls of delight. Phronsie caught the spirit and danced around the old kitchen ina clean pink calico dress, and cheeks to match. 

"Oh, Phronsie, I don't believe you know what you're dancingfor, " cried Ben with a laugh, and seizing her as the bustle dieddown a bit. 

"Yes, I do, Bensie, " said Phronsie, struggling to get down todance again. 

"Well, what is it then?"

"Joel and Davie said 'O-oh' and 'Goody'!" hummed Phronsie, beginning to dance harder than ever. 

"I thought so, " laughed Ben. 

"Don't tease her, " begged Polly, coming up. 

"Polly, I wish you were going too, " said Ben, suddenly, whocouldn't help saying it. 

"Dear me, I couldn't go and leave all the work, Ben, " exclaimedPolly, "even if Mr. Tisbett had asked me. "

"Well, I wish you could go, all the same, " sighed Ben. 

Polly shook her head, and clapped her hands at Phronsie, andtried to forget what Ben had said. But it stayed there, deep inher heart, nevertheless. 

Joel and David could hardly sleep that night for thinking of thesplendid treat of the morrow. Oh, if it should rain! Theytrembled as they rolled over on their backs and listened for anychance pattering on the roof. 

"It doesn't rain a single drop, " declared Joel, rolling over onhis side again, and carrying most of the bedclothes with him. 

"But it may, Joel, " said little Davie, fearfully. 

"No, it isn't going to, " said Joel, confidently. 

"Mamsie said we were to be good boys, " said David, after a pause, in which Joel was lost in the wildest imaginings of sometimedriving Mr. Tisbett's black horses. "Don't you know she did, Joey?" twitching his arm. 

"Well, I'm going to be good. I'm always good, " said Joel, jerking away his arm. 

"Oh, Joel, " cried little Davie, involuntarily. 

"Well, I'm going to be good to-morrow, anyway, " declared Joel. "You'll see, Dave; as good as pie. "

"Because Mamsie said she'd trust us, " continued David, "and we'dmake trouble for Mr. Tisbett unless we minded him. "

Joel didn't reply, trying to decide whether he should hold thereins both together in one hand or use two, Mr. Tisbettobserving both methods. 

"I guess I'll hold 'em in two hands, " he said at last, "'causemost likely he won't let me take the whip at the same time. Ain't I glad I haven't cut the right one any more!" He held itup and squinted at it as well as he could for the darkness. There wasn't even a scar to be seen, thanks to Mother Pepper'sgood care. 

"Boys--boys, go to sleep, " called Polly's voice over the stairs. "They're so excited, " she said, going back to her mother, "abouttomorrow. Mamsie, isn't it good that they're going?" she cried, with shining eyes. 

Mrs. Pepper looked at her keenly. "Yes, 'tis, Polly, " sheanswered simply. 

What a time they had getting the boys ready for their unwontedjourney! Joel rebelled at the thorough scrubbing that Pollyinsisted on before he was inducted into his clean clothes. 

"We wash all the time. Mamsie makes us, " he grumbled. "Ow, Polly, you're rubbing my ear off. "

"That's only every day, " said Polly, who dearly loved to fix upwith extra preparations on important occasions. "And this--why, Joel Pepper, you've never been away on a journey before. Justthink, you're going on a stage-coach clear over to StrawberryHill!"

"I know it, " said Joel, trying to appear as if it were aneveryday affair, while little David turned pale with excitement. 

"Well, now then, I believe you're nice and clean, " said Polly, standing off and viewing Joel, red and shiny from her efforts. "All except this other ear must be washed a little bit more. "

"Oh, Polly, " cried Joel, viewing her soapy cloth in alarm, "you've done it enough. Mamsie, " he howled, "Polly's a-washingme just dreadful. " But Mother Pepper did not seem to hear, soPolly finished, and then began on Joel's hair. 

This was so much worse an undertaking, that the whole householdwere very glad indeed when it was over. 

"I hope no one will ask you again to go anywhere, Joel, " saidBen. "Goodness me, Polly, I sh'd think you'd be all tired outgetting him ready!"

"Well, he's done now, " said Polly, pushing back the damp ringsof hair from her own brow, while she pulled Joel's jacketstraight with the other hand. "Now, Joe, if you go and sit downand don't move, you'll be all nice when Mr. Tisbett comes; andI'll take Davie. "

To little David the whole task of washing and combing his hair, and arranging him in his neatly mended best clothes, was onelong, tremulous delight. He wouldn't have had it omitted for theworld. At last he was patted and brushed, and pronounced "justperfect, " Polly sealing her approval by a kiss that she meant forhis forehead, but it fell on the tip of his nose instead. 

"You didn't kiss me, " said Joel, in an injured voice. 

"Well, you didn't stand still long enough, " retorted Ben, answering for Polly. "Goodness me, Joel, I'd as soon dress aneel as you!"

"G'lang there! _Whoa!_" And the stagecoach rattled up infine shape. 

"Mr. Tisbett's come! Mr. Tisbett's come!" roared Joel, as ifeverybody couldn't see and hear the stage-driver's hearty tones, to say nothing about the stamping of the horses and the rumbleof the wheels. And darting out, he flew over the grass. "Let mesit up there with you, Mr. Tisbett, " he screamed, trying to getup on the wheel. 

"Sho, there! So you may. Give us your hand, Joe, my boy, " saidMr. Tisbett, brimming over with good humor, and a warm feelingat heart at making the Peppers so happy, and he put out hisbrawny hand, gave a jerk, and in a minute there was Joel smilingand shouting and waving his hat to David and the othersescorting him down to the roadside. 

"Remember what I told you, Joel, " said Mother Pepper, fixing herblack eyes on him. 

"Yes'm, " said Joel, nodding his head, "I'll remember, Mammy. I'mgoing to sit next to Mr. Tisbett, " he cried, seeing thepreparations to lift Davie up to a seat on the box. 

"Joel, " warned his mother. 

"I'm a-goin' to have you up top here, along of me, " said Mr. Tisbett, "so's I can look out for you. And I'm a-goin' to tellwhere you'll set, too, Joel. Now, you just hist over there, andlet Davie in betweenst us; he's littler. There you be, " as Joelpromptly obeyed and took the outside seat. 

"Good-by, Mammy, " shrilled little David, stretching forward tolook past Mr. Tisbett's burly figure, and longing for anotherkiss. 

"Good-by, Davie. "

"Good-by. Good-by, Joel. "

"Crack-snap!" went Mr. Tisbett's whip. Off pranced the twoblack horses, and round went the wheels. He never made such afine start in his life, Mr. Tisbett decided, when suddenly, "Stop! oh, stop!" screamed Joel, and the stage-driver, lookingaround at him, saw his face convulsed with the effort not tocry, as he yelled again, flinging out his hands frantically, "Stop!"

[Illustration: "'CRACK-SNAP!' WENT MR. TISBETT'S WHIP"]

"Whoa!" cried Mr. Tisbett to the prancing black horses, sosuddenly they nearly sat back on their haunches. "What's thematter of ye, for the land's sakes o' Goshen?"

"I want to get down, " cried Joel, with a frantic lunge. "Let meget down!"

"Hold on there, or you'll break your neck, " roared Mr. Tisbett. "What you want to get down for?" and he scratched his head, hishabit when in perplexity. 

"I want to kiss my Mamsie, " stammered Joel, and now the tearsbegan to come. 

"Sho!" cried Mr. Tisbett, "so you shall. There. Now then!" Joel, in some way, was lifted up and swung clear of the wheel, when heset out for a run to the little brown house. Mrs. Pepper andPolly and Ben were standing still in the front yard and watchingthem, while Phronsie was making cheeses, holding out her littlepink calico frock to sink slowly in a puff on the grass. 

"Good-by, Mamsie, " cried Joel, flinging his arms around her neck, "I'll be good, I truly will. "

"I know you will, Joel, " said Mrs. Pepper, drawing him close toher, while she kissed and fondled him to his heart's content. Then he rushed back again. Mr. Tisbett leaned down and gave himhis brawny hand once more, and up he flew. "Crack! snap!" wentthe whip--off pranced the horses--round went the wheels--andaway they all went!

Joel hung to the railing of the seat against which he leaned, with a blissful feeling that he was rushing through the air, andhe saw nothing but those black horses below him. As for littleDavie, he didn't dare to breathe, but peered out from his placebetween Mr. Tisbett's long, square figure and Joel, seeingnothing, only conscious that everything was perfectly beautiful. 

Mr. Tisbett slackened up after about a mile of this sort ofdriving. He always liked to give a good impression in goingthrough the town. Folks invariably rushed to the windows, andsaid, "The stage is going by, " and they never seemed to be tiredof such amusement. So Mr. Tisbett always gratified them to thefullest extent. To-day, as he hadn't many passengers till hecame to the Four Corners, he let the horses go at their utmostspeed, occasionally glancing at the rapt faces of the Pepperboys, when he would roll his quid from one cheek to the other, and smile in great satisfaction. 

"Easy there, now, " he said to the black horses, holding them upa bit. "Well now, that's something like, eh, Joel?" And heleaned over to see Joel's face. 

Joel was slow in finding his tongue. At last he answered, "Yes, sir, " but continued to stare at the horses. 

"I guess this ere boy likes it, if you don't, " exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, somewhat disappointed at Joel's lack of appreciation, and peering down at Davie. "Eh, David?"

"I think it's just like Heaven, " said little David, with along-drawn sigh of bliss. 

"That's a fact, " cried Mr. Tisbett, well pleased. "And so youliked it?"

"I loved it, Mr. Tisbett, " declared David, solemnly. 

"And you've said it about right, " declared Mr. Tisbett, thesmile dropping away from his jolly face, but the satisfactionremaining. "And I love them two horses's if they was folks. Fact!" And Mr. Tisbett slapped the toe of his big boot with hiswhip. "Now Jerry's a trifle the smartest, and--"

"No! No!" howled Joe, in protest, and leaning clear over Davidso abruptly that the stage-driver started and involuntarilypulled up his horses smartly. "I like Bill the best. "

"Hey--sho, now!" exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, relaxing his tight gripon the reins. "You've waked up, have ye? Well, you set back andhang on to that there railing, or you'll break your neck. Thenwhat would your Ma say to me? and I shouldn't never take youagain. "

"Mr. Tisbett, " said little Davie, deliberately, "I like Jerrythe best, too. I do. "

"No, you don't, " screamed Joel, with a nudge in Davie's side, "Bill's the best. Say so, Dave. "

"I can't, " said little David, quite decidedly, "'cause I thinkjust as Mr. Tisbett does. "

"They're both good; good as gold, " Mr. Tisbett here made hasteto say. "An' sometimes I think one's better'n t'other, an' thenagain I don't know. So, boys, the only way to fix it up straightis to like 'em both best. Well, we're comin' to my firstpassenger, " and the stage-driver chirked up the horses. "Nowstep lively there. " And presently the turn of the road brought themto a white house with green blinds and a big piazza across oneend. 

There was a tall woman walking up and down in front of the house, and by the roadside a great collection of boxes, and a hugecarpet bag, two baskets, and a bird-cage. 

"Beats all how women act, " exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, in vexation. "Why can't she set in th' house and wait for me? I ain't neverbeen late. Now I s'pose she'll take my head off. "

David glanced up in terror at Mr. Tisbett's shaggy head underthe big straw hat, and then at the tall woman who was to take itoff. "Joel, " he whispered, "we mustn't let her. " But Joel had noears for anything that Davie might say, but was occupied inseeing the stage-driver flourish up to meet the passenger. 

"Good mornin', Miss Beaseley, " said Mr. Tisbett, in hispleasantest way, springing over the wheel the moment the horsesstopped. 

"I've been a-waitin' here, " said Mrs. Beaseley, tartly, "thelongest time. I thought you never'd come. "

"'Twould 'a' been a sight easier to 'a' waited in th' house, "observed Mr. Tisbett, composedly, proceeding to pack the arrayof boxes and bags in the coach, "bein's I warn't schedooled toreach here till quarter past seven. And it's just three minutes tothat time now, Marm. " He stopped to pull out an immense silverwatch, the only thing that could draw Joel's attention from theblack horses. Now he stared at it until it disappeared again inMr. Tisbett's waistcoat pocket. 

"Well, you needn't waste the time now, " said Mrs. Beaseley, inasperity. "I'm sure there's little enough left. Put that carpetbag in careful, Mr. Tisbett; it's got some cups and sassers inI'm a-takin' to my daughter in Strawberry Hill. "

"All right, Marm, " said Mr. Tisbett, setting the carpet bag, that seemed in danger of bursting, so full was it packed, on oneof the seats. "I hain't never broke any o' my passengers'belongings yet, and I'm too old to begin to-day. " To which Mrs. Beaseley deigned no reply, only to say, "You put 'em all in, andI'll get in last. "

So Mr. Tisbett put in the bandbox and a smaller box, and one twoor three sizes larger, and the rest of the bags and the twobaskets, and a bundle. Then he picked up the birdcage. 

"You let that be!" screamed Mrs. Beaseley. "I'm a-goin' to takethat in my hand; you'll scare that bird to death. "

"You get in and set down, and I'll hand it in to you, " said Mr. Tisbett. "I ain't a-goin' to scare your bird. I've seen 'embefore, and handled 'em, too, for that matter. "

"I shan't set foot in that stage till all my things is in, andpacked to suit me, " declared Mrs. Beaseley, positively. "Yougimme the bird;" with that she seized the bird-cage, and holdingit well before her, she stepped up the first step. The nextminute she was precipitated on the floor of the stage, with thebirdcage under her. When she was helped up, and the bird-cagewas set on the seat opposite, Mr. Tisbett slammed to the stagedoor quickly, and hopped nimbly to the box, leaving herstraightening her bonnet. All the while she was giving vent to atorrent of abuse because the stage-coach steps were too high, the bird screaming and fluttering wildly in fright. 

"Didn't I tell you she'd take my head off?" said Mr. Tisbett, with a sly wink at the boys, and a little chuckle as he resumedthe reins and they started off. 

Little David drew a long breath of relief, and gazed again atthe shaggy head under the old straw hat. "It isn't off, Mr. Tisbett, " he said, "and I'm so glad. "

"Hey?" exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, staring at him. "What's the boymean? Oh, --my soul an'--body!" And he slapped his thigh with hisbrawny hand, and burst out into a hearty laugh that seemed toecho on every side, as the stage-coach spun along. 

"I sh'd think you'd laugh, " exclaimed Mrs. Beaseley, inwithering scorn, inside the vehicle, "when I've smashed my bestbonnet, and shook that bird to death--like enough he'll die--andtromped all up the front breadth to my dress. " But as there wasno one to hear her, and Mr. Tisbett still laughed on, seemingunable to stop himself, the stage-coach contributed a very merryspectacle to those privileged to see it, as they bowled along tothe next passenger for Strawberry Hill. 

"So you thought she'd really took my head off, did ye?" asked Mr. Tisbett at last, and mopping his face with his bandanna. "O dearme! Hee-hee-hee!"

"You said she was going to, Mr. Tisbett, " said little David, gravely. 

"So I did. I see I must be careful what I say, after this. Well, David, she'd like to 'a' took my head off, an' would, if she'dhad her way. "

"O dear!" exclaimed little David, greatly shocked. 

"But she hain't, yer see, " finished Mr. Tisbett, cheerfully, "it's on, an' set stiddy. Sho, now, easy there, Bill and Jerry!We must stop for Mr. Filbert. "

The next passenger was a thin, wiry little man, who seemed tobeg pardon constantly for being in somebody's way. And after Mr. Tisbett had slung his hair trunk on the rack, Mr. Filbertstepped gently into the stage-coach. "Excuse me, Marm, " he saidto the woman. "Did I step on your toes?"

"You hain't hurt me none, " said Mrs. Beaseley, "and you hain'tteched my toes. Goodness me, after the treatment I've had, an'th' sass I've took, I guess I won't complain. "

The little wiry man sank into the furthest corner and pulled outfrom his pocket a newspaper, which he tried to read. But Mrs. Beaseley, beginning on the statement of what she had sufferedwaiting for Mr. Tisbett, and every minute since the journey wasbegun, Mr. Filbert never got more than ten lines down the firstpage. 

At last, after picking up a little girl, and a boy who spent histime in thrusting out his head from the swinging vehicle tostare enviously up at Joel, the stage-coach rattled in finefashion, bringing everybody to the doors and windows, intoStrawberry Hill, and pulled up at the tavern. Here all thepassengers got down; Mrs. Beaseley insisting that she ought topay but half price, considering all things, and with very blacklooks, when Mr. Tisbett coolly waited till every cent was in hispalm. The little thin man skipped nimbly out of the coach, and, with a backward alarmed look at her, hurried to get into a wagonwaiting a little distance off, in which Mr. Tisbett depositedthe hair trunk. 

"Say, how'd you get up there?" asked the boy, tumbling out ofthe coach to stare up at Joel. The small girl, who was going tospend Sunday at her grandmother's, got out with dignity, carrying her best clothes in a bundle. She stopped a minute tohear what Joel said. 

"I stepped up, " said Joel; "how'd you s'pose?"

"How'd he let you?" persisted the boy, pointing with a dingythumb to the stage-driver. "He never let me. "

'"Cause he did, " said Joel, curtly, "that's the reason. "

"Oh!" said the boy, and Mr. Tisbett coming back, he moved off. But he still continued to watch. 

"Now, says I, we'll hop down, " cried Mr. Tisbett, which Joelproceeded to do in a trice, glad enough to stretch his legs. "Here, David, give us your hand. " And the stage-driver soon hadlittle David on the ground. "Now, Bill and Jerry, it's yourturn. " And very soon Mr. Tisbett was busy in unbuckling strapsand tackling, to release the big horses, Joel in a wild delightgetting dreadfully in the way, and being, as he thought, animmense help. Little David stood off and watched the proceeding, longing to help too, but too timid to say so. The other boyrushed up. "Oh, let me help!" he cried, thrusting a tousled headin between the two busy with the harness. 

The stage-driver shot him a keen look. "It will be time enoughfor you to help in this ere job, Jim, " he said, "when I ask you. "So Jim slunk off, to stare at a distance again. And at last thehorses were led off to the big barn to get their dinner of oatsand hay, and then Mr. Tisbett drew Joel and David away. 

But this was a hard task, for Joel hung over Bill and Jerry indelight, watching every mouthful. "Can't I climb up on his backand sit there while he eats?" he begged, pointing at Bill, whileeven little David much preferred the old barn with its sweetodor, and the big haymows, to any other place. 

"No, you can't, " said Mr. Tisbett, answering Joel. "And youain't a-goin' to be in this barn. I can't leave you here alone. Your Ma wouldn't like it. And besides, you've got to havesomethin' to eat. I always get my dinner here. So come along;you're my company to-day, an' I told Mrs. Pepper not to put youup anything to eat. "

Strangely enough, at the mention of dinner, Joel still clung tothe hope of remaining with the horses. Seeing which, the stage-driverwasted no more words, but picked an end of his jacket in his fingersand bore him off. Once within the cosey little dining room, withthe green paper shades flapping in the summer breeze, and seatedat the table with the tavern-keeper's wife bustling around to layon the hot dishes, Joel thought differently, and had a hard timeto keep his tongue still. Little Davie watched everything silently, with wide-open blue eyes. 

"I'm goin' to hev ham an' eggs, " said Mr. Tisbett. "Fried onboth sides, Mrs. Green, an' plenty of 'em. "

"All right, " said the tavern-keeper's wife, with a smile for thejolly stage-driver who always made it pleasant for them all whenhe took his dinner there once a week. "Now, what's these boysgoin' to have?"

"As good a dinner as you've got in the house, Mrs. Green, " saidMr. Tisbett, heartily; "these are the little Pepperses, and theylive over to Badgertown, Marm. " He said this with an air much ashe might have announced, "This is the Lord Mayor of London, " ifhe had been called upon to introduce that functionary. 

"Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Green, much impressed, "I'll do my best. Well now, I've got boiled dinner an' a raspb'ry shortcake. Doyou think they'd like that?" She appealed to the stage-driver. 

"Yes sir-_ree_!" cried Joel, smacking his lips; "we don'thave anything but potatoes and salt for our dinner. Oh, David!"he seized little Davie's arm tightly, "raspberry shortcake, shesaid; that's what Polly was telling about she hoped we couldhave sometime. "

XVII

THE FIGHT AT STRAWBERRY HILL

"Now, then, " exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, when dinner was over, and thelittle Peppers declared they couldn't eat any more, "I'm a-goin'to set out on th' porch a minute or two. I allers let Bill an'Jerry rest a full hour, " pulling out the big silver watch again. 

"When I'm a man, " cried Joel, leaning back in his chair, wishinghe could eat some more raspberry shortcake, "I'm goin' to have awatch just like yours, Mr. Tisbett. "

"I thought you were going to have horses just like Bill an'Jerry, " said Mr. Tisbett, in surprise. 

"Oh, I am!" cried Joel, in alarm at being misunderstood;"exactly like Bill and Jerry. "

"You ain't goin' to have horses an' a watch!" cried the stage-driver, keeping very sober. "You must choose between the two. "

"Then I'll take the horses, " decided Joel, quickly. 

"You've got two, Mr. Tisbett, " observed David, quietly. 

"Eh? Oh, so I have!" cried Mr. Tisbett. "Well, p'r'aps we'll letJoe have 'em both, then; that is, if he's a good boy. Well, can't either on you eat any more? What a pity, an' Mrs. Greenhas such good things. "

The tavern-keeper's wife cried out that some way her raspb'ryshortcake wasn't quite so light as what she had day beforeyest'day. "La, Mr. Tisbett!" she exclaimed, smoothing her aprondelightedly, "if you'd only happened along then, 'twould 'a'melted in your mouth. "

"This suits me to a T, " said Mr. Tisbett. "Now, Joel, if you andDavid will play round here real pretty, an' be good boys, I'llset on th' porch an' pass th' time o' day with the folks. "

The little Peppers promising they would be as good as could be, Mr. Tisbett slouched off to the big arm-chair, where he alwaystook his accustomed rest at Strawberry Hill while the horseswere put up in the barn. Joel ran back to tell Mrs. Green, "Ilike you, --I do; you make awful nice things, " and David echoedthe same, as they both scampered out of the house. 

"I declare, they're as pretty-behaved children's I ever see, "confided the tavern-keeper's wife to the rest of the family whowere at home, the tavern-keeper himself being away for the day. "Poor things, although they were so hungry, an' they don't getmuch to eat at home, they didn't grab an' pick at things. " Andshe made up her mind to put up a little bundle of her sugarcookies for them to eat on the way back. 

"I wish we could have taken some of the raspberry shortcake hometo Polly, " mourned Davie, speaking out what had been running inhis mind all through the dinner. "She's never tasted any. "

"Well, we couldn't, " said Joel, with a qualm of consciencebecause he hadn't thought of it before; "Mamsie's told us itisn't nice to speak of taking things home. Hurry up, Dave, " asthey raced on. "I know it, " said little Davie. But he sighed, nevertheless. 

"Now where'll we go?" asked Joel, leaning breathless against thebig maple on the edge of the back dooryard. 

"Mr. Tisbett said we were to play round here, " said little Davie. 

"Of course, " assented Joel, in a superior way "Well, let's peekin th' barn the first thing. "

"Oh, Joe, we mustn't go in!" exclaimed little David, holding himback. "Mr. Tisbett said we weren't to be in the barn. "

"I know it, " said Joel, twitching away. "I said peek, Dave. Mr. Tisbett didn't say not to do that. " So both boys got as far asthey could on the threshold of the big sweet-smelling barn, without stepping over the sill, and craned their necks to get asight of the two black horses. 

"I can't see 'em! O dear me!" cried Joel, grumpily. "I wishthere was a window we could climb up to. "

"We can hear 'em eating, " said little David, taking greatsatisfaction in that. 

"Hoh--what's that! I want to see 'em, " Joel ran on discontentedly. "O dear me! Mr. Tisbett wouldn't care if we just stepped in upto that post. "

"Yes, he would, " cried Davie, in alarm lest Joel should reallystep over. 

"Let me alone, " cried Joel, crossly. "O dear me! I can't see abit of 'em. " And in a minute, without stopping to think, hehopped over the door-sill and jumped into the barn. 

Little David stood still in terror. 

"Come here, Dave, " called Joel, in glee, being careful not to gobeyond the big post, "you can see 'em just as good's can be. Bill's got his mouth full of hay, an' he's bobbing his head, andthe wisps are tickling Jerry, an' he don't like it, " and Joellaughed heartily. 

Suddenly somebody slapped David on the back, precipitating himover the sill, and "Jim" ran in past him. "Helloa. What are youdoin'?" he asked Joel. 

Joel looked at him, but didn't answer. 

"I live here, " said Jim, "over in Strawberry Hill. An' Mrs. Green's my a'nt; and I've just come home from my grandmother's. "

Joel said nothing as to this family history, but continued togaze at the horses. David picked himself up from the barn floor, and hurrying out over the sill, began to dust his clothes, gladthat Joel had not seen him tumble in. 

"I knocked him over, " snickered Jim. "Hee-hee! Cry-baby!" and hepointed to little David, whose face was quite red as he tried tobrush his best clothes clean again. 

"I'm not crying, " said Davie, indignantly, and raising his hotface. 

"You knocked him over!" cried Joel, boiling with wrath, and, deserting the big post, he squared off toward the StrawberryHill boy, and doubled up his little brown fists. "Then you'vegot to fight me. "

"All right, " said Jim, glad he was so much bigger. "I know aplace down in th' cow-pasture where I can lick you's easy'snot. "

"You ain't a-goin' to lick me, " cried Joel, sturdily, "I'm goin'to lick you, " while little David, sick with terror, screamed outthat he wasn't hurt; that he didn't care if Jim did push himover, and for Joel to come back--come back! But Joel and Jimwere already halfway to the cow-pasture, and Davie, wild withfright, stumbled over across the barnyard, and off to the houseto find Mr. Tisbett. 

"He's just gone into th' house, " said one of the farmers whoalways took this hour, on the occasion of the stage-driver'sweekly visit, to come to the tavern porch and get the news. "He'll be out in a minute or two. Sit down, sonny; you'redreadful hot. "

But David wrung his hands, and rushed into the tavern. Thedining room was dark and cool, all the dinner things beingcarried out, except the pickle dish and the sugar bowl; and thecrumbs swept off from the table, and the green blinds pulled to. He could hear the rattle of the dish-washing and the clearing-upgenerally out in the kitchen, and he plunged in. "Where--where'sMr. Tisbett?" he cried, his breath most gone, from fright, andhis little face aflame. 

"Goodness me, how you scart me!" exclaimed the tavern-keeper'swife, who, with another woman, was flying around to get the workdone up. "Oh, it's one of the Pepper boys. What's the matter, dear?" with a glance at David's hot face. "What you bena-runnin' so for?"

"Joel. " It was all David could say, as he pointed off where hethought the cow-pasture was. "Somethin's happened to that otherboy. Didn't you say his name was--Joel?" said the other woman, fastening very small but sharp eyes on David. 

"Mercy me! you don't think it!" exclaimed the tavern-keeper'swife, her ruddy face taking a scared expression. "Dear me! Imust call Mr. Tisbett. Mr. Tisbett!" she screamed, running, ifthe speed she now exercised could be called by that name, forit was more like waddling, out to the porch. 

"He isn't there, " gasped David, following her. "Oh, dear Mrs. Green, please hurry and find him, " he implored. 

"I don't know no more'n the dead where he is, child, " said Mrs. Green, turning a perplexed face to David, after the old farmerhad said the same thing over again. "Mr. Tisbett's got the runo' the place, an' likely as not, he's stepped to one o' theneighbors, " pointing to a small cluster of houses a quarter of amile away. 

Little David groaned and clasped his small hands in distress. 

"Then nothing can stop their fighting?" he exclaimed in despair. 

"Fighting? Who's fighting?" demanded Mrs. Green, sharply. 

"Joel and Jim, " said David, glad to think he'd remembered whatMr. Tisbett called the boy, yet sorry, as it flashed over him, that the tavern-keeper's wife was his "a'nt. "

"He pushed me down, " and his face turned more scarlet yet. But it was necessary to tell the dreadful thing, else Mrs. Green would think Joel was to blame in beginning the fight. 

But the tavern-keeper's wife had her own reasons for believingdifferently. And without wasting her breath on words, except toask David, "Where?" she flung her dish-towel, which she had beencarrying in her hand, across her arm, and picking up her skirts, she made remarkably good time across the barnyard by a shortercut, which she was familiar with, to the cow-pasture. 

Jim saw her coming first, and much as he disliked on ordinaryoccasions to see his "a'nt, " he now hailed her approach withsecret delight, for the Badgertown boy was giving him all hecould do to protect himself. So he now shouted out, "My a'nt'scomin'. Stop!"

"I don't care, " cried Joel, pommelling away. So Jim struck backas well as he could, longing to hear Mrs. Green scream out, "Stop!" which she did as soon as she had breath enough, andshaking her dish-towel at them. "You wait there, Jim, " shecommanded, on top of her call, as she came panting on; and Jim, looking all ways for escape, saw there was no use in attemptingit. When she did reach him, she seized him and shook him tillhis head seemed to wobble on his shoulders. Then, with aresounding box on the ear, that seemed like a clap of thunder, she paused to take breath. 

"Oh, " begged little David, "don't hurt him, dear Mrs. Green. "

"Why did you stop us?" glowered Joel, wrathfully, turning hisbloody little nose up in scorn. "I could 'a' done that to him'seasy as not, if you'd let me. "

Mrs. Green stamped her ample shoe on the ground. "You start forhome, " she said to Jim, "an' tell your Pa if he lets you showyour face over here for a long spell, he'll settle with me. "

Jim took one dive across the cow-pasture, scaled the fence, anddisappeared. 

"Now you come along of me, " said Mrs. Green. "Goodness landalive! I'm all shook to pieces, " and she started for the tavern. "I'll wash your face, " to Joel; "then I guess you ain't hurtmuch, " yet she regarded him anxiously. 

"I ain't hurt a bit, " declared Joel, stoutly, and wiping off theblood with the back of one chubby hand. "And I could 'a' lickedhim's easy as nothin', " he added regretfully. 

"I wish I'd let you, before I took him in tow, " said thetavern-keeper's wife, hastily, getting over the ground as wellas she could. 

"Mamsie wouldn't have liked it, " cried little Davie, running onunsteady feet by Joel's side, and looking at him sadly. "Oh, no, she wouldn't, dear Mrs. Green. "

"I don't s'pose she would now, " said Mrs. Green. "Well, Jim's abad boy, if I am his a'nt. Like enough he'll git a trouncingfrom his father, " she added cheerfully, as some compensation. 

"What is a trouncing?" asked Joel, suddenly, as they hurried on. 

"The land alive, don't know what a trouncing is!" ejaculated thetavern-keeper's wife. "It's a whipping, and Jim's father knowshow to give it good, I tell you. "

Joel stood still. Little David stared in horror in Mrs. Green'sface. 

"I don't want him to be whipped, " said Joel, slowly. It was onething to fight it out with fists in the cow-pasture, but quiteanother to go home to be whipped by a father. 

"Oh, yes, he will, " repeated Mrs. Green, in her cheeriest way, and shaking her head at him. "You needn't fear, Joel, he'llcatch it when he gets home. "

"But I don't want him to, " declared Joel, loudly, not moving. "He mustn't! Stop his father from whipping him! He shan't. " Andbefore Mrs. Green could recover from her astonishment, heplunged her deeper yet, by bursting into tears. 

She gazed from him to David, still shaking her head helplessly. "Well, if Iever!" she exclaimed, when she came out of it. 

"And I shall just run and tell his father not to, " blubberedJoel, realizing if Jim was to be saved from that awful whipping, he must be the one to do it. "Where does he live?" he cried, emerging from his tears at the chance of action. 

"Over there, " answered the tavern-keeper's wife. "Well, if Iever!" pointing to a yellow house. She kept ejaculating thisover and over, as she pursued her way to the house, thoughtfullyswinging her dish-towel. 

Joel, with David at his heels, ran off across the cow-pasture, tumbled over the fence, and followed the direction that Jim hadtaken and that Mrs. Green had pointed, leading to the dingyyellow house. 

Long before they reached it, they could hear squeals that werenot pleasant to hear, and that made them quicken their pace, to run around the house-place, and plunge almost into the faceof an untidy woman who hurried to the door. 

"What d'ye want?" she demanded, as the two boys stopped pantingbefore her. 

"Jim, " gasped Joel. 

"And his father, " added little David, breathlessly

"They're both out there, " said the woman, pointing with the handholding the dish-towel, to the dilapidated woodshed. "He'sgittin' a lickin', and Pa's a-givin' it. "

The squeals were now so much worse that Joel gave a plunge thatcarried him to the woodshed door, and little David, his heart inhis mouth at thought of Jim's father, followed as best he could. Joel dashed in. "Oh, do stop!" he screamed. 

Jim's father turned; he had a big stick in his hand. When littleDavid saw it he shuddered and sat down helplessly on thewoodshed floor, in among all the clutter and dirt. Jim, with hisknuckles twisted into his streaming eyes, whirled around fromunder the big hand grasping his collar. When he saw Joel, hescreamed worse than ever. "Don't let him kill me, Pa, " he roared, huddling up to him. 

Joel sprang up to a tall, big-shouldered man with a bearded face. "Oh, sir, " he cried, "please don't whip Jim any more--p'r'aps hedidn't mean to push David over, I don't b'lieve. Don't whiphim. " He put out his little brown hand, and boldly seized thestick. 

"Hey?" roared the big man. "Well, I'm beat all to smithereens, "and his hand holding the stick dropped to his side. Jim stoppedfrom sheer amazement, the roar dying in his throat. 

"If you'll only let him go, " said Joel, "I'd be much obliged, sir, " remembering how Mamsie said he should be polite whenasking a favor. 

The big man grinned all over his bearded face. "I don't see butwhat I've got to, you ask me so pretty, " he said, showing nearlyevery tooth in his head. "Well, Jim. You're let off for thistime. I hadn't only just begun, " he added to Joel, as he hung upthe stick on a beam. 

Jim bounded off, climbed a tree, and watched to see the boys goaway. 

[Illustration: "OH SIR, ' HE CRIED, 'PLEASE DON'T WHIP JIM ANYMORE'"]

"What's your name?" asked his father, as Joel helped David tohis feet, and they started off. 

"Joel Pepper, " he answered, "and this is my brother David. Sayhow do you do, Dave, " he whispered, pulling his sleeve. Butlittle Davie was too far gone in distress to speak, only tosmile faintly. "And we live over in Badgertown in a little brownhouse, " continued Joel, feeling that he ought to make up forDavid's silence. 

"Oh!" said Jim's father. 

"And we must go now, " said Joel, keeping hold of David's jacket, "'cause you see Mr. Tisbett may be wanting us"--very desirous ofgetting away. 

"Did ye come with Mr. Tisbett?" asked the big man. 

"Yes, we did, " said Joel. "Come on, Dave. We must go, sir. Good-by. "And pulling David along, he ran at a smart pace off toward the tavern. 

Mr. Tisbett was standing on the porch, just starting for them, when the two boys ran up. And in front of him was the tavern-keeper'swife, telling the whole story as far as she knew it, the old farmerhitching forward his chair to catch every word. When thestage-driver saw them, he hemmed loudly, and made a sign forMrs. Green to stop. 

"Well, now, I s'pose, " he drawled, "it's about time to hitch upthem horses. Want to come and help, Joe and David?"

Joel gave a skip of delight and released Davie's jacket. "Oh, whickety--yes!" he cried. Little David did not answer, butsmiled his pleasure, and the tavern-keeper's wife went into thehouse to get her bundle of cookies ready. 

But just as they got to the barn Joel hung back suddenly. "Iain't goin' in, " he said. Mr. Tisbett didn't hear him, butmarched on. Little David stopped in perplexity. 

"No, I can't, " said Joel, growing very sober, "'cause I wasnaughty and went in. Mr. Tisbett doesn't know it. O dear me!"

"You can tell him, " suggested David, thoughtfully. 

"O dear, dear!" exclaimed Joel, just ready to cry, as he couldhear Mr. Tisbett lift down the harness, and call out, "Standstill, there, Bill--good Jerry. "

"Why, boys!" exclaimed the stage-driver suddenly, coming tothe door, the harness in his hand. "What on earth's the matter?I thought ye was jest crazy to come in, Joel, " he addedreproachfully. 

Then Joel burst right out. "I've been naughty--and went in. " Andhe flung himself across the threshold, shaking with disappointmentat losing the best chance of the whole day. 

Mr. Tisbett looked at Davie for explanation. So David, tellingit as well as he could, got through with the story finally. 

"I can't say that ye warn't naughty, Joel, " said the stage-driver, slowly, "'cause ye were. But I'm a-goin' to let ye in, and besides, I need ye to help me with them horses, " and Mr. Tisbett began tolook very worried at once. 

Joel sat very straight. "Oh, I'll help you, Mr. Tisbett, " hecried joyfully. And in a minute they were all three in the bigstall, and Joel was in the very midst of things, and even Davidforgot his fright enough to lend a helping hand, and to feel hisimportance, and presently the big black horses were led out ofthe barn, and harnessed into the stage-coach. 

"Now, hop up!" cried Mr. Tisbett, when he had gone carefullyaround and around the big coach, to see that every strap andbuckle was in place, and had got down on his knees to be quitesure the springs were all right. Then he gave David a lift up tothe box, Joel clambering up on the other side. "We'll drive upto th' door, " he said, "an' get th' passenger, " for there wasone woman going over to Badgertown. 

"Oh, let me drive!" begged Joel; "just up to the door, Mr. Tisbett, " he implored. 

"We don't want to be upset under folks' noses, " said Mr. Tisbett. "Land! I'd rather 'twould happen where there warn't no one tosee, if 'twas going to. "

"I wouldn't upset it for anything, " promised Joel. "Please, Mr. Tisbett. "

But Mr. Tisbett sat down and gathered up the reins and droveround with such a flourish that it never had been surpassed, itseemed to the people on the tavern porch. And the one woman gotin with her basket, and the tavern-keeper's wife ran down thesteps and stood on her tiptoes and handed up to Joel the bundleof cookies, begging them to come again. And the old farmer said"Good day, " and the woman with little sharp eyes, who had beenwashing the dishes, hurried out, pulling down her sleeves, to seethem off. And away they rattled, with faces turned toward homeand Mamsie. 

They had proceeded about a quarter of a mile, when Mr. Tisbettsuddenly asked, "Want to drive, Joel? Come along over here, " andhe reached past David and took his hand. "Now, then, I'm goin'to set in the middle a little spell, " and before Joel couldrecover from his astonishment, he found the old leather reins inhis brown hands. He was driving Mr. Tisbett's black horses!

XVIII

IN THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE

The delights of that day at Strawberry Hill never died out ofremembrance, as Joel and David went over it constantly, so thatthe whole Pepper family soon felt that they had been of thecompany in the stage-coach along with Mr. Tisbett. Only whenonce the story was told of the trouble with Jim, as it was byDavid, Mrs. Pepper decided that that should never be referred toagain. But her black eyes glowed when little David proudlyrelated how Joel had stopped the beating that Jim's father wasgiving him, although the account was much delayed, Davie was insuch a tremble. 

But the dinner! The two boys couldn't tell enough times to suitthemselves or their audience, about that wonderful meal. 

"How did it taste?" asked Polly, as Joel finished thedescription of Mrs. Green's raspberry shortcake, and smacked hislips over it. 

"Just like all the best things you ever tasted in your life, Polly Pepper, " he answered. "And the juice ran out all over it, and there was sugar on top. "

"Oh, Joel, " cried Polly, incredulously, "not sugar on top, andinside too!" and she paused to think how such a fine shortcakecould taste. 

"Yes, there was, " said Joel; "lots and lots of sugar, PollyPepper, was all sprinkled on top. Wasn't it, Dave?"

"Yes, " said little Davie, and his mouth watered as he thought ofit. 

"And sugar inside--was it sweet?" persisted Polly, stillstanding quite still. 

"As sweet as anything, " declared Joel, positively, and bobbinghis stubby black head. "You can't think what a shortcake thatwas, Polly, if you try ever so hard. "

"Mamsie, " cried Polly, suddenly, "do you suppose we'll ever haveone? Do you?"

"Maybe, " said Mrs. Pepper, not looking into the brown eyes, butkeeping her own bent on her work; "but I wouldn't think of it, Polly, if I were you. Things don't happen if you sit down andfold your hands and watch for 'em. "

"Well, I don't b'lieve it will ever happen that we do get ashortcake, any more than we had a chicken pie, " said Polly, turningaway with a sigh. 

"Why, you had your chicken pie, Polly, " cried Joel, "only 'twasa goose. "

"Old gray goose!" said Polly, scornfully. "It was trimmed with aposy, though, and that was nice, wasn't it, Mammy?" brighteningup. 

"Yes, indeed, " cried Mrs. Pepper, cheerily; "and you baked it sogood, Polly. "

"So it was baked good, " said Polly, all her good humor returning. "And it did not make so much matter, did it, Mamsie, that he wastough?"

"No, indeed, " said Mrs. Pepper, laughing; "he lasted all thelonger, you know, Polly. "

"Mean old gray goose!" exclaimed Joel, at the remembrance; "hemost broke my teeth, trying to eat him. "

"Do you remember, Joe, how you teased for the drumstick?"laughed Polly. "You soon put it down on your plate, didn't you?"

"Yes, " said Joel, bobbing his head, "I remember, Polly. Icouldn't bite a single thing off. Mean old goose!"

"He looked nice, " said little Davie, thoughtfully, "he was sobrown, and there were Polly's flowers on top of him. "

"Yes, " said Polly, "those were nice, children. Well, p'r'apswe'll get a really and truly chicken pie sometime. And if theold stove would behave, and not have these dreadful holes comingall the time, where the putty tumbles out, it would be perfectlysplendid. Now, " cried Polly, running up to the stove, andshaking her brown head at it, "you've got to do your very best. If you don't, I'm sure I shall just give up!"

"Will you cry, Polly?" asked Phronsie, creeping up behind her. 

"Yes, maybe, " said Polly, recklessly. "Yes, I really think Ishall have to cry, Phronsie, if that old stove lets the puttyBen put in last week tumble out again. "

"Then it mustn't, Polly, " said Phronsie, very decidedly, "letthe--What is it Ben put in?"

"The putty, child, " said Polly. 

"It mustn't let the putty tumble out, " said Phronsie. Then sheran up to the stove, and laid her little face up against itscold, black surface, for on summer afternoons there was neverany fire in it. "You mustn't be naughty, old stove, " she said, "for then Polly will cry. "

"Oh, Phronsie!" cried Polly, "you've smutted your face, andblacked up your nice clean dress, " and she pulled her back indismay. 

"O dear!" whimpered Phronsie, in distress, as she looked down atthe long black streak across her pink calico gown. "I didn'tmean to, Polly; truly, I didn't. "

"Never mind, " said Mrs. Pepper, looking across the kitchen;"Mother'll wash it out for you by and by. Put on another one, Polly. "

"Let me wash it, Mammy, " begged Polly, carrying Phronsie off towash her face and get her into another gown. 

"No, you'll only spread it more, for you don't know how, Polly, "answered Mother Pepper. So Polly, feeling as if there were agreat many things she must grow up and learn, hurried off withPhronsie into the bedroom. 

And then it was that Joel suddenly thought of the circus hemeant to have whenever the time came ready. "Come on out to thewoodpile, Dave, " he said, "and let's talk it over. "

It was a good two hours after when Joel and David clambered downfrom the woodpile, and ran into the house. 

"Joel, " said Mother Pepper, "you forgot to fill up the wood box;see, it's nearly empty. "

"It's always empty, " Joel began, his head nearly bursting withbig plans for his circus. 

"Joel, " said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, "don't let me ever hear youfret at your work again. Go straight out and bring in thekindlings. "

"And I'm going to help, too, " cried David, skipping after. So itwasn't very long before the two boys had brought in two goodbasketsful of kindlings, which just filled the wood box behindthe stove. 

"I'm glad it's done, " remarked Joel, with great satisfaction, knocking off the little splinters sticking to his fingers. 

"People always are glad when their work is finished, " said Mrs. Pepper, breaking off a fresh needleful of thread. 

"Shall you be glad, Mamsie?" suddenly asked Joel, who nevercould get over the idea that it was a perfect delight to hismother to sit and sew. 

"Of course she will, " cried Polly, unguardedly. "Mamsie's tiredto death sewing and working all the time. "

Little David's face grew very long, and he turned away, hopingno one would see him cry. Joel burst into a loud fit of sobbing. 

"I think--it's--too--too bad, " he blubbered, covering his facewith his arm, "that Mamsie has--has--to sew and work--all thetime. "

"Now you see, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, putting aside her workand drawing Joel on her lap, "what mischief a few words can do. There, there, Joel, don't cry, " and she patted his black hair. "Mother's glad to work for her children, and she gets restedwhen they're good. " But Joel sobbed on, and she had to repeat itmany times before he would wipe his tears, and be comforted. Little Davie drew near silently, to hear what she said. 

Phronsie, in the bedroom, saw Joel in Mamsie's lap, and Daviehanging over her chair, and she pattered across the kitchenfloor. "Take me, too, do Mamsie, " holding out her arms. 

"So Mamsie will, " cried Mrs. Pepper, heartily, and drawing herup to sit next to Joel, on her lap. When little Davie saw that, "I wish there was room, " he said softly, "to hold me, too, Mamsie. "

"Well, there is, " said Mother Pepper, opening her arms, "and forPolly, too, " for she saw Polly's head drooping from her reproof. 

"Oh, Mamsie!" cried Polly, running over to her, to get withinthe good arms, though she couldn't sit on her lap, of course, asthere were three little Peppers there already; "I'm sorry Ispoke, but I didn't think. "

"Didn't think makes most all of the trouble in this world, " saidMrs. Pepper, gravely; "so see to it that next time you don'thave to make that excuse, Polly child, " and she dropped a kisson Polly's red cheek. 

"It's just this way, children, " she went on, smiling on all thebunch; "Mother is really glad to work, and every stitch she putsin, she keeps thinking, now that's for Ben and Polly and Joeland David and Phronsie. " Mother Pepper's black eyes wentlovingly around on all the faces so near her own. "And I keeplooking ahead, too, to the time when the little brown housepeople are going out into the world and--"

"Oh, we aren't ever going out into the world, Mammy, " declaredPolly, in alarm. "We are going to stay in the little brown houseforever'n ever. "

"Forever'n ever, " echoed Phronsie, folding her hands tightlytogether; while the two boys vociferously protested that nothingshould ever drive them out of the little brown house. "No, noteven to live over in Strawberry Hill with nice Mrs. Green. "

"Well, anyway, we must all live and grow up so that the littlebrown house won't be ashamed of us, " said Mrs. Pepper, "andthat's what Mother is working for; so don't let me hear any morecrying about it. Now remember, all of you. " With that she openedher arms wide again. "Now scamper off, " she said, with a brightsmile, and she picked up her sewing and sent her needle cheerilyin and out once more. 

That evening, after the supper things were all cleared away, Joel began by drawing Davie off in a corner to whisper mysteriously. "Let him alone, Polly, " said Ben, in a low voice. "Joe'll tell of hisown accord, pretty soon. "

And sure enough, it wasn't ten minutes. Mother Pepper had goneinto the bedroom to tuck Phronsie away for the night, when Joelsaid triumphantly, "We know something, Dave and me, and we won'ttell what 'tis. "

"All right, " said Ben, coolly. "Polly, I guess I'll mend Mamsie'swashboard. I shan't have another chance so good this week. "

"I wish you would, Bensie, " said Polly, well pleased, for Pollydearly loved everything kept mended up, and "shipshape, " as Mrs. Pepper used to say. "I'll spread the paper down so you don't getany mess on the floor. " So she ran to the pile of old weeklynewspapers her mother always saved, when any of the Badgertownpeople sent her a copy, as they did once in a while, andflapping one open, she soon had a "paper carpet, " as she saidmerrily, on the floor. And Ben, coming out from the woodshed, with the washboard in his hand, together with the hammer andnails, the kitchen began to hum with the noise. 

"Yes, " said Joel, loudly, "we do; we know something real fine, Dave and I. Don't we, Dave?" with a nip on Davie's little arm. 

"Ow!" said Davie. 

"That so?" assented Ben, coolly. 

"Yes, and we aren't goin' to tell, either, " said Joel, "not asingle word; so there, Ben!" Then he began to whisper as fast ashe could to David. 

"You'll tell, yourself, Joe, without anybody's asking, " said Ben, as Joel began again with: "It's perfectly splendid, Ben Pepper. And oh, Polly, you don't know what we do; does she, Dave?"

"Polly and I will know pretty soon, " added Ben. 

"No, you won't, either, " contradicted Joel. "We aren't ever inall this world goin' to tell of the circus I'm goin' to--"

"There!" shouted Ben, throwing down the hammer. "You've told it, Joe, just the same as I knew you would. Ha, ha!"

"Don't, Ben, " begged Polly, "it teases Joel. Well, we don't knowwhat kind of a circus you are going to have, Joey, " she saidkindly, "so we'll be just as much surprised when we see it. "

"Will you?" cried Joel; "well, then, Polly, I'd rather tell thewhole, if you'll be surprised when you see all the animals. "

"I guess you will, " said Ben, in a low voice; "there's no dangerin promising that. "

"I truly will, Joey, " promised Polly. "Do be still, Ben. "

"Well, to begin with, Polly, there's going to be a rhodo--What'sthat you told us about in your story of the circus?"

"Hoh, hoh!" laughed Ben, busily at work over the washboard, "there's your rhododendron, Polly. I thought Joel wouldn'tforget to have one in his circus. "

"Go on, Joel, " said Polly, with a cold shoulder for Ben. "Now Iknow your circus is going to be perfectly elegant, " she criedenthusiastically, running over to their corner. "Do tell usabout it, Joel. "

Joel, vastly complimented that Polly took such an interest inhis plan, now began lustily to set it forth, and little Daviepiped in whenever there was a chance for a word, which wasn'toften. And finally Ben said, "I guess I'll move my washboard andthe 'paper carpet' up there with you all, " and Polly said, "Oh, do, Ben. "

And presently they were all so very jolly, Ben deciding not tosay anything more of Polly's rhododendron, that none of themknew when Mother Pepper said above their heads, "I thought youdidn't know 'twas five minutes past your bedtime, Joel andDavid, " pointing to the clock. 

XIX

CIRCUS PLANS

Joel practised the part of so many animals in the next week thatthe little brown house people became quite accustomed to anystrange grunting or roaring they might chance to hear, as if awhole menagerie were let loose. Only Mamsie forbade that suchnoise should be allowed within doors. And every once in a whileJoel would rush into the kitchen, with "Polly, how does anelephant scream?" and "Tell me, Polly, does a kangaroo cry thisway?" until Polly was quite worn out. 

"I guess you'll be glad when that circus of Joe's is over with, "said Ben. "I pity you, Polly. I'd enough sight rather chop woodfor Mr. Blodgett. "

"Well, you needn't, " cried Polly, "pity me, Ben, for Joel's sovery happy. And poor Mr. Blodgett! O dear, it's too bad hisbarn's all burnt up. "

"And the horse and the cow, " said Ben, very soberly. 

"Hush!" warned Polly, looking around to see if Phronsie heard. Luckily, she was in the bedroom, sitting down by the lowerbureau drawer, which was open, and trying on her red-toppedshoes, getting every button into the wrong button-hole. "Oh, Ben, " Polly rushed up to whisper in his ear, "I do think thatwas too dreadful for anything. "

"Yes, " said Ben; "it was Mrs. Blodgett sent you word she wassorry she hadn't any milk to send to Phronsie now and then. "

"Good Mrs. Blodgett!" exclaimed Polly, with the tears in her browneyes. "Oh, I do wish we had something to send her!" she sighed. 

And Ben sighed too. Because, as he had been working at DeaconBlodgett's pretty steadily the last few weeks since the fire, hehad noticed how the neighbors and friends had been sending inthings to show how sorry they were for the Blodgett family, andit grieved him dreadfully that the Peppers seemed to be aboutthe only ones left out. So now he preserved a gloomy silence. 

"Well, come, dear me, " cried Polly, when she saw this, and, remembering her mother's advice, to think first before she spokethe words that might work mischief, she brightened up. "P'r'apssome chance will come to us to show dear Mrs. Blodgett thatwe are sorry for 'em, if we can't send 'em things. "

"P'r'aps, " said Ben. But he still looked gloomy. "I can do mywork just as well's I know how, " he thought; "but I'm going todo that, anyway, so I don't see what other chance there'll be. "

"Whom are you going to invite to see your circus, Joel?" askedPolly, a few nights later, when, as usual, after supper, Joelwas haranguing loudly on the great show to take place, and evenlittle David was wound up to such a pitch of enthusiasm that Mrs. Pepper, on seeing his red cheeks, felt a dozen times inclined tosend him to bed ahead of the time. But his happy little faceappealed to her strongly, and she argued to herself, "I don'tknow but what 'twould hurt him quite as much to disappoint him, as to let him sit up half an hour longer. Thank fortune, it'sseven o'clock now!" So David was saved being sent off to bed, until it was time for Joel to go too. 

"I ain't a-goin' to invite any one, " said Joel; "no, sir-_ree!_Everybody's got to pay to come into my show. "

"How much do we pay?" asked Polly. "O dear me, Joe, I don'tb'lieve you'll get many people to see it. "

"Pins, I s'pose, " said Ben. 

"Yes, " said Joel, "pins, an' good ones, too, not crooked, bentold things. "

"Pins cost money, " said Mrs. Pepper, looking up from herwork-basket. "I suppose you know that, Joel?"

"Well, we can't let folks in without paying, " said Joel, in deepanxiety. "'Twouldn't be a circus if we did. "

"I tell you, " said Polly, seeing his forehead all puckered up inwrinkles; "why don't you have some tickets, Joel, made out ofpaper, you know, and marked on 'em for ten cents and fivecents?"

"Where'd you get the paper, Polly?" asked Ben, who was verypractical. "Better not propose anything you can't carry out. Look at Joe's face, " he whispered, under cover of the shoutsfrom the two boys. 

"O dear me!" cried Polly, whispering back, "we never have anything!It's perfectly dreadful, Ben; and we must help Joe. And you knowyourself there aren't any pins hardly in the house, and Mamsiecouldn't give us one of those. "

"You must think of something else besides paper, for that's justas bad as pins, " said Ben, with perfect faith that Polly wouldcontrive a good way out of the difficulty. 

Polly put her head into her two hands, while Joel wasvociferating, "Oh, tickets! Goody! Polly's going to make 'em!Polly's going to make 'em!" in a way to fill her with dismay, while she racked her brains to think what would satisfy Joel asentrance money to his circus. 

"Now, children, " she said briskly, lifting her head, her handsfalling to her lap, "Ben says we can't manage the tickets verywell, because we haven't any paper. " She hurried on, "Be still, Joe!" as she saw signs of a howl. "But I'll tell you somethingelse you might have, Joel, and we've got plenty of 'em, andthey're round, and oh, so nice!" By this time her voice had sucha confident ring, and she laughed so gayly, that little Daviecried out, "I know it's nice, Polly, " and even Joel lookedenthusiastic. 

"It's just as nice, " declared Polly, clasping her hands. "Oh, you can't think! And I'll help you gather some. "

"What is it?" screamed Joel; "do tell, Polly. "

"It's cheeses, " said Polly; "don't you know, Joe, out in theyard?" They were the little, round, green things, so called bythe children, that grew on a little plant in the grass, and theyused to pick and eat them. 

"Oh, they're not money, " said Joel, falling back, horriblydisappointed. 

"Neither are tickets money, " said Polly, airily; "they only meanmoney; and the cheeses can mean it just as well. Besides, they're round. "

"And I think the cheeses are a great deal better than anything, to pay with, " said Ben, coming to Polly's rescue. "And you cancharge as much as you want to, you know, Joe, 'cause they'replenty. "

"So I can, " cried Joel, quite delighted at this. "Well, you mustpay fifty, no, seventy-five cheeses to get in, Ben. "

"Oh, I guess I shall spend my time picking seventy-fivecheeses!" cried Ben; "you must let me in cheaper'n that, Joel. "

"You may come in for ten, then, " said Joel, coming down witha long jump, very much alarmed lest Ben should not be able toget in. And as for having the circus without him--why, that wouldbe dreadful!

"You do think up such perfectly beautiful things, Polly, " criedDavid, huddling up close to her, and lifting his flushed cheeks. 

"Dear me!" exclaimed Polly, catching sight of them, "your faceis awful red. " And she caught Mother Pepper's eye. 

"I know it, " said Mrs. Pepper, the troubled look coming back. She laid down her work. "Come here, David, and let Mother seeyou. "

So Davie got up from the ring on the floor, and ran over to hismother, and climbed in her lap. "I don't see what 'tis, " shesaid, looking him over keenly. Then she made him open his mouth, and she got a spoon and looked down his throat. "It isn't red, "she declared, "and I don't believe it's sore. "

"No, " said little Davie, "it isn't sore, Mammy. Mayn't I go back, now?" he asked, looking longingly over at the group on the floor. 

"I know what's the matter with Dave, " said Ben, wisely. "He'sbeen so many animals this week, Joel's made him, that he's tiredto death, "

"I think you're right, Ben, " said Mrs. Pepper. "Well now, Davie, Mother is sorry to send you to bed before the time--it's tenminutes yet to half-past seven; but she thinks it best. "

"Do you, Mamsie?" said Davie. 

"Yes, I do, " said Mrs. Pepper, firmly. "I really think it's best. You're all tired out, and to-morrow I guess you'll wake up asbright as a cricket. "

"Then I'll go if you want me to, " said David, with a sigh, andsliding out of her lap he went slowly out and up to the loft. 

"I haven't got to go for ten minutes, " sang Joel after him. "Goody, ain't I glad!"

"It's too bad Davie had to go, " mourned Polly; "but I supposeit's best. "

"Yes, " said Ben, "he'd be sick if he didn't. It's most too badhe has to go alone, though, " and his blue eyes rested on Joel'sface. 

Joel began to squirm uncomfortably. 

"Don't you think 'twould be nice, Joe, " said Polly, "for you togo with Davie? He's so much littler; it's too forlorn for him togo up to bed alone. "

"No, I don't, " snapped Joel. "I'm going to stay down and talkover my circus. You may get in for ten cheeses, too, Polly, " hesaid magnificently. 

"Thank you, " said Polly, coldly. 

Joel gave her a queer look. "And I'm going to let Sally Brown infor ten. No, she's got plenty of cheeses in her yard, she's gotto pay more, " he rattled on. Polly and Ben said nothing. 

"I'll go if you want me to, Polly, " at last Joel sniffed out. 

"I don't want you to, " said Polly, still with a cold littlemanner, "unless you want to go yourself, Joel. But I shouldthink you would want to, when you think of poor little Daviegoing up there alone. You know you don't like to do it, andyou're such a big boy. "

Joel struggled to his feet. "I'll go, Polly, " he shouted. Mamsieflashed him a smile as he dashed past and stumbled up the stepsof the loft. 

But the next morning David didn't seem to be bright and wideawake as a cricket, and although there was nothing the matterwith him, except he still had his red cheeks and complained whenany one asked him if he felt sick, that he was tired, that thatwas all, Mother Pepper kept him in bed. And that night he camedown to sleep in Mamsie's big bed, and Polly had a little shake-downon the floor. 

"I wish I could ever be sick!" said Joel, when he saw thepreparations for the night. 

"Oh, Joel, don't wish such perfectly dreadful things, " saidPolly. 

"Well, I never sleep with Mamsie, " said Joel, in an injured tone. "And Davie gets all the good times. "

"Now, Joel, " said Mrs. Pepper, the morning after that, "I'msorry to disappoint you, but you can't have your circus awhileyet, till Davie gets real strong. So you must rest youranimals, " she said with a smile, "and they'll be all the betterwhen the right time comes. "

Joel, swallowing his disappointment as best he could, went outand sat on the back steps to think about it. He sat so verystill, that Polly ran out after a while to look at him. "Oh, Joe, you aren't crying!" she said in dismay. 

"No, " said Joe, lifting his head; "but, Polly, I'm afraid myanimals will all run away if I don't have the circus pretty soon. Don't you s'pose Mamsie'll let me have it in the bedroom Davecould sit up in the bed and see it. "

"Dear me, no, " cried Polly. "The very idea!" Whenever Polly said, "The very idea!" the children knew it was perfectly useless tourge anything. So now Joel sank back on the doorstep andresigned himself to despair. 

"I tell you what I'd do if I were you, Joey, " said Polly, kindly, and running down to sit beside him. "I'd think up all sorts ofdifferent things, and get all ready, every speck. There's reallya great deal to do. And then I'd pick cheeses all the spare timeI had. Oh, I'd pick lots and lots!" Polly swept out her arms asif enclosing untold numbers. "And--"

"What do I want to pick cheeses for?" asked Joel, interrupting. "The folks that pay has to pick 'em, I sh'd think. "

"I know it, " said Polly; "but if you pick a good many cheeses, you can give away some tickets, you know--comple--comple--well, I don't just know what they call 'em. But they let folks inwithout paying. "

"And that's just what I don't want to do, " cried Joe, in highdudgeon. "Hoh, Polly Pepper, I sh'd think you'd know better'nthat!"

"It's just this way, Joel, " said Polly, trying to explain. "Folks thatgive a show always send some tickets to their friends, so theydon't have to pay. I should think you'd want to; why, just think, "she jumped off from the step and stood before him in greatexcitement, "I never thought of it before, " and the color rosehigh on her cheek. "You can ask dear Mrs. Beebe, and Mr. Beebe, and--"

"I won't have Ab'm, " cried Joel; but he was very much impressed, Polly could see, by her plan. 

"No, of course not, " said Polly. "Ab'm has gone back West. "

"And Mrs. Beebe says she ain't ever going to have him again ather house, " added Joel. 

"Well, never mind; and you can ask Mrs. Blodgett. She was sogood to send Phronsie milk; and she's had her barn burnt. "

"Well, Sally Brown'll have to pay, " said Joel, as Mrs. Peppercalled Polly to come in to her work. And he jumped off the stepand began to pick cheeses with all his might. 

XX

CIRCUS OR MENAGERIE?

"You tell Joel, " said Mrs. Beebe, standing in the doorway of thelittle shop, "that I've got some animals I'm goin' to send downto his circus this afternoon, if so be I can't come myself andbring 'em. "

"Yes'm, " said Polly; "and oh, thank you, dear Mrs. Beebe. "

"Whatever can they be?" she cried to herself, racing home on thewings of the wind. "Dear me, won't Joe have the most splendidtime! and dear little Davie, it's good he's rested and well, "and Polly's mind was flying as busily as her feet, as she setall her wits to work to think up everything that could possiblybe achieved to help out the great event. 

When she got home Joel was in a great tribulation. "Polly, Polly, " he mourned, "the tiger's run away. "

"Yes, she has, " declared Davie, mournfully, "and she was thebest of the whole. Oh, Polly!" and he sat down on the step indespair. 

"Now that's too bad!" cried Polly; "but then, dear me, Joe, p'r'aps we can find her. Doesn't Sally know where she is?"

"No--no, " cried Joel, quite gone in distress, and twisting hischubby fingers to keep from crying; "and Mrs. Brown doesn't knoweither. She says that cat never ran away before in all her life, and I'd just got her tamed to carry Seraphina. O dear, dear!"

"Joel, " cried Polly, "I do believe that cat is up in a tree, maybe, near the Browns'. I just mean to run over and call herwith all my might. "

"We've called and called, and every one of the Browns hascalled, " said Joel, "and she won't come. "

David's head sank, and he covered his face with both hands, unable to say a word. 

"Well now, Joel, " said Polly, "I wouldn't care, if I were you;and oh, " she cried suddenly, with delight at the comfort shecould give him, "Mrs. Beebe says she's going to send you someanimals, if she can't come and bring 'em herself. Think of that, Joe!"

"Oh--oh!" screamed Joel, in an ecstasy. "Now I don't care ifthat old cat has run away. She bit me awfully yesterday, " and heheld up his thumb; "and she's a mean old thing, and she wasn't avery good tiger, anyway. "

"Mrs. Beebe's animals will be a good deal nicer, " said littleDavie, bringing up a shining face as his hands fell away. "Whatkinds are they, Polly?"

"I don't know, " said Polly; "that's all she told me. "

"And we've got the monkey left, 'cause I'm going to be themonkey, " said Joel, with a bob of his black head; "and Dave'sgoing to be a kangaroo, only he don't jump as big as he oughtto. "

"I jump as high as I can, Polly, " said little David, getting offfrom his step to go to her side, and look up into her faceanxiously. 

"Oh, I know you'll be a lovely kangaroo, Davie, " said Polly, giving him a reassuring little hug, "and they don't always jumphigh, Joel. "

"Don't they?" asked Joel, in surprise. 

"No, indeed, not unless they want to, " said Polly. "But whydon't you be the kangaroo, then, Joe, and let Davie be somethingelse? Give him the snake, then he won't have to jump, and it'seasier to wriggle. "

"Oh, no--no--no, " cried Joel, in alarm, "I'm going to be thesnake myself, and slash around like everything. Dave can't bethe snake. "

"Well, something else that's as easy as the snake, then, " saidPolly, laughing. "You mustn't tire him all out, Joel, for thenMamsie will have to stop the circus, and _that_ would be perfectlydreadful, you know. "

This made Joel decide at once that he would change his animalsround a bit; so he said, "I'll be the kangaroo myself, Dave. Seehere, " and he executed such a remarkable series of leaps andhops, and long and short steps, that his audience of two werequite overcome with admiration. 

"Oh, I am so glad, Joel, that you'll be the kangaroo, " saidDavie, with a long breath of relief, "for it tired me so to try, and I couldn't do him good. "

"No, " said Joel, coming up bright and shining, as he finishedhis last hop, "you couldn't, Davie. Now you must take some ofthe others then, if you aren't to be the kangaroo. " And he threwhimself on the grass at Polly's feet, as she and David now sat onthe step. 

"Only one, " said Polly; "you mustn't give him but one, Joe, totake the place of the kangaroo. "

"Well, the kangaroo was a big one, " said Joel; "he ought to taketwo others to make up. "

"No, only one, " said Polly, decidedly. 

"I'd rather be a bird, " said little Davie, timidly. 

"Pshaw! a bird!" exclaimed Joel, in high disdain. "I'm not goingto have any old birds. Folks don't have 'em in a circus. "

"Well, this is going to have a menag--menag--" said Polly, whosometimes found it hard to manage all the big words she wantedto use. "Anyway, what Ben called it the other night. He heard'em talking of it at the Blodgetts'. "

"I know, " said Joel, steering clear of the word. "Do they havebirds in that thing that Ben told about?" he asked doubtfully. 

"Oh, yes--beautiful ones--trained to do anything, Joel Pepper, "cried Polly "Oh, your show wouldn't be anything without a bird!"

"Then I'll have one, and Dave shall be it, " decided Joel, veering around. 

"And I'll do things, " cried little Davie, very much excited, andgetting off from his step to hop along the path. "I'll sing. "

"That's nothing!" said Joel, in scorn. 

"And I'll hop and pick up crumbs, " added David, anxious toplease and do everything that a well-brought-up bird should do. 

"Hoh! that won't be anything!" exclaimed Joel, with a witheringlook. 

"I'll tell you, Joel, let's play that you trained Davie, who's abird, you know, to drag Seraphina around. We can tie her on aboard real nicely. "

"Oh, yes, that's prime!" cried Joel, seeing hope ahead forDavid's bird, if Polly only took hold of it. 

"And then you can tell the audience that the trained bird isgoing to ride on the monkey's back, " cried Polly. 

"Oh, hooray!" shouted Joel, prancing off to hop with David downthe path and over the grass. 

"And then when you've got through showing him off, David mustsing a little song to show he is a bird. This way, " and Pollythrew back her head and twittered twee-dee-ed, and chee-chee-ed, and trilled in a way she had, till the boys looked up in thebranches of the old scraggy apple tree to see if there reallywas any little bird there. 

"That's fine!" cried Joel, clapping his hands and drawing a longbreath. 

"Oh, I never can do it so nice as Polly, " said David, in despair, growing quite sober. 

"Polly, " cried Joel, suddenly, "couldn't you stay behind thebushes and sing? and folks will think it's Dave, --the bird--Imean. "

"Why, yes, Joel, if Davie doesn't want to sing, " said Polly;"but he's the bird, you know, so it must be as he wants. "

"But he can't sing good, you know, " said Joel, impatiently. 

"I'd rather you'd sing the bird, Polly, " said little David, "'cause I can't do it good like you; and I'll _be_ the bird. "And he repressed the sigh he felt like giving. 

"Then I will, gladly, " said Polly, who loved dearly to sing. 

"And, Polly, will you play the band?" cried Joel, who had beenso busy getting his various animals planned for and ready, thatthe music was left out of the reckoning. 

"Dear me, Joe!" exclaimed Polly, in consternation. Yet she feltquite flattered. "We haven't any table out here, except the stoneone, " glancing at it, "and my fingers won't make any noise onthat. So I don't see how we can have the band. " Polly alwaysmade her fingers fly up and down on the kitchen table while shesang, pretending it was a piano and she was a great musician, for it was the dearest wish of her heart to learn to play on apiano. 

"Ben can get us a board, I know, " cried Joel, confidently; so heran off to find him in the woodshed, for Ben was home to-day, chopping wood. And pretty soon Joel came running back, proclaimingthat Ben had said yes, if Polly would play, that the board should beall ready. 

"O dear me!" cried Polly. "Well, then, I must hurry and go inand practise, " as she called drumming on the kitchen table; shesaid this with quite an important air, as she hurried into thehouse. 

"Ben's going to be the elephant, isn't he, Joel?" she asked, turning around in the doorway, for Joel changed his animalsabout so often it was difficult to keep track of them. 

"No, " said Joel, "I'm going to be that. "

"Why, I thought you were to be the bear, " said Polly, insurprise. 

"I am, and Mr. Tisbett's black horses, and--"

"You can't be two horses, Joe, " said Polly. "Dear me. Ben mustbe one of them. "

"Well, I'm going to be Bill, anyway, " said Joel, in alarm. "Bencan be Jerry. And I'm going to be Mr. Tisbett and make 'em go. "

"You can't be Mr. Tisbett if you're Bill, " said Polly, indistress. "Oh, Joel, some one else must be stage-driver. "

"This isn't stage-driver, " corrected Joel, in a superior way. "Hoh! don't you know anything, Polly Pepper! It's circus! Andthe horses do things. I saw 'em in the big picture. "

"Well, then, I can be Mr. Tisbett, " said Polly, tingling to herfinger-tips at the prospect. 

"Mr. Tisbett isn't a girl, " said Joel, in scorn. 

"But I can put on Ben's coat, and you can tell 'em I'm Mr. Tisbett, same's you introduce all the animals, " persuasively said Polly, feeling as if nothing could be quite as nice as to be Mr. Tisbettand manage those black horses. 

"Yes, let Polly be Mr. Tisbett, " begged little David, longing tobe that personage himself. "She'll make the circus splendid. "

"All right, " said Joel. "Well, I'm going to jump through thepaper hoops, anyway, on Ben's back. Are they safe?" he askedanxiously. 

"Yes, indeed, " said Polly, who had a terrible time in makingthem, Joel being the most critical of individuals, "as safe ascan be, in the bedroom cupboard;" and she ran off to get them, but not so fast as Joel, who rushed eagerly past her. 

"Take care, Joe, you mustn't get 'em, " warned Polly, dashinginto the bedroom at his heels. But too late! Joel's hands wereon the paper rings, and he clutched them so tightly that, lo andbehold, one little brown fist went clear through one of them, tocome out on the other side!

"Now, see, " began Polly, desperately. Joel gave one look, thenburst into a flood of tears. 

"I've spoiled it! I've spoiled it! Oh, I can't jump through itnow!" he wailed, still holding them closely. "Oh, Polly, I'vespoiled--"

"Well, it's your own fault!" Polly was just going to say, knowing that she would have to make a new one, and where shouldshe get the paper! Then her brow cleared, and she gave a sunnysmile. "Never mind, Joey!" she cried. "There, p'r'aps it isn'tmuch hurt, " and she took the broken one, and began to smooth itout. 

"But it's bursted, " cried Joel, trying to look through the rainof tears. "Oh, Polly! I was going to make the hole when I jumpedthrough. "

"Um!--" said Polly, busily considering. Then she sat down andrested her elbows on her knees, first setting up the poorbursted ring against the bureau; and, with her chin in her hands, looked at it steadily. "I tell you, Joel, what we'll do, " atlast she cried; "those edges where it is torn can be pastedtogether, and--"

"But it'll be a hole!" shouted Joel, who had stopped cryingwhile Polly was thinking, knowing that she would get over thetrouble some way. Now he cried worse than ever. "There wasn'tgoin' to be any hole, till I made one. O dear me!" and he flunghimself flat on the floor, to cry as if his heart would break. 

"Joe, Joe, " cried Polly, running over to him to shake his arm, "you must stop crying this very minute. If you don't, I shallnot do anything for your circus. I won't be one of the animals, nor I won't play any music, nor anything. "

Joel gave a great gasp. "I'll stop, " he promised. 

"Well, now, you must stop at once, " said Polly, firmly, seeingthe advantage she had gained. "So sit up, Joe, that's a goodboy, " as he very unwillingly brought himself up. "Now, then, I'll tell you what I'm going to do, " and Polly seized the poorring, and, tossing back her brown hair, began to pat and to pullthe crooked edges together. 

"You see, Joey, I'm going to put a little border of red paperall around it, " she said, patting and pulling away, "then it'llbe--"

"Oh, now that's goin' to be better than the other one, " declaredJoel, in huge delight, his round face wreathed in smiles. "AndI'm going to break and smash the other one, " and he doubled uphis brown fist and dashed toward it. 

"No, you won't, Joe, " cried Polly, in alarm. "I've only redpaper enough to go on the broken one, so if anything happens tothe other one, deary me! I don't know whatever in the world wecould do. Now run and get the cup of paste in the woodshed, andin the shake of a lobster's whisker I'll have it all done, " sangPolly, gayly. 

"Lobsters don't have whiskers, " said Joel, as he ran for thepaste cup. "Cats do, Polly, but lobsters don't, " as he broughtit back. 

"Oh, yes, they do, " contradicted Polly; "those long thin thingsthat stick out under their eyes. But never mind, anyway, anddon't talk about them, for I've got to put all my mind on thisdreadful ring. "

"Polly, I wish I'd had a lobster in my circus, " said Joel, aftera minute's panic, in which Polly pinched and snipped and pastedand trimmed with red paper all around the hole, till any onelooking on would have said this was going to be the mostsplendid circus ring in the whole world. 

"Dear me, if you haven't enough animals and reptiles and thingsin your circus, Joey Pepper!" exclaimed Polly. "You wouldn't havehad room for the lobster, anyway. "

"But I wish I had him, " repeated Joel, stolidly. 

"And you must leave something for next time, " said Polly, takingup the big ring to whirl it around over her head, to watch theeffect of the red strip. 

"Oh, Polly!" screamed Joel, his black eyes sparkling withdelight, "that's perfectly splendid! and I'll come right smashthrough that red ring. Yes, sir-_ree!_" and he danced aroundthe bedroom, bumping into every object, as he was stretchinghis neck to look at the ring Polly was whirling so merrily. 

"Well, now that's done, " said Polly, with a sigh of relief; "andI'm thankful, Joey Pepper. Yes, it does look nice, doesn't it?"and she surveyed the red border with pride. "Wasn't it good thatMamsie gave me those strips of paper? Whatever should we havedone without them! Well, now, says I, you've got to hurry to getall ready. Three o'clock comes pretty soon after dinner, andthere's ever and ever so much yet to do before you can have yourcircus, Joey Pepper. "

XXI

JOEL'S CIRCUS

"Joel, " cried little David, his cheeks aflame, "Mrs. Beebe hasbrought your animals. Come out to th' wagon. " With that David'sheels twinkled down the narrow path to the gate. 

Joel dropped the wooden box that was to be the tiger's den, ifDeacon Brown's cat should come back, and ran on the wings of thewind to the big green wagon standing out in the road. His blackeyes roved anxiously over all the various things with which goodMrs. Beebe had loaded the vehicle, as she had many errands onher mind, and his heart beat fast at the sight of two or threeboxes that stuck up above the rest, and an old canvas bag on topof them. 

"Here, Joel, " said Mrs. Beebe, her face beaming withsatisfaction. "You climb up behind and fetch down that bag. "

Joel's black eyes stuck out with delight, and he hopped over theback wheel in a twinkling and laid his hand on the old canvas bag. 

"Not that one, " said Mrs. Beebe. "Mercy me, them's Pa's oats hetold me to bring home--the other bag, Joel. "

"I don't see any other, " said Joel, staring around at thevarious things, while his hand fell off from the canvas bag. Hehad been almost sure he heard something stir within it. 

"Dear me, child, " exclaimed Mrs. Beebe, grasping the old leatherreins in one hand, while she leaned back over the seat, "therethey be, " pointing to a paper bag laid nicely in between the twoboxes, so it couldn't fall out. 

"Oh!" exclaimed Joel, swallowing hard. Then he wasn't to get oneof those big wooden boxes, after all. 

"Yes, an' I guess you'll like 'em. " Mrs. Beebe nodded and winkedat him, and smiled all over her round face. "Now you take 'emand git out, that's a good boy, an' be quick, 'cause I've gotsome more arrants to do, an' I'm a-goin' to try to come to yourshow, Joel, seein' you've invited me so pretty. " And withanother bob of her big bonnet she twitched the reins smartly, and the old horse fell into a jog-trot, while Joel did as he wasbidden, and with his paper bag in his hand, sat down on thegrass, trying very hard not to cry. 

"She _said_ animals, " muttered Joel, swallowing somethingthat seemed to stick in his throat. 

"Look in and see, " whispered little David, with a verydistressed face, and sitting down on the grass to put one armaround Joel. 

Joel clutched his bag and stared gloomily. It didn't matter whatit held; Mrs. Beebe had said "animals, " and to find that shehadn't spoken the truth, made him feel so dreadfully that helonged to scream out after her, and tell her he didn't like herany more. He wouldn't ever like anybody who told a lie; andMamsie wouldn't ever let him go to see her, and Polly's browneyes would fill with scorn. Oh, he could feel just exactly howPolly would look, and he shivered. 

"Don't cry, Joe, " said little Davie, feeling the thrill, andhugging him tightly; "and do see what's in it. "

Joel gave one plunge at the bag, untwisted it, and thrust in hishand. Suddenly he started back, nearly upsetting David. "Oh!"

"What is it?" cried Davie, fearfully; "a snake, Joel?"

"No--that is, I guess so, " answered Joel, dragging out a wholehandful of sugar cooky animals, and spinning them on the grassin various directions. "I guess there's a snake there. She_said_ animals, and they _are_ animals, Dave, " and a smile brokeall over his chubby face. 

David took one look at the sugar cooky animals flying over hishead. "Oh, Joe, and they've got currant eyes!" he screamed, andclapped his hands. "See, there's a el'phant! Oh, and a goose, and a monkey!" with a dive at the last. 

"That isn't a monkey!" retorted Joel, with a pause in the workof emptying the bag to investigate the animal in David's hand, "that's a wild-cat. "

"Oh, Joel, is it?" cried Davie. 

"Um!" Suddenly Joel took it out of David's little palm, andpopped one end of it into his mouth. "Oh, goody!" was all hesaid. "Have some, Dave?" and he shook the bag with the rest ofits contents at him. But David was sprawling over the grass, picking up the scattered ones. Suddenly he stopped, with onehalfway to his mouth. "Don't you s'pose Mrs. Beebe wants you tokeep 'em for the circus, and give the folks some of them?"

Joel squirmed uncomfortably, taking large bites of the biggestanimals he could pick out, but said nothing. 

David laid his pig down on the grass, and looked at it wistfully. 

"They're mine, " said Joel, crossly, and speaking as distinctlyas he could for his mouthful, and bolting a rabbit and ahippopotamus together; "an' I'm goin' to eat 'em now. "

David still gazed at his pig, but didn't offer to touch it. Suddenly Joel threw down the bag. "I'm sorry I et 'em, " he saidruefully. 

"You've got ever so many left, " said Davie, cheerfully. 

"An' we'll pick up those on the grass, " said Joel, suiting theaction to the word, "an' save the rest for th' folks. " And hesoon had the remainder safe in the bag, when both the boysrushed into the house to display Mrs. Beebe's gift. 

After this, it was all commotion; so much so that Mrs. Peppersaid she didn't know as she should ever let another circus comeinto the orchard. But her black eyes twinkled, and she patted Joel'shead when she said it, and the anxious look ran away from Joel'sface; and then the dinner of potatoes and brown bread was soonfinished, and Polly somehow or other got the dishes all washedup, and the kitchen as clean as a new pin, ever so much quickerthan on other days, and pretty soon Joel and all his animals andthe musician were out in the orchard in a perfectly dreadfulstate of hurry and confusion. 

But at last the show was in full progress; on the seats of honorwere Mother Pepper and Mrs. Beebe, who got in at the last minute, just before they were to begin. And Grandma Bascom, who wasdelighted to be able to hear for once, as she now could, all theroars of the various animals, while Sally Brown and theHenderson boys made up the rest of the audience. And everybodyclapped their hands, and said, "Oh, isn't that good!" and, "Ithink that is fine!" And Grandma said, "La me!" and lifted herblack mitts, which she had put on to do honor to the occasion, "and who would have thought it!" And Sally Brown and theHenderson boys stared with envy, and wished they were some ofthe animals and having such a good time. And Peletiah solemnlydetermined within himself to get up a circus the very next week. And the excited animals thrilled with delight when it came themonkey's time to perform and jump through the big paper rings. 

Joel bobbed out from behind the bushes, and told the audiencewhat was coming; then he bobbed in again, and Polly and Ben gothim into the monkey skin, --an old brown flannel petticoat thatGrandma Bascom had given the children to play with, "'Cause it'sso et up with moths, 'tain't fit to set a needle into to fix up, "as she said. And Ben made a long, flapping tail out of an old, frayed rope, and Polly had sewed a little tuft of hair, thatcame out of Mamsie's cushion, on top of the monkey's head, pulling it all around the face for some whiskers; so, when Joelwas really inside of it, he was perfectly awful. Particularly ashe showed all his teeth, and rolled and blinked his black eyesevery minute, so that Phronsie, who sat on the grass at Mamsie'sfeet, when she wasn't an animal and needed to perform, shivered, and clung close to Mrs. Pepper. 

"Take me, Mamsie, " she begged. 

"'Tisn't a real, true, live monkey, " cried Polly, rushing outfrom behind the bushes as she heard her, "it's only Joel, Phronsie. "

"It's me, " cried Joel, who had been making faces at Peletiah, but stopping the minute he heard Phronsie. "It's me, Phronsie. "

"I want a monkey, " said Phronsie, bringing her face out fromunder her mother's arm, "but not Joey. Please don't let Joey bea monkey, " and she patted Mrs. Pepper's cheek. 

"Hush, dear, " said Mother Pepper, "you'll spoil Joel's circus ifyou talk. See, Phronsie, the monkey's going to jump through therings. "

So Phronsie sat up very straight in Mrs. Pepper's lap, and thewonderful act began, Polly being the musician, and singing hermerriest, while she drummed with her fingers on the board thatBen had fixed across the stone table, running up and down withso many little quirks and quavers it was really very remarkableto hear. 

Ben held up a big ring, saving the one with the red border forthe last. 

"Hold it higher, " said Joel, in between his roars and grimaces. 

"No, sir, " said Ben, firmly, "you aren't going to jump anyhigher. Go on. "

"Tisn't half as high as I jumped the other day, " grumbled Joel. 

"Go on, " commanded Ben, "or I won't hold it at all, " and Pollybobbed her head at him as she drummed away. "Hurry up, " sheseemed to say. So Joel sprang off from the lower branch of theapple tree and went zip-tear-bang, at the paper ring. Butinstead of going through, he knocked it out of Ben's hand, andwent with it, rolling over and over on the ground. When he gotup to his feet, the big paper ring was all in tags, and the hairon the monkey's head was all over his eyes, and covering his redface. 

"Never mind, Joe, " said Polly, running away from her piano, topull him out straight and fix him nice again, "you'll do it finenext time, I guess. "

"Ben jiggled it, " announced Joel, stoutly, and with a ruefulface as he saw the broken ring. 

"No, I didn't, " declared Ben; "I kept it as steady as could be. But you sprawled your legs and knocked it out of my hand. Take agood flying leap, Joe, and keep your eye on the red border. "

"Yes; I'm so glad there's a red border on it, " said Polly, hopping back to make her fingers run merrily up and down herpiano once more. 

So Joel took a flying leap, keeping his black eyes fixed on thered border, and came through the ring so splendidly thateverybody hopped up to their feet, and shouted and clapped theirhands, Grandma exclaiming, "La--for the land's sake!" whilePhronsie slid out of Mrs. Pepper's lap and gave a squeal ofdelight. 

"Hoh! that's nothing!" declared Joel, and before Ben could sayanything he ran and jumped up on the lower limb of the appletree, and winding his sturdy legs around the trunk, and thenspringing from one branch to another, there he was, before anyone knew it, on the topmost bough!

"O mercy me--he'll be killed!" screamed Grandma, who saw itfirst. Mother Pepper turned swiftly. "Joel!" she was going toexclaim. But in a minute she knew it would be the worst thingin the world to do. So she tried to smile and to say, "Come down, Joey, and be careful. "

But Joel was swinging and slashing the long rope tail, andhaving a delightful time up there in the branches, and roaringand screaming so, that Mother Pepper's quiet tones couldn'tpossibly be heard. 

Polly's face turned very white. "Oh, Ben, he'll be killed!" sheexclaimed. "He won't look at us, and we can't make him hear, "for by that time everybody was shouting at him to come down, andPhronsie was crying as if her heart would break. 

"I'm goin' to hang by my tail, " screamed Joel at them, andbefore any of them could realize what he was doing, he had swungthe long rope over a branch and twisted it up in a knot, then heswung himself out, and let his feet free from the bough. 

Mrs. Pepper seized Ben's arm and said hoarsely, "Go up afterhim. " Ben was halfway up the trunk as fast as he could go, whichwasn't very good speed, as he was always slower at such thingsthan the other little Peppers. When Joel, head downward, saw himcoming up, he screamed, "Ha! I'm a monkey, and you can't catchme, " and he swung farther out than ever. The knot he had thoughtso safe untwisted, and down, down, he went, the long rope curlingthrough the air to wind around his legs. 

It was all done in one dreadful moment, and when they ran topick him up, everything seemed to turn black around Polly's eyes. She never knew how it happened, but there was Mother Peppersitting on the grass with Joel's head in her lap, and Mrs. Beebehurrying into the kitchen for water and cloths to wash the bloodaway, and Grandma waddling down the lane to get things from thecottage. And Ben sliding down the tree, the rest of the littlePeppers crouching up in misery around Mamsie and her boy. 

Polly's white lips only formed the words, "Dr. Fisher--I'll go--youstay here and help Mamsie, " and she was off in a flash. ForPolly could run the swiftest of any of them, her feet hardlytouching the ground. 

Somebody called her name as she spun along the dusty ground, butshe didn't stop--only sped on. But by laying the whip smartlyover the back of his horse, the man in the wagon came up by herside and yelled at her, and then she saw that it was Mr. Tisbett. 

"Oh, I can't stop, sir!" she wailed, clasping her hands, "forJoel's dead, I guess. "

"Now you just git in here, " commanded Mr. Tisbett, getting downto the ground; and without waiting for Polly to obey, he pickedher up and set her on the seat. "I take it you're goin' afterth' doctor. Now he ain't to home, for this is his day forHillsbury, ye know. But I tell you, " he added briskly, as he sawPolly's face, "I'm a master hand at doctorin', an' I'm goin' totake a look at Joel. " All this time he was getting over thewheel and into his seat, and turning down the road toward thelittle brown house. 

"What's th' matter with Joel?" he asked at length, afterslapping Black Bill smartly, who now ran at his liveliest pace. 

"He fell from the apple tree, " said Polly, in a low voice. "Oh, Mr. Tisbett, could you go a little bit faster, please?" sheimplored. 

"Yes, yes, " said Mr. Tisbett, obligingly, and applying the whipagain to the horse's flanks. "Now it's lucky enough my stage-coachgot a mite broke this morning, an' I had to wait over a trip, andso I've met you. We'll soon be there, Polly, don't you worry amossel. I fell out o' apple trees time after time when I was a boy, and it hain't hurt me none. Git ap, Bill! An' at any rate, I'll fixJoel up. I used to be a doctor 'fore I was a stage-driver. Ye hain'tnever known that, hev ye, Polly?" and he smiled down on her. 

"No, " said Polly, with a thrill of hope at her heart. "Oh, ifBlack Bill only would go a little faster!"

"Fact, " said Mr. Tisbett, rolling the tobacco quid into hisother cheek. "I was what ye might call a nat'ral doctor, bone-setter, and all that; never took a diplomy--but land sakes alive, I donno's it's necessary, when ye got to make a bone into shape, to set an' pint to a piece o' paper to tell where ye waseddicated. Git up an' set th' bone, I say, an' if ye can do itall right, I guess it's a good enough job to the feller whatowns the bone. Git ap, Bill!" and they drew up in front of thelittle brown house. 

Mr. Tisbett never waited to ask questions, although Mrs. Pepperlooked at him inquiringly, but just took hold of the job he hadcome to do, and Polly explained to Mamsie. And presentlyeverybody was obeying the stage-driver just as soon as he spokea word. And his big hands were just as gentle and light, and hisfingers, that always seemed so clumsy holding the old leatherreins, were a great deal softer in their touch than Mother Pepper'sown, as they wandered all over Joel's body. 

"That boy's all right, and bound to scare ye a great many times, Marm, " at last he said. "Don't you worry a mite, Mrs. Pepper, he'll come out o' it, when he gits ready. "

But Mother Pepper shook her head as she hung over her boy. 

"Mammy, " said Polly, crawling up to her like a hurt little thing, "I do believe Mr. Tisbett knows, " she whispered. "I do, Mammy. "

But Mrs. Pepper only shook her head worse than ever. 

"What shall we do, Ben?" cried Polly, rushing up to him; "justlook at her, Ben. Oh, what can we do for Mamsie! She's neverbeen like that. "

"Nothing, " said Ben, gloomily; "we can't any of us do anythingtill Joel comes to himself. There won't anything else help her. "

But Mrs. Pepper suddenly raised her head and looked at themkeenly. "Come here, Polly, " and at the same instant it seemed, so quickly she obeyed, Polly was at her side. 

"Mother feels that her boy will be all right, " said Mrs. Pepper. And she even smiled. 

XXII

THE MINISTER'S CHICKENS

Mr. Tisbett was right. And before he left, Joel was sitting onhis knee, and hearing various accounts of Black Bill; how he ranaway once when he was a colt, and Mr. Tisbett never caught himtill he'd chased him over into Hillsbury; and how once, when thepole broke going down a hill, Black Bill had held Jerry fromkicking and plunging loose, and brought 'em all down in safetyto the bottom. 

"I tell you, sir, " declared Mr. Tisbett, bringing his big fistdown on his knee, "that's a horse for you, ef ever there was one. And you shall go along of me sometime, Joe, and have a ride inth' stage-coach again, if your Ma'll let you. "

"Hooray!" cried Joel, hugely pleased. "When I'm a man, Mr. Tisbett, I'm goin' to have a stage just like yours, and twohorses just exactly like Black Bill. "

"Take my advice, " said the stage-driver, "an don't try to gettwo horses exactly alike, 'cause you're bound to be disappointed. Now there's Jerry; ain't a mite like Black Bill, but he's awful goodto run along with him. "

"Then I shall have one like Jerry, instead, " decided Joel, folding his hands in great satisfaction, since Mr. Tisbettadvised it so. "Now I'm going to finish my circus, and bemonkey. " And he began to get down from the stage-driver's knee. 

"You hold on there, " said Mr. Tisbett, firmly; "you've beenmonkey long enough, and scart your Ma and all on us nigh almostto death. Don't you go up that tree again, Joel Pepper! If youdo, I won't take you on no more stage rides with me. You hear me, now. "

Yes, Joel did hear, so although he whimpered and teased, anddeclared he hadn't played monkey more than a half a minute, andhe'd lost most all his circus, Mr. Tisbett sat up stiff andstraight, holding him tightly, and said, "If I hear of you goin'up that ere tree again, you don't go with me. " So Joel promisedhe would be very good, and then he hopped down and got intoMamsie's lap, and let himself be cuddled to his heart's content. 

"My land!" exploded Mrs. Beebe, when quiet was restored. "Ideclare, I'm all beat out. You could knock me down with afeather, " she confided to Polly. "Well, well, well, that boy'ssaved for something. Now, Joel, why don't you have the animalsnow? Did you like 'em?" and she settled her glasses to get agood look at him, and assure herself that he was reallyuninjured. "It's a miracle, " she kept saying to Grandma, whobobbed her cap all the while, as if she heard every word. 

"They were awful good, " said Joel, in satisfaction. "Give me therest of 'em, Polly, " and he held out his hand. 

"So you shall have 'em, Joel, " cried Polly, glad to think therewas something she could do, and she ran and brought the littlesugar cooky animals where she had fixed them in some largeleaves ready for Joel to pass them around among the company atthe close of the performance. 

"Mamsie must have the first one, " said Joel, picking out thebiggest and best, with the largest currant eyes, to force itbetween Mrs. Pepper's pale lips, "then Polly next. "

"Oh, no, Joe, " said Polly, "I'm not company. Give one to Grandmaand to Mrs. Beebe first. "

"Oh, you pretty creature you!" exclaimed Grandma. "So you wantme to have a cake?" as Joel turned to her with one in his hand. 

"Tisn't a cake--it's an animal, " corrected Joel, irritably. 

"Yes, yes--so 'tis a cake, " repeated Grandma Bascom, taking theanimal. 

"'Tisn't, " said Joel. "Mamsie, make her stop saying things thataren't so, over and over. "

"Joel, " said Polly, quickly, "Mrs. Beebe hasn't any animal. Whydon't you give her a--let me see, " and she considered deeply. "I'd give her a bird, Joel, here's a lovely one, " and shepounced on a most remarkable specimen in the bird line one wouldwish to see. "Mrs. Beebe, wouldn't you like that?" she asked. 

"Oh, I should so, " replied Mrs. Beebe, smiling all over her faceto see how well Joel was, and putting out her hand. "Bless yourheart, Joel, I'd rather have the bird than any other. "

"Had you?" asked Joel, greatly pleased. 

"Yes, indeed I had. I always set dreadfully by birds, " said Mrs. Beebe. So Joel gave her the bird, then he leaned over and pickedout a horse, very much baked on one side, and with one leg shorterthan the other "That's for you, Mr. Tisbett, " he said. 

"That suits me, " said Mr. Tisbett, heartily. "Well, now I never!Seems to me I can't eat it, 'twould be almost like chewing up acritter, but I'll keep it to remember you by, " and he slipped itinto his big pocket. Then he got up and shook himself. "And nowI must be a-goin'. Don't you be a mite worried, Mrs. Pepper, take my advice; that boy'll scare you more times than you cancount. So you might as well get used to it. Now look sharp, Joe, and remember what you promised. "

"Phronsie must have the--"

"Oh, Joey, I want the piggie, I do, " cried Phronsie, whose eyeshad been fastened on the cooky animals ever since Polly hadbrought them up on the beautiful green leaves. "May I, Joel?"she begged. 

"Hoh, that isn't good!" said Joel, disdainfully. "He's a horridold pig. "

"Hush, Joey, " said Polly, and her face turned rosy red, remembering Mrs. Beebe. But old Mrs. Beebe only laughed, andsaid she knew the pig wasn't baked good, he would whirl overon one side in the pan. And sometime she would bake Joel agood nice one. But Phronsie kept on pleading for this particularpig. "Do, Joel, please, " she begged, "give me the dear, sweetpiggie. " So Joel put it in her hand, when she cuddled it lovinglyup against her fat little neck, not thinking of such a thing aseating it. 

And then David must pick out the one he wanted, and then Ben. And then all over again, around and around, till there wasn'tanother cooky animal left. And when he saw that, Joel hoppeddown from Mamsie's lap and marched up to Mrs. Beebe. "Youranimals were better'n mine, " he said. 

"They don't tumble out of trees, " said Mrs. Beebe, laughing. Andthen everybody got very merry, and Polly said, Could they play agame? and Mrs. Pepper looked at Joel hopping about, and she said, Yes, with a glad thrill that her boy was safe. "It will help himto forget his accident, " she said to Polly. So after all, thecircus wound up with a fine ending. 

And in the midst of it Mrs. Brown came panting over, havingrun nearly every step of the way. When she saw Joel spinningaround in The Barberry Bush, she leaned against the side of thelittle brown house, and said, "O my!"

Mrs. Pepper hurried over to her. "Sally ran home and said Joelhad tumbled from a tree, so I brought these over as soon's Icould, " panted Mrs. Brown, opening her apron, and there wereever so many bottles of medicine. 

"O dear me!" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper, with a thankful throb tothink they were not wanted, and, "You are so good, Mrs. Brown. "

"So we go round the barberry bush, " sang Joel, piping out theloudest of any one, and kicking up his heels as he danced. 

"Dear me!" said Mrs. Brown, "I never did, in all my life! Justhear that boy!"

And she hadn't been gone but a moment or two, carrying her apronfull of medicines with her, before Mrs. Henderson came hurryingalong down the dusty road. Her face was flushed, and she lookedanxious enough. Mrs. Pepper said, "Run, Polly, and meet her, andtell her Joel is all right. Bless her! She is a parson's wife!"

So Polly ran with all her might, and stood before Mrs. Henderson, flushed and almost breathless. 

"Joey's all well, " she managed to say. 

"Thank you, Polly, " said Mrs. Henderson, smiling down into theflushed face. "And I am so glad to know it, for Peletiah camehome very frightened. Well, take your mother this. Stay, Ibetter go and see her, I guess. " So she went up to the littlegroup back in the orchard, and heard all about Joel's accidentfrom himself, as he wanted to tell it all, up to the time whenthey picked him up. 

Mrs. Henderson wiped her eyes many times during the recital, then she drew Joel to her. "You must come over to see my newchickens some day. "

"I'll go to-morrow, " said Joel, sociably, "if Mamsie'll let me. "

"Oh, Joey!" reproved Mrs. Pepper. "Please excuse him, " to Mrs. Henderson, "he doesn't think what he is saying. "

"So you shall, Joey, " said the parson's wife, with a pleasantsmile, "and bring the others with you. Let them come, Mrs. Pepper, do. "

"Ben can't go, of course, " said Mrs. Pepper, "and Polly can't, either, " and her face grew sober, "for Mr. Atkins says I may getsome more coats to-morrow morning, and she's getting so shehelps me a good deal. "

"Never mind, " said Polly, trying to laugh. How she would love tosee those new chickens!

"Polly shall come some other time, " said Mrs. Henderson, with akindly smile on her face. "To-morrow afternoon, Mrs. Pepper, atthree o'clock, please let them come over. "

So the next afternoon Joel, with many injunctions to be good, escorted the other two children to Parson Henderson's, Mrs. Pepper and Polly watching them from the door stone as theytrudged off down the road, Phronsie clinging to Joel's hand, andDavid on the other side. 

"She's a parson's wife, now!" said Mrs. Pepper for the fiftiethtime, as the children turned the bend in the road, and wipingher eyes she went back into the house to pick up her sewing andgo to work. "Well, Polly, you and I will have a fine time to flyat this now. "

The two needles clicked away busily enough as Polly sat down onthe cricket at Mrs. Pepper's feet. "Whatever should we do withoutMr. Atkins, too, Mamsie?" she said. 

"Polly, " said Mother Pepper, suddenly, and she laid down herwork a moment, although time was precious enough, "Mother'ssorry you couldn't go, too. But a nice time will come for yousometime, I hope, " though she sighed. 

"Never mind me, Mammy, " said Polly, cheerily. 

"But I can't help minding, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, sadly, "when I think how few nice times you have. But I'll try all theharder. " And she picked up her work again, and made the needlefly faster than ever. 

"And it's so very nice that Joel can go and see those newchickens, " said Polly, suppressing a sigh, "after he fellyesterday, and Phronsie, oh, you can't think, Mamsie! how sheruns on about the chickens she saw there once. "

"Yes, it is nice, " said Mrs. Pepper, but she sighed again. 

Meantime Joel was in a state of supreme delight. Kneeling downin front of the coop, with his face pressed close to the bars, he was watching every movement of the fluffy little things, countingthem over and over, and speculating what he would do if they werehis, Phronsie crouching down by one side, while David was as closeon the other, and all three children speechless with delight. 

Presently Joel broke the silence. "I'm going to take out one, "he said. 

"Oh, no, Joe!" cried Davie, in alarm, and tumbling backward fromthe coop. 

"Yes, I am, " said Joel, obstinately, who never could brookinterference. "It won't hurt it a bit, and I'll put it rightback. "

Phronsie didn't hear him, her whole attention being absorbed bythe wonderful chickens. So Joel cautiously pulled up one slat ofthe coop a very little way. "There, you see, " he cried inexultation, "I can do it just as easy as not;" when a bee, humming its way along, stung him smartly on the arm, and Joeltwitched so suddenly that up went the slat quite high, andbefore he could stop them, out walked the old mother hen, andtwo of her children. 

"Oh, Joe, Joe! they're out!" screamed David. Phronsie rolledover on the grass in a little ball, as Joel knocked against her, and nobody thought for a moment of shutting the bar down. Sothree more chickens stepped out and hopped away over the grass. 

"Oh, Joe, Joe, they're all coming out!" cried David, quitebeside himself with horror. 

"Shut the bar! shut the bar!" screamed Joel, running hither andthither, and only making the mother frantic, in her efforts toget away from him, and to protect her brood. 

"I can't, " mourned Davie, tugging bravely at it. So Joel stoppedchasing the hen and the chickens, and rushed up to slam down thebar, and two more chickens having hopped out in the meantime, there they were--seven downy little balls, hurrying about in agreat state of excitement to reach mother, who was cluckingnoisily for them to hurry and come under her wing. 

"Oh, Joe! see what you've done, " cried Davie, in distress, trying to help in every direction, but only succeeding ingetting in the way. "O dear me! You can't ever get 'em back inthe coop, in all this world. " Phronsie, meanwhile, pickedherself up, and eagerly entered into the chase, gurgling indelight as she pattered first after one little fluffy ball, andthen another. 

"Yes, I can, " said Joel, confidently, rushing here and there. "You stand still, Dave, and don't let 'em get by you. ThenI'll drive 'em up. "

But after about five minutes of this sort of work, Joel foundthat he couldn't do it very well, for as fast as he got onechicken headed for David, the others all scattered in everydirection, while Mistress Biddy scampered and waddled andclacked to her children, till the parsonage garden seemed fullof hens and chickens. At last Joel stopped and wiped his hotface, David looking at him from a distance in despair. 

"You stay there, Dave, I'm going to tell 'em, " and Joel marchedoff with an awful feeling at his heart. But he didn't dare tostop to think about it, but mounted the steps of the parsonageand went down the wide hall. There was nobody to be seen, andJoel was just going to run out to the kitchen, if, perhaps, Mrs. Henderson could be found there. Suddenly the study door opened, and there stood the minister himself in the doorway. 

"Well, Joel, " said Parson Henderson, kindly, "I'm glad to seeyou. Do you want anything, my boy?"

Joel's knees knocked together, but he answered, "I've let allthe hens and chickens out. "

"You've let all the hens and chickens out?" repeated theminister, but he only half understood, and stood staring downinto Joel's black eyes. 

"Yes, sir, " said Joel, twisting his brown hands together tightly. If he should cry now, before his story was told, maybe theminister would never get those chickens into the coop. He mustmake him understand. "They're all running everywhere in thegrass, " he added miserably. 

"Do you mean Mrs. Henderson's new chickens?" asked the minister, starting a bit. Then he added composedly, "Oh, no, Joel, they'requite safe. She is very particular about looking after the coopherself. "

"But they are, " gasped Joel. Then he forgot that it was theminister, and seized his hand. "Please--they're running awfully, and they'll die, maybe. "

Parson Henderson bestowed on him a long searching gaze. "How didthey get out?" he asked. 

"I let 'em out, " blurted Joel, "and they're all running. Do come, sir. " And he fairly tugged at the minister's hand as if it hadbeen David's. 

The parson went swiftly down the long hall, Joel hanging to hishand. Just then a voice called down the winding stairs, _"Jotham! Jotham!"_

It was Miss Jerusha. Joel gave one glance up the stairs, andheld tighter than ever to the minister's hand. "Do come, " hecried, in an agony. "Oh, please! sir. "

"Mehitable's chickens are out!" screamed Miss Jerusha, nowappearing at the top of the stairs. She was in a short gown andpetticoat, and had been doing up her hair, having just taken theends of the side wisps out of her mouth, where she had conveyedthem for the easier combing of the back locks. 

"I know it, " said Parson Henderson, quietly; "Joel has just toldme. " With that he pressed the little brown hand that was in hisown. 

"Go back to your room, Jerusha, " he said. "I'll see to thechickens. "

"And there's those other two Pepper children, " cried MissJerusha after him, with a tart look at Joel, "all over the place. And Mehitable is baking a cake for 'em--think of it!"

"Is she baking a cake for us?" cried Joel, finding his tongue, as the minister, still holding his hand, went out toward thegarden. 

"Yes, " said Parson Henderson, "she is, Joel. "

"And I've let out all her hens and chickens!" cried Joel. "Odear, dear!" and the tears he couldn't hold back any longerrained all down his chubby face. 

"See here, " Parson Henderson stopped a minute, "if you're goingto help me, Joel, you can't cry, that's very certain. Why, Iexpect you and I will have every one of those chickens safe andsound in that coop in--well, in next to no time. "

"I'll help you!" cried Joel, dashing off the tears at once, andswallowing hard. "Oh, do hurry, please, Mr. Henderson, " pullinghard at the kind hand. 

"Softly--softly there, Joel, my boy, " said the minister. "Ifwe're going to get those chickens into that coop, we mustn'tscare them to begin with. Now, you run into the barn, and get alittle corn in the quart measure. "

So Joel, glad of something to do, dropped the minister's hand, and ran off at lightning speed, and soon raced back again withthe quart measure half full of corn. 

"That's well, " said Parson Henderson, approvingly. "Now then, the first thing to do is to make the mother go back into thecoop. Here, Mrs. Biddy, take a bit of this nice corn. " He flungout a kernel or two to the hen, whose feathers that had startedup in a ruffle and fluff, at sight of Joel, now drooped, and herexcited clacking stopped. 

"Keep perfectly still, Joel, " said Parson Henderson, over hisshoulder. 

All this time, Phronsie and David, at sight of ParsonHenderson's approach, had stood as if frozen to the ground, never taking their eyes from his face, except to look at Joel. The parson then went along a few steps nearer to the coop, scattering one or two kernels as he went. Mistress Biddy eyedthem all wistfully. "Come on, " said the minister, gently. 

"Cluck--cluck, " said the mother hen, sociably, and she waddledslowly, and picked up the first kernels. These were so good thatshe came readily after the next, and so followed the parson, ashe let fall two more. The little fluffy balls, when they saw theirmother so employed, all scampered like mad after her, to surroundher. At last, she was so busily employed, that she didn't noticethat she was running into an angle formed by the coop and theend of the barn. There was a rush. A sudden squawk, and theparson emerged from this corner, with Mistress Biddy in his hands. 

"Now, Joel, you can help me so much, " he said cheerily. "Run andpush up the bar to the coop. Be careful not to let any morechickens out. There, that's right!" In went Mistress Biddy, whogave an indignant fluff to her gray feathers, and then cackledcrossly, and the bar flew down into place. 

"That's fine!" exclaimed the minister in great satisfaction, getting up straight again. "Now, Joel, it won't be such a taskto catch the little chickens. Come away from the coop, andthey'll run up when they hear her call, " which was indeed thefact. They soon began to scamper as hard as they could from alldirections as Mistress Biddy set up a smart "cluck, cluck, "until all of the seven were swarming over each other to get intothe coop to mother. 

It was surprising, then, to see the minister's hands; theyseemed to be here, there, and everywhere, and to pounce uponthose little fluffy balls with unerring aim, and presently, there they were, Joel lifting the bar when bidden, in the coop, "peeping" away and huddling up to the dear gray feathery nest. The chickens who hadn't run out came up, as if wanting to hearthe story, and what it was like to be out in the world. 

Mr. Henderson sat down on the long grass. "That's a very goodjob done, Joel, " he said. 

Just then the kitchen door opened, and a pleasant voice called, "Come, Joel and David and Phronsie Pepper, I've got a new bakedcake for you. "

XXIII

THE BLACKBERRIES AND THE BULL

"Now, Joel, " said Polly, a few days after, "you mustn't teasefor the pie, you know, 'cause Mamsie may not be able to get thewhite flour. "

"P'r'aps she will, " said Joel, swinging his tin pail, andkicking the sweet fern with his bare feet; "then, Polly, wecould have it, couldn't we?"

"Maybe, " said Polly, with her thoughts not so much on blackberrypie, as how good it was to be out of doors for a whole afternoon. "Oh, Joe, what a big butterfly!"

"Hoh--that's nothing!" said Joel, who was rather tired ofbutterflies. "I'm going to pick bushels and bushels of blackberries, Polly. "

"You'll do well if you pick a quart, " said Polly, laughing, remembering his past experiences. "Oh, Joel, isn't it justlovely to go blackberrying like this!" and her brown eyes sparkled. 

"The bushes scratch like everything, " said Joel, with anotherkick at the sweet fern. 

"It's nice to go blackberrying, " hummed Phronsie, holding fastto a little tin cup the rag-man had presented her on his lastvisit. "I'm going to pick ever and ever so many, to carry hometo my Mamsie. "

"So you shall, " cried Polly, rapturously; "and, children, Inever saw anything so perfectly beautiful as it is thisafternoon! Isn't the sky blue!"

Little David looked up and smiled. Joel threw back his head andsquinted critically. "I wish I could go sailing up there on thatcloud, " he said. 

"I don't, " said Polly, merrily, swinging her tin pail. "I'drather be down here and going blackberrying with you children. Well, come on, we ought to hurry, 'cause we want to take home asmany as we can. "

"You're always hurrying us, Polly Pepper, " grumbled Joel, lagging behind. "What for, if we can't have any pie?"

"Well, we can carry home the berries to Mamsie, anyway, " saidPolly, moving on very fast. Phronsie trotted after her with a veryhappy face. 

"Now, children, " said Polly, when they reached the place wherethe bars were to be taken down, "we must keep together, and notstraggle off. Remember, Joe; then when we're ready to go home, it won't be such a piece of work to get started. "

Joel was already pulling at the bars. "Come on, Dave, and help, "he called. 

"We'll go right across this corner, " said Polly, when the barswere put back, and they were on the other side, "and then, saysI, we'll soon be at the blackberry patch. O my, just see thatbird!"

"Polly's always stopping to look at birds, " said Joel. 

"I like 'em, too, " said David. "And that one is just beautiful. "

"It's just beautiful, " hummed Phronsie, who wanted to stop everymoment and pick clover blossoms, or the big waving green grasses. 

"Well, come on, Pet, " said Polly, seeing this, "or we shan'tever get to the blackberry patch; and then, says I, what wouldMamsie ever do for her berries!"

At this, such a dreadful distress seized the whole bunch oflittle Peppers, that they one and all scuttled as fast as theycould through the long grass, Phronsie not looking back once topick a single blossom; and Polly presently had her company allmarshalled up in good order in a perfect thicket of blackberrybushes, where the berries hung as thick and ripe as could be. 

For a few minutes no one spoke; the big blackberries tumblinginto the tin pails making the only noise, though Phronsiedropped hers into the grass as often as she put one in herlittle cup. And they worked so fast, that no one noticed thatPolly's blue sky was getting overcast by white patches of puffyclouds that looked as if they were chasing each other. At lastJoel said, "Ow!" and began to complain that he was all scratchedup by the prickly bushes, and when Phronsie heard that, she setdown her tin cup and held up her fat little arms. "See, Polly, "she said gravely. 

"O dear me, now that's too bad, Pet!" So Polly had to come outfrom her nice little clump where she was picking fast, and kissthe little red marks on Phronsie's arms. "Now don't lean in thebushes again; I'll show you a place. There, " and Polly pointedto some low branches that stood out; and the blackberries onthem were thick and ripe. 

"Ooh!" said Phronsie, when she saw them; and she forgot allabout her arms, that prickled and ached, and Polly flew back toher clump again. 

Rumble--rumble! "Oh, boys!" gasped Polly, "there can't be athunder-storm coming!" and she poked her head out from her clump, and stared up at the sky in dismay. "There surely is! Now wemust run home like everything. " She skipped out and seizedPhronsie's arm. "Come, Pet, " and not stopping to look, she setout upon a run. Phronsie began to wail, and then pulled back. "I've left my cup, Polly, " she said. 

"Didn't you bring it?" cried Polly, pausing a minute. "Boys, " asshe saw that they hadn't started, "come this minute, and bringPhronsie's cup, " she screamed. "Now come on, child; they run somuch faster they will soon overtake us. "

Phronsie, with her mind at rest about her cup, kept up as well asshe could by Polly's side. "I guess I shall have to carry you, "at last said Polly, as the boys came rushing up in high gleeover their dash across the meadow. 

"Where's my cup?" asked Phronsie, holding out eager hands. 

"Here, " said Joel, thrusting it at her. "Now come on, Dave, let's see who will get to the bars first. "

Phronsie peered within the tin cup. "Why--where--" she began. Then she turned two big sorrowful eyes up toward Polly. "Theyaren't there, " she said. 

"What--the berries? Oh, never mind, Pet, you shall have some ofmine, " said Polly, whose only thought was how to get home asquickly as possible. "Goodness me, child!" as a raindropsplashed on her nose. "I really shall have to carry you, " andPolly picked her up, and tried to hurry over the ground. 

"But they won't be mine I picked, " wailed Phronsie. "Polly, Iwant my very own. "

"Well, the boys spilled 'em, I s'pose, " said Polly, staggeringon, her own tin pail swinging from her arms, while Phronsie grewheavier and heavier every minute, and the clouds blacker andblacker. "Dear me, I didn't think it was so far across this meadow!"when suddenly Joel screamed out, "Oh, Polly, he's coming!" andthere, from the further corner of the field, was walking quite smartlya bull, and he was looking straight at her and Phronsie. 

"I mustn't run, " said Polly; "Mamsie said once, I remember, Imust look straight at any cross animal, and not let 'em see thatI was afraid. " So she set Phronsie down on the ground. "Now, Pet, don't run, but walk to Joel as fast as you can, " for Joel andDavid were over the bars, which they hadn't taken the trouble totake down for themselves, intending to do it for Polly andPhronsie when they should come up. 

Phronsie set off at once, since Polly had told her to do so, andwas soon nearly at the bars. Joel sprang over to meet her. 

"Don't run, Joe, " called Polly, in a warning voice; "just takeher over the bars. " Then she slowly went backward, keeping herbrown eyes fastened on the bull, who still walked toward her, with his eyes fixed on her face. 

Joel got Phronsie safely over the bars, David, with tremblingfingers, pulling her from the other side, and all was going onwell when Polly stepped backward into a little gully, and overshe went in a heap. In a minute, the bull tossed his head andquickened his pace, and by the time she was up on her feet, he was coming on toward her at a trot, and with an angry lightin his eyes. 

All of a sudden, Joel shot past her. "I'll stop him, Polly, " hesaid cheerily, and he dashed in between her and the bull, who, not liking this interference, now shook his head angrily. Joelthen turned off, and the animal went after him. 

"Joel, you'll be killed!" cried Polly, rushing after him, tomake the bull turn from the chase. But it was useless; for bothwere now well across the field, Joel running like wildfire, andthe bull snorting and kicking up the ground in his rage afterhim. And Polly, straining her eyes, pretty soon saw Joel turnswiftly and duck, and the bull run with full force against atree, before he could stop himself. And there was Joel clamberingover a high stone wall. Then she started and rushed for the highbars, climbed them in a flash, and when the disappointed bull camerunning back, there she was, with the other two, huddled up ina place of safety. And in a minute Joel scrambled around fromhis stone wall. So there they were, all together, safe and sound!

"Oh, Joel, are you really here?" exclaimed Polly, laughing andcrying over him together. 

"Yes, " said Joel, "I am, Polly;" then he looked up from her armsthat she had thrown around his neck. "You've lost your berries, Polly Pepper, and the tin pail. Now what will Mamsie say?"

"I guess she won't say anything, " said Polly, with a littleshiver. "Come, children, we must run, now, as fast as we can, for it is going to rain like everything. "

"Joey, " said Polly, when they paused a moment to take breath, "you must give Phronsie some of your berries when we get home;that's a good boy, for I promised her some of mine. Hers gotspilt, and now I haven't any. "

"Well, mine shook out of the pail, " said Joel, dismally, "when Iswung it at that old bull's face. "

"I'll give her mine, " declared Davie. "You shall have 'em all, Phronsie. "

Phronsie, at that, could not express her delight, but she claspedher hands, and gave a great sigh of satisfaction. 

When they all reached home, there was Mamsie watching for themanxiously. And they all scampered in out of the rain like somany rabbits. 

"Children, I've got such a surprise for you, " said Mother Pepper, as soon as she could take off the wet clothes from Phronsie, andget her into something dry. "Now, you all better get your thingsoff, and hang 'em to dry by the stove, and get on some cleanclothes. "

"I ain't wet, and we haven't got any berries, 'cept Dave, an' hegave 'em to Phronsie, " said Joel. "They all got shook out of thepails, Polly's and mine did, when the bull chased us. "

"When the bull chased you!" repeated Mrs. Pepper, while herblack eyes roved from one to the other. 

"Oh, Joel, don't tell Mamsie this way, " said Polly, pulling hisjacket. "Besides, Phronsie doesn't know what we ran for. "

"David, " said Mrs. Pepper, "take Phronsie into the bedroom andshut the door. Now then, Polly and Joel, tell me all about it, every word. "

So they did, not sparing themselves a bit of the account, Joelcutting in when he thought Polly didn't tell enough what she did. 

"But oh, Mamsie, you can't think how splendid Joe was!" criedPolly, with shining eyes; "he couldn't have done better if he'dhad a sword and gun. " Then she told it all over--his part--dilatingat great length upon it, until Joel got down on the floor androlled and kicked in dismay, because he couldn't stop her. 

"Make her stop, Mamsie, " he howled. 

"And oh, when Ben comes home, won't I have a splendid story totell him!" finished Polly. "How I wish he'd come now, " and thequeerest thing was, the door opened, and in he walked. 

"I got through earlier than I expected, " he said. "Why, whatmakes you all look so queer?"

"We've had enough to make us look queer, " answered Mrs. Pepper. Her eyes shone too! "Polly will tell you, " she added. 

So Polly, glad enough to tell the story, went over it all, bitby bit. When she came to Joel's part, Ben seized him from offthe floor. "See here, I'll give you a ride, Joe, in honor ofit, " and setting him on his shoulder, Ben pranced around andaround the old kitchen, till Joel screamed with delight. 

"I tell you what, that was fine!" declared Ben, and his eyesshone too. Then Phronsie drummed on the bedroom door, and beggedto be let out, in spite of all that Davie could do to stop her. 

"Do run and let her out, and Davie, too, " said Mrs. Pepper, quite as excited as either Polly or Ben. 

"I'll go, " said Joel, flying off with alacrity. So Phronsie andDavid came running in, well pleased to be once more in the midstof things; and then it was time for supper, and all the whileshe was laying the cloth and getting out the dishes, Polly waslooking at Joel, and her brown head went up proudly, and everyonce in a while she would run over and drop a kiss on his stubbyhair. 

And when Davie went up to the loft back of him that night, asthey were going to bed, Joel turned around on the upper stair. "We'll play bull to-morrow, Dave, " he said. 

"No, I don't want to, " said little Davie, with a shiver. 

"Pooh! I do; it's splendid! You may be the bull, if you wantto, " said Joel, generously. 

"I don't want to, " protested Davie, fretfully, and hurrying offhis clothes, to tuck into bed, where he huddled down. 

"Well, you've got to, " said Joel, determinedly, giving hisjacket a fling to the corner, "'cause if you don't, I'll be thebull, and chase you just awful. So there now, Dave Pepper!"

But Davie was spared that tribulation, for when the next daycame, Mrs. Pepper had so much work for them all to do, that thechase dropped entirely out of Joel's mind, even if he had amoment in which to accomplish it. The great surprise that Mrs. Pepper had told them of, now came out, everybody being so fullof the adventure with the bull, that it completely crowded outeverything else. 

"Now you can't guess, " said Mrs. Pepper, smiling at them all, when she had repeated, "such a surprise, children, " "so I mightas well tell you. It was--"

"Oh, Mammy, let us guess, " howled Joel. "I know--it is a horse!Somebody's given you one. "

A perfect shout greeted this, but Joel was in no wise dashed. "Idon't care, " he said, "that would be a surprise. "

"Yes, I think it would be, " laughed Ben. "Guess again, Joe, anddon't give such a wild one. "

"Then I guess it's some candy, " said Joel, coming down with along jump to a possibility; "and do give us some right away. "

"No, it isn't candy, " said Mrs. Pepper, smiling at him. 

"Then I don't care what it is, " declared Joel, turning offindifferently; "and say, Polly, what have you got for breakfast?"

"The same as ever, " said Polly, with only half an ear for him, her mind being intent on the splendid surprise; "you know, Joel;what makes you ask?"

"Mean old breakfast!" said Joel, with a grimace. "Polly, whydon't we ever have anything but mush?"

"You know that too, Joe, " said Polly, with a cold shoulder forhim. "Do let me be, I want to guess Mamsie's surprise. O dear me!whatever can it be?" She wrinkled up her brows, and lost herselfin a brown study. 

"I guess I know, " said Ben, slowly, after a good look at Mrs. Pepper's face. 

"What?" roared Joel, interested again, since Ben had guessed it. 

"It's blackberries, " answered Ben, with a shrewd nod of his head. "Isn't it, Mamsie?"

"Yes, it is, " said Mrs. Pepper; "you've guessed it, sure enough, Bensie. "

"Hoh--old blackberries!" cried Joel, dreadfully disappointed, and falling back to the other corner. 

"The blackberries aren't to be ours, " said Mrs. Pepper; "thatis--"

"Not to be ours, " repeated the children together, while even Benlooked surprised. 

"No. " Mrs. Pepper laughed outright to see their faces. "Youcan't guess, " she said again, "so I'll tell you. Mrs. Brown issick, and I'm to make her blackberry jell over here; and she'sgiven me some sugar, besides the pay she'll give me, so now wecan have our pie. "

There was a perfect babel at this, the five little Peppershaving always before them the hope of some day hearing theirmother say they should have a blackberry pie--to make up for notbeing able to accomplish the chicken pie that Polly and all theothers had so longed for--and which was quite beyond theirexpectations. Now the blackberry pie was really coming!

"Make it now. Make it now, Mamsie, do, " begged Joel, his mouthwatering. 

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Polly; "why, it's before breakfast, Joe. The idea of teasing Mamsie to do it now. "

"And I can't do it just after breakfast, either, " said Mrs. Pepper, "for I must begin as soon as I can on the jell, and youmust all help me. There is ever so much you can all be useful in, about making jell. All but Ben, he's got to go to work, youknow. "

"When will you make the pie, then?" cried Joel, trying tosmother his disappointment, and finding it hard work to do so. 

"Just as soon as ever this jell is done and out of the way, "said Mother Pepper, in her cheeriest tones. "So, Polly, fly atgetting the breakfast ready, and when that's eaten, we'll all, except Ben, tackle the jell. "

When the dishes were all cleared off, and Polly was washing them, Mrs. Pepper turned to Joel. "Run over to Mrs. Brown's now, Joe, and get her kettle. "

"What kettle?" asked Joe, who didn't relish being turned outof the kitchen in all the bustle of getting ready for the jelly-making. 

"The preserve-kettle, " answered Mrs. Pepper. "She'll tell youwhere 'tis. I told her I'd send you over for it. And be realstill, Joe, and don't ask her questions, 'cause she's miserable, and is in for a long sick spell if she doesn't look out. "

So Joel went off, wishing there weren't any such things in theworld as preserve-kettles, and presently, back he came, draggingit after him "bump-bump. "

"Oh, Joe, " cried Mrs. Pepper, in dismay, "how could you!"

"I don't b'lieve he's hurt it, Mamsie, " said Polly, running upto examine the kettle closely; "he couldn't, could he? it's alliron. "

"No, I don't suppose he could really hurt it any, " said Mrs. Pepper, "but he oughtn't to drag it along and bump it. Thingsthat don't belong to us should be handled extra carefully. Wellnow, Joe, set down the kettle, and go and wash your hands, youand Davie, and then come back and pick over these blackberries, and Polly'll take hold as soon as she gets through with thework. "

"O dear, I don't want to pick over old blackberries, " whinedJoel. 

"Then I suppose you don't care for any of the pie when it'sbaked, " said his mother, coolly; "folks who can't help along inthe work, shouldn't have any of the good things when they'repassed around. "

"Oh, yes, I do want some pie, " declared Joel, vehemently. "Daveand me both want some; don't we, Dave?"

"Yes, I do, " said little Davie, "very much indeed, Mamsie. "

"And I want some pie, " echoed Phronsie, hearing the last words, and smoothing down her pink apron. 

"So you shall have, Phronsie, " promised Mrs. Pepper, "and soshall every one of you who's glad to work, and be useful. "

"We'll be useful and work, " cried Joel, tumbling out into thewoodshed to wash up. "Come on, Dave; then we'll get our pie whenit's baked. "

XXIV

HOW JOEL STARTED THE FIRE

"Now, " said Polly, to the old stove, "just remember how youacted that day when Mamsie made Mrs. Brown's jelly!" She wasstanding in front of it, and she drew herself up very straight. "You ought to be ashamed, you naughty thing, you! to make suchtrouble. Now I've stuffed you up all good and nice in the holes, and when I come home I'll build a fresh fire, and then, says I, you've got to bake a whole batch of bread just as nice!" andPolly shook her brown head very decidedly, and whirled off tothe bedroom door. "Come, Phronsie, " she called, "hurry up, Pet. O dear me!" Phronsie still sat on the floor by the big bureau, with one red-topped shoe in her hand, and patting it. 

"The other one is on, Polly, " said Phronsie, as she saw Polly'sface; "truly it is, " and she stuck one foot out. 

"I sh'd think it was, " laughed Polly; "every button is in thewrong button-hole, Phronsie. "

Phronsie looked at the little shoe very gravely, then her lipquivered. 

"Deary me, that's no matter, " exclaimed Polly. "We'll have thatall right in a twinkling. " So she sat down on the floor, andtook Phronsie's foot in her lap, and unbuttoned and buttoned upthe shoe. "There now, that's done as spick-span as can be. "

"What is 'spick-span, ' Polly?" said Phronsie. 

"Oh, nice--just right. Dear me, it means ever so many things, "said Polly, with a little laugh. "Now then, let's have the othershoe on, " and she held out her hand for it. 

"Let me put it on, " cried Phronsie, and drawing it back in alarm;"let me, Polly, oh, I want to put it on my very own self, I do!"

"Well, so you shall, " promised Polly, "if you'll hurry, for youknow I've got to bake my bread when I get back. "

"Isn't there any bread?" asked Phronsie, drawing on the littleshoe, and pausing, lost in thought, when it was half on. 

"Yes, just enough to last till I get the new loaves baked, " saidPolly, longing to give the shoe a twitch and expedite matters;"that is, I think so. I never know how much Joel will eat. "

"O dear me!" exclaimed Phronsie, much troubled. 

"See here now, Pet, " cried Polly, decidedly, "if you don't pullon that shoe quickly, I shall have to do it, for we must start--"which had the effect to make the little red-topped shoe slip onto Phronsie's fat foot in a trice. 

"Now then, we're ready, " said Polly at last, tying on Phronsie'spink sunbonnet. "Come, Phronsie, " and she took her hand. "Joel, "she called, as they went out the doorway, "where are you?"

"Here, " said Joel, thrusting his head down the loft stairs, where he had heard every word that Polly had said to the oldstove. 

"Now you and Davie must look after the little brown house, " saidPolly, feeling very grown up and important, "and be good boyswhile we're gone down to the store after the bundle of sacks Mr. Atkins has got for Mamsie. "

"Yes, " said Joel, "we will, Polly. "

So Polly ran over the stairs and kissed Joel and little Davie, who crowded up for one also, and then Phronsie had to comeup to be kissed too. 

"What are you two boys doing?" asked Polly. 

"Nothin', " said Joel. 

David was silently digging his toes back and forth on the floor. 

"Well, you better come right down and play in the kitchen, " saidPolly, "then you can look after things;" and she helped Phronsiedownstairs and took her hand, and they walked down the path andoff on to the road in a very dignified way, for Polly loved tobe fine, and it was always a gala occasion when she could dressPhronsie up neat and nice, for a walk to the store. 

"I very much wish we had a parasol, " sighed Polly, who nevercould get over the longing for one, ever since she saw MissPettingill's green sunshade, with waving fringe, that shecarried to church; "but then, I don't suppose I'll ever getone, " and she sighed again. 

"It's nice to be walking down to the store, Polly, " observedPhronsie, peering up at her from the depths of the pinksunbonnet, and smoothing her pink calico gown down in front. 

"So it is, Chick, " said Polly, with a merry laugh. "I don'tb'lieve anybody ever had such perfectly good times as we do, inall this world. "

"No, I don't b'lieve they ever did, " said Phronsie, shaking heryellow head, delighted to see Polly gay once more. So theywalked on quite contentedly. 

Meanwhile, Joel turned to Davie up in the loft. "We'll keep thecrickets in the box, " he said, "till by'n by, an' go down, 'cause Polly said so. And I'm goin' to help her; you'll see. "With these mysterious words he shoved a tin box half full ofhopping black crickets under the bed, saying, "There, thecover's on. Come on, Dave, " and scrambled down the stairs to thekitchen. 

Little David went down more slowly, as if something were on hismind. When he reached the kitchen, Joel was standing in front ofthe stove, a pile of paper was down on the floor at his feet, and he had a match in his hand. Davie stared at him in amazement. 

"I'm going to help Polly, " declared Joel, loudly, holding hismatch quite fast with one hand, while he twitched off one of thecovers, with the lifter. 

"Oh, Joe, you aren't going to make a fire?" cried little David, horror-stricken, and rooted to the spot. 

"Of course I am, " declared Joel, boldly. "I heard Polly talkingto the old stove just before she went away, and she's got tobake bread when she gets home, an' it's all right, an' she'll beso glad to see it ready for her. " All the time he was talking hewas stuffing the paper into the stove; then he ran into thewoodshed, bringing out some kindlings. "We've got to fill thewood box, Dave, " he said, to make talk and divert David's mind;and he crammed the wood in after the paper, till there wasn'tmuch room left. 

"You ought not to do it, Joe. O dear me, do stop, " imploredDavid, clasping his hands. 

"I'm big enough, " declared Joel, strutting around and pulling atthe things that Polly said were dampers--though why they shouldbe damp, when there was a fire in the stove every day, he nevercould see. "And when Polly sees that I can make it as good's shecan, she'll let me do it every day. Yes, sir-_ree!_" Withthat he drew the match, and held it to an end of the paper, sticking up. And forgetting to put back the cover, he raced offto the wood, shed again for another armful of kindling. 

_"Joel!"_ screamed David, left behind in the kitchen. "Come!Oh, we're afire! We're afire!"

Joel dropped his kindlings and the heavier pieces of wood he hadgathered up, and went like a shot back to the stove again. Greattongues of flame were shooting up toward the dingy ceiling. 

"Why didn't you put the cover on?" cried he, terribly frightened, for he began to think, after all, perhaps it would be quite aswell to let Polly make the fire. "It'll be all right, I'll haveit on in a minute, " suiting the action to the word, as he stuckthe lifter into the cover and advanced to the stove. 

"Oh, Joe, you'll be burnt up, " cried David, in a dreadful voice, and wringing his hands. 

Joel made a dash, but the flames swirled out at him, so hebacked off. 

"You can't do it, " screamed Davie; "don't try it, Joe, you'll beall burnt up. "

When Davie said that he couldn't do it, Joel made up his mindthat he would. Besides, the very thought of the little brownhouse taking fire turned him desperate with fright; so he made asecond dash, and somehow, he never could tell what made it, the cover slid on, and the flames muttered away to themselvesinside, in a smothered kind of way, and there they were, shut upas tight as could be. 

"'Twas just as easy as nothing, " said Joel, drawing a longbreath, and beginning to strut up and down, still carrying thecover-lifter. "You're such a 'fraid-cat, Dave, " he addedscornfully. 

David was beyond caring whether or no he was called a 'fraid-cat, being stiff with fright, so Joel strutted away to his heart'scontent. "Now I must put in more wood, " he declared, and, twitching off the cover, he crammed the stove as full as itwould hold, on top of the blazing mass. Then he wiggled thedampers again, to suit him, paying particular attention to thelittle one in the pipe, then wiped his grimy hands, in greatsatisfaction, on his trousers. 

"You see 'tisn't anything to make a fire, " he observed to David;"an I'm goin' to build it every single day, after this. Polly'llbe so s'prised. Now come on, Dave, let's go an' play, " andJoel gave a long and restful stretch. 

Little David, seeing the stove behaving so well, gave a sigh ofrelief, and coming slowly out of his fright, clattered afterJoel, and soon they were down back of the house, where they hadscooped out the ground, and filling it with water, had made whatthey called a pond. Here they now began to sail boats made outof bits of paper. 

"Hi--there--you!" shouted a harsh voice. Joel and David, absorbed in getting their boats across the pond without runninginto each other, didn't hear. "_Hi!_" yelled the voice again, "yourhouse is afire!"

Joel lifted his black head and stared. "Come here, you!"screamed a man, jumping out of a wagon in the middle of the road, in front of the little brown house. He was big and redheaded, and he held a whip in his hand. 

This he shook frantically up toward the roof, screaming, _"Your house is afire!"_

Sure enough. Great volumes of smoke came pouring out of thechimney, which wasn't any too good, and once in a while a tongueof flame would sweep out, licking the sides of the bricks, as much as to say, "You can't shut me up entirely, you see. " Oh, how merrily they danced!

[Illustration: "''TWAS JUST AS EASY AS NOTHING, ' SAID JOEL"]

"Get a bucket. Step lively, if you want to save your house!"roared the man at Joel, who took one good look at the chimney, then sprang for Mamsie's pail. "Get something, Dave, " hescreamed, "and bring some water. "

Now that the fire had really come, David, strange to say, feltall his fright dropping from him. It was as if Mamsie said, "Save the little brown house, dears, " and he rushed on the wingsof the wind over down across the lane, and helped himself toGrandma Bascom's big bucket, always standing on a bench besideher kitchen door. And, with it almost full of water, he soonstood by the big red-headed man's side. 

"You're a likely-headed pair o' chaps, " said the man, as Joeldashed up with his pail, which he hadn't been able to find atonce, as Mamsie had put some cloth she was going to bleach intoit, and set it in the woodshed. "Now, then, I must climb theroof, an' you two boys must keep a-handin' up th' water as smartas you can. "

"Oh, I'm goin' up on the roof, " cried Joel, and springing up thegutter-pipe. 

"Do ye think ye kin?" asked the man. But Joel was alreadyhalfway up. And presently the first pail of water was handed up, and splash it went on the flames, by this time coming out verylively at the chimney-top. But it didn't seem to do any good, only to sizzle and siss, for just as soon as a pailful of waterwas dashed on, out they popped again, as bright as ever. A boy, coming whistling down the road, stopped suddenly, took one look, and ran like lightning over across the fields on a short cut. "Fire--_fire!_" he screamed, and pretty soon, by dint of jumpingstone walls and fences, he got into the street, at the end of whichstood Mr. Atkins' grocery store. "Fire--_fire!_" he bawled everystep of the way. "Where--where?" cried the people at the store, rushing to the door and craning their necks, as he flew by, intenton getting to the fire-engine house, so as to run back with the menwho dragged the machine by the ropes. 

"At the Pepperses little brown house, " bawled the boy, plungingon. 

"Now, Polly, " Mr. Atkins was just saying, when the boy's screamwas heard, "you tell your Ma she needn't hurry about these coats. I guess that paper'll cover 'em, if I put another knot in th' string. My land! what's that!--"

"_Fire! Fire!_" the boy was bawling all along the street. "It's the Pepperses little brown house. "

Somebody said, "Poor children. " Others, "Don't let 'em hear, ""Too late!" and various other things. 

"Come, Phronsie, " said Polly, hoarsely, seizing the little fathand. Phronsie, who was regarding some very pink and whitesticks in a big candy jar on the shelf, tore her gaze away, andfollowed obediently as Polly pulled her along to the door. 

"Oh, Polly, you hurt me, " she said in a grieved way. 

"Here, I'll take you, " cried an old farmer with a long beardthat looked like a bunch of hay, and he seized Phronsie and sether in his big wagon. Polly hopped in beside. "Don't be scart. We'll all go down and help, " screamed a half dozen voices afterher. Rattle--rattle--clang came the fire-engine, the boy who hadbrought the news having secured one of the most important placesat one of the long ropes. And away they went, the processiongaining in length and strength at each step, till it seemed asif all Badgertown were on the road and bound for the littlebrown house. 

The big red-headed man had dashed up to the roof by the side ofJoel. "You better go down and hand water, " he said, "an' bringthe axe, we may have to cut away th' ruf. " Joel, knowing it wasworse than useless to disobey, slid down, and got the axe first, to have it ready--oh, dreadful thought!--to cut the little brownhouse with; and then the two buckets, as full as they could belifted, went up, and came down empty. Up and down. Up and down. 

"Here come th' folks, " yelled the man on the roof. "Now we'reall right. Don't you be scart, boys, th' fire-engine's comin'. "

None too soon! A little fork of flame was just beginning to popits head out between the shingles close to the chimney, as if tosay, "You really needn't think you are going to keep us shutup. " Up clattered the fire-engine with a dreadful noise into theback yard, which suddenly seemed to be full of people of allsizes. Joel, when he saw the firemen on hand, sprang for the roofagain. This time he staggered up with his bucket of water. 

"Oh, Joel!" He looked down and saw, as well as he could, forsomething seemed to be the matter with his eyes, Polly's face. Now that the danger was all over, for of course the fire-engineand all those people would save the little brown house, Pollywas the last person whom Joel really wanted to see. And hebusied himself in helping to haul up the water-buckets, that nowcame up pretty lively as the boys filled them and handed them tothe firemen. 

"You'd better get down, " said more than one fireman. The roofnow seemed to swarm with them. 

"I ain't goin' to, " said Joel, obstinately, reaching out foranother bucket; "it's our house, so there!"

"Let him alone, " said the big red-headed man, "he'll work assmart as any two of ye men. If it hadn't 'a' been for him andthat one there, " pointing with a grimy thumb to David on theground, still patiently getting water and handing up his bucket, "we'd 'a' been all burnt up, by this time. "

Joel's face got fiery red, all through the smut and grime. "If ithadn't been for me!" and down went his black head. Would Mamsieand Polly ever, ever forgive him?"

"Oh, Joel, " screamed Polly from the ground, looking at himpiteously, "do come down, dear!" But he really didn't hear now. It seemed to him if he didn't work to the very last, he couldnever look Mamsie in the face again, so he was now on the otherside of the chimney, where the fire was the hottest. 

"It's an even chance, if we save it, " Joel heard one of thefiremen say; "it's got in between the joints. See!"

"Then we've got to cut just that spot, " said the big red-headedman, who, by reason of being on hand first, was considered to bethe leader, and he swung his axe over his head. "Crash!" wentthe little brown roof. At the sound, Polly dragged Phronsie overto David's side. 

"Now, then, in with the water lively, boys, and splash her out, "cried the big red-headed man, who very much liked being a leader. And thereupon he stopped working, and set the others at it insuch a brisk fashion that the water ran down in perfect riversall over the roof, one or two of the streams soaking through, todrop into Ben's and Joel's and David's bedroom in the loft. 

"It's out! It's out!" bawled some of the firemen on the roof tothe men and boys. "You don't need to send up any more water. "

"Look behind you!" screamed the boy who had first discovered thefire. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, and thefiremen, whirling around, saw a little tongue of flame shootingdeterminedly up. It had run along underneath the shingles andhopped at the first chance it could get. So the buckets of waterhad to keep on flying up, to come down and be filled. Up anddown, up and down, till Polly sank on the grass, unable to bearit another bit longer. "Oh, if I weren't a girl, " she moanedpassionately, "then I could be up there, and I know I'd save thelittle brown house. Oh, Mamsie! Mamsie!"

"Don't fret, Polly, " said a good woman living in the village, --forby this time a long procession of men, women, and childrenhad hurried in, crowding and jamming into the yard, --"ef itburns down, you shall all come to our house an' stay a spell, till you get another one. "

"Don't, " cried Polly, passionately, and shrinking off; "we can'tlive, if the little brown house goes. Oh, Mamsie! Mamsie!" andshe sobbed as if her heart would break, and covered her facewith her hands. 

"Don't cry, Polly, " and Phronsie's little hand crept softly upto her neck. But Polly couldn't stop. If there had been anythingfor her to do, she would have kept up, but to sit there and seethe little brown house burn up, and know because she was a girlthere was no place for her on the roof--why, there she was, sobbing as if her heart would break, and Phronsie clingingpiteously to her neck. 

A ringing shout struck upon her ear. "It's coming!" shiveredPolly; "the roof's tumbling in!" and she hid her face lower yet. Wouldn't God stop the dreadful fire ever yet. He must, forMamsie said He loved to help all His children. And--

"Hooray, Polly!" called Joel in her ear, putting a very blackface up close to her pale one. "Don't you understand? It's allout. It is, truly, this time, every single squinchin' bit. "

But Polly didn't understand, and they laid her back on the grass, and one woman said, "Get a pamleaf fan, " and another cried, "Get th' water in that pail there, " pointing to one not used, on thegrass. And everybody got in everybody else's way, and crowdedaround her, and the water was dashed over her face till she wasin a little pool of it, and still she didn't open her eyes. AndPhronsie wailed and clung to her, getting as wet, so a thinwoman remarked, "as a drownded rat, " and David was on the otherside, nearly as bad. As for Joel, he rushed up and down, completely gone with fright. After all his brave fight, to havePolly give out was something so very dreadful he couldn't thinkof it. 

"Here comes Mrs. Pepper, " said somebody, and, "Thank the Lord, "said another, and down the road in the doctor's gig, the littledoctor driving like mad, came Mamsie. They helped her out, andshe was in the yard, never looking at the little brown house;for her black eyes were searching among the crowd, and her whitelips tried to frame some words. 

"All safe, Marm, " sang out the big redheaded man; "and you'vegot some smart chaps, " thinking he'd give all the comfort, andat once, that was in his power. 

"Polly ain't just well, " spoke up somebody, sympathetically, andin a minute Mamsie was down on the grass, with Polly's head inher lap, the other children swarming around her, and Dr. Fisherin the midst. 

"Oh, I'm so ashamed, " gasped Polly, coming to, and hiding herface on Mrs. Pepper's breast. 

"Don't you feel badly, Polly child, " said Mamsie, smoothing herbrown hair gently; "you're all tired out. The little brown houseis all safe--just think of that!"

Polly thrust up her head and took one look. "Mamsie, " shewhispered, holding to Mrs. Pepper's neck convulsively, "God didstop the dreadful fire, didn't He?"

"He surely did, " said Mrs. Pepper, looking around on all herlittle group. The neighbors and townspeople, the firemen and thecrowd, stole silently off and left them there, but Dr. Fisherstayed. 

Suddenly Joel was missing. "Where is he?" asked Mrs. Pepper, afresh alarm gathering on her face. 

"P'r'aps he's gone with the engine, " piped up the boy who haddiscovered the fire, and who seemed to think it his duty towatch that it didn't break out again. 

"Oh, no, Joel wouldn't do that, " said Mrs. Pepper. 

"I'll find him, " said little Dr. Fisher, who had his own viewsabout Joel, after closely regarding his singed eyebrows andblack face; "lucky enough if he doesn't need considerablepatching up, " he muttered to himself, as he strode off toreconnoitre. 

"There's no use in your hiding, " he said aloud, as if talking tosome one. "So you might as well come out at once, and let meknow where you're hurt, Joe, and I'll fix you before your mothersees you. "

"I ain't hurt, " said a voice from the lilac bushes. 

"Oh, you are not?" said the little doctor, opening the bushes topeer within, his spectacles setting well down on the end of hisnose, so that he looked over them. "That's good, " and he soonhad Joel out. "Now then, I'll fix you up as good as ever, " andhe rummaged his ample pockets for the things he had thrust intothem for this very work. 

"I ain't hurt, " said Joel, wriggling furiously. 

"Stand still, Joe, " said the little doctor, coolly, "for I'mgoing to patch you up, so that you're decent to see your mother. Aren't you ashamed to get this way when Polly, poor brave girl, has been so sick? Why, what's the matter with you!" suddenlygiving Joel a whirl, so that he could look in his face. 

Joel's face was working frightfully. "I 'most--burnt--the littlebrown house--up, " he gasped. "I made a fire in--the stove!"

XXV

JOEL SELLS SHOES FOR MR. BEEBE

The little doctor kept a firm hold on Joel's jacket, and gazedkeenly into his face. "Um!" he said. 

"I wanted--to--to--help Polly, " gasped Joel. "O dear me!" He wasa sight to behold, as the tears washed their way down the grimyface, which was still working fearfully, as he tried to hold inhis sobs. 

"So you thought you'd help Polly, " said Dr. Fisher, kindly; "wasthat it, Joel?"

"Yes, " said Joel; "she'd put the putty in, and put it in----and----"

"Put the putty in?" repeated the little doctor, aghast. 

"Yes, or Ben had. "

"I never in all my life heard of burning putty in a stove, " saidDr. Fisher, helplessly, and setting his big spectacles again, asif that might possibly assist him to understand. 

"Oh, she didn't burn it, " cried Joel, just as much astonished. 

"Well, what did she do with it, then?" demanded Dr. Fisher. "Dear me, I always supposed a stove was meant to burn thingsin, " and he waved his head helplessly, and regarded Joel with afixed stare. 

"She stuck the putty in the holes, " said Joel, very distinctly;"don't you understand? Polly's stove is very old, and it'scracked, and she says the air comes in and then the fire goesdown, so she has to stuff up all the mean old cracks. O dear me, I wanted to help her, " and off Joel went in another gust oftears. 

"I suppose Polly feels badly over her stove, sometimes, "reflected Dr. Fisher, casting a very sharp glance on Joel. "Ireally wonder if she does, " he added carelessly. 

"Feels badly!" exploded Joel. Then he took a good long lookaround on all sides, and leaned over to whisper in the littledoctor's ear, "_She cries sometimes, Polly does_. "

"No!" exclaimed Dr. Fisher. 

"Yes, she does, " declared Joel, shaking his stubby headdecidedly. "She cries dreadfully when Mamsie isn't looking. Andshe didn't know that I saw her, either, only I peeked behind thepantry door. And I wanted to--to--help her. " He began to cry afreshat the recollection. 

"Joel, " said Dr. Fisher, getting up suddenly, "you've got totell your mother how the little brown house got on fire. "

"I know it, " said Joel, but his head drooped, and his eyes fell. 

"And the best way to right the wrong is to own up at once, " saidthe little doctor. "I suppose she's taught you that, eh, Joel?"

"Yes, sir, " said Joel. 

"Well, when you've got such a mother as you have, Joel, "continued Dr. Fisher, "you better treat her as well as you knowhow. So run along, and be quick with you, " and Dr. Fisher gavehim a resounding clap on the shoulder, that sent Joe flying offlike a shot from a gun, while the little doctor stole off theback way, and got into his gig, and drove off as fast as hecould, and thus escaped being thanked. 

And the Badgertown folks got together and held a meeting in Mr. Atkins' store that very evening, and said that it was a pitythat Mrs. Pepper, who was struggling so to bring up all thosefive children, should have such a hard time. So each man put hishand in his pocket and fished out some money; and the carpenterscame next day and mended up all the holes where the axe had cutthrough the roof; and the whole house was cleaned and dried wherethe water had run down, and then there was one dollar and forty-fivecents left over, for people had been so very generous. 

"Just keep it, Mrs. Pepper, " said the spokesman, "'twill come inhandy, most likely;" and Mrs. Pepper couldn't speak, she wasso taken aback. But they didn't seem to feel as if they hadn'tbeen thanked enough, as they all went back again into thevillage. 

Ben had been working in a distant wood-lot for Deacon Blodgett, and so hadn't heard a word of the fire until he got into thevillage, on his way home. Then he said he wouldn't believe it, unless he should see for himself. So he ran every step of theway home, and rushed in all out of breath. "What's happened?" hedemanded of the first person he met. This happened to be Polly. 

"Oh, Ben!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms around him. And thenfollowed all the story. 

And Ben continued to blink every now and then up at the ceiling, varied by hurrying out to gaze at the, roof, when he would rub hiseyes. "Dear me, Polly!" he would exclaim, "it seems just like anawful dream. "

"I wish it was, " sighed Polly, "and I guess Joel wishes so, too. "

But the next day, when the Badgertown people came with theirgift, then the five little Peppers changed about to the veryhappiest children in the world! And as soon as the visitors hadgone, the whole bunch of Peppers just took hold of hands, anddanced like wild little things around the table where the pileof silver quarters and ten cent pieces lay. 

"Mamsie, " said Polly, when at last they stopped to take breath, "did you ever know of such good people in the world as ourBadgertown folks?"

"I'm sure I didn't, " declared Mrs. Pepper, wiping her eyes. "Maythe Lord reward them, for I'm sure I can't. "

Polly suddenly left the ring of Peppers, and came close to hermother. "Perhaps you can, sometime, Mamsie, " she said soberly. 

"I hope so, " replied Mother Pepper. "Well, well look forward to it, and take the chance, if it ever comes, you may be sure, Polly. "

That night, when the little brown house was as still as a mouse, Polly heard a loud scream come pealing down from the room in theloft. Mrs. Pepper, strange to say, didn't hear it at all; poorwoman, she was very tired with her work, from which she had beenhurried so unceremoniously when the alarm of fire reached her, and she had lain awake all the first part of the night with aheart burdened with anxious care. 

"Joel's dreaming all about the fire, most likely, " said Polly toherself. So she slipped on Mamsie's old wrapper, picking it upso that she would not trip and tumble on her nose, as she spedsoftly over the stairs. 

"Joel, hush!" she said reprovingly, "you'll wake Mamsie andPhronsie! Ben, do make him keep still!"

"I can't, " said Ben, only half awake. "Hush up there, Joe!" andhe turned over a very sleepy face, and tried to look at Polly. 

"'Tisn't me, " said Joel, in high dudgeon; "I ain't a 'fraid-cat. "And Polly stared to see David sitting on the edge of thebed he shared with Joel, and tucking up his feet well underhim, while he shook with terror as he cried shrilly, "They'rerunning all up my legs!"

"Poor little thing!" exclaimed Polly, sitting down on the otheredge of the bed, at the risk of getting on Joel's toes. "He'sfrightened, " to the others. "I s'pose you've been dreaming, Davie. "

"No, no!" cried Davie, huddling up worse than ever. "There goesone of 'em now!" he exclaimed suddenly, and pointed toward Polly;"he's just running under Mamsie's wrapper!"

Polly hopped off the bed in her liveliest fashion, while fromunder Mamsie's wrapper scuttled a black object over the bedquiltin the opposite direction. "What is it?" she cried, beginning toshake violently herself; "O dear me! are there any more ofthem?"

"Yes, " said Davie, "there are lots and lots, Polly. O dear me!"He couldn't twist himself into a smaller knot than he was, sothere he sat, as miserable as possible, with the tears rollingdown his face. 

"Joel!" cried Polly, giving that individual a little poke in theback, as he appeared to be going off to sleep again, "you cantell about these black things! I must know; so what is it?"

"Let me go to sleep, " grunted Joel, twisting away from herfingers. 

"No, " said Polly, firmly, "I shan't, Joey Pepper. What are thoseblack things that Davie--O dear me, there is another one!" andPolly hopped back upon the bed, for there was a second blackcreature steering straight for her in the dim light. 

Joel gave a long restful sigh. "Do let me alone, " he saidcrossly. But Polly leaned over and shook his shoulder smartly. 

"See here, now, " cried Ben, roused by all this, "you just sit upin bed, Mister Joel, and tell Polly all you know about thisbusiness. Do you hear?" And suddenly over came Ben's pillowflying through the air, to tumble over Joel's chubby nose. 

"Nothin' to tell, " declared Joel, again; but he sat up in bed. 

"So you said before, " said Polly; "but these black things got uphere somehow, and you know all about it, I'm sure. So you'vejust got to tell all about it, Joel Pepper. "

"It's crickets!" blurted Joel, suddenly, "an' Dave an' me brought 'emto put in Ben's bed, an'--"

"Thank you, " interrupted Ben, and, "Oh, Davie, " reprovingly saidPolly. 

"I'm sorry, " said little Davie, wriggling up his toes; "I didn'tknow they hopped so bad. Oh, Polly, they're all running up mylegs, " he cried with another burst. 

"Never mind, " said Polly, quite reassured, "they're nothing butdear, nice little crickets. I don't care, now; but it's dreadfulto see black things in the middle of the night, when you don'tknow what they are. "

"I don't like 'em, Polly, " wailed David. "I'd rather they'd beout of doors. "

"But you helped to bring 'em in, " said Polly. "How could you, Davie?" she added reproachfully. 

"Dave didn't 'xactly help, " said Joel, uneasily. "I told himhe'd got to, Polly, " he added honestly. 

"Oh, I see, " said Polly. "Well, now, Davie, you're goingdownstairs to get into Mamsie's bed. "

"Oh, goody!" cried Davie, smiling through his tears; andstepping gingerly out of bed on the tips of his toes, lest heshould meet a black cricket unawares, he skipped to the headof the stairs. 

"Shake your clothes, " called Polly, in a smothered voice, fearful lest Mamsie and Phronsie should wake up. Thereupon shebegan to shake the old wrapper violently. "We mustn't carry anyof 'em downstairs, " she said, while Joel set up a howl. 

"Oh, I don't want Dave to go downstairs and leave me, " he whined. 

"Yes, you can stay up here with your crickets, " said Polly, coolly, having shaken off any possibility of one remaining onMamsie's wrapper. 

"And to-morrow morning you just step around lively and pick 'emall up and carry 'em out doors, " said Ben, before turning overfor another nap. "Good night, Polly. "

"Good night, Ben, " said Polly, softly, going downstairs afterDavie, who was pattering ahead, "and good night, Joey. "

"Good night, " snivelled Joel. "O dear me, I don't want Dave togo. Well, anyway, he ain't goin' away ever again, Polly Pepper--sothere!"

The next morning, as soon as it was light enough to see them, Joel picked up all his crickets. It was no easy matter, for theymade him an awful piece of work, hopping and jumping into allthe corners; and, just as soon as his thumb and fingers were onthem--away they were off again. But Ben had said every one mustgo. So at it Joel kept, until the perspiration just rolled fromhis tired, hot face. 

"I don't like 'em, Polly, " he confided, when the last one wasescorted out of doors, "and I ain't ever goin' to bring one inagain. "

"I wouldn't, Joe, " said Polly, "and it isn't nice to scare folks, I think. "

"I think so, too, " said Phronsie, with a wise nod of her yellowhead, as she sat on the floor, playing with David. 

"Think what, Phronsie?" cried Joel, suddenly. 

"What Polly said, " replied Phronsie, patting Seraphina, who wasbeing shown the pictures in a bit of old newspaper that Davidwas pretending to read. 

"Hoh! Hoh!" cried Joel, bursting into a laugh. "You don't knowwhatever you're talking about, Phron. Does she, Polly?"

"Don't tease her, " said Polly; but Phronsie didn't hear, beingabsorbed in correcting Seraphina, who had wobbled over on herback instead of sitting up elegantly to view the pictures. 

Joel ran down the next day to see Mrs. Beebe, Mother Peppergiving the long-desired permission. Davie had a little sorethroat, and he much preferred to stay near Mamsie's chair. 

"Now, Joe, remember to be good, " warned Mother Pepper, the lastthing, when he had been washed and dressed and brushed anddeclared quite prepared. 

"I'm going to be always good, " declared Joel. "I ain't evergoing to be like Ab'm, " he added in disgust. 

"Joel, " reproved Mrs. Pepper, sternly, "don't judge other folks;it's enough for you to do to look out for yourself. "

Joel hung his head, abashed. 

"Well, good-by, " said Mrs. Pepper, the stern lines on her facebreaking into a smile. 

"Good-by, Mamsie!" Joel flew back suddenly, to throw his armsaround her neck, then he rushed up to do the same thing to Polly, and then to Phronsie. 

"Don't kiss David, " said his mother, "'cause you may take histhroat. "

"Then I want to kiss him, " cried Joel. "Mayn't I, Mammy?" hewheedled. "I don't want Dave to have it. "

"Oh, he'd have it just as much, " said Mrs. Pepper, sewing awayfor dear life. 

"How could he?" cried Joel, in great astonishment, and standingquite still. "Say, Mammy, how could he, if I took it?"

"You'd find if you took it there'd be quite enough sore throatfor two, " answered Mrs. Pepper. "Well, run along, Joe, youwouldn't understand, and 'tisn't necessary that you should; onlyyou are to do as I say, that's all. "

So Joel ran off, waving a good-by to David; and since he was notallowed to kiss him, he gave a rousing "Hooray, " which delightedlittle Davie greatly, as he stood, his face pressed to thewindow, to see him go. 

Once within Mrs. Beebe's home, it was enchantment enough. It wasa good afternoon for the shoe business, Mr. Beebe having twocustomers. One of them was a very fussy woman who had a smallboy in charge. Joel was in high glee at being called upon tohelp lift down ever so many boxes, until pretty near every shoe inthe stock was tried on. Mrs. Beebe kept coming out of the littleparlor at the back of the shop, and saying, "Ain't you throughwith Joel yet, Pa?" all of which made Joel feel very important, indeed, and almost decided him to keep a shoe shop, when he grewup, instead of being a stage-coach driver. 

"No, " said Mr. Beebe, shortly, "I ain't through with him, Ma. He's a master hand at getting them boxes down. "

"Hain't you got a pair a little mite broader across the toes?"asked the woman. "Stand up and stamp in 'em, Johnny. " So Johnnystood up and stamped in the new shoes. 

"Real hard, " said his mother. So he stamped real hard. 

"I'd druther have another pair a mite broader, " said the woman, discontentedly. 

"I showed you some broader ones, " said old Mr. Beebe. "Well, Joel, my boy, you'll have to climb up and hand down that box upin the corner. P'r'aps some of those will suit. "

So Joel, who wished he could be there every day in the year, andthat that woman would all the time bring in boys who wanted differentshoes from any that Mr. Beebe had, climbed up like a squirrel andbrought the box to Mr. Beebe. 

"Now, Marm, " said the shoe-store keeper, deftly whipping a goodroomy pair, "I guess these are about what you want, " and helaughed cheerily. 

"No, they ain't either, " said Johnny's mother, snappishly takingthem, and viewing them critically, "they're big as all out doors, Mr. Beebe. "

"Well, he wants 'em to wear out o' doors, don't he?" said Mr. Beebe, "so I guess they'll suit, at last. "

"Well, they won't, " said the woman, "an' you needn't try 'em on, Johnny. They're a sight bigger'n they orter be. I guess I cantell soon's I see a shoe. "

"Can't Joel come now, Pa?" asked old Mrs. Beebe, presenting hercap-border in the doorway again. It was quite fine, with newpink ribbons which she had put on because she had company. 

"Yes, pretty soon, Ma, " replied her husband, quite worn out. "Well, I'm sure I'm sorry I can't suit you, Marm, " turning tothe woman, "but I honestly can't, for I've shown you everyshoe in my shop. Here, Joel, we'll begin and pack 'em up again, "he said, sorting the pairs out from the pile on the counter that ranacross the side of the shop, and slinging them by the string thattied them together, over his arm. 

"I'll see that pair, " said the woman, suddenly, touching one asit dangled over Mr. Beebe's arm. 

"All right, Marm, " said Mr. Beebe, most obligingly. So he kneltdown before Johnny again, and pulled on the shoes, and Johnny'smother told the boy to stand up and stamp in 'em, all of whichwas performed, and old Mr. Beebe got up and pulled out hisbandanna and wiped his hot face. 

"Now that's somethin' like, " said the woman, with a bob of herhead, while her little eyes twinkled. "I guess I know the rightshoe, as well as the next one. Why didn't you show 'em to mebefore?" she snapped. 

"You've had them shoes on twice before, " said Mr. Beebe, "or atleast the boy has, and first they were too broad, and then theywere too narrer. "

"Well, I'll take 'em, anyway, now, " said the woman, laying downthe money, "and I guess I know, as well as the next one, whethermy boy's tried on shoes or not. "

"Now, Joel, " said old Mr. Beebe, when the little green door withits jangling bell had really closed on her and on Johnny, "assoon as we get these shoes back again in the boxes, you betterrun into th' parler, 'cause Ma's been a-waitin' considerable. "

Joel, much divided in his mind whether he would rather stay inthe shop altogether, with the delightful shoes, or go out andspend half of the time with Mrs. Beebe and the doughnuts andpink and white sticks he felt almost sure were waiting for him, came to the conclusion that he really couldn't decide which wasthe more delightful; and then the shop-door bell jangled again, and there was another customer. 

This time it was a little thin old man, and although he camefrom another town, he seemed to be a great friend of Mr. Beebe's, who now joyfully welcomed him. 

"Well, I declare, if 'tain't Obadiah Andrews!" exclaimed theshoe-shop keeper, radiantly, taking a good look at the newcomer. "I haven't seen you for a week o' Sundays, Obadiah. "

"Nor I hain't seen you, " declared the little man, just as wellpleased, and sitting down gladly. "I'm most beat out, a-gittin'here, so I want some new shoes, Jotham, and I cal'late I'll get'em about as nice as they make 'em here. "

"I cal'late so, too, Obadiah, " said old Mr. Beebe, rubbing hishands together in a pleased way. "Now, Joel, we'll get down allthe shoes on this side, " and he ambled across the shop, "an' youcan put up the boys' sizes, afterwards, if you want to. "

"Pa, ain't you most through with Joel? Oh, why, here's Mr. Andrews!" exclaimed Mrs. Beebe. Then she came into the littleshop and sat down, while Mr. Beebe and Joel got out the shoesthat were to be tried on. "It's so nice that I can pass the timeo' day with you, meanwhilst, " she observed. 

But it didn't take very long to satisfy old Mr. Andrews. As soonas the first shoe was pulled on he declared it was just right, although the shoe-shop keeper offered to try on the others. 

"P'r'aps these'll pinch when you get home, " suggested Mr. Beebe, anxiously, "or somethin' else as bad will be the matter with'em. " But the little old man said, "No; do 'em up, Jotham. "

So the shoes were rolled in paper, and tied with a red string, and then Mr. Obadiah Andrews said, "Now I'm a-goin' to set an'visit, and pass the time o' day with you, Jotham. "

"So do, " cried old Mr. Beebe, delightedly, counting out thechange. "Now, Joel, you can pile all them shoes back, and thenfinish the boys' sizes, if you want to; and after that, Ma, hecan go into the parlor, and be company to you. "

When Mrs. Beebe and Joel finally got into the parlor, leavingthe two old friends talking busily, there only remained tenminutes before it was time to go home. 

"O dear me!" exclaimed old Mrs. Beebe, quite aghast, as sheglanced at the clock. "Well, you must obey your Ma, and the onlything I see out of it is, you must come again. " So she stuffedinto a paper bag all the pink and white sticks and doughnutsthat were piled so nicely, in a company fashion, on a blue plate. "There, " she said, smothering her disappointment as best shecould, "take these home with you, and tell your Ma I expect youagain, some day. We can't help it, 'cause Pa's been so busy, "as Joel ran off. 

"I've sold shoes all the afternoon, " he screamed, rushing intothe little brown house, and for a moment forgetting the paperbag and its precious contents. Then it came ever him in a burst. "Look at this!" swinging it over Polly's brown head. She bobbedit up suddenly. "Look out!" screamed Joel, but too late; Polly'sbrown head bumped into the bag, and away it spun, and thedoughnuts and pink and white sticks went flying all over thekitchen floor. 

"Now, that's too bad, " cried Polly, jumping up to help pick themup. "Oh, Joel, what a perfectly splendid lot!"

"Ain't it!" said Joel, his mouth watering to begin on them. "Here's one more, " spying a pink stick behind Mamsie's chair. "Here 'tis. I've got it!" emerging in triumph, and holding itfast. "Where's Phronsie and Dave?"

"Over at Grandma's, " said Polly. 

"O dear!" began Joel, then he thought a minute. "I'm going totake Grandma a doughnut, Polly, " he cried, dancing off, andswinging the bag, into which he had crammed all the "goodies. "

He heard Phronsie singing to Grandma, which she was very fond ofdoing, and perched up on the side of the bed, Grandma smilingaway, as well pleased as though she heard every word. 

"Dave, " screamed Joel, bounding in, and swinging the bag, "youdon't know what I've got, " and he hopped up on the bed betweenGrandma and Phronsie. 

When Davie saw that, he got out of his chair and speedily hoppedup on the bed, too. Grandma laughed till the tears rolled downher cheeks. 

"I guess you'll laugh more yet, Grandma, " declared Joel, untwisting the top of his bag, and bringing a pair of brightblack eyes very close to it to peer within. "It's perfectlysplendid!" he cried, holding his hands so no one else could see. 

"Oh, Joey, do show us!" cried Phronsie, getting up to kneel onthe patched bedquilt, to look over his arm. 

"You may take one peek, " decided Joel, suddenly, bringing hiseyes away from the mouth of the bag to gaze at them. "Grandmamust have the first one; then you must guess what it is. "

"I guess it's doughnuts, " said little Davie, "'cause you've beento Mrs. Beebe's, and besides, I smell 'em. " Grandma smiled allthe time, just as happily as if she had heard everything thathad been said. 

"There's something else, " said Joel, emphatically, "but 'tisn'tyour guess. Now, Grandma, " he held the bag close up to the oldlady's cap-border, "look!"

"My!" exclaimed the old lady. "What you got, Joel?" as hetwitched away the bag. 

"Didn't you see?" cried Joel; "well, you may have one more peek, 'cause you are Grandma, " and he brought it up again before hereyes. 

"Doughnuts?" said Grandma. "My sakes! where'd you get 'em?"

"You may have one, " said Joel, peering into the depths of thebag to fish out a good-sized one, that was sugary all over, which he dropped in her hands. 

"Give me one, " begged Phronsie, holding out both hands. 

"In a minute, " said Joel. "Now, Grandma, what else is in here?"giving the bag a shake. 

"Hey?" asked Grandma; "speak louder, Joel. "

"O dear me! I can't speak so's she'll hear, " said Joel, indespair, to the others. So he shook the bag again, when thebottom of it came out, and away the doughnuts and pink and whitesticks flew, and rolled all over the patched bed-quilt. 

"There, now, " said Joel, in disgust; "there isn't any use inanybody's guessing anything. But we can eat 'em now, " he added, brightening. 

XXVI

MISS PARROTT'S COACH AND THE COASTING

It was snowing tiny flakes when Joel's eyes popped open, andthe small, feathery things whirled against the little panedwindow, as if they would very much like to come in. 

"Dave--Dave!" cried Joel, poking him, "get up--it's snowing!"

David's eyes flew quite wide at that, and he sat up at once. "Oh, Joel, " he squealed, as he watched the flakes, "ain't theypretty!"

"Um! I guess so, " said Joel, springing into his clothes;"they're nice for snowballs and to slide on, anyway. "

David reached over for one blue woollen stocking on the floor bythe side of the bed, and sat quite still with it in his hand, regarding the snowy whirl. 

"You ain't got dressed a bit, " cried Joel, spinning around, "andI'm all ready. "

"So will I be all ready, " cried little David, pulling on thestocking with all haste, and flying at the rest of his clothes withalacrity. "Wait, Joe--do, " as Joel began to clatter downstairs. 

"Can't, " said Joel, racing off, "I'm going to get the sled. "

"Wa-it, " called Davie, half crying. 

But Joel was in the woodshed, hauling out the precious sled thatBen had made for the boys out of some boards and old sleighrunners that had been given him. He was dragging it out with adreadful noise from the corner where it had stayed all summer, when Polly came running out. 

"I don't believe it's going to snow much, " she said, squintingat the feathery specks. "You won't want your sled to-day, boys. "

"I'm goin' to have it ready, " said Joel, with another pull. 

"Well, I'll help you, " said Polly, taking hold of one end. "Dearme, I do think this is the most splendid sled in all the world, "she exclaimed enthusiastically. "I don't see how Ben could makeit so nice. "

"Ben can do anything, " declared Joel, tugging away. 

"I know it, " said Polly, with pride. "Well, I wish he had timeto go coasting all he wants to, " she added sorrowfully. 

"Maybe he will have, this winter, " suggested Joel, who nevercould bear to see Polly sad. 

"P'r'aps, " said Polly; "but there's always wood to chop in thewinter, Joe. There--here it comes!" as the big sled tumbled outwith a rush, to be dragged into the middle of the woodshed floor. 

David now came running downstairs, and Phronsie, hearing thatthe sled was to be drawn out, pattered into the woodshed, too. "Oh, Polly, " she cried in rapture, "now I'm going out to ride onit this very minute, " and she danced round and round, clappingher hands in glee. 

"O dear me!" cried Polly, pointing out of the little low window. "See, Phronsie, there's only the leastest little bit of snow. Why, I do verily b'lieve it's going to stop. "

At this dreadful suggestion, every one of the little Peppers inthe woodshed rushed to the window, and Joel flung wide the door, so that a cold blast, carrying a feathery cloud of little flakes, swept in. 

"Oh, Joel!" exclaimed Polly, "shut the door, Phronsie'll catchcold. " Joel was already out in the house-place, dancing about, declaring it was going to be awful deep, and they could make asnow man soon, he guessed; so little Davie ran and pushed to thedoor, shutting off all chance of hearing the rest of what he wassaying. He was gone some time, and the others ran into thekitchen, for Polly declared they would get no breakfast that dayif she did not hurry up, and David and Phronsie thought it muchnicer to watch the snowstorm from those windows than from thelittle tucked-up window in the woodshed. The consequence wasthat Joel ran in just as they had begun breakfast, in a fineglow, his cheeks very red, and his chubby nose as well. "Whydidn't you come?" he demanded, with sparkling eyes. 

"Where?" cried Polly. "Oh, Joe, what have you been doing? Yourface is as red as fire. "

"And your nose is red, too, " said David. 

"I don't care, " said Joel, slipping into his seat. "Give me somemush, Polly, do!" he begged hungrily, passing his bowl. "Oh, 'twas just prime, I tell you!"

"What?" asked Polly, quickly. "You keep saying it's fine, anddon't tell us what you've been doing. That isn't polite, " sheadded, for Polly was quite particular as to her manners, andliked to be very genteel before the other children. 

"Oh, I've been riding in Miss Parrott's coach, " said Joel, trying to appear as if this were an everyday occurrence, andeating on as if nothing had happened. Miss Parrott lived in anold ancestral house, about two miles from Badgertown. She wasvery rich, but kept entirely to herself, and drove about in anancient coach, the envy of all the villagers. "And I called youall to come, and you wouldn't. "

"Oh, Joel Pepper!" cried Polly, greatly shocked to think of thesplendid chance they all had missed, and dropping the big spoonwith which she was serving the mush, "you never called us onesingle bit!"

"No, you never did!" added David, solemnly, and looking at Pollywith all his eyes. 

"Never did!" echoed Phronsie, shaking her yellow head positively. "Polly, I want some more mush, I do. "

"Yes, I did, too, " spoke up Joel, loudly. 

"Joel!" reproved Mother Pepper. 

"Well, I did, Mamsie, " repeated Joel, in a very injured tone. "Icalled just like this, 'come quick! and ride in Miss Parrott'scoach;' so there!"

"O dear me!" cried Polly, passionately, sitting back in herchair, "I'd rather have gone in that coach than have doneanything else, and now you've been, and we never'll get a chanceagain. Never in all this world!"

"How did it happen, Joel?" asked Ben. "Do tell the whole storyfrom the beginning. "

"Why, you see it was this way, " began Joel. "Polly, give me somemore mush, do, " passing his bowl. 

"O dear me, do tell first, Joe, " cried Polly, impatiently. "Idon't know where the spoon is, " for the big spoon had tumbledoff to the floor, and she hadn't seen it go in the excitement. 

"Joel, get a clean one, " said Mrs. Pepper, "and then pick up theother; it's likely it fell down. "

So Joel hopped out of his chair and got a clean spoon for Polly, and then dived under the table and came back with the otherspoon. "Now begin and tell us all about it, " said his mother. "No, Polly, you needn't help him the mush till he's told. "

So Joel, seeing he wasn't to get the mush until the whole storyhow he got his ride in the Parrott coach was related, began atonce, and rattled it off as fast as he could. "The--man--that--drives--it--stopped--an'--I--was--in--th'--yard--an'--he--said--don't--you--wanter--all--hands--o'--you children--to drive--I've--got--to drive a--piece--down th'--road--an' I--called--and--called--you--an'--we--went--an'--that's all. Now give mesome mush!"

"If we only had known!" mourned Polly, clasping her hands. "Isit lined with green satin, Joel?" she asked suddenly. 

"I don't understand, " said Mrs. Pepper, in a puzzled way. "Wherewere you, Joel, when Miss Parrott's man asked you? And youdidn't go bareheaded, and without your coat?"

"Out in the yard, Mamsie, " answered Joel. "Polly, do give mesome mush, " for Polly was so absorbed waiting to hear if MissParrott's coach was really lined with green satin, that she hadforgotten all about Joe and his breakfast. So now she hastilydipped out the mush into the bowl that was waiting for it. "Is itreally lined with green satin, Joel?" she cried breathlessly. 

"I don't know, " said Joel, all his attention upon his bowl ofmush. 

"I most know it is, " said Polly, leaning her elbows on the table, and her head upon her hands, to think how it would really seemto be riding in a coach lined with green satin. 

"And now I never shall go, " she ended. 

"Why didn't you come back for us?" asked David, suddenly. Hehadn't eaten anything since Joel had rushed in with thewonderful story, and between Polly's disappointment and his own, was in a great state of distress. 

"Oh, I thought you were coming right off, " said Joel, swallowingrapid mouthfuls; "and then, when I got into the coach, the manthat drives Miss Parrott said he couldn't wait no longer. "

"Any longer, you mean, " corrected Mrs. Pepper. 

"Yes'm, " said Joel; "and then we drove off. "

"You see, we had to shut the door to the woodshed, " said Polly, "'cause Phronsie would catch cold if we didn't, and we didn'thear a single word when you called, Joel Pepper; not a singleone!"

"Where'd you go?" asked David, suddenly. 

"Oh, down to the Centre, " said Joel, "to two--no, I guess four stores, and then he brought me home--that is, almost home. He droppedme at the corner. "

"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly. 

"Oh, jolly! look at the snow!" screamed Joel, flying out of hischair. And sure enough, while they had been so engrossed, thereit had been coming down faster and faster, until it was apowdery veil, almost too thick to see through. 

So somewhere in the middle of the morning, Joel and Davidstarted off with their sled, drawing on their mittens with thegreatest satisfaction, and bobbing good-by to the otherswatching them from the windows. 

All went well, until Joe proposed that they should go to Simon'sHill, a long steep thoroughfare some two miles distant, thatswung at the bottom very abruptly into the turnpike. Andtrudging off there, they climbed it with despatch, and began tocoast down. 

"Oh, whickets!" cried Joel, who was steering, little Davie hangingon behind, more than three-quarters afraid, though he wouldn't letJoel see it for all the world. "Gee-haw-gee-haw-whee-dimp-dump, "as they flew over the rises, bumping and twisting from side to side. 

[Illustration: "GEE-HAW-GEE-HAW-WHEE-DIMP-DUMP"]

"Oh, take care, Joe, " screamed David, in terror, "we most wentover, " for on one side the road ran down abruptly into a thicketof evergreen and scrub oaks. 

"Hoh, we're going straight!" sang out Joel, "you're always sucha 'fraid-cat, David Pepper. "

"I ain't a 'fraid-cat, " protested Davie, "and I want to go hometo mother. "

"Well, you are going down again, eleven, no, I guess sixtytimes, " declared Joel, "after this. Gee-whiz-bump-bump-bang!"This last was brought out of him by a sudden slewing to the side, where the slope ran off to the evergreen, scrub oak thicket; butJoel missed the edge by about an inch, so he screamed withdelight, and whizzed safely down the rest of the hill. 

"I ain't going down ever again, " said David, "not once, Joel, "as they flew along and the cold air swept his pale cheeks. 

Just then, along the turnpike toward the abrupt turn of thehill-road, was coming an ox-pung, loaded with wood, and drivenby old Farmer Seeley, who was almost as blind as a bat and deafas a post. 

"Hi!" screamed Joel, whizzing along. "See us come down, " butFarmer Seeley neither saw nor heard, and just then he concludedto steer his team up as near as possible to the hill-road. Joelsaw this, and yelled, but he might as well have screamed to thehill. It was all done in a moment. Down flew the clumsy home-madesled, that couldn't be turned in a second; Joel franticallysteering to get past the big awkward team, that was blocking upthe way, David clinging to him in a dumb helpless terror. Z-z-rr-thud! and the first thing that old Farmer Seeley knew, foursmall arms and legs were waving frantically in the air, andthrown suddenly, with a mixture of boards and runners, againstthe ox-team of wood, with an awful crash; and then all was still. 

"Land o' Goshen!" ejaculated Farmer Seeley, at the crash. "What's that 'ere? O my gracious Peters!" as he saw what it wasas well as he was able, for his poor eyes. And getting off fromthe team he went to the spot, shaking so in every limb, that hecould hardly walk. 

There was no sound beneath the upturned sled, where it lay justas it had been thrown against the wood-pung, and for one dreadfulmoment Farmer Seeley thought the two boys to whom the small legsand arms belonged were dead, and he shook so his false teeth rattledin his head, and he sat right down in the snow. 

"I must dig 'em out, " he said to himself in a cold fright, "forthey've druv their heads clean into the snow, and they may getstuffocated, if they ain't already dead. "

So he did the best he could in that work, proceeding only alittle way, when Joel bounced up suddenly, shook his black hair, and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, I remember, " he said. 

"Now, see here--you boy, " screamed old Farmer Seeley, angrily, "I'll have you took up, whoever ye be, a-runnin' into my ox-team, an' a-buntin' into my wood. Um--I will!"

"Get Dave out, " cried Joel, who cared very little for whateverthe old man might say, and pawing the snow wildly. "Help me getDave out. "

"I can't help none, " said the old man, querulously. "I'm stiffin th' jints, an' beside, you've scart me to death, eenamost. "

"Oh--oh!" screamed Joel, in a frightful panic. "Dave--get up, Dave!"

But David lay like a little log of wood, as still as those onthe old pung. 

XXVII

PRINCES AND PRINCESSES

"Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, "don't worry any more about the boysnot coming home; just keep the potatoes hot in the oven. " ForPolly had run to the window about a dozen times, wondering wherethey could be, and why they didn't come back for dinner. 

"They are having a nice time, somewhere, bless their hearts, "said Mrs. Pepper, with a smile. "I'm so glad the snow has comeearly, for they've been longing for it so much. " She hadn't feltso happy and contented for a good while, for besides rejoicingin her boys' pleasure, Mr. Atkins had given her this verymorning an order to knit as many mittens as she could, and sheeven caught herself humming a little tune. 

Polly heard her, and ran over to her side. "Oh, Mamsie Pepper!"she exclaimed, "do sing it, " and she threw her arms around herneck. 

"I can't sing now, " said Mother Pepper, a little flush coming onher cheek, "and besides, I don't need to, with you, Polly, " andshe smiled fondly on her. 

"I'll stop, Mamsie--if you'll only sing to us more, " cried Polly. 

"Then I never should sing, Polly, " declared Mother Pepper, witha little laugh. "I shouldn't know what to do, child, if I didn'thear you singing round. "

"Shouldn't you, Mammy?" asked Polly, much gratified, and curlingdown into a little ball at her mother's feet. 

"No, dear, I shouldn't. " Mrs. Pepper stopped her work longenough to lay her hand caressingly on Polly's brown hair. "Why, it wouldn't seem like the little brown house at all, Polly, andI don't know what we should any of us do, if you stopped it. "

"Then I'll sing always for you, Mamsie, " said Polly; "I trulywill. "

"So do, child. Well, I must hurry along, or I shan't get time tobegin on those mittens. And just think, Polly, Mr. Atkins haspromised to let me knit as many pairs as I can. "

"Mamsie, " said Polly, suddenly, and hopping to her feet, "won'tyou teach me to knit, and then I can help you. "

"Yes, " said Mrs. Pepper; "for it's good for you to know how. ButI shan't be willing to have you help me any more than you do now. I wish you didn't have to work so hard, child, " and an anxiouscloud overspread the brightness on Mother Pepper's face. 

"Oh, I'm not going to work too hard, " cried Polly, with happythrobs at her mother's words. And she dashed off to herinterrupted work, and Mrs. Pepper smiled, as presently Pollybegan to sing so merrily that Phronsie set up a little song, till the old kitchen was the cosiest place possible. At last, ina lull, Mother Pepper called, "Polly, what is this stopping atthe gate? Tell him we don't want any, " as she saw it was a loadof wood. 

Polly ran to the door, and was beginning to say, "We don't wantany wood, " when her face turned very white, and she ran over thesnow on unsteady feet. "Oh, Joel, what is it?" throwing her armsaround him. But before he could answer, there was Mrs. Pepperclose behind her. 

They lifted Davie down from the pile of wood, where they hadmade him as comfortable as possible, Farmer Seeley and Joel;the old man tried to tell that "'Twarn't none o' my fault. Th' boysran into me, " but Joel, for the first time in his life, was without words. 

"Mamsie, don't feel badly, " said little Davie, putting up hisface to be kissed, as her arms received him. Joel flew to Pollyfor comfort. 

"And Mr. Seeley's nice, " said David, who had found out the oldfarmer's name on the long, slow, homeward journey, and nowseemed afraid he might be blamed, and not thanked enough. 

The old farmer, not hearing this, or indeed much of the talk, kept saying at intervals, "'Twarn't my fault. I ain't to blame, "till Mrs. Pepper carried David into the little brown house, andthe others, following mournfully enough, the door was shut. 

David was laid up with a sprained ankle, that was all, after theupset. But Joel found it dismal enough to play out in the snowalone, and he kept pretty close to the window, so that he couldlook up and sing out once in a while to Dave seated by it inMamsie's big rocking chair. And pretty soon, one day, Benbrought Davie out, all bundled up, and set him carefully on thebig sled. 

"There you are!" cried Ben, depositing his burden, "as fine ascan be, " all the rest of the family flocking around to tuckDavid in tighter, and to pull his tippet closer, and to be surethat he had his mittens on. 

"Don't go very far, Joe, " cautioned Mrs. Pepper. 

"I won't, Mamsie, " said Joe, proudly enough, marching off, whilethe big sled, with Davie sitting upon it as happy as a king, came sliding along behind. 

"Hooray!" cried a harsh voice, when they had proceeded in thisway for a good distance down the road, David joyfully exclaimingevery minute, "Oh, Joey, it's so good to get out doors again. "

"Hooray!" screamed the voice again, and Joel, staring as hard ashe could, saw two boys pop up from behind a stone wall, and comerushing down toward him, each with a large snowball in his hand. And the next thing, the snowballs flew through the air, and onehit David in the neck, and burst all over his tippet. Joeldidn't care that the other one gave him a whack on the head. 

"You stop that!" commanded Joel, with a face as red as fire. "Don't you hit Dave again, " and his black eyes flashed. 

"We're bigger'n you, " sneered one boy, and he picked up somemore snow, and began to roll it into a hard ball. 

"No, you ain't, either, " contradicted Joel, who never wouldacknowledge any one to be bigger than himself. "And you let Davealone, I say. "

"We're going to push him off th' sled, " said the other boy, witha dreadful grin. 

At this Joel looked all around in despair for a moment to see ifany one was coming who would help. "Davie's ankle. O dear me!"he thought. So he got between the sled and the biggest boy. "Youlet him alone!" he cried sturdily, setting his teeth tighttogether. 

"Hoh--hoh--'fraid-cat--'fraid-cat!" laughed both boys, hoppingabout in glee, and singing over and over, '"Fraid-cat--'fraid-cat!"

Joel clenched his little brown hands together tightly. It washard work not to fly at them and pommel away. "But Davie'sankle--dear--dear!" So he held his breath and kept still. 

Suddenly both boys made a rush at David, meaning to make himeat snow and have one ball thrust down his back at one and thesame time, but Joel was too quick for them, and the first thingthey knew, as David gave a scream at their approach, two hardlittle fists were pommelling them to right and left. 

"Stop it!" they cried. But Joel didn't know how to stop; hepounded away so much and so fast, and they didn't exactly seemto know where he was going to strike next, that in a few minutesboth boys were crying as hard as they could. 

"'Fraid-cat! 'Fraid-cat!" sang Joel, dancing around them, andswinging his fists in the liveliest fashion. 

"Joel Pepper!" exclaimed a voice, suddenly, that made all theboys skip, while little Davie shook in much worse apprehensionthan he did before. "Fighting in the public road! Well, I neverheard anything so dreadful!"

Joel whirled around, his fists still ready. "I ain't fighting, "he denied stoutly. It was Miss Jerusha, Parson Henderson'ssister. 

"And it's bad enough to fight, without telling a lie about it, "said Miss Jerusha, holding up her black gloves in horror. "Iain't fighting. And I didn't tell a lie, " declared Joel. "Andyou mustn't say so, " he added, advancing on her with blazingeyes. 

Miss Jerusha retreated. "You're a very bad boy, " she said tartly, "and I shall have no more to say to you. "

"You must say I don't tell a lie, " insisted Joel with unpleasantfirmness, and throwing his head back. 

"What are you doing, if you're not fighting?" began Miss Jerusha, loudly; "pray tell. "

Joel was just going to say, "They were going to hurt Davie, "when, before he could get the words out, Polly was seen runningdown the road toward them all, her hood flying back on hershoulders. 

"Oh, Joel, what _do_ you think--" she began, when she sawthe two boys, and, worst of all, Miss Jerusha; then she came toa dead stop. 

"Where are your manners?" snapped that lady, wanting to scoldsome one. "I'm sure when I was a girl I was pretty spoken, whenI met people. "

"How do you do, Miss Jerusha?" asked Polly. Then she couldn'thelp regarding the two boys with wide-eyed astonishment; theydug the toes of their shoes in the snow, and wouldn't look at her. 

"She says I told her a lie, " blurted Joel, not taking hisblazing eyes from Miss Jerusha's face. 

"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly, in the greatest distress. "Joelcouldn't tell a lie, Marm; he never did. "

Joel flung his black head higher, but he didn't take his eyesfrom Miss Jerusha's face. 

"I'm sure I don't know nor care whether he did or not, " retortedMiss Jerusha, shrilly. "And you're very pert, Polly Pepper, toset yourself up against your elders. When I was a little girl Inever contradicted folks. Never in all the world! What is yourmother thinking of, to bring you up in this way?" And she heldup her black gloves again. 

"Polly, " called little Davie, where he had been crouchingtimidly in the middle of the big sled, "can't we go home?"

"Yes, " said Polly, hoarsely. "Joel, come home with me thisminute; don't say another word, Mamsie wouldn't like it, " shecommanded. She seized the rope, and Joel, removing his eyes withthe greatest difficulty from Miss Jerusha's face, grasped it, too, and the little Peppers went as swiftly as they could go, backhome to Mamsie, leaving the other three in the middle of the road. 

"O dear!" gasped Polly, as they ran on. Then, "Joel, if we canonly get to Mamsie, " while back on the sled Davie trembled withdelight at the very thought. 

In front of the little brown house stood a big comfortablesleigh of the old-fashioned pattern. Although it had once beenvery handsome, it was now faded and ancient. A man who almostlooked as if he had gone into service along with the sleigh andthe other belongings of his mistress, sat primly upon the frontseat. He expressed as much pleasure at seeing the little Pepperscoming, as his stoical countenance would allow, but he didn'tmove a muscle of face or figure. At any other time Joel wouldhave howled with delight at seeing Miss Parrott's man sittingthere before the house, and in a sleigh. And it wouldn't havebeen a minute before he would have been in that sleigh, and onthat front seat, besieging that stiff figure to let him drive. But now Joel flew by, dropping the rope, and rushed into thehouse, and Polly was left to drag David to the door, and call toMamsie to help lift him off. But she stopped to say to MissParrott's man, "I must stop to speak to Mamsie, first, if youplease. "

Miss Parrott's man so far forgot the ancient usage of his yearsthat he rubbed his eyes as Polly turned away, and then he turnedand continued to gaze at her as long as she was to be seen. Forhe really could not believe that it was the same little girl whohad danced down the road, with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks, and he even glanced nervously around, the more he thought aboutit. 

"Mamsie!" cried Joel, hoarsely, flinging himself into MotherPepper's arms, as she came to the door to meet him, her facebeaming with happiness at the realization that Miss Parrott'ssleigh actually was waiting at the door to take her little onesfor a sleigh-ride, "Mamsie! Miss Jerusha says I told a lie. DidI, Mammy?" and Joel clutched her and broke into a torrent oftears. 

And then Polly got there, and Davie was lifted off the sled andcarried into the house, and among all three of them the storywas out. 

And there was Miss Parrott's man sitting stiffly on the frontseat of the sleigh, only his head was turned, and his eyes werestaring like all possessed at the little brown house. 

"Now, Polly, " said Mrs. Pepper, when there was no more to tell, and the children gazed at her in amazement to see her socheerful, "you just get yourself ready, as soon as ever you can. Wash your face good, and your eyes, and I'll spring to, and helpJoey and Davie. Phronsie's all ready. " Indeed, she was, andsitting patiently on her little cricket all this time, her smallmittened hands folded in her lap. To Phronsie, every bit of thefuss of getting ready for a trip was always as much of a delightas the expedition itself, and was enjoyed with grave pleasure. 

"And, dear me!" continued Mother Pepper, in her briskest fashion, all the while she was washing and patting and pulling the twoboys into just the right condition for such a grand occasion asthis, "there is Miss Parrott's man waiting out there all thistime! Now see how good you can stand still, Joey, and then we'llbe as quick as we can be. " And pretty soon they were all ready, and Joel's swollen nose and red eyes didn't look so very muchas if he had been crying, and Polly's face showed very little trace, after all, that she had been crying, too. So they all went down to thegate, Mother Pepper and Polly and Joel carrying David, andPhronsie walking gravely behind. 

"I am very sorry, " said Mother Pepper to Miss Parrott's man, still immovably staring at them, "to keep you waiting. It is notmy children's fault, I should say that. " Then she helped them in, and tucked the big fur robes all nicely around the three on theback seat. Joel, of course, was by this time snugly settled onthe front seat. 

"Now, children, " said Mrs. Pepper, regarding them for a moment, and standing quite still by the roadside, "you are to have thevery nicest time you ever had in all your lives. Remember!" andshe smiled at them, and all the sunbeams that ever shone seemedto hop right down into their hearts. Miss Parrott's man solemnlygathered up the reins tighter in his hands, and touched thehorses with the whip with the same dignity, and off they went. 

Mrs. Pepper watched the big sleigh till she couldn't see a speckof it; then she turned and went into the house, took down herSunday bonnet and shawl, for this was to be a call of importance, and soon she had left the little brown house, and was walkingrapidly over the snowy road to the minister's house. 

"I must get it over with as soon as I can, and be home beforethey get back, " she said to herself, going swiftly on. 

It wasn't two minutes before Joel was laughing gayly, andbobbing around with an important air on that front seat to theothers on the back seat, and Polly found herself tossing scrapsof nonsense back at him and the two others, and little Daviesmiled happily. As for Phronsie, she sat wedged in between theother two, her little mittens folded in her lap, in gravesatisfaction. Miss Parrott's man drew a long breath when allthis was accomplished, and the only word he said for the firsttwo miles was, "I guess you're all right _now_. "

Where they went, no one of the four little Peppers could havetold. It all seemed like Fairyland, a great enchanted space ofwinding snowy roads, dazzling in the morning sunlight of aperfect winter day; every little crystal sparkling away on apine tree, where it had to melt away, seemed to come out andwink at them, as the stately horses bore them along. All the fieldssleeping under their soft, white blankets, were new to the Peppersgliding by. That surely was not Deacon Brown's field, where theyused to race across lots, on a summer day! And as for that beingMr. Blodgett's meadow--why! no one need ever tell them so; itwas enchanted ground, and they were princes and princesseswhirling by in their chariots. 

"Let's play so, " cried Polly, suddenly, and leaning back againstthe padded cushion, feeling very glad indeed. 

"What, Polly!" cried Joel, wheeling around, at the imminentdanger of tumbling out backward, and astonished that Pollyshould want to play anything when they were enveloped with suchrichness of enjoyment. 

"Oh, that we were princesses and princes, " answered Polly, witha grand air, "and we were riding through our kingdom in a bigchariot. "

"Oh, yes, let's--let's!" screamed Joel, "and I'm the biggestprince, " he announced, with another shout. "I wished I had afeather in my cap, " he added ruefully, remembering the splendidone that Grandma Bascom's rooster had furnished for a former occasion, when Polly decked him out a prince, and that was tucked away inhis box of treasures in the woodshed, --"O dear! if I'd onlybrought it!"

"But we haven't got our things, " said Polly, quickly, "so youmust just play it, Joel. That's as good as having the feather. "

"I think it's heaven, " said little Davie, with a long breath, hanging out as far as he could over his side of the back seat. "Polly, isn't it?"

"Yes, dear, " said Polly, leaning past Phronsie to drop him akiss, which, by reason of the big sleigh going just then over ahump of frozen snow, fell on the tip of his nose. This made himlaugh, and then Polly laughed, and Phronsie came out of hergrave delight, to gurgle her amusement; and Joel, hearing themall have such a funny time back there, bobbed around again, and_he_ laughed, though he never found out what it was all about. 

And Miss Parrott's man learned more about princesses and princesand golden chariots and Fairyland and enchanted things andplaces in general than he ever heard in his life before, and whenat last they glided into Badgertown Centre, it really seemed as ifthe cup of happiness would overflow. 

"Polly, " cried little David, his cheeks aflame under his woollencap that was drawn close around his ears, and sitting quiteerect as a prince should, "the people are all coming out to meetus--the queen and king have sent us to do the errands; haven'tthey, Polly?"

"Yes, " cried Polly, delighted at the idea. "Oh, let's playthat!" So the four little Peppers drove down Badgertown mainstreet, where all the shops were, and old Mr. Beebe happened tobe standing by his little window watching for customers. "Ma--Ma!"he screamed, "here's the Pepperses goin' by in a sleigh; it's MissParrottses, I do declare. "

And Mrs. Beebe, stopping to put on her best cap with the pinkribbons before she ran out from the little parlor back of theshop, of course didn't get there till long after the triumphalprocession was over. And of all the people who stared andrejoiced in their happiness, --for there wasn't one who saw themwho didn't feel glad, down to the tips of the fingers and toes, that the Peppers were going a-pleasuring, --no one of them allsuspected that it was a chariot load of princes and princessesgliding by. 

At last it was all over, and the golden chariot paused beforethe little brown house. Polly and Joel carried David over thesnowy path, while Phronsie ran ahead like a mad little thing. And so they all rushed in, royalty dropping off at the old flatdoor stone. 

"We've been princes, " cried Joel, as Polly set Davie down, andstamping the snow, gathered on the royal rush over the yard, from his feet, "and I was the biggest prince. "

"I was the best, " declared David, twitching off his cap that hadgotten knocked over his eyes in the scramble to carry him in. "Mamsie, I truly was. "

"Oh, Mamsie!" cried Polly, dancing around the kitchen on happyfeet, her eyes glowing like stars, "it was perfectly gorgeous!"for Polly dearly loved fine words, and she thought nothing couldbe too grand for this occasion. 

"And I was a princess, " piped Phronsie, crowding up to hold fastto her mother's gown. "I truly was, Mamsie. Polly said so. "

"So you were, " declared Mamsie, smiling happily on her wholebrood; "but then, you mustn't ever forget, children, that it'swell enough to be princes and princesses once in a while, butyou're my little brown house people every day. "