LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF J 
 CAUKN 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 GUT OF 
 
 Mr. & Mrs. Earl Brown 
 
THE FAMOUS PEPPER BOOKS 
 
 BY MARGARET SIDNEY 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS AND HOW THEY GREW 
 
 Illustrated by HERMANN HEYER 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS MIDWAY 
 
 Illustrated by W. L. TAYLOR 12 mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS GROWN UP 
 
 Illustrated by L. MENTE 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 PHRONSIE PEPPER 
 
 Illustrated by JESSIE MCDERMOTT 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 THE STORIES POLLY PEPPER TOLD 
 
 Illustrated by E. B. BARRY and JESSIE McDBRMOTT 
 
 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF JOEL PEPPER 
 
 illustrated by SEARS GALLAGHER 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS ABROAD 
 
 Illustrated by FANNY CORY 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS AT SCHOOL 
 
 Illustrated by HERMANN HEYER 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS AND THEIR FRIENDS 
 
 Illustrated by EUGENIE M. Wi REMAN 12mo Cloth $1.90 
 
 BEN PEPPER 
 
 Illustrated by EUOBNIS M. WIRBMAN 12mo Cloth $1.50 
 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 
 
 BOSTON 
 
3 
 
 P 
 O 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 i 
 
FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS 
 
 AND 
 
 HOW THEY GREW 
 
 BY 
 
 MARGARET SIDNEY 
 
 AUTHOR OF "FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS MIDWAY," "FIVE 
 
 LITTLE PEPPERS GROWN UP," "BEN PEPPER," "A 
 
 LITTLE MAID OF CONCORD TOWN," " FIVE LITTLE 
 
 PEPPERS IN THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE," ETC. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 BOSTON 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 
 
& PEPPER & 
 
 TRADE-MARK 
 
 Registered in U.S. Patent Office. 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1881, BY D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY. 
 COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY HARRIETT M. LOTHROP. 
 
 All rights reserved. 
 
 EDJJC.- 
 PSYCH. 
 LIBRARY 
 
 GIFT 
 
PiV 
 
 EDUC.- 
 PSYCH. 
 LIBRARY 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OP 
 
 MY MOTHER; 
 
 in counsel tender in judgment, and in all charity 
 strengthful in Christian faith 
 
 and purpose 
 T dedicate, with reverence, this simple book. 
 
 . 
 
 r 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE. 
 
 1. A Home View . 7 
 
 2. Making Happiness for Mamsie ... 19 
 
 3. Mamsie' s Birthday . 37 
 
 4. Trouble for the Little Brown House . . 48 
 6. More Trouble ..... 69 
 
 6. Hard Days for Polly . . . . 85 
 
 7. The Cloud over the Little Brown House . 103 
 
 8. Joel's Turn . . . . 110 
 
 9. Sunshine Again ..... 117 
 
 10. A Threatened Blow .... 134 
 
 11. Safe 143 
 
 12. New Friends ..... 147 
 
 13. Phronsie pays a Debt of Gratitude . 171 
 
 14. A Letter to Jasper .... 177 
 
 15. Jolly Days 195 
 
6 Contents. 
 
 16. Getting a Christinas for the Little Ones . 216 
 
 17. Christmas Bells ..... 235 
 
 18. Education Ahead ..... 253 
 
 19. Brare Work, and the Reward . . . 275 
 30. Polly is Comforted .... 281 
 
 21. Phronsie ...... 293 
 
 22. Getting Ready for Mamsie and the Boys . 313 
 2& Which Treats of a Good Many Matters , 341 
 4 Polly's Dismal Morning. . 370 
 25 Polly's Big Bundle. 960 
 
FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS ; AND HOW THEY 
 GREW. 
 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A HOME VIEW. 
 
 ; HE little old 
 kitchen had 
 quieted down 
 from the bustle 
 and confusion 
 of mid-day; 
 and now, with 
 its afternoon 
 manners on, 
 presenteda 
 holiday aspect, 
 that as the 
 principal room 
 in the brown 
 house, it was eminently proper it should have. It 
 was just on the edge of the twilight ; and the little 
 7 
 
8 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Peppers, all except Ben, the oldest of the flock, 
 were enjoying a "breathing spell," as their mother 
 called it, which meant some quiet work suitable for 
 the hour. All the " breathing spell " they could 
 remember however, poor things; for times were 
 always hard with them nowadays; and since the 
 father died, when Phronsie was a baby, Mrs. Pepper 
 had had hard work to scrape together money enough 
 to put bread into her children's mouths, and to pay 
 the rent of the little brown house. 
 
 But she had met life too bravely to be beaten down 
 now. So with a stout heart and a cheery face, she 
 had worked away day after day at making coats, and 
 tailoring and mending of all descriptions ; and she 
 had seen with pride that couldn't be concealed, her 
 noisy, happy brood growing up around her, and filling 
 her heart with comfort, and making the little brown 
 house fairly ring with jollity and fun. 
 
 " Poor things ! " she would say to herself, " they 
 haven't had any bringing up ; they've just scrambled 
 up!" And then she would set her lips together 
 tightly, and fly at her work faster than ever. " I 
 must get schooling for them some way, but I don't 
 see how 1 '* 
 
 Once or twice she had thought, " Now the time is 
 coming 1" but it never did : for winter shut in very 
 
And How They Crew. 9 
 
 cold, and it took so much more to feed and warm 
 them, that the money went faster than ever. And 
 then, when the way seemed clear again, the stcre 
 changed hands, so that for a long time she failed to 
 get her usual supply of sacks and coats to make ; and 
 that made sad havoc in the quarters and half-dollars 
 
 laid up as her nest egg. But "Well, it'll come 
 
 some time," she would say to herself; "because it 
 must I " And so at it again she would fly, brisker 
 than ever. 
 
 "To help mother," was the great ambition of all 
 the children, older and younger; but in Polly's and 
 Ben's souls, the desire grew so overwhelmingly great 
 as to absorb all lesser thoughts. Many and vast were 
 their secret plans, by which they were to astonish her 
 at some future day, which they would only confide 
 as they did everything else to one another. For 
 this brother and sister were everything to each other, 
 and stood loyally together through " thick and thin." 
 
 Polly was ten, and Ben one year older; and the 
 younger three of the " Five Little Peppers," as they 
 were always called, looked up to them with the in- 
 tensest admiration and love. What they failed to do, 
 couldn't very well be done by any one I 
 
 "Oh dear I" exclaimed Polly as she sat over in the 
 corner by the window helping her mother pull out 
 
io Five Little Peppers; 
 
 basting threads from a coat she had just finished, 
 and giving an impatient twitch to the sleeve, " I do 
 wish we could ever have any light just as much as 
 we want ! " 
 
 " You don't need any light to see these threads," 
 said Mrs. Pepper, winding up hers carefully, as she 
 spoke, on an old spool. "Take care, Polly, you 
 broke that ; thread's dear now." 
 
 "I couldn't help it," said Polly, vexedly; "it 
 snapped; everything's dear now, it seems to me! I 
 wish we could have oh! ever an' ever so many 
 candles; as many as we wanted. I'd light 'em all, so 
 there ! and have it light here one night, anyway!" 
 
 " Yes, and go dark all the rest of the year, like as 
 anyway," observed Mrs. Pepper, stopping to untie a 
 knot. " Folks who do so never have any candles," 
 she added, sententiously. 
 
 " How many'd you have, Polly ? " asked Joel, 
 curiously, laying down his hammer, and regarding 
 her with the utmost anxiety. 
 
 " Oh, two hundred ! " said Polly, decidedly. " I'd 
 have two hundred, all in a row ! " 
 
 "Two hundred candles I" echoed Joel, in amaze- 
 ment. " My whockety ! what a lot ! " 
 
 "Don't say such dreadful words, Joel," put in 
 Polly, nervously, stopping to pick up her spool of 
 
4nd How They Grew. II 
 
 basting thread that was racing away all by itself; 
 " 'tisn't nice." 
 
 " 'Tisn't worse than to wish you'd got things you 
 haven't," retorted Joel. " I don't believe you'd light 
 'em all at once," he added, incredulously. 
 
 "Yes, I would tool" replied Polly, recklessly; 
 "two hundred of 'em, if I had a chance; all at once, 
 so there, Joey Pepper I " 
 
 "Oh," said little Davie, drawing a long sigh. 
 "Why, 'twould be just like heaven, Polly 1 but 
 wouldn't it cost money, though ! " 
 
 " I don't care," said Polly, giving a flounce in her 
 chair, which snapped another thread ; " oh dear me ! 
 I didn't mean to, mammy ; well, I wouldn't care how 
 much money it cost, we'd have as much light as we 
 wanted, for once; so!" 
 
 "Mercy I " said Mrs. Pepper, "yni'd have the 
 house afire ! Two hundred candles t who ever heard 
 of such a thing 1" 
 
 "Would they burn?" asked Phronsie, anxiously, 
 getting up from the floor where she was crouching 
 with David, overseeing Joel nail on the cover of an 
 old box ; and going to Polly's side she awaited her 
 answer patiently. 
 
 "Burn?" said Polly. "There, that's done now, 
 mamsie dear I " And she put the coat, with a last 
 
12 Five Little Peppers y 
 
 little pat, into her mother's lap. "I guess they 
 would, Phronsie pet." And Polly caught up the 
 little girl, and spun round and round the old kitchen 
 till they were both glad to stop. 
 
 "Then," said Phronsie, as Polly put her down, 
 and stood breathless after her last glorious spin, "I 
 do so wish we might, Polly ; oh, just this very one 
 minute ! " 
 
 And Phronsie clasped her fat little hands in 
 rapture at the thought. 
 
 "Well," said Polly, giving a look up at the old 
 clock in the corner; "deary me! it's half-past five; 
 and most time for Ben to come home 1 " 
 
 Away she flew to get supper. So for the next few 
 moments nothing was heard but the pulling out of 
 the old table into the middle of the floor, the laying 
 the cloth, and all the other bustle attendant upon the 
 being ready foi Ben. Polly went skipping around, 
 cutting the bread, and bringing dishes; only stop- 
 ping long enough to fling some scraps of reassuring 
 nonsense to the two boys, who were thoroughly dis- 
 mayed at being obliged to remove their traps into 
 a corner. 
 
 Phronsie still stood just where Polly left her. Two 
 hundred candles! oh ! what could it mean ! She gazed 
 up to the old beams overhead, and around the dingy 
 
And How They Grew. 13 
 
 walls, and to the old black stove, with the fire nearly 
 out, and then over everything the kitchen contained, 
 trying to think how it would seem. To have it 
 bright and winsome and warm! to suit Polly* 
 "#//" she screamed. 
 
 " Gcodness ! " said Polly, taking her head out of 
 the old cupboard in the corner, "how you scared me, 
 Phronsie ! " 
 
 " Would they ever go out ? " asked the child gravely, 
 still standing where Polly left her. 
 
 "What?" asked Polly, stopping with a dish of 
 cold potatoes in her hand. "What, Phronsie?" 
 
 " Why, the candles," said the child, " the ever-an' 
 ever so many pretty lights !" 
 
 " Oh, my senses ! " cried Polly, with a little laugh, 
 "haven't you forgotten that! Yes no, that is, 
 Phronsie, if we could have 'em at all, we wouldn't 
 ever kt 'em go out ! " 
 
 "Not once?" asked Phronsie, coming up to Polly 
 with a little skip, and nearly upsetting her, potatoes 
 and all "not once, Polly, truly?" 
 
 "No, not forever-an'-ever," said Polly; "take care, 
 Phronsie! there goes a potato; no, we'd keep 'em 
 always ! " 
 
 " No, you don't want to," said Mrs. Pepper, coming 
 out of the bedroom in time to catch the last words 5 
 
14 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " they won't be good to-morrow ; better have them 
 to-night, Polly." 
 
 " Ma'am ! " said Polly, setting down her potato- 
 dish on the table, and staring at her mother with all 
 her might " have what, mother ? " 
 
 "Why, the potatoes, to be sure," replied Mrs. Pep- 
 per; "didn't you say you better keep them, child? ^ 
 
 "'Twasn't potatoes at all," said Polly, with a 
 little gasp; "'twas dear me! here's Ben!" For 
 the door opened, and Phronsie, with a scream of 
 delight, bounded into Ben's arms. 
 
 " It's just jolly," said Ben, coming in, his chubby 
 face all aglow, and his big blue eyes shining so hon- 
 est and true ; " it's just jolly to get home ! supper 
 ready, Polly?" 
 
 "Yes," said Polly; "that is all but" and she 
 dashed off for Phronsie's eating apron. 
 
 " Sometime," said Phronsie, with her mouth half 
 full, when the meal was nearly over, " we're going to 
 be awful rich ; we are, Ben, truly ! " 
 
 "No?" said Ben, affecting the most hearty aston- 
 ishment ; " you don't say so, Chick ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Phronsie, shaking her yellow head very 
 wisely at him, and diving down into her cup of very 
 weak milk and water to see if Polly had put any 
 sugar in by mistake a proceeding always expect- 
 
And How '2hey Grew. 15 
 
 antly observed. " Yes, we are really, Bensie, very 
 dreadful rich I " 
 
 "I wish we could be rich now, then," said Ben, tak- 
 ing another generous slice of the brown bread; "in 
 time for mamsie's birthday," and he cast a sorrowful 
 glance at Polly. 
 
 "I know," said Polly; "oh dear! if we only could 
 celebrate it ! " 
 
 " I don't want any other celebration," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, beaming on them so that a little flash of 
 sunshine seemed to hop right down on the table, 
 " than to look round on you all ; I'm rich now, and 
 that's a fact I " 
 
 "Mamsie don't mind her five bothers," cried Polly, 
 jumping up and running to hug her mother ; thereby 
 producing a like desire in all the others, who immedi- 
 ately left their seats and followed her example. 
 
 " Mother's rich enough," ejaculated Mrs. Pepper; 
 her bright, black eyes glistening with delight, as the 
 noisy troop filed back to their bread and potatoes ; 
 "if we can only keep together, dears, and grow up 
 good, so that the little brown house won't be ashamed 
 of us, that's all I ask." 
 
 "Well," said Polly, in a burst of confidence to 
 Ben, after the table had been pushed back against 
 the wall, the dishes nicely washed, wiped, and se* mp 
 
s6 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 neatly in the cupboard, and all traces of the meal 
 cleared away; "I don't care; let's try and get a 
 celebration, somehow, for mamsie ! " 
 
 " How are you going to do it ? " asked Ben, who 
 was of a decidedly practical turn of mind, and thus 
 couldn't always follow Polly in her flights ot imagi- 
 nation. 
 
 " I don't know," said Polly ; " but we must some 
 way." 
 
 "Phoh! that's no good," said Ben, disdainfully; 
 then seeing Polly's face, he added kindly: "let's 
 think, though ; and perhaps there'll be some way." 
 
 "Oh, I know," cried Polly, in delight; " I know 
 the very thing, Ben ! let's make her a cake ; a big 
 one, you know, and " 
 
 "She'll see you bake it," said Ben; "or else she'll 
 smell ; t, and that'd be just as bad." 
 
 "No, she won't either," replied Polly. "Don't 
 you know she's going to help Mrs. Henderson to- 
 morrow ; so there ! " 
 
 " So she is," said Ben ; " good for you, Polly, you 
 always think of everything ! " 
 
 " And then," said Polly, with a comfortable little 
 feeling at her heart at Ben's praise, "why, we can 
 have it all out of the way splendidly, you know, when 
 she comes home and besides. Grandma Bascom '11 
 
And How They Grew. iy 
 
 tell me how. You know we've only got brown flour, 
 Ben ; I mean to go right over and ask her now." 
 " Oh, no, you mustn't," cried Ben, catching hold 
 
 PHRONSIE THINKS SHE WANTS TO GO TO BED. 
 
 of her arm as she was preparing to fly off. " Mam- 
 my'll find it out ; better wait till to-morrow ; and 
 besides Polly " And Ben stopped, unwilling to 
 dampen this propitious beginning. " The stove'll 
 act like everything, to-morrow ! I know 'twill ; then 
 what'll you do ! " 
 
 "It sha'rft!" said Polly, running up to look it in 
 the face ; " if it does, I'll shake it ; the mean old 
 thing!" 
 
 The idea of Polly's shaking the lumbering old 
 black affair, sent Ben into such a peal of laughter 
 that it brought all the other children running to the 
 spot ; and nothing would do but they must one and all. 
 
iS Five Little Peppers; 
 
 be told the reason. So Polly and Ben took them into 
 confidence, which so elated them that half an hour 
 after, when long past her bedtime, Phronsie declared, 
 " I'm not going to bed ! I want to sit up like Polly!" 
 
 " Don't tease her," whispered Polly to Ben, who 
 thought she ought to go ; so she sat straight up on her 
 little stool, winking like everything to keep awake. 
 
 At last, as Polly was in the midst of one of her 
 liveliest sallies, over tumbled Phronsie, a sleepy 
 little heap, upon the floor. 
 
 " I want to go to bed ! " she said ; " take me 
 Polly ! " 
 
 " I thought so," laughed Polly, and bundled her 
 off into the bedroom. 
 
siow jLtiey Lrrew. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 MAKING HAPPINESS FOR MAMSIE. 
 
 AND so, the minute her mother had departed for 
 tne minister's house next morning, and Ben 
 had gone to his day's work, chopping wood for Dea- 
 con Blodgett, Polly assembled her force around the 
 old stove, and proceeded to business. She and the 
 children had been up betimes that morning to get 
 through with the work ; and now, as they glanced 
 around with a look of pride on the neatly swept 
 floor, the dishes all done, and everything in order, 
 the moment their mother's back was turned they be- 
 gan to implore Polly to hurry and begin, 
 
 " It's most 'leven o'clock," said Joel, who. having 
 no work to do outside, that day, was prancing around, 
 wild to help along the festivities ; " it's most 'ieven 
 o'clock, Polly Pepper! you won't have it done." 
 
20 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " Oh, no ; 'tisn't either, Joe ; " said Polly, with a very 
 flushed face, and her arms full of kindlings, glancing 
 up at the old clock as she spoke ; " 'tisn't but quarter 
 of nine; there, take care, Phronsiel you can't lift off 
 the cover ; do help her, Davie." 
 
 " No ; let me 1 " cried Joel, springing forward ; 
 "it's my turn ; Dave got the shingles; it's my turn, 
 Polly." 
 
 "So 'tis," said Polly; "I forgot; there," as she 
 flung in the wood, and poked it all up in a nice little 
 heap coaxingly. " It can't help but burn ; what a 
 cake we'll have for mamsie I " 
 
 " It'll be so big," cried Phronsie, hopping around 
 on one set of toes, " that mamsie won't know what 
 to do, will she, Polly ? " 
 
 " No, I don't believe she will," said Polly, gayly, 
 stuffing in more wood; "Oh, dear! there goes Ben's 
 putty ; it's all come out ! " 
 
 " So it has," said Joel, going around back of the 
 stove to explore; and then he added cheerfully, "it's 
 bigger'n ever ; oh ! it's an awful big hole, Polly ! " 
 
 "Now, whatever shall we do! " said Polly, in great 
 distress ; " that hateful old crack 1 and Ben's clear 
 off to Deacon Blodgett's ! " 
 
 "I'll run and get him," cried Joel, briskly; "I'll 
 bring him right home in ten minutes." 
 
And How They Grew. *l 
 
 "Oh, no, you must not, Joe," cried Polly in alarm; 
 "it wouldn't ever be right to take him off from his 
 work ; mamsie wouldn't like it." 
 
 "What will you do, then ? " asked Joel, pausing on 
 his way to the door. 
 
 " I'm sure I don't know," said Polly, getting down 
 on her knees to examine the crack; " I shall have 
 to stuff it with paper, I s'pose." 
 
 " 'Twon't stay in," said Joel, scornfully ; " don't 
 you know you stuffed it before, last week?" 
 
 " I know," said Polly, with a small sigh ; and sit- 
 ting down on the floor, she remained quite still for 
 a minute, with her two black hands thrust out straight 
 before her. 
 
 " Can't you fix it ? " asked Davie, soberly, coming 
 up ; " then we can't have the cake." 
 
 " Dear me ! " exclaimed Polly, springing up 
 quickly ; " don't be afraid ; we're going to have that 
 cake ! There, you ugly old thing, you I " (this to 
 the stove) " see what you've done ! " as two big tears 
 flew out of Phronsie's brown eyes at the direful 
 prospect ; and the sorrowful faces of the two boys 
 looked up into Polly's own, for comfort. " I can fix 
 it, I most know ; do get some paper, Joe, as quick 
 as you can." 
 
 " Don't know where there is any," said Joel, 
 
99 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 rummaging around; "it's all tore up; 'xcept the 
 almanac ; can't I take that ? " 
 
 "Oh dear, no! " cried Polly ; put it right back, 
 /oe ; I guess there's some in the wood-shed." 
 
 " There isn't either," said little Davie, quickly ; 
 "Joel and I took it to make kites with." 
 
 "Oh dear," groaned Polly; "I don't know what 
 we shall do\ unless," as a bright thought struck her, 
 "you let me have the kites, boys." 
 
 " Can't," said Joel ; " they're all flew away ; and 
 torn up." 
 
 " Well, now, children," said Polly, turning round 
 impressively upon them, the effect of which was 
 heightened by the extremely crocky appearance she 
 had gained in her explorations, " we must have some 
 paper, or something to stop up that old hole with 
 some way, there 1 " 
 
 " I know," said little Davie, "where we'll get it; 
 it's upstairs;" and without another word he flew out 
 of the room, and in another minute he put into Polly's 
 hand an old leather boot-top, one of his most treas- 
 ured possessions. "You can chip it," he said, " real 
 fine, and then 'twill go in." 
 
 " So we can," said Polly ; " and you're a real good 
 boy, Davie, to give it ; that's a splendid present to 
 help celebrate for mamsie ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 23 
 
 " I'd a-given a boot-top," said Joel, looking grimly 
 at the precious bit of leather which Polly was rapidly 
 stripping into little bits, " if I'd a-hed it ; I don't 
 have anything ! " 
 
 "I know you would, Joey," said Polly, kindly; 
 " there now, you'll stay, I guess ! " as with the united 
 efforts of the two boys, cheered on by Phronsie's 
 enthusiastic little crow of delight, the leather was 
 crowded into place, and the fire began to burn. 
 
 "Now, boys," said Polly, getting up, and drawing 
 a long breath, " I'm going over to Grandma Bas- 
 com's to get her to tell me how to make the cake ; 
 and you must stay and keep house." 
 
 " I'm going to nail," said Joel ; " I've got lots to 
 do." 
 
 " All right," said Polly, tying on her hood ; 
 "Phronsie'll love to watch you; I won't be gone 
 long," and she was off. 
 
 "Grandma Bascom," wasn't really the children's 
 grandmother; only everybody in the village called 
 her so by courtesy. Her cottage was over across the 
 lane, and just a bit around the corner; and Polly 
 flew along and up to the door, fully knowing that now 
 she would be helped out of her difficulty. She didn't 
 stop to knock, as the old lady was so deaf she knew 
 she wouldn't hear her, but opened the door and 
 
24 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 walked in. Grandma was sweeping up the floor, 
 already as neat as a pin ; when she saw Polly com- 
 ing, she stopped, and leaned on her broom. 
 
 " How's your ma ? " she asked, when Polly had 
 said "good morning," and then hesitated. 
 
 "Oh, mammy's pretty well," shouted Polly into the 
 old lady's ear ; " and to-morrow's her birthday ! " 
 
 " To-morrow'll be a bad day 1 " said grandma. 
 " Oh, don't never say that. You mustn't borrow 
 trouble, child." 
 
 " I didn't," said Polly ; " I mean it's her birth- 
 day, grandma!" this last so loud that grandma's 
 cap-border vibrated preceptibly. 
 
 "The land's sakes 'tis!" cried Mrs. Bascom, de- 
 lightedly ; " you don't say so ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Polly, skipping around the old lady, 
 and giving her a small hug ; " and we're going to 
 give her a surprise." 
 
 " What is the matter with her eyes ? " asked grand- 
 ma, sharply, turning around and facing her; "she's 
 been a-sewin' too stiddy, hain't she ? " 
 
 "A surprise!" shouted Polly, standing upon tip- 
 toe, to bring her mouth on a level with the old lady's 
 ear ; " a cake, grandma, a big one ! " 
 
 "A cake!" exclaimed grandma, dropping the 
 broom to settle her cap, which Polly in her extreme 
 
And How They Grew. 25 
 
 endeavors to carry on the conversation, had knocked 
 slightly awry; "well, that'll be fine." 
 
 "Yes," said Polly, picking up the broom, and 
 flinging off her hood at the same time ; " and, oh ! 
 won't you please tell me how to make it, grandma I" 
 
 "To be sure; to be sure;" cried the old lady, 
 delighted beyond measure to give advice ; " I've got 
 splendid receets ; I'll go get 'em right off," and she 
 ambled to the door of the pantry. 
 
 " And I'll finish sweeping up," said Polly, which 
 grandma didn't hear; so she took up the broom, and 
 sent it energetically, and merrily flying away to the 
 tune of her own happy thoughts. 
 
 "Yes, they're right in here," said grandma, wad- 
 dling back with an old tin teapot in her hand; 
 "goodness, child! what a dust you've kicked up! 
 that ain't the way to sweep." And she took the 
 broom out of Polly's hand, who stood quite still in 
 mortification. 
 
 "There," she said, drawing it mildly over the 
 few bits she could scrape together, and gently 
 coaxing them into a little heap ; " that's the way ; 
 and then they don't go all over the room.'* 
 
 " I'm sorry," began poor Polly. 
 
 " Tain't any matter," said Mrs. Bascom kindly, 
 catching sight of Polly's discomfited face ; " 'tain't 
 
f6 Five Little Peppers: 
 
 a mite of matter ; you'll sweep better next time ; no* 
 let's go to the cake ; " and putting the broom into 
 the corner, she waddled back again to the table, 
 followed by Polly, and proceeded to turn out the 
 contents of the teapot, in search of just the right 
 " receet." 
 
 But the right one didn't seem to appear ; not even 
 after the teapot was turned upside down and shaker, 
 by both grandma's and Polly's anxious hands. Every 
 other "receet" seemed to tumble out gladly, and 
 stare them in the face little dingy rolls of yellow 
 paper, with an ancient odor of spice still clinging 
 to them; but all efforts to find this particular one 
 failed utterly. 
 
 " Won't some other one do ? " asked Polly, in the 
 interval of fruitless searching, when grandma be- 
 wailed and lamented, and wondered, " where I could 
 a put it ! " 
 
 "No, no, child/* answered the old lady; "now, 
 where do you s'pose 'tis ! " and she clapped both 
 hands to her head, to see if she could possibly re- 
 member; "no, no, child," she repeated- "Why, 
 they had it down to my niece Mirandy's weddin' 
 'twas just elegant ! light as a feather ; and 'twan't 
 rich either," she added ; " no eggs, nor " 
 
 " Oh, I couldn't have eggs; " cried Polly, in amaze- 
 
And How They Grew. 27 
 
 ment at the thought of such luxury; "and we've 
 only brown flour, grandma, you know.' 
 
 " Well, you can make it of brown," said ivlrs. Bas- 
 com, kindly; "when the raisins is in 'twill look 
 quite nice." 
 
 " Oh, we haven't any raisins," answered Polly. 
 
 " Haven't any raisins ! " echoed grandma, looking 
 at her over her spectacles ; " what are you goin* to 
 put in?" 
 
 "Oh cinnamon," said Polly, briskly; "we've 
 got plenty of that, and it'll be good, I guess, 
 grandma ! " she finished, anxiously ; " anyway, we 
 must have a cake ; there isn't any other way to 
 celebrate mamsie's birthday." 
 
 " Well, now," said grandma, bustling around ; " I 
 shouldn't be surprised if you had real good luck, 
 Polly. And your ma'll set ever so much by it; 
 now, if we only could find that receet ! " and return- 
 ing to the charge she commenced to fumble among 
 her bits of paper again ; " I never shall forget how 
 they eat on it; why, there wasn't a crumb left, 
 Polly ! " 
 
 Oh, dear," said Polly, to whom " Mirandy's wed- 
 diAg cake " now became the height of her desires ; 
 " 15 you only can find it 1 can't I climb up and look 
 on the pantry shelves?" 
 
sS Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Maybe 'tis there," said Mrs. Bascom, slowly, 
 " you migU try ; sometimes I do put things away, 
 so's to have 'em safe." 
 
 So Polly got an old wooden chair, according to 
 direction, and then mounted up on it, with grandma 
 below to direct, she handed down bowl after bowl, 
 interspersed at the right intervals with cracked tea- 
 cups and handleless pitchers. But at the end of 
 these explorations, "Mirandy's wedding cake" was 
 further off than ever. 
 
 "'Tain't a mite o' use," at last said the old lady, 
 sinking down in despair, while Polly perched on the 
 top of the chair and looked at her ; " I must a-give 
 it away." 
 
 " Can't I have the next best one, then ? " asked 
 Polly, despairingly, feeling sure that " Mirandy's 
 wedding cake" would have celebrated the day just 
 right ; <5 and I must hurry right home, please," she 
 added, getting down from the chair, and tying on 
 her hood ; "or Phronsie won't know what to do." 
 
 So another " receet " was looked over, and selected; 
 and with many charges, and bits of advice not to let 
 the oven get too hot, etc., etc., Polly took the pre- 
 cious bit in her hand, and flew over home. 
 
 "Now, we've got to " she began, bounding in 
 merrily, with dancing eyes ; but her delight had a 
 
And How They Grew. 29 
 
 sudden stop, as she brought up so suddenly at the 
 sight within, that she couldn't utter another word. 
 Phronsie was crouching, a miserable little heap of 
 woe, in one corner of the mother's big calico-covered 
 rocking-chair, and crying bitterly, while Joel hung 
 over her in the utmost concern. 
 
 " What's the matter ? " gasped Polly. Flinging the 
 " receet " on the table, she rushed up to the old chaii 
 and was down on her knees before it, her arms 
 around the little figure. Phronsie turned, and threw 
 herself into Polly's protecting arms, who gathered 
 her up, and sitting down in the depths of the chair, 
 comforted her as only she could. 
 
 " What is it ? " she asked of Joel, who was ner- 
 vously begging Phronsie not to cry ; " now, tell me 
 all that's happened." 
 
 "I was a-nailing," began Joel; "oh dear! don't 
 cry, Phronsie ! do stop her, Polly." 
 
 " Go on" said Polly, hoarsely. 
 
 " I was a-nailing," began Joel, slowly ; " and and 
 Davie's gone to get the peppermint," be added, 
 (brightening up. 
 
 "Tell me, Joe," said Polly, "all that's been going 
 on," and she looked sternly into his face; "or I'll 
 get Davie to," as little Davie came running back, with 
 a bottle of castor oil, which in his flurry he had mis- 
 
30 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 taken for peppermint. This he presented with a 
 flourish to Polly, who was too excited to see it. 
 
 "Oh, no!" cried Joel, in intense alarm; "Davie 
 isn't going to ! I'll tell, Polly ; I will truly." 
 
 " Go on, then," said Polly ; " tell at once ; " (feeling 
 as if somebody didn't tell pretty quick, she should 
 tumble over.) 
 
 "Well," said Joel, gathering himself up with a 
 fresh effort, "the old hammer was a-shaking and 
 Phronsie stuck her foot in the way and I couldn't 
 help it, Polly no, I just couldn't, Polly." 
 
 Quick as a flash, Polly tore off the little old shoe) 
 and well-worn stocking, and brought to light Phron- 
 sie's fat little foot, Tenderly taking hold of the 
 white toes, the boys clustering around in the greatest 
 anxiety, she worked them back and forth, and up ana 
 down. u Nothing's broken," she said at last, and 
 drew a long breath. 
 
 "It's there,** said Phronsfe, through a rain of tears; 
 %< and it hurts, Polly;'* and she began to wiggle the 
 big toe, where around the nail was settling a small 
 black spot. 
 
 "Poor little toe,'* began Polly, cuddling up the 
 suffering foot. Jtist then, a small and peculiar noise 
 struck her ear ; and looking up she saw Joel, with a 
 very distorted face, making violent efforts to keep 
 
And Bow They Grew. 31 
 
 from bursting out into a loud cry. All his attempts, 
 however, failed ; and he flung himself into Polly's lap 
 in a perfect torrent of tears. "I didn't mean to 
 Polly," he cried ; " 'twas the ugly, old hammer I 
 eh dear t 
 
 c& There, there, Joey, dear," said Polly, gathering 
 him up in the other corner of the old chair, close to 
 her side ; " don't feel bad ; I know you didn't mean 
 to," and she dropped a kiss on his stubby black 
 hair. 
 
 When Phronsie saw that anybody else could cry, 
 she stopped immediately, and leaning over Polly, 
 put one little fat hand on Joel's neck. " Don't cry," 
 she said ; " does your toe ache ? " 
 
 At this, Joel screamed louder than ever ; and Polly 
 was at her wit's end to know what to do ; for the boy's 
 heart was almost broken. That he should have hurt 
 Phronsie! the baby, the pet of the whole house, 
 upon whom all their hearts centered it was too 
 much. So for the next few moments, Polly had all 
 she could do by way of comforting and consoling 
 him. Just as she had succeeded, the door opened, 
 and Grandma Bascom walked in. 
 * " Settin' down ? " said she ; " I hope your cake 
 ain't in, Polly," looking anxiously at the stove, " for 
 I've found it; " and she waved a small piece of papei 
 
Ji Five Little Peppers; 
 
 triumphantly towards the rocking-chair as she spoke. 
 
 " Do tell her," said Polly to little Davicl " what's 
 happened ; for I can't get up." 
 
 So little Davie went up to the old lady, and stand- 
 ing on tiptoe, screamed into her ear all the particu- 
 lars he could think of, concerning the accident that 
 had just happened. 
 
 " Hey ? " said grandma, in a perfect bewilderment; 
 " what's he a-sayin', Polly I can't make it out." 
 
 "You'll have to go all over it again, David," said 
 Polly, despairingly; "she didn't hear one word, I 
 don't believe." 
 
 So David tried again ; this time with better suc- 
 cess. And then he got down from his tiptoes, and 
 escorted grandma to Phronsie, in flushed triumph. 
 
 " Land alive I " said the old lady, sitting down in 
 the chair which he brought her ; "you got pounded, 
 did you?" looking at Phronsie, as she took the little 
 foot in her ample hand. 
 
 "Yes'm," said Polly, quickly ; "'twasn't anyone's 
 fault ; what'll we do for it, grandma ? " 
 
 "Wormwood," said the old lady, adjusting her 
 spectacles in extreme deliberation, and then exam- 
 ining the little black and blue spot, which was spread- 
 ing rapidly, "is the very best thing; and I've got 
 some to home you run right over," she said, turn- 
 
And How They Grew. 33 
 
 ing round on David, quickly, "an* get it; it's a-hang- 
 in' by the chimbley." 
 
 " Let me ; let me ! " cried Joel, springing out of 
 the old chair, so suddenly that grandma's spectacles 
 nearly dropped off in fright ; "oh I I want to do it 
 for Phronsie ! " 
 
 "Yes, let Joel, please," put in Polly; "he'll find 
 it, grandma." 
 
 So Joel departed with great speed ; and presently 
 returned, with a bunch of dry herbs, which dangled 
 comfortingly by his side, as he came in. 
 
 "Now I'll fix it," said Mrs. Bascom, getting up and 
 taking off her shawl ; " there's a few raisins for you, 
 Polly ; I don't want 'em, and they'll make your cake 
 go better," and she placed a little parcel on the table 
 as she spoke. " Yes, I'll put it to steep ; an' after 
 it's put on real strong, and tied up in an old cloth, 
 Phronsie won't know as she's got any toes ! " and 
 grandma broke up a generous supply of the herb, and 
 put it into an old tin cup, which she covered up with 
 a saucer, and placed on the stove. 
 
 "Oh!" said Polly; "I can't thank you! for the 
 raisins and all you're so good ! " 
 
 " They're awful hard," said Joel, investigating into 
 the bundle with Davie, which, however, luckily the 
 old lady didn't hear. 
 
34 Five Littk Peppers; 
 
 "There, don't try," she said cheerily; "an' I found 
 cousin Mirandy's weddin' cake receet, for " 
 
 "Did you?" cried Polly; "oh! I'm so glad!" 
 feeling as if that were comfort enough for a good deal. 
 
 "Yes, 'twas in my Bible," said Mrs. Bascom; "I 
 remember now ; I put it there to be ready to give 
 John's folks when they come in ; they wanted it ; so 
 you'll go all straight now ; and I must get home, for 
 I left some meat a-boilin'." So grandma put on 
 her shawl, and waddled off, leaving a great deal of 
 comfort behind her. 
 
 "Now, says I," said Polly to Phronsie, when the 
 little foot was snugly tied up in the wet wormwood, 
 a you've got to have on one of mamsie's old slippers." 
 
 "Oh, ho," laughed Phronsie ; "won't that be funny, 
 Polly!" 
 
 "I should think it would," laughed Polly, back 
 again, pulling on the big cloth slipper, which Joel 
 produced from the bedroom, the two boys joining 
 uproariously, as the old black thing flapped dismally 
 up and down, and showed strong symptoms of flying 
 off. "We shall have to tie it on." 
 
 a It looks like a pudding bag," said Joel, as Polly 
 tied it securely through the middle with a bit of 
 twine ; "an old black pudding bag !" he finished. 
 
 "Old black pudding bag!" echoed Phronsie, with 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 35 
 
 A merry little crow ; and then all of a sudden she 
 grew very sober, and looked intently at the foot 
 thrust out straight before her, as she still sat in the 
 chair. 
 "What is it, Phronsie?" asked Polly, who was 
 
 &W-;VW*^**&^ 
 
 . ;-^.-".-... 
 
 "IT LOOKS LIKE A PUDDING BAG." 
 
 bustling around, making preparations for the cake* 
 making. 
 
 " Can I ever wear my new shoes again ?/' asked 
 the child, gravely, looking dismally at the black 
 bundle before her. 
 
36 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " Oh, yes ; my goodness, yes ! " cried Polly ; " as 
 quick again as ever; you'll be around again as smart 
 as a cricket in a week see if you aren't ! " 
 
 " Will it go on ? " asked Phronsie, still looking 
 incredulously at the bundle, "and button up?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! " cried Polly, again ; " button into 
 every one of the little holes, Phronsie Pepper; just 
 as elegant as ever ! " 
 
 " Oh ! " said Phronsie ; and then she gave a sigh 
 of relief, and thought no more of it, because Polly 
 had said that all would be right. 
 
And How They Grew. 37 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MAMSIE'S BIRTHDAY. 
 
 RUN down and get the cinnamon, will 
 Joey ? " said Polly ; " it's in the * Provision 
 Room.'" 
 
 The a Provision Room " was a little shed that was 
 tacked on to the main house, and reached by a short 
 flight of rickety steps ; so called, because as Polly 
 said, " 'twas a good place to keep provisions in, even 
 if we haven't any ; and besides," she always finished, 
 " it sounds nice ! " 
 
 " Come on, Dave ! then we'll get something to eat !'' 
 
 So the cinnamon was handed up, and then Joel 
 flew back to Davie. 
 
 And now, Polly's cake was done, and ready for the 
 oven. With many admiring glances from herself, 
 
38 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 and Phronsie, who with Seraphina, an extremely old 
 but greatly revered doll, tightly hugged in her arms 
 was watching everything with the biggest of eyes from 
 the depths of the old chair, it was placed in the oven, 
 the door shut to with a happy little bang, and then 
 Polly gathered Phronsie up in her arms, and sat down 
 in the chair to have a good time with her and to 
 watch the process of cooking. 
 
 There was a bumping noise that came from the 
 " Provision Room " that sounded ominous, and then 
 a smothered sound of words, followed by a scuffling 
 over the old floor. 
 
 "Boys!" called Polly. No answer; everything 
 was just as still as a mouse. "Joel and David!" 
 called Polly again, in her loudest tones. 
 
 "Yes," came up the crooked stairs, in Davie's voice. 
 
 " Come up here, right away ! " went back again 
 from Polly. So up the stairs trudged the two boys, 
 and presented themselves rather sheepishly before 
 the big chair. 
 
 " What was that noise ? " she asked ; " what have 
 you been doing ? " 
 
 " 'Twasn't anything but the pail," answered Joel, 
 not looking at her. 
 
 "We had something to eat," said Davie, by way of 
 explanation ; "you always let us." 
 
And How They Grew. 39 
 
 "I know," said Polly; "that's right, you can have 
 asj much bread as you want to ; but what you been 
 doing with the pail ? " 
 
 " Nothing," said Joel ; " 'twouldn't hang up, that's 
 all." 
 
 " And you've been bumping it," said Polly; " oh) 
 Joel, how could you ! You might have broken it ; 
 then what would mamsie say ? " 
 
 " I didn't," said Joel, stoutly, with his hands in his 
 pockets, "bump it worse'n Davie, so there ! " 
 
 " Why, Davie," said Polly, turning to him sorrow- 
 fully, "I shouldn't have thought you would! " 
 
 "Well, I'm tired of hanging it up," said little 
 Davie, vehemently; "and I said I wasn't a-goin' 
 to ; Joel always makes me ; I've done it for two 
 million times, I guess ! " 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Polly, sinking back into the 
 chair, " I don't know what I ever shall do ; here's 
 Phronsie hurt ; and we want to celebrate to-morrow; 
 and you two boys are bumping and banging out the 
 bread pail, and " 
 
 "Oh! we won't!" cried both of the children, 
 perfectly overwhelmed with remorse ; " we'll hang it 
 right up." 
 
 " I'll hang it," said Davie, clattering off down the 
 stairs with a will. 
 
4O Five Little Peppers ^ 
 
 " No, / will ! " shouted Joel, going after him at 
 double pace; and presently both came up with 
 shining faces, and reported it nicely done. 
 
 " And now," said Polly, after they had all sat 
 around the stove another half-hour, watching and 
 sniffing expectantly, " the cake's done ! dear me ! 
 it's turning black !" 
 
 And quickly as possible Polly twitched it out with 
 energy, and s-et it on the table. 
 
 Oh, dear ; of all things in the world ! The beau- 
 tiful cake over which so many hopes had been 
 formed, that was to have given so much happiness 
 on the morrow to the dear mother, presented a for- 
 lorn appearance as it stood there in anything but 
 holiday attire. It was quite black on the top, in the 
 center of which was a depressing little dump, as if 
 to say, " My feelings wouldn't allow me to rise to 
 the occasion." 
 
 " Now," said Polly, turning away with a little fling, 
 and looking at the stove, " I hope you're satisfied, 
 you old thing ; you've spoiled our mamsie's birth- 
 day ! " and without a bit of warning, she sat right 
 down in the middle of the floor and began to cry as 
 hard as she could. 
 
 " Well, I never ! " said a cheery voice, that made 
 the children skip. 
 
And How They Grew. 41 
 
 "It's Mrs. Beebe; oh, it's Mrs. Beebe!" cried 
 Davie ; " see, Polly." 
 
 Polly scrambled up to her feet, ashamed to be 
 caught thus, and whisked away the tears ; the others 
 explaining to their new visitor the sad disappoint- 
 ment that had befallen them ; and she was soon 
 oh-ing and ah-ing enough to suit even their distressed 
 little souls. 
 
 " You poor creeters, you I " she exclaimed at last, 
 for about the fiftieth time. "Here, Polly, here's 
 some posies for you, and " 
 
 " Oh, thank you 1 " cried Polly, with a radiant face, 
 " why, Mrs. Beebe, we can put them in here, can't 
 we ? the very thing 1 " 
 
 And she set the little knot of flowers in the hollow 
 of the cake, and there they stood and nodded away 
 to the delighted children, like brave little comforters, 
 as they were. 
 
 " The very thing 1 * echoed Mrs. Beebe, tickled to 
 death to see their delight; "it looks beautiful, I 
 declare I and now, I must run right along, or pa'll 
 be worrying ; " and so the good woman trotted out 
 to her waiting husband, who was impatient to be off. 
 Mr. Beebe kept a little shoe shop in town; and 
 always being of the impression if he left it for 
 ten minutes that crowds of customers would visit it 
 
42 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 He was the most restless of companions on any 
 pleasure excursion. 
 
 "And Phronsie's got hurt," said Mrs. Beebe, telling 
 
 THE FLOWERS MAKE IT ALL RIGHT. 
 
 him the news, as he finished tucking her up, and 
 Started the old horse. 
 
 * Ho ? you don't say so ! " he cried ; " whoa!" 
 
And How They Grew. 43 
 
 " Dear me ! " said Mrs. Beebe ; " how you scat 
 me, pa ! what's the matter ? " 
 
 " What ? the little girl that bought the shoes ? * 
 asked her husband. 
 
 " Yes," replied his wife, " she's hurt her foot." 
 
 " Sho, now," said the old gentleman ; " that's too 
 bad," and he began to feel in all his pockets indus- 
 triously; "there, can you get out again, and take 
 her that ? " and he laid a small piece of peppermint 
 candy, thick and white, in his wife's lap. 
 
 " Oh, yes," cried Mrs. Beebe, good-naturedly, be- 
 ginning to clamber over the wheel. 
 
 So the candy was handed in to Phronsie, who in- 
 sisted that Polly should hold her up to the window 
 to thank Mr. Beebe. So amid nods, and shakings 
 of hands, the Beebes drove off, and quiet settled 
 down over the little brown house again. 
 
 " Now, children," said Polly, after Phronsie had 
 made them take a bite of her candy all around, "let's 
 get the cake put away safe, for mamsie may come 
 home early." 
 
 "Where'll you put it?" asked Joel, wishing the 
 world was all peppermint candy. 
 
 "Oh in the cupboard," said Polly, taking it up; 
 "there, Joe, you can climb up, and put it clear back 
 n the corner, oh I wait ; I must take the posies off. 
 
44 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 and keep them fresh in water ; " so the cake was 
 finally deposited in a place of safety, followed by the 
 eyes of all the children. 
 
 " Now," said Polly, as they shut the door tight, 
 * don't you go to looking at the cupboard, Joey, or 
 mammy'll guess something." 
 
 " Can't I just open it a little crack, and take one 
 smell when she isn't looking?" asked Joel; "I 
 should think you might, Polly ; just one." 
 
 "No," said Polly, firmly; "not one, Joe; she'll 
 guess if you do." 
 
 But Mrs. Pepper was so utterly engrossed with her 
 baby when she came home and heard the account of 
 the accident, that she wouldn't have guessed if there'd 
 been a dozen cakes in the cupboard. Joel was con- 
 soled, as his mother assured him in a satisfactory 
 way that she never should think of blaming him; 
 and Phronsie was comforted and coddled to her 
 heart's content. And so the evening passed rapidly 
 and happily away ; Ben smuggling Phronsie off into 
 a corner, where she told him all the doings of the 
 day the disappointment of the cake, and how it 
 was finally crowned with flowers; all of which 
 Phronsie, with no small pride in being the narrator, 
 related gravely to her absorbed listener. "And don't 
 you think, Bensie," she said, clasping her little hand 
 
And How They Grew. 45 
 
 in a convincing way over his two bigger, stronger 
 ones, " that Polly's stove was very naughty to make 
 poor Polly cry ? " 
 
 " Yes, I do," said Ben, and he shut his lips tightly 
 together. To have Polly cry, hurt him more than he 
 cared to have Phronsie see. 
 
 "What are you staring at, Joe ?" asked Polly, a 
 few minutes later, as her eyes fell upon Joel, who 
 sat with his back to the cupboard, persistently gaz- 
 ing at the opposite wall. 
 
 " Why, you told me yourself not to look at the 
 cupboard," said Joel, in the loudest of stage whispers. 
 
 " Dear me ; that'll make mammy suspect worse'n 
 anything else if you look like that," said Polly. 
 
 '* What did you say about the cupboard ? " asked 
 Mrs. Pepper, who caught Joe's last word. 
 
 " We can't tell," said Phronsie," shaking her head 
 at her mother ; " 'cause there's a ca " 
 
 "Ugh!" and Polly clapped her hand on the 
 child's mouth ; " don't you want Ben to tell us a 
 story?" 
 
 " Oh, yes ! " cried little Phronsie, in which all the 
 others joined with a whoop of delight ; so a most 
 wonderful story, drawn up in Ben's best style, fol- 
 lowed till bed-time. 
 
 The first thing Polly did in the morning, was to 
 
46 five Little Peppers; 
 
 run to the old cupboard, followed by all the otners* 
 to see if the cake was safe ; and then it had to be 
 drawn out, and dressed anew with the flowers, for 
 they had decided to have it on the breakfast table. 
 
 " It looks better," whispered Polly to Ben, " than 
 it did yesterday ; and aren't the flowers pretty ? " 
 
 " It looks good enough to eat, anyway," said Ben, 
 Smacking his lips. 
 
 "Well, we tried," said Polly, stifling a sigh; "now, 
 boys, call mamsie ; everything's ready." 
 
 Oh! how surprised their mother appeared when 
 she was ushered out to the feast, and the full glory 
 of the table burst upon her. Her delight in the 
 cake was fully enough to satisfy the most exacting 
 mind. She admired and admired it on every side, 
 protesting that she shouldn't have supposed Polly 
 could possibly have baked it as good in the old 
 stove; and then she cut it, and gave a piece to 
 every child, with a little posy on top. Wasn't it 
 good, though ! for like many other things, the cake 
 proved better on trial than it looked, and so turned 
 out to be really quite a good surprise all around. 
 
 * Why can't I ever have a birthday ? " asked Joel, 
 finishing the last crumb of his piece ; " I should 
 think I might," he added, reflectively. 
 
 "Why, you have, Joe," said Ben ; " eight of 'em." 
 
And How They Grew. 47 
 
 "What a story!" ejaculated Joel; "when did I 
 have 'em ? I never had a cake ; did I, Polly ? " 
 
 "Not a cake-birthday, Joel," said his mother; 
 '"you haven't got to that yet." 
 
 "When's it coming?" asked Joel, who was de- 
 cidedly of a matter-of-fact turn of mind. 
 
 "I don't know," said Mrs. Pepper, laughing; "but 
 there's plenty of time ahead." 
 
five Little Peppers; 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TROUBLE FOR THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE. 
 
 OH, I do wish," said Joel, a few mornings after, 
 pushing back his chair and looking discon- 
 tentedly at his bowl of mush and molasses, " that we 
 could ever have something new besides this everlast- 
 ing old breakfast ! Why can't we, mammy ? " 
 
 " Better be glad you've got that, Joe," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, taking another cold potato, and sprinkling 
 on a little salt ; " folks shouldn't complain so long 
 as they've anything to eat." 
 
 "But I'm so tired of it same old thing! " growled 
 Joel ; " seems as if I sh'd turn into a meal-bag or a 
 molasses jug ! " 
 
 "Well, hand it over, then," proposed Ben, who 
 was unusually hungry, and had a hard day's work 
 before him. 
 
And How They Grew. 49 
 
 "No," said Joel, alarmed at the prospect, and 
 putting in an enormous mouthful ; " it's better than 
 nothing." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said little Phronsie, catching Joel's 
 tone, " it isn't nice ; no, it isn't." And she put down 
 her spoon so suddenly that the molasses spun off in 
 a big drop, that trailed off the corner of the table, 
 and made Polly jump up and run for the floor-cloth. 
 
 " Oh, Phronsie," she said, reprovingly ; " you 
 ought not to. Never mind, pet," as she caught sight 
 of two big tears trying to make a path in the little 
 molasses-streaked face, " Polly'll wipe it up." 
 
 " Sha'n't we ever have anything else to eat, Polly?" 
 asked the child, gravely, getting down from her high 
 chair to watch the operation of cleaning the floor. 
 
 "Oh, yes," said Polly, cheerfully, "lots and lots 
 when our ship comes in." 
 
 " What'll they be ?" asked Phronsie, in the great- 
 est delight, prepared for anything. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know," said Polly ; " ice cream for 
 one thing, Phronsie, and maybe, little cakes." 
 
 " With pink on top I " interrupted Phronsie, get- 
 ting down by Polly's side. 
 
 " Oh, yes," said Polly, warming with her subject ; 
 " ever and ever so much pink, Phronsie Pepper; 
 more than you could eat 1 " 
 
50 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Phronsie just clasped her hands and sighed. 
 More than she could eat was beyond her ! 
 
 " Hoh 1 " said Joel, who caught the imaginary bill 
 of fare, " that's nothing, Polly. I'd speak for a plum 
 puddin'." 
 
 " Like the one mother made us for Thanksgiving ? " 
 asked Polly, getting up and waiting a minute, cloth 
 in hand, for the answer. 
 
 " Yes, sir," said Joel, shutting one eye and look- 
 ing up at the ceiling, musingly, while he smacked his 
 lips in remembrance; "wasn't that prime, though! " 
 
 "Yes/' said Polly, thoughtfully; "would you have 
 'em all like that, Joe ? " 
 
 "Every one," replied Joe, promptly; "I'd have 
 seventy-five of 'em." 
 
 " Seventy-five what ? " asked Mrs. Pepper, who 
 had gone into the bedroom, and now came out, a 
 coat in hand, to sit down in the west window, where 
 she began to sew rapidly. " Better clear up the 
 dishes, Polly, and set the table back seventy-five 
 what, Joel ? " 
 
 " Plum puddings," said Joel, kissing Phronsie. 
 
 "Dear me!" ejaculated Mrs. Pepper; "you don't 
 know what you're saying, Joel Pepper ; the house 
 couldn't hold 'em ! " 
 
 "Wouldn't long," responded Joel ; "we'd eat 'em." 
 
And How They Grew. ft 
 
 "That would be foolish," interposed Ben; "I'd 
 have roast beef and fixings and oysters and 
 huckleberry pie." 
 
 "Oh, dear," cried Polly; "how nice, Bent you 
 always do think of the very best things." 
 
 But Joel phoohed and declared he wouldn't waste 
 his time "over old beef; he'd have something like!" 
 And then he cried: "Come on, Dave, what'd you 
 choose?" 
 
 Little Davie had been quietly eating his breakfast 
 amid all this chatter, and somehow thinking it might 
 make the mother feel badly, he had refrained from 
 saying just how tiresome he had really found this 
 " everlasting breakfast " as Joel called it. But now 
 he looked up eagerly, his answer all ready. " Oh, 
 I know," he cried, " what would be most beautiful I 
 toasted bread white bread and candy." 
 
 " What's candy?" asked Phronsie. 
 
 "Oh, don't you know, Phronsie," cried Polly, 
 " what Mrs. Beebe gave you the day you got your 
 shoes the pink sticks ; and " 
 
 "And the peppermint stick Mr. Beebe gave 
 you, Phronsie," finished Joel, his mouth watering at 
 the remembrance. 
 
 "That day, when you got your toe pounded," 
 added Davie, looking at Joel. 
 
52 five Little Peppers*, 
 
 "Oh!" cried Phronsie; "I want some now, I 
 do!" 
 
 " Well, Davie," said Polly, " you shai have that 
 for breakfast when our ship comes in then. 
 
 " Your ships aren't ever coming," broke iw Mrs, 
 Pepper, wisely, "if you sit there talking folks 
 don't ever make any fortunes by wishing." 
 
 "True enough," laughed Ben, jumping up and 
 setting back his chair. " Come on, Joe ; you've got 
 to pile to-day." 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Joel, dismally; "I wish Mr. 
 Blodgett's wood was all a-fire." 
 
 "Never say that, Joel," said Mrs. Pepper, looking 
 up sternly ; " it's biting your own nose off to wish 
 that wood was a-fire and besides it's dreadfully 
 wicked" 
 
 Joel hung his head, for his mother never spoke in 
 that way unless she was strongly moved; but he 
 soon recovered, and hastened off for his jacket. 
 
 " I'm sorry I can't help you do the dishes, Polly," 
 said David, running after Joel. 
 
 " I'm going to help her," said Phronsie ; " I am." 
 
 So Polly got the little wooden tub that she always 
 used, gave Phronsie the well-worn cup-napkin, and 
 allowed her to wipe the handleless cups and cracked 
 saucers, which afforded the little one intense delight 
 
I 
 
And How They Grew. 55 
 
 "Don't you wish, Polly," said little Phronsie, 
 bustling around with a very important air, nearly 
 smothered in the depths of a big brown apron that 
 Polly had carefully tied under her chin, " that you 
 didn't ever-an'-ever have so many dishes to do? rs 
 
 "Urn maybe," said Polly, thoughtlessly. She 
 was thinking of something else besides cups and 
 saucers just then ; of how nice it would be to go off 
 for just one day, and do exactly as she had a mind 
 to in everything. She even envied Ben and the 
 boys who were going to work hard at Deacon Blod- 
 gett's woodpile. 
 
 " Well, I tell you," said Phronsie, confidentially, 
 setting down a cup that she had polished with great 
 care, " I'm going to do 'em all to-morrow, for you, 
 Polly I can truly ; let me now, Polly, do" 
 
 " Nonsense ! " said Polly, giving a great splash 
 with her mop in the tub, ashamed of her inward 
 repinings. " Phronsie, you're no bigger than a 
 mouse ! " 
 
 "Yes, I am," retorted Phronsie, very indignantly* 
 Her face began to get very red, and she straight- 
 ened up so suddenly to show Polly just how very 
 big she was that her little head came up against 
 the edge of the tub over it went 1 a pile of saucer? 
 followed. 
 
56 Five Littk Peppers; 
 
 " There now," cried Polly, "see what you've 
 done 1 " 
 
 "Ow!" whimpered Phronsie, breaking into a sub- 
 dued roar ; " oh, Polly I it's all running down my 
 back." 
 
 "Is it?" said Polly, bursting out into a laugh; 
 "never mind, Phronsie, I'll dry you." 
 
 " Dear me, Polly ! " said Mrs. Pepper, who had 
 looked up in time to see the tub racing along by 
 itself towards the " Provision Room " door, a stream 
 of dish-water following in its wake, " she will be wet 
 clear through ; do get off her things, quick." 
 
 " Yes'm," cried Polly, picking up the tub, and 
 giving two or three quick sops to the floor. " Here 
 you are, Pussy," grasping Phronsie, crying as she 
 was, and carrying her into the bedroom. 
 
 " Oh, dear," wailed the child, still holding the wet 
 dish towel ; " I won't ever do it again, if you'll only 
 let me do 'em all to-morrow." 
 
 "When you're big and strong," said Polly, giving 
 her a hug, " you shall do 'em every day." 
 
 "May I really?" said little Phronsie, blinking 
 through the tears, and looking radiant. 
 
 " Yes, truly every day." 
 
 "Then I'll grow right away, I will," said Phronsie, 
 ut merrily ; and she sat down and pulled 
 
And How They Grew. 57 
 
 off the well-worn shoes, into which a big pool of dish- 
 water had run, while Polly went for dry stockings. 
 
 "So you shall," said Polly, coming back, a big 
 piece of gingerbread in her hand; "and this'll make 
 you grow, Phronsie." 
 
 " O-o-h!" and Phronsie's little white teeth shut 
 down quickly on the comforting morsel. Ginger* 
 bread didn't come often enough into the Pepper 
 household to be lightly esteemed. 
 
 "Now," said Mrs. Pepper, when order was 
 restored, the floor washed up brightly, and every cup 
 and platter in place, hobnobbing away to themselves 
 on the shelves of the old corner cupboard, and Polly 
 had come as usual with needle and thread to help 
 mother Polly was getting so that she could do the 
 plain parts on the coats and jackets, which rilled her 
 with pride at the very thought " now," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, " you needn't help me this morning, Polly : 
 I'm getting on pretty smart ; but you may just run 
 down to the parson's, and see how he is." 
 
 " Is he sick ? " asked Polly, in awe. 
 
 To have the parson sick, was something quite dif 
 ferent from an ordinary person's illness. 
 
 "He's taken with a chill," said Mrs. Pepper, bit- 
 ing off a thread, " so Miss Huldy Folsom told me last 
 night, and I'm afraid he's going to have a fever." 
 
58 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Polly, in dire distress; "what- 
 ever'd we do, mammy ! " 
 
 "Don't know, I'm sure," replied Mrs. Pepper, 
 setting her stitches firmly; "the Lord'll provide. 
 So you run along, child, and see how he is." 
 
 " Can't Phronsie go ? " asked Polly, pausing half- 
 way to the bedroom door. 
 
 "Well, yes, I suppose she might," said Mrs. Pep- 
 per, assentingly. 
 
 " No, she can't either," said Polly, coming back 
 with her sun-bonnet in her hand, and shutting the 
 door carefully after her, " 'cause she's fast asleep on 
 the floor." 
 
 " Is she ? " said Mrs. Pepper ; " well, she's been 
 ^running so this morning, she's tired out, I 'spose." 
 
 "And her face is dreadfully red," continued Polly, 
 tying on her bonnet; "now, what'll I say, mammy?" 
 
 "Well, I should think 'twould be," said Mrs. Pep- 
 per, replying to the first half of Polly's speech ; " she 
 cried so. Well, you just tell Mrs. Henderson your 
 ma wants to know how Mr. Henderson is this morn- 
 ing, and if 'twas a chill he had yesterday, and how 
 he slept last night, and " 
 
 44 Oh, ma," said Polly, "I can't ever remember all 
 that." 
 
 "Oh, yes, you can," said Mrs. Pepper, encourag* 
 
And How They Grew. 59 
 
 ingly ; " just put your mind on it, Polly ; Yisn't any- 
 thing to what I used to have to remember when I 
 was a little girl, no bigger than you are.'* 
 
 Polly sighed, and feeling sure that something 
 must be the matter with her mind, gave her whole 
 attention to the errand ; till at last after a multiplicity 
 of messages and charges not to forget any one of 
 them, Mrs. Pepper let her depart. 
 
 Up to the old-fashioned green door, with its crass 
 knocker, Polly went, running over in her mind just 
 which of the messages she ought to give first. She 
 couldn't for her life think whether " if 'twas a chill 
 he had yesterday ? " ought to come before u how he 
 slept?" She knocked timidly, hoping Mrs. Hender- 
 son would help her out of her difficulty by telling her 
 without the asking. All other front doors in Badger- 
 town were ornaments, only opened on grand occa- 
 sions, like a wedding or a funeral. But the minister's 
 was accessible alike to all. So Polly let fall the 
 knocker, and awaited the answer. 
 
 A scuffling noise sounded along the passage and 
 then Polly's soul sank down in dire dismay. It was 
 the minister's sister, and not gentle little Mrs. Hen. 
 derson. She never could get on with Miss Jerusha 
 in the least. She made her feel as she told her 
 mother once "as if I don't know what my name 
 
6o five Ziffle Peppers* 
 
 is." And now here she was ; and all those messages 
 
 Miss Jerusha unbolted the door, slid back the 
 great bar, opened the upper half, and stood there. 
 She was a big woman, with sharp black eyes, and 
 spectacles over which she looked which to Poliy 
 was much worse, for that gave her four eyes. 
 
 " Well, and what do you want ? " she asked. 
 
 " I came to see I mean my ma sent me," stam- 
 mered poor Polly. 
 
 "And who is your ma?" demanded Miss Jerusha, 
 as much like a policeman as anything; "and where 
 do you live ? " 
 
 " I live in Primrose Lane," replied Polly, wishing 
 very much that she was back there. 
 
 " I don't want to know where you live, before I 
 know who you are," said Miss Jerusha; "you should 
 answer the question I asked first ; always remember 
 that." 
 
 u My ma's Mrs. Pepper, 5 * said Polly. 
 
 w Mrs. who ? " repeated Miss Jerusha. 
 
 By this time Polly was so worn that she came very 
 near turning and fleeing, but she thought of her 
 mother's disappointment in her, and the loss of thr 
 news, and stood quite still. 
 
 " What is it, Jerusha? " a gentle voice here broke 
 upon Polly's ear. 
 
And How They Grew. 61 
 
 " I don't know," responded Miss Jerusha, tartly, 
 still holding the door much as if Polly were a robber; 
 "it's a little girl, and I can't make out what she 
 wants." 
 
 "Why, it's Polly Pepper ! " exclaimed Mrs. Hen- 
 derson, pleasantly. " Come in, child." She opened 
 the other half of the big door, and led the way 
 through the wide hall into a big, old-fashioned room, 
 with painted floor, and high, old side-board, and 
 some stiff-backed rocking-chairs. 
 
 Miss Jerusha stalked in also and seated herself 
 by the window, and began to knit. Polly had just 
 opened her mouth to tell her errand, when the door 
 also opened suddenly and Mr. Henderson walked in. 
 
 " Oh!" said Polly, and then she stopped, and the 
 color flushed up into her face. 
 
 "What is it, my dear?" and the minister took her 
 hand kindly, and looked down into her flushed face. 
 
 " You are not going to have a fever, and be sick 
 and die ! " she cried. 
 
 " I hope not, my little girl," he smiled back, en- 
 couragingly; and then Polly gave her messages, 
 which now she managed easily enough. 
 
 "There," broke in Miss Jerusha, "a cat can't 
 sneeze in this town but everybody'll know it in quar- 
 ter of an hour." 
 
62 Five Little Peppers," 
 
 And then Mrs. Henderson took Polly out to sec 
 * brood of new little chicks, that had just popped 
 their heads out into the world ; and to Polly, dowr 
 on her knees, admiring, the time passed very cwiftly 
 indeed. 
 
 "Now I must go, ma'am," she said at last, looking 
 up into the lady's face, regretfully, "for mammy 
 didn't say I was to stay." 
 
 " Very well, dear ; do you think you could carry a 
 little pat of butter ? I have some very nice my sister 
 sent me, and I want your mother to share it." 
 
 " Oh, thank you, ma'am I " cried Polly, thinking, 
 " how glad Davie'll be, for he does so love butter I 
 only" 
 
 " Wait a bit, then," said Mrs. Henderson, who 
 didn't seem to notice the objection. So she went 
 into the house, and Polly went down again in admira- 
 tion before the fascinating little puff-balls. 
 
 But she was soon on the way, with a little pat of 
 butter in a blue bowl, tied over with a clean cloth; 
 happy in her gift for mammy, and in the knowledge 
 of the minister being all well. 
 
 "I wonder if Phronsie's awake," she thought to 
 herself, turning in at the little brown gate ; " if she 
 is, she shall have a piece of bread with lots of butter." 
 -.! "Hush!" said Mrs. Pepper, from the rocking-chail 
 
And How They Grew. 63 
 
 in the middle of the floor. She had something in 
 her arms. Polly stopped suddenly, almost letting 
 the bowl fall. 
 
 " It's Phronsie," said the mother, " and I don't 
 know what the matter is with her; you'll have to go 
 for the doctor, Polly, and just as fast as you can." 
 
 Polly still stood, holding the bowl, and staring 
 with all her might. Phronsie sick / 
 
 " Don't wake her," said Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 Poor Polly couldn't have stirred to save her life, 
 for a minute ; then she said "Where shall I go?" 
 
 "Oh, run to Dr. Fisher's; and don't be gone long." 
 
 Polly set down the bowl of butter, and sped on the 
 wings of the wind for the doctor. Something dread- 
 ful was the matter, she felt, for never had a physician 
 been summoned to the hearty Pepper family since 
 she could remember, only when the father died. 
 Fear lent speed to her feet; and soon the doctor 
 came, and bent over poor little Phronsie, who still 
 lay in her mother's arms, in a burning fever. 
 
 " It's measles," he pronounced, " that's all ; no 
 cause for alarm ; you ever had it ? " he asked, turning 
 suddenly around on Polly, who was watching with 
 wide-open eyes for the verdict. 
 
 "No, sir," answered Polly, not knowing in the 
 least what "measles " was. 
 
64 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "What shall we do!" said Mrs. Pepper; "there 
 haven't any of them had it." 
 
 The doctor was over by the little old table under 
 the window, mixing up some black-looking stuff in 
 a tumbler, and he didn't hear her. 
 
 " There," he said, putting a spoonful into Phron- 
 sie's mouth, " she'll get along well enough ; only keep 
 her out of the cold." Then he pulled out a big silver 
 watch. He was a little thin man, and the watch was 
 immense. Polly for her life couldn't keep her eyes 
 off from it ; if Ben could only have one so fine ! 
 
 "Polly," whispered Mrs. Pepper, "run and get my 
 purse ; it's in the top bureau drawer." 
 
 " Yes'm," said Polly, taking her eyes off, by a vio- 
 lent wrench, from the fascinating watch ; and she ran 
 quickly and got the little old stocking-leg, where the 
 hard earnings that staid long enough to be put any 
 where, always found refuge. She put it into her 
 mother's lap, and watched while Mrs. Pepper counted 
 out slowly one dollar in small pieces. 
 
 " Here sir," said Mrs. Pepper, holding them out 
 towards the doctor; "and thank you for coming." 
 
 " Hey ! " said the little man, spinning round ; " that 
 dollar's the Lord's!" 
 
 Mrs. Pepper looked bewildered, and still sat hold- 
 ing it out. 
 
And How They Grew. 65 
 
 * And the Lord has given it to you to take care 
 of these children with; see that you do it." And 
 without another word he was gone. 
 
 "Wasn't he good, mammy ?" asked Polly, after 
 the first surprise was over. 
 
 "I'm sure he was," said Mrs. Pepper. "Well, tie 
 it up again, Polly, tie it up tight ; we shall want it, 
 I'm sure," sighing at her little sick girl. 
 
 44 Mayn't I take Phronsie, ma?" asked Polly. 
 
 " No, no" said Phronsie. She had got mammy, 
 and she meant to improve the privilege. 
 
 "What is * measles' anyway, mammy?" asked 
 Polly, sitting down on the floor at their feet. 
 
 "Oh, 'tis something children always have," replied 
 Mrs. Pepper; "but I'm sure I hoped it wouldn't 
 come just yet." 
 
 " /sha'n't have it," said Polly, decisively; " I know 
 I sha'n't I nor Ben nor Joe nor nor Davie 
 I guess," she added, hesitatingly, for Davie was the 
 delicate one of the family; at least not nearly so 
 Strong as the others. 
 
 Mrs. Pepper looked at her anxiously ; but Polly 
 seemed as bright and healthy as ever, as she jumpecf, 
 up and ran to put the kettle on the stove. 
 
 a What'll the boys say, I wonder 1 " she thought to 
 herself, feeling quite important that they really had 
 
66 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 sickness in the house. As long as Phronsie wasn't 
 dangerous, it seemed quite like rich folks ; and she 
 forgot the toil, and the grind of poverty. She looked 
 out from time to time as she passed the window, 
 but no boys came. 
 
 " I'll put her in bed, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, in 
 a whisper, as Phronsie closed her eyes and breathed 
 regularly. 
 
 " And then will you have your dinner, ma ? ** 
 
 44 Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, 44 I don't care if the 
 boys come." 
 
 44 The boys'll never come," said Polly, impatiently; 
 "I don't believe why ! here they are now 1" 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Joel, Doming in crossly, " I'm so 
 hungry oh butter I where'd you get it? I thought 
 we never should get here 1 " 
 
 44 1 thought so too," said Polly. " Hush I why, 
 Where's Ben ? " 
 
 *' He's just back," began Joel, commencing to eat, 
 "and Davie; something is the matter with Ben he 
 says he feels funny." 
 
 " Something the matter with Bent" repeated Polly. 
 She dropped the cup she held, which broke in a 
 dozen pieces. 
 
 "Oh, whocky!" cried Joel; 44 see what youVe 
 done, Polly Pepper I " 
 
And How They Grew. 67 
 
 But Polly didn't hear ; over the big, flat door-stone 
 the sped, and met Ben with little David, coming in 
 the gate. His face was just like Phronsie's I And 
 with a cold, heavy feeling at her heart, Polly realized 
 that this was no play. 
 
 " Oh, Ben I " she cried, flinging her arms around 
 his neck, and bursting into tears; "dorftl please 
 I wish you wouldn't ; Phronsie's got 'em, and that's 
 enough I " 
 
 "Got what?" asked Ben, while Davie's eyes grew 
 to their widest proportions. 
 
 " Oh, measles I " cried Polly, bursting out afresh ; 
 "the hatefullest, horridest measles I and now you're 
 taken!" 
 
 " Oh no, I'm not," responded Ben, cheerfully, who 
 knew what measles were ; " wipe up, Polly ; I'm all 
 right; only my head aches, and my eyes feel funny." 
 
 But Polly, only half-reassured, controlled her sobs; 
 and the sorrowful trio repaired to mother. 
 
 "Oh, dear!" ejaculated Mrs. Pepper, sinking in a 
 diair in dismay, at sight of Ben's red face ; " what- 
 sver'll we do now I " 
 
 The prop and stay of her life would be taken away 
 if Ben should he laid aside. No more stray half or 
 quarter dollars would come to help her out when she 
 didn't know where to turn 
 
68 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Polly cleared off the deserted table for once 
 Joel had all the bread and butter he wanted. Ben 
 took some of Phronsie's medicine, and crawled up 
 into the loft, to bed ; and quiet settled down on the 
 little household. 
 
 " Polly," whispered Ben, as she tucked him in, 
 " it'll be hard buckling-to now, for you, but I guess 
 you'll do it." 
 
And How They Grew. 69 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 MORE TROUBLE. 
 
 OH, dear," said Polly to herself, the next morn- 
 ing, trying to get a breakfast for the sick 
 ones out of the inevitable mush ; "everything's just 
 as bad as it can be ! they can't ever eat this ; I wish 
 I had an ocean of toast !" 
 
 " Toast some of the bread in the pail, Polly," said 
 Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 She looked worn and worried; she had been up 
 nearly all night, back and forth from Ben's bed in the 
 loft to restless, fretful little Phronsie in the big four- 
 poster in the bed-room ; for Phronsie wouldn't get 
 into the crib. Polly had tried her best to help 
 her, and had rubbed her eyes diligently to keep 
 awake, but she was wholly unaccustomed to it, and 
 her healthy, tired little body succumbed and then 
 when she awoke, shame and remorse filled her very 
 heart. 
 
jo Five Littfe Pefipers; 
 
 "That isn't nice, ma," she said, glancing at the 
 poor old pail, which she had brought out of the 
 " Provision Room." " Old brown bread 1 I want to 
 fix 'em something nice." 
 
 "Well, you can't, you know," said Mrs. Pepper, 
 with a sigh; "but youVe got butter now; that'll be 
 splendid ! " 
 
 " I know it," said Polly, running to the corner cup- 
 board where the precious morsel in the blue bowl 
 remained; "whatever should we do without it, 
 mammy?" 
 
 " Do without it I " said Mrs. Pepper ; " same's we 
 have done." 
 
 "Well, 'twas splendid in Mrs. Henderson to give 
 it to us, anyway," said Polly, longing for just one 
 taste ; " seems as if 'twas a year since I was there 
 oh, ma ! " and here Polly took up the thread that had 
 been so rudely snapped ; " don't you think, she's got 
 ten of the prettiest yes, the sweetest little chickens 
 you ever saw ! Why can't we have some, mammy? " 
 
 "Costs money," replied Mrs. Pepper. "We've 
 got too many in the house to have any outside" 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Polly, with a red face that was 
 toasting about as much as the bread she was holding 
 on the point of an old fork; "we never have had 
 wthing. There," she added at last; "that's the 
 
And How They Grew. 71 
 
 best I can do ; now I'll put the butter on this little 
 blue plate ; ain't that cunning, ma ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, approvingly ; " it takes 
 you, Polly." 
 
 So Polly trotted first to Ben, up the crooked, low 
 stairs to the loft ; and while she regaled him with the 
 brown toast and butter, she kept her tongue flying on 
 the subject of the little chicks, and all that she saw on 
 the famous Henderson visit. Poor Ben pretended 
 hard to eat, but ate nothing really ; and Polly saw it 
 all, and it cut her to the heart so she talked faster 
 than ever. 
 
 " Now," she said, starting to go back to Phronsie ; 
 " Ben Pepper, just as soon as you get well, we'll have 
 some chickens so there ! " 
 
 " Guess we sha'n't get 'em very scon," said Ben, 
 despondently, " if I've got to lie here ; and, besides, 
 Polly, you know every bit we can save has got to go 
 for the new stove." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Polly, " I forgot that ; so it has; 
 seems to me everything's giving out ! " 
 
 " You can't bake any longer in the old thing," said 
 Ben, turning over and looking at her; poor "girl, I 
 don't see how you've stood it so long." 
 
 " And we've been stuffing it," cried Polly merrily, 
 "till 'twon't stuff any more." 
 
7 Five LittL Peppers ; 
 
 ** No," said Ben, turning back again, " that's all 
 worn out." 
 
 "Well, you must go to sleep," said Polly, "or 
 mammy'll be up here ; and Phronsie hasn't had her 
 breakfast either." 
 
 Phronsie was wailing away dismally, sitting up in 
 the middle of the old bed. Her face pricked, she 
 said, and she was rubbing it vigorously with both fat 
 little hands, and then crying worse than ever. 
 
 " Oh me ! oh my ! " cried Polly ; " how you look, 
 Phronsie ! " 
 
 " I want my mammy ! " cried poor Phronsie. 
 
 "Mammy can't come now, Phronsie dear; she's 
 sewing. See what Polly's got for you butter: isn't 
 \h.<& splendid!" 
 
 Phronsie stopped for just one moment, and took a 
 mouthful ; but the toast was hard and dry, and she 
 cried harder than before. 
 
 "Now," said Polly, curling up on the bed beside 
 her, " if you'll stop crying, Phronsie Pepper, I'll tell 
 you about the cunningest, yes, the very cunningest 
 little chickens you ever saw. One was white, and he 
 looked just like this," said Polly, tumbling over on 
 the bed in a heap ; "he couldn't stand up straight, he 
 was so fat." 
 
 "Did he Intel" asked Phronsie, full of interest 
 
And How They Grew. 73 
 
 "No, he didn't bite me," said Polly; "but his 
 mother put a bug in his mouth just as I'm doing 
 you know," and she broke off a small piece of the 
 toast, put on a generous bit of butter, and held it 
 over Phronsie's mouth. 
 
 " Did he swallow it ? " asked the child, obediently 
 opening her little red lips. 
 
 "Oh, snapped \\." answered Polly, "quick as ever 
 he could, I tell you; but 'twasn't good like this, 
 Phronsie." 
 
 " Did he have two bugs ? " asked Phronsie, eying 
 suspiciously the second morsel of dry toast that Polly 
 was conveying to her mouth. 
 
 "Well, he would have had," replied Polly, "if 
 there'd been bugs enough ; but there were nine other 
 chicks, Phronsie." 
 
 "Poor chickies," said Phronsie, and looked lov- 
 ingly at the rest of the toast and butter on the plate ; 
 and while Polly fed it to her, listened with absorbed 
 interest to all the particulars concerning each and 
 every chick in the Henderson hen-coop. 
 
 " Mother," said Polly, towards evening, " I'm going 
 to sit up with Ben to-night ; say I may, do, mother." 
 
 " Oh no, you can't," replied Mrs. Pepper ; " you'll 
 get worn out ; and then what shall I do ? Joel can 
 hand him his medicine." 
 
J4 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Oh, Joe would tumble to sleep, mammy," said 
 Polly, "the first thing let me." 
 
 " Perhaps Phronsie'll let me go to-night," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, reflectively. 
 
 "Oh, no she won't, I know," replied Polly, de- 
 cisively ; " she wants you all the time." 
 
 "/will, Polly," said Davie, coming in with an arm- 
 ful of wood, in time to hear the conversation. " I'll 
 give him his medicine, mayn't I, mammy?" and David 
 let down his load, and came over where his mother 
 and Polly sat sewing, to urge his rights. 
 
 "I don't know," said his mother, smiling on him. 
 "Can you, do you think?" 
 
 "Yes, ma'amf" said Davie, straightening himself 
 up. 
 
 When they told Ben, he said he knew a better way 
 than for Davie to watch; he'd have a string tied to 
 Davie's arm, and the end he'd hold in bed, and when 
 'twas time for medicine, he'd pull the string, and that 
 would wake Davie up ! 
 
 Polly didn't sleep much more on her shake-down on 
 the floor than if she had watched with Ben; for 
 Phronsie cried and moaned, and wanted a drink of 
 water every two minutes, it seemed to her. As she 
 went back into her nest after one of these travels, 
 Polly thought: "Well, I don't care, if nobody else 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 75 
 
 gets sick ; if Ben'll only get well. To-morrow I'm 
 goin' to do mammy's sack she's begun for Mr. Jack- 
 son ; it's all plain sewin', just like a bag ; and I can 
 
 do it, I know " and so she fell into a troubled 
 
 sleep, only to be awakened by Phronsie's fretful little 
 Voice : " I want a drink of water, Polly, I do" 
 
 BEN TIES DAVIE. 
 
 "Don't she drink awfully, mammy ? " asked Polly, 
 after one of these excursions out to the kitchen after 
 the necessary draught. 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper ; " and she mustn't havo 
 
j6 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 any more ; 'twill hurt her." But Phronsie fell into a 
 delicious sleep after that, and didn't want any more, 
 luckily. 
 
 " Here, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, the next morning, 
 " take this coat up to Mr. Peterses ; and be sure you 
 get the money for it." 
 
 " How'll I get it ? " asked Joe, who didn't relish the 
 long, hot walk. 
 
 " Why, tell 'em we're sick Ben's sick," added 
 Mrs. Pepper, as the most decisive thing ; " and we 
 must have it ; and then wait for it." 
 
 "Tisn't pleasant up at the Peterses," grumbled 
 Joel, taking the parcel and moving slowly off. 
 
 " No, no, Polly," said Mrs, Pepper, " you needn't 
 do that," seeing Polly take up some sewing after 
 doing up the room and finishing the semi-weekly 
 bake ; " you're all beat out with that tussle over the 
 stove j that sack'll have to go till next week." 
 
 "It can't, mammy," said Polly, snipping off a 
 basting thread; "we've got to have the money; how 
 inuch'll he give you for it ? " 
 
 "Thirty cents," replied Mrs. Pepper. 
 "Well," said Polly, "we've got to get all the thirty 
 gentses we can, mammy dear ; and I know I can do 
 it, truly try me once," she implored. 
 " Well." Mrs. Pepper relented, slowly. 
 
And How They Grew. 77 
 
 -Don't feel bad, mammy dear," comforted Polly, 
 sewing away briskly ; " Ben'll get well pretty soon, 
 and then we'll be all right." 
 
 "Maybe, "said Mrs. Pepper; and went back to 
 Phronsie, who could scarcely let her out of her sight. 
 
 Polly stitched away bravely. " Now if I do this 
 good, mammy'll let me do it other times," she said 
 to herself. 
 
 Davie, too, worked patiently out of doors, trying to 
 do Ben's chores. The little fellow blundered over 
 things that Ben would have accomplished in half the 
 time, and he had to sit down often on the steps of 
 the little old shed where the tools were kept, to wipe 
 his hot face and rest. 
 
 "Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, " hadn't you better stop 
 a little ? Dear me ! how fast you sew, child ! " 
 
 Polly gave a delighted little hum at her mother's 1 
 evident approval. 
 
 " I'm going to do 'em all next week, mammy," she 
 said ; " then Mr. Atkins won't take 'em away from, 
 us, I guess." 
 
 Mr. Atkins kept the store, and gave out coats and 
 sacks of coarse linen and homespun to Mrs. Pepper 
 to make ; and it was the fear of losing the work that 
 had made the mother's heart sink. 
 
 " I don't believe anybody's got such children as I 
 
78 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 have," she said ; and she gave Polly a motherly little 
 pat that the little daughter felt clear to the tips of her 
 toes with a thrill of delight. 
 
 About half-past two, long after dinner, Joe came 
 walking in, hungry as a beaver, but flushed and tri- 
 umphant. 
 
 u Why, where have you been all this time ? " asked 
 his mother. 
 
 " Oh, Joe, you didn't stop to play ? " asked Polly, 
 from her perch where she sat sewing, giving him a 
 reproachful glance. 
 
 " Stop to play ! " retorted Joe, indignantly ; " no, I 
 guess I didn't ! I've been to Old Peterses." 
 
 " Not all this time J '" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 " Yes, I have too," replied Joel, sturdily marching 
 up to her. " And there's your money, mother ; " and 
 he counted out a quarter of a dollar in silver pieces 
 and pennies, which he took from a dingy wad of 
 paper, stowed away in the depths of his pocket. 
 
 " Oh, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, sinking back in he* 
 chair and looking at him ; " what do you mean ? " 
 
 Polly put her work in her lap, and waited to hear. 
 
 " Where's my dinner, Polly ? " asked Joel ; " I 
 hope it's a big one." 
 
 "Yes, 'tis," said Polly; "you've got lots to-day 
 
And How They Grew. 79 
 
 it's in the corner of the cupboard, covered up with 
 the plate so tell on, Joe/' 
 
 " That's elegant ! " said Joel, coming back with 
 the well-filled plate, Ben's and his own share. 
 
 "Do tell us, Joey," implored Polly; "mother's 
 waiting." 
 
 " Well," said Joel, his mouth half full, " I waited 
 
 and he said the coat was all right ; and and 
 
 Mrs. Peters said 'twas all right; and Mirandy 
 Peters said 'twas all right; but they didn't any of 
 'em say any thin' about payin', so /didn't think 'twas 
 all right and and can't I have some more 
 butter, Polly ? " 
 
 " No," said Polly, sorry to refuse him, he'd been 
 so good about the money ; " the butter's got to be 
 saved for Ben and Phronsie." 
 
 " Oh," said Joe, " I wish Miss Henderson would 
 send us some more, I do ! I think she might ! " 
 
 " For shame, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper ; " she was 
 very good to send this, I think ; now what else did 
 you say ? " she asked. 
 
 "Well," said Joel, taking another mouthful of 
 bread, " so I waited ; you told me to, mother, you 
 know and they all went to work ; and they didn't 
 mind me at all, and there wasn't anything to look 
 
8o Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 at, so 1 sat and sat Polly, can't I have some 
 gingerbread ? " 
 
 " No," said Polly, " it's all gone ; I gave the last 
 piece to Phronsie the day she was taken sick." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Joel, " everything's gone." 
 
 " Well, do go on, Joe, do." 
 
 "And then they had dinner; and Mr. Peters 
 said, ' Hasn't that boy gone home yet ? ' and Mrs. 
 Peters said, ' no ' and he called me in, and asked 
 me why I didn't run along home ; and I said, Phron- 
 sie was sick, and Ben had the squeezles " 
 
 "ThewAat?" said Polly. 
 
 " The squeezles" repeated Joel, irritably ; " that's 
 what you said." 
 
 " It's measles, Joey," corrected Mrs. Pepper ; 
 ^ never mind, I wouldn't feel bad." 
 
 % Well, they all laughed, and laughed, and then I 
 said you told me to wait till I did get the money." 
 
 "Oh, Joe," began Mrs. Pepper, "you shouldn't 
 have toid 'em so what did he say ? " 
 
 " Well, he laughed, and said I was a smart boy t 
 and he'd see ; and Mirandy said, * do pay him, pa, he 
 must be tired to death ' and don't you think, he 
 went to a big desk in the corner, and took out a box, 
 and 'twas full most of money lots! oh! and he 
 me mine an4 that's all ; and I'm tired tc 
 
And How They Grew. 83 
 
 death." And Joel flung himself down on the floor, 
 expanded his legs as only Joel could, and took a 
 comfortable roll. 
 
 " So you must be," said Polly, pityingly, " waiting 
 at those Peterses." 
 
 * Don't ever want to see any more Peterses," said 
 Joel; "never, never, never I" 
 
 "Oh, dear," thought Polly, as she sewed on into 
 the afternoon, " I wonder what does ail my eyes 1 
 feels just like sand in 'em ;" and she rubbed and 
 rubbed to thread her needle. But she was afraid her 
 mother would see, so she kept at her sewing. Once 
 in a while the bad feeling would go away, and then 
 she would forget all about it. " There now, who says 
 I can't do it ! that's most done/' she cried, jumping 
 up, and spinning across the room, to stretch herself 
 a bit, " and to-morrow I'll finish it." 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Pepper, "if you can do that, 
 Polly, you'll be the greatest help I've had yet." 
 
 So Polly tucked herself into the old shake-down 
 with a thankful heart that night, hoping for morning. 
 
 Alas ! when morning did come, Polly could hardly 
 move. The measles ! what should she do ! A faint 
 hope of driving them off made her tumble out of 
 bed, and stagger across the room to look in the old 
 cracked looking-glass. All hope was gone as the 
 
$4 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 red reflection met her gaze. Polly was on the sick 
 list now ! 
 
 " I won't be sick," she said ; " at any rate, I'll 
 keep around." An awful feeling made her clutch the 
 back of a chair, but she managed somehow to get 
 into her clothes, and go groping blindly into the 
 kitchen. Somehow, Polly couldn't see very well. 
 She tried to set the table, but 'twas no use. " Oh, 
 dear," she thought, " whatever'll mammy do ? " 
 
 " Hulloa ! " said Joel, coming in, " what's the mat- 
 ter, Polly?" 
 
 Polly started at his sudden entrance, and, wavering 
 a minute, fell over in a heap. 
 
 " Oh ma ! ma ! " screamed Joel, running to the 
 foot of the stairs leading to the loft, where Mrs. 
 Pepper was with Ben; "something's taken Polly 1 
 and she fell ; and I guess she's in the wood-box 1 " 
 
And How They Grot,* 85 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 HARD DAYS FOR POLLY. 
 
 MA," said David, coming softly into the bed- 
 room, where poor Polly lay on the bed with 
 Phronsie, her eyes bandaged with a soft old handker- 
 chief, I'll set the table." 
 
 " There isn't any table to set," said Mrs. Pepper, 
 sadly ; " there isn't anybody to eat anything, Davie ; 
 you and Joel can get something out of the cup- 
 board." 
 
 "Can we get whatever we've a mind to, ma?" 
 cried Joel, who followed Davie, rubbing his face with 
 a towel after his morning ablutions. 
 
 "Yes," replied his mother, absently. 
 
 "Come on, Davel" cried Joel; "we'll ' ave a 
 breakfast I" 
 
 "We mustn't," said iittle Davie, doubtfully *eat 
 the whole, Joey.' 1 
 
86 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 But that individual already had his head in the 
 cupboard, which soon engrossed them both. 
 
 Dr. Fisher was called in the middle of the morn- 
 ing to see what was the matter with Polly's eyes. 
 The little man looked at her keenly over his specta- 
 cles ; then he said, " When were you taken ? " 
 
 "This morning," answered Polly, her eyes smart- 
 ing. 
 
 " Didn't you feel badly before ? " questioned the 
 doctor. 
 
 Polly thought back; and then she remembered 
 that she had felt very badly ; that when she was bak- 
 ing over the old stove the day before her back had 
 ached dreadfully ; and that, somehow, when she sat 
 down to sew, it didn't stop ; only her eyes had both- 
 ered her so ; she didn't mind her back so much. 
 
 " I thought so," said the doctor, when Polly an- 
 swered. " And those eyes of yours have been used 
 too much ; what has she been doing, ma'am ? " He 
 turned around sharply on Mrs. Pepper as he asked this. 
 
 "Sewing," said Mrs. Pepper, "and everything; 
 Polly does everything, sir/' 
 
 "Humph!" said the doctor; "well, she won't 
 again in one spell ; her eyes are very bad." 
 
 At this a whoop, small but terrible to hear, came 
 from the middle of the bed ; and Phronsie sat bolt 
 
And How They Grew. 87 
 
 upright. Everybody started ; while Phronsie broke 
 out, " Don't make my Polly sick ! oh ! please don't ! " 
 
 " Hey ! " said the doctor ; and he looked kindly 
 at the small object with a very red face in the middle 
 of the bed. Then he added, gently, " We're going to 
 make Polly well, little girl ; so that she can see 
 splendidly." 
 
 " Will you, really ? " asked the child, doubtfully. 
 
 " Yes," said the doctor ; " we'll try hard ; and you 
 mustn't cry ; 'cause then Polly '11 cry, and that will 
 make her eyes very bad ; very bad indeed," he re- 
 peated, impressively. 
 
 " I won't cry," said Phronsie ; " no, not one bit." 
 And she wiped off the last tear with her fat little 
 hand, and watched to see what next was to be done. 
 
 And Polly was left, very rebellious indeed, in the 
 big bed, with a cooling lotion on the poor eyes, thai 
 somehow didn't cool them one bit. 
 
 " If 'twas anythin' but my eyes, mammy, I could 
 stand it," she bewailed, flouncing over and over in 
 her impatience ; " and who'll do all the work now ? " 
 
 "Don't think of the work, Polly," said Mrs. 
 Pepper. 
 
 " I can't do anything but think," said poor Polly. 
 
 Just at that mcment a queer noise out in the 
 kitchen was heard. 
 
88 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Do go out, mother, and see what 'tis," said Polly. 
 
 " I've come," said a cracked voice, close up by the 
 bedroom door, followed by a big black cap, which 
 could belong to no other than Grandma Bascom, 
 " to set by you a spell ; what's the matter ? " she 
 asked, and stopped, amazed to see Polly in bed. 
 
 " Oh, Polly's taken," screamed Mrs. Pepper in her 
 ear. 
 
 " Taken!" repeated the old lady ; "what is it a 
 fit?" 
 
 " No," said Mrs. Pepper ; " the same as Ben's got ^ 
 and Phronsie; the measles" 
 
 " The measles, has she ? " said grandma ; " well, 
 that's bad ; and Ben's away, you say." 
 
 " No, he isn't either," screamed Mrs. Pepper, " he's 
 got them, too I " 
 
 " Got two what ? " asked grandma. 
 
 "Measles! he's got the measles too," repeated 
 Mrs. Pepper, loud as she could ; so loud that the old 
 lady's cap trembled at the noise. 
 
 " Oh ! the dreadful ! " said grandma ; " and this 
 girl too ? " laying her hand on Phronsie's head. 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, feeling it a little reliei 
 to tell over her miseries ; " all three of them ! " 
 
 "I haven't, " said Joel, coming in in hopes that 
 grandma had a stray peppermint or two in her 
 
And How They Grew. 89 
 
 pocket, as she sometimes did; "and I'm not going 
 to, either." 
 
 " Oh, dear," groaned his mother ; " that's what 
 Polly said; and she's got 'em bad. It's her eyes," 
 she screamed to grandma, who looked inquiringly. 
 
 " Her eyes, is it ? " asked Mrs. Bascom ; " well, 
 I've got a receet that cousin Samanthy's folks had 
 when John's children had 'em; and I'll run right 
 along home and get it," and she started to go. 
 
 " No, you needn't," screamed Mrs. Pepper ; " thank 
 you, Mrs. Bascom ; but Dr. Fisher's been here ; and 
 he put something on Polly's eyes; and he said it 
 mustn't be touched." 
 
 " Hey ? " said the old lady ; so Mrs. Pepper had 
 to go all over it again, till at last she made her un- 
 derstand that Polly's eyes were taken care of, and 
 they must wait for time to do the rest. 
 
 "You come along of me," whispered grandma, 
 when at last her call was done, to Joel who stood by 
 the door. " I've got some peppermints to home ; I 
 forgot to bring 'em." 
 
 " Yes'm," said Joel, brightening up. 
 " Where you going, Joe ? " asked Mrs. Pepper, see 
 ing him move off with Mrs. Bascom ; " I may want 
 you." 
 
90 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Oh, I've got to go over to grandma's," said Joel 
 briskly ; " she wants me." 
 
 " Well, don't be gone long then," replied his mother. 
 
 k% There," said grandma, going into her " keeping- 
 nom " to an old-fashioned chest of drawers; open- 
 ing one, she took therefrom a paper, from which she 
 shook out before Joe's delighted eyes some red and 
 white peppermint drops. " There now, you take 
 these home ; you may have some, but be sure you 
 give the most to the sick ones; and Polly let 
 Polly have the biggest." 
 
 " She won't take 'em," said Joel, wishing he had 
 the measles. 
 
 "Well, you try her," said grandma; "run along 
 now." But it was useless to tell Joel that, for he was 
 half-way home already. He carried out grandma's 
 wishes, and distributed conscientiously the precious 
 drops. But when he came to Polly, she didn't an- 
 swer ; and looking at her in surprise he saw two big 
 tears rolling out under the bandage and wetting the 
 pillow. 
 
 " I don't want 'em, Joe," said Polly, when he made 
 her understand that "'twas peppermints, real pep- 
 permints ; " " you may have 'em." 
 
 "Try one, Polly; they're real good," said Joel, 
 
And How They Grew. 91 
 
 who had an undefined wish to comfort ; " there, open 
 your mouth." 
 
 So Polly opened her mouth, and Joel put one in 
 with satisfaction. 
 
 " Isn't it good ? * he asked, watching her crunch it 
 
 "Yes," said Polly, "real good; where'd you gel 
 'em ? " 
 
 " Over to grandma Bascom's," said Joel ; " she 
 gave me lots for all of us ; have another, Polly ? " 
 
 " No," said Polly, " not yet ; you put two on my 
 pillow where I can reach 'em ; and then you keep the 
 rest, Joel." 
 
 " I'll put three," said Joel, counting out one red an<J 
 two white ones, and laying them on the pillow \ 
 " there I" 
 
 " And I want another, Joey, I do" said Phronsie 
 from the other side of the bed. 
 
 " Well, you may have one," said Joel ; " a red one, 
 Phronsie ; yes, you may have two. Now come on, 
 Dave ; we'll have the rest out by the wood-pile." 
 
 How they ever got through that day, I don't know 
 But late in the afternoon carriage wheels were heard ; 
 and then they stopped right at the Peppers' little 
 brown gate. 
 
 "Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, running to the be* 
 room door, " it's Mrs. Henderson I " 
 
92 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "Is it?" said Polly, from the darkened room, 
 * oh 1 I'm so glad ! is Miss Jerushy with her ? " she 
 asked, fearfully. 
 
 " No," said Mrs. Pepper, going back to ascertain 
 "why, it's the parson himself I Deary I how we 
 look I * 
 
 " Never mind, mammy," called back Polly, longing 
 to spring out of bed and fix up a bit. 
 
 "I'm sorry to hear the children are sick," said 
 Mrs. Henderson, coming in, in her sweet, gentle way. 
 
 "We didn't know it," said the minister, "until 
 this morning can we see them ? " 
 
 w Oh yes, sir," said Mrs. Pepper ; " Ben's up- 
 stairs ; and Polly and Phronsie are in here." 
 
 '' Poor little things ! " said Mrs. Henderson, com- 
 passionately ; " hadn't you better," turning to the 
 minister, " go up and see Ben first, while I will visit 
 the little girls ? " 
 
 So the minister mounted the crooked stairs ; and 
 Mrs. Henderson went straight up to Polly's side ; 
 and the first thing Polly knew, a cool, gentle hand 
 was laid on her hot head, and a voice said, " I've 
 come to see my little chicken now 1 " 
 
 " Oh, ma'am," said Polly, bursting into a sob, " I 
 dea't care about my eyes only mammy " and 
 ibe broke right down. 
 
nd How They Grew. 93 
 
 "I know/ 1 said the minister's wife, soothingly; 
 " but it's for you to bear patiently, Polly what do 
 you suppose the chicks were doing when I came 
 away ? " And Mrs. Henderson, while she held 
 Polly's hand, smiled and nodded encouragingly to 
 Phronsie, who was staring at her from the other side 
 of the bed. 
 
 " I don't know, ma'am," said Polly ; " please tell 
 us." 
 
 Well, they were all fighting over a grasshopper 
 yes, ten of them." 
 
 " Which one got it ? " asked Polly in intense in- 
 terest ; " oh ! I hope the white one did I " 
 
 44 Well, he looked as much like winning as any of 
 them," said the lady, laughing. 
 
 " Bless her ! " thought Mrs. Pepper to herself out 
 in the kitchen, finishing the sack Polly had leftj 
 "she's a parson's wife, /say ! " 
 
 And then the minister came down from Ben's 
 room, and went into the bedroom ; and Mrs. Hender- 
 son went up-stairs into the loft. 
 
 * So/' he said kindly, as after patting Phronsie's 
 head he came over and sat down by Polly, " this is 
 the little girl who came to see me when I was sick." 
 
 44 Oh, sir," said Polly, " I'm so glad you wasn't ! " 
 
 44 Well, when I come again," said Mr. Henderson, 
 
94 Five Littk Peppers; 
 
 rising after a merry chat, * I see I shall have to slip 
 a book into my pocket, and read for those poor eyes." 
 
 " Oh, thank you \ " cried Polly ; and then she 
 stopped and blushed. 
 
 "Well, what is it?" asked the minister, encourag- 
 ingly. 
 
 * Ben loves to hear reading," said Polly. 
 
 " Does he ? well, by that time, my little girl, I 
 guess Ben will be down-stairs ; he's all right, Polly ; 
 don't you worry about him and I'll sit in the 
 kitchen, by the bedroom door, and you can hear 
 nicely." 
 
 So the Hendersons went away. But somehow, 
 before they went, a good many things found their 
 way out of the old-fashioned chaise into the Peppers' 
 little kitchen. 
 
 But Polly's eyes didn't get any better, with all the 
 care ; and the lines of worry on Mrs. Pepper's face 
 grew deeper and deeper. At last, she just confronted 
 Dr. Fisher in the kitchen, one day after his visit to 
 Polly, and boldly asked him if they ever could be 
 cured. "I know she's and there isn't any use 
 keeping it from me," said the poor woman " she's 
 going to be stone-blind i * 
 
 " My good woman *' Dr. Fisher's voice was very 
 gentle: and he took .the hard, brown hand in his 
 
And How They Grew. 95 
 
 own "your little girl will not be blind; I tell you 
 the truth ; but it will take some time to make her 
 eyes quite strong time, and rest. She has strained 
 then? in some way, but she will come put of it." 
 
 * .Praise the Lord I " cried Mrs. Pepper, throwing 
 her apron over her head ; and then she sobbed on, 
 
 "and you, sir I can't ever thank you for for 
 if Polly was blind, we might as well give up I " 
 
 The next day, Phronsie, who had the doctor's per- 
 mission to sit up, only she was to be kept from tak- 
 ing cold, scampered around in stocking-feet in search 
 of her shoes, which she hadn't seen since she was 
 first taken sick. 
 
 " Oh, I want on my very best shoes," she cried ; 
 * can't I, mammy ? " 
 
 " Oh, no, Phronsie ; you must keep them nice," re- 
 Aionstrated her mother ; " you can't wear 'em every- 
 day, you know." 
 
 " Tisn't every-day," said Phronsie, slowly ; it's 
 only one day." 
 
 "Well, and then you'll want 'em Cu again to- 
 morrow," said her mother. 
 
 "Oh, no, I won't!" cried Phronsie; "never, no 
 more to-morrow, if I can have 'em to-day ; please^ 
 mammy dear 1 " 
 
 Mrs. Pepper went to the lowest drawer in the 
 
96 Ftoc Little Peppers ; 
 
 high bureau, and took therefrom a small parcel don 
 up in white tissue paper. Slowly unrolling this be- 
 fore the delighted eyes of the child, who stood 
 patiently waiting, she disclosed the precious red- 
 topped shoes which Phronsie immediately clasped to 
 her bosom. 
 
 " My own, very own shoes ! whole mine ! " she 
 cried, and trudged out into the kitchen to put them 
 on herself. 
 
 "Hulloa!" cried Dr. Fisher, coming in about a 
 quarter of an hour later to find her tugging labori- 
 ously at the buttons " new shoes ! I declare ! " 
 
 " My own ! " cried Phronsie, sticking out one foot 
 for inspection, where every button was in the wrong 
 button-hole, " and they've got red tops, too ! " 
 
 " So they have," said the doctor, getting down on 
 the floor beside her; "beautiful red tops, aren't 
 they?" 
 
 " Be-yew-ti-tul," sang the child delightedly. 
 
 " Does Polly have new shoes every day ? " asked 
 the doctor in a low voice, pretending to examine the 
 other foot. 
 
 Phronsie opened her eyes very wide at this. 
 * "Oh, no, she don't have anything, Polly don't" 
 
 " And what does Polly want most of all do you 
 kaow? see if you can tell me." And the doctor pur 
 
And How They Grew. 97 
 
 on the most alluring expression that he could master. 
 
 " Oh, I know 1 " cried Phronsie, with a very wise 
 look. 
 
 "There now," cried the Doctor, "you're the girl 
 for me I to think you know ! so, what is it ? " 
 
 Phronsie got up very gravely, and with one shoe 
 half on, she leaned over and whispered in the 
 doctor's ear : 
 
 "A. stove/" 
 
 " A what ? " said the doctor, looking at her, and 
 then at the old, black thing in the corner, that looked 
 as if it were ashamed of itself; " why, she's got one." 
 
 " Oh," said the child, " it won't burn ; and some- 
 times Polly cries, she does, when she's all alone 
 and I see her." 
 
 "Now," said the doctor, very sympathetically, 
 * that's too bad ; that is ! and then what does she do ? " 
 
 " Oh, Ben stuffs it up," said the child, laughing ; 
 " and so does Polly too, with paper ; and then it all 
 tumbles out quick; oh! just as quick!" And 
 Phronsie shook her yellow head at the dismal re- 
 membrance. 
 
 " Do you suppose," said the doctor, getting up, 
 "that you know of any smart little girl around here, 
 about four years old and that knows how to button 
 on her own red-topped shoes, that would like to go 
 
Fit v Little Peppers ; 
 
 to ride to-morrow morning in my carriage with me ? 
 " Oh, I do 1 " cried Phronsie, hopping on one toe ; 
 
 'Very well, then," said Dr. Fisher, going to the 
 
 * f 4' 
 
 POLLY'S DESPAIR. 
 
 bedroom door, " we'll look out for to-morrow, then.** 
 To poor Polly, lying in the darkened room, or sit- 
 
And How They Grew. 99 
 
 ting up in the big rocking-chair for Polly wasn't 
 really very sick in other respects, the disease having 
 all gone into the merry brown eyes the time seemed 
 interminable. Not to do anything ! The very idea 
 at any time would have filled her active, wide-awake 
 little body with horror ; and now, here she was ! 
 
 " Oh, dear, I can't bear it ! " she said, when she 
 knew by the noise in the kitchen that everybody was 
 out there ; so nobody heard, except a fat, old black 
 spider in the corner, and he didn't tell anyone ! 
 
 "I know it's a week," she said, "since dinner- 
 time I If Ben were only well, to talk to me." 
 
 " Oh, I say, Polly," screamed Joel at that moment 
 running in, " Ben's a-comin' down the stairs ! " 
 
 " Stop, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper ; " you shouldn't 
 have told ; he wanted to surprise Polly. 11 
 
 " Oh, is he ! " cried Polly, clasping her hands in 
 rapture ; " mammy, can't I fc 7j :e off this horrid band- 
 age, and see him ? " 
 
 " Dear me, no I " said Mrs. Pepper, springing for- 
 ward ; " not for the world, Polly ! Dr. Fisher'd have 
 our ears off ! " 
 
 " Well, I can hear, any way," said Polly, resigning 
 herself to the remaining comfort ; " here he is ! oh, 
 Ben ! " 
 
 " There," said Ben, grasping Polly, bandage and 
 
Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 all ; " now we're all right ; and I say, Polly, you're a 
 brick ! " 
 
 " Mammy told me not to say that the other day," 
 said Joel, with a very virtuous air. 
 
 " Can't help it," said Ben, who was a little wild 
 over Polly, and besides, he had been sick himself, 
 and had borne a good deal too. 
 
 "Now," said Mrs. Pepper, after the first excite- 
 ment was over, " you're so comfortable together, and 
 Phronsie don't want me now, I'll go to the store ; I 
 must get some more work if Mr. Atkins '11 give it to 
 me." 
 
 " I'll be all right now, mammy, that Ben's here," 
 cried Polly, settling back into her chair, with Phronsie 
 on the stool at her feet. 
 
 " I'm goin' to tell her stories, ma," cried Ben, " so 
 you needn't worry about us." 
 
 "Isn't it funny, Ben," said Polly, as the gate 
 clicked after the mother, "to be sitting still, and 
 telling stories in the daytime?" 
 
 " Rather funny ! " replied Ben. 
 
 " Well, do go on," said Joel, as usual, rolling on 
 the floor, in a dreadful hurry for the story to begin. 
 Little David looked up quietly, as he sat on Ben's 
 other side, his hands clasped tight together, just as 
 eager, though he said nothing. 
 
And How They Grew. 101 
 
 "Well ; once upon a time," began Ben delightfully, 
 and launched into one of the stories that the children 
 thought perfectly lovely. 
 
 " Oh, Bensie," cried Polly, entranced, as they 
 listened with bated breath, " however do you think of 
 such nice things ! " 
 
 " I've had time enough to think, the last week," 
 said Ben, laughing, " to last a life-time ! " 
 
 " Do go on" put in Joel, impatient at the delay. 
 
 "Don't hurry him so," said Polly, reprovingly; 
 "he isn't strong." 
 
 " Ben," said David, drawing a long breath, his eyes 
 very big " did he really see a bear? " 
 
 " No," said Ben ; " oh ! where was I ? " 
 
 "Why, you said Tommy heard a noise," said 
 Polly, " and he thought it was a bear." 
 
 " Oh, yes, "said Ben; "I remember; 'twasn't a " 
 
 " Oh, make it a bear, Ben ! " cried Joel, terribly dis- 
 appointed ; " don't let it be not a bear." 
 
 " Why, I can't/' said Ben ; " 'twouldn't sound true." 
 
 " Never mind, make it sound true," insisted Joel 
 " you can make anything true." 
 
 "Very well," said Ben, laughing; "I suppose I 
 must." 
 
 " Make it two bears, Ben," begged little Phronsie. 
 
 " Oh, no, Phronsie, that's too much," cried Joel ; 
 
102 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 w that'll spofl it ; but make it a big bear, do Ben, and 
 have him bite him somewhere, and most kill him." 
 
 " Oh, Joel ! " cried Polly, while David's eyes got 
 bigger than ever. 
 
 So Ben drew upon his powers as story-teller, to 
 suit his exacting audience, and was making his bear 
 work havoc upon poor Tommy in a way captivating 
 
 to all, even Joel, when 
 
 " Well, I declare," sounded Mrs. Pepper's cheery 
 voice coming in upon them, "if this isn't comfort- 
 able ! " 
 
 " Oh, mammy ! " cried Phronsie, jumping out c 
 Polly's arms, whither she had taken refuge during 
 the thrilling tale, and running to her mother who 
 gathered her baby up, " we've had a bear ! a real, 
 live bear, we have ! Ben made him ! " 
 
 " Have you ! " said Mrs. Pepper, taking off her 
 shawl, and laying her parcel of work down on the 
 table, " now, that's nice ! " 
 
 " Oh, mammy ! " cried Polly, " it does seem so 
 good to be all together again ! " 
 
 " And I thank the Lord ! " said Mrs. Pepper, look' 
 ing down on her happy little group ; and the tears 
 were in her eyes " and children, we ought to be 
 very good and please Him, for He's been so good 
 to us." 
 
And How They Grew. 103 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE CLOUD OVER THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE. 
 
 WHEN Phronsie, with many crows of delight, 
 and much chattering, had gotten fairly 
 started the following morning on her much- 
 anticipated drive with the doctor, the whole family 
 excepting Polly drawn up around the door to see 
 them off, Mrs. Pepper resolved to snatch the time 
 and run down for an hour or two to one of her 
 customers who had long been waiting for a little 
 " tailoring " to be done for her boys. 
 
 "Now, Joel/* she said, putting on her bonnet 
 before the cracked looking-glass, "you stay along 
 of Polly ; Ben must go up to bed, the doctor said ; 
 and Davie's going to the store for some molasses ; so 
 you and Polly must keep house." 
 
 44 Yes *m," said Joel ; " may I have somethin' to 
 at, ma?" 
 
>4 five Little Peppers; 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper ; " but don't you eat the 
 new bread \ you may have as much as you want of 
 the old." 
 
 "Isn't there any molasses, mammy?" asked Joel, 
 as she bade Polly good-by I and gave her number- 
 less charges " to be careful of your eyes," and " not 
 ] to let a crack of light in through the curtain," as the 
 old green paper shade was called. 
 
 " No ; if you're very hungry, you can eat bread," 
 said Mrs. Pepper, sensibly. 
 
 " Joel," said Polly, after the mother had gone, " I 
 do wish you could read to me." 
 
 "Well, I can't," said Joel, glad he didn't know 
 how ; " I thought the minister was comin V 
 
 " Well, he was," said Polly, " but mammy said he 
 had to go out of town to a consequence." 
 
 "A what f" asked Joel, very much impressed. 
 
 " A con " repeated Polly. " Well, it began with 
 a con and I am sure yes, very sure it was conse- 
 quence." 
 
 " That must be splendid," said Joel, coming up to 
 her chair, and slowly drawing a string he held in his 
 hand back and forth, " to go to consequences, and 
 everything ! When I'm a man, Polly Pepper, fm 
 going to be a minister, and havo a nice time, and go 
 just everywhere ! " 
 
And How They Grew. *o$ 
 
 "Oh, Joel!*' exclaimed Polly, quite shocked; 
 "you couldn't be one; you aren't good enough." 
 
 "I don't care," said Joel, not at all dashed by her 
 plainness, " I'll be good then when I'm a big man ; 
 don't you suppose, Polly," as a new idea struck him, 
 * that Mr. Henderson ever is naughty ? " 
 
 " No," said Polly, very decidedly ; " never, never, 
 
 NEVER I " 
 
 " Then, I don't want to be one," said Joel, veering 
 round with a sigh of relief, " and besides I'd rather 
 have a pair of horses like Mr. Slocum's, and then I 
 could go everywheres, I guess ! " 
 
 "And sell tin?" asked Polly, "just like Mr. Slo- 
 cum ? " 
 
 "Yes," said Joel ; "this is the way I'd go Gee- 
 whop! gee-wfoa/" and Joel pranced with his imagin- 
 ary steeds all around the room, making about as much 
 noise as any other four boys, as he brought up occa- 
 sionally against the four-poster or the high old bureau. 
 
 " Well ! " said a voice close up by Polly's chair, that 
 made her skip with apprehension, it was so like Miss 
 Jerusha Henderson's Joel was whooping away behind 
 the bedstead to his horses that had become seriously 
 entangled, so he didn't hear anything. But when 
 Polly said, bashfully, " I can't see anything, ma'am/ 
 
1 06 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 he came up red and shining to the surface, and stared 
 with all his might 
 
 44 1 came to see you, little girl," said Miss Jerusha 
 severely, seating herself stiffly by Polly's side. 
 
 44 Thank you, ma'am," said Polly, faintly. 
 
 44 Who's this boy? " asked the lady, turning around 
 squarely on Joel, and eying him from head to foot 
 
 " He's my brother Joel," said Polly. 
 
 Joel still stared. 
 
 " Which brother ? " pursued Miss Jerusha, like a 
 census-taker. 
 
 44 He is next to me," said Polly, wishing her mother 
 was home ; " he's nine, Joel is." 
 
 " He's big enough to do something to help his 
 mother," said Miss Jerusha, looking him through and 
 through. " Don't you think you might do something, 
 when the others are sick, and your poor mother is 
 working so hard ? " she continued, in a cold voice. 
 
 44 1 do do something," blurted out Joel, sturdily 
 lots and lots ! " 
 
 44 You shouldn't say 4 lots,' " reproved Miss Jerusha, 
 with a sharp look over her spectacles, " 'tisn't proper 
 for boys to talk so ; what do you do all day long ? " 
 she asked, turning back to Polly, after a withering 
 glance at Joel, who still stared. 
 
And How hey Grew. 107 
 
 * I can't do anything, ma'am," replied Poiiy, sadly, 
 "I can't see to do anything." 
 
 " Well, you might knit, I should think," said her 
 visitor, " it's dreadful for a girl as big as you are to 
 sit all day idle ; I had sore eyes once when I was a 
 Uttle girl how old are you ? " she asked, abruptly. 
 
 " Eleven last month," said Polly. 
 
 " Well, I wasn't only nine when I knit a stocking \ 
 and I had sore eyes, too ; you see I was a very little 
 girl, and 
 
 " Was you ever little ? " interrupted Joel, in extreme 
 incredulity, drawing near, and looking over the big 
 square figure. 
 
 " Hey ? " said Miss Jerusha ; so Joel repeated his 
 question before Polly could stop him. 
 
 " Of course/' answered Miss Jerusha ; and then 
 she added, tartly, " little boys shouldn't speak unless 
 they're spoken t&. Now," and she turned back to 
 Polly again, " didn't you ever knit a stocking ? " 
 
 " No, ma'am," said Polly, "not a whole one. " 
 
 " Dear me ! " exclaimed Miss Jerusha ; " did I ever I " 
 And she raised her black mitts in intense disdain. 
 w A big girl like you never to knit a stocking ! to think 
 your mother should bring you up so ! and " 
 
 " She didn't bring us up," screamed Joel, in indig- 
 nation, facing her with blazing eyes. 
 
io8 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Joel," said Polly, "be still." 
 
 "And you're very impertinent, too," said Miss Je 
 rusha ; " a good child never is impertinent." 
 
 Polly sat quite still ; and Miss Jerusha Continued : 
 
 " Now, I hope you will learn to be industrious; and 
 when I come again, I will see what you have done." 
 
 "You aren't ever coming again/' said Joel, defi- 
 antly; "no, never!" 
 
 "Joel!" implored Polly, and in her distress she 
 pulled up her bandage as she looked at him ; "you 
 know mammy'll be so sorry at you ! Oh, ma'am, and " 
 she turned to Miss Jerusha, who was now thoroughly 
 aroused to the duty she saw before her of doing these 
 children good, "I don't know what is the reason, 
 ma'am ; Joel never talks so ; he's real good ; and " 
 
 " It only shows," said the lady, seeing her way quite 
 clear for a little exhortation, " that you've all had your 
 own way from infancy ; and that you don't do what 
 you might to make your mother's life a happy one.' 
 
 "Oh, ma'am," cried Polly, and she burst into a 
 flood of tears, " please, please don't say that I " 
 
 "And I say," screamed Joel, stamping his small 
 coot, " if you make Polly cry you'll kill her ! Don' I 
 Polly, dorft!" and me boy put both arms around hex 
 neck, and soothed and comforted her in every way he 
 could think of. And Miss Jerusha, seeing no way t< 
 
And How They Grew. 109 
 
 make herself heard, disappeared feeling pity for chil- 
 dren who would turn away from good advice. 
 
 But still Polly cried on; all the pent-up feelings 
 that had been so long controlled had free vent now. 
 She really couldn't stop! Joel, frightened to death, 
 at last said, " I'm going to wake up Ben." 
 
 That brought Polly to ; and she sobbed out, " Oh, 
 no, Jo ey I'll stop." 
 
 " I will," said Joel, seeing his advantage ; " I'm 
 going, Polly," and he started to the foot of the stairs. 
 
 " No, I'm done now, Joe," said Polly, wiping her 
 eyes, and choking back her thoughts " oh, Joe ! I 
 must scream ! my eyes aches so I " and poor Polly 
 fairly writhed all over the chair. 
 
 " What'll I do ? " said Joel, at his wits' end, running 
 back, " do you want some water ? " 
 
 " Oh, no," gasped Polly ; " doctor wouldn't let me ; 
 oh ! I wish mammy'd come ! " 
 
 " I'll go and look for her," suggested Joe! f feeling 
 as if he must do something ; and he'd rather be out 
 at the gate, than to see Polly suffer. 
 
 "That won't bring her," said Polly; trying to keep 
 still; "I'll try to wait." 
 
 * Here she Is now ! " cried Joel, peeping 01* of the 
 window ; "oh ! goody ! '* 
 
no fwe JLtitle 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 JOEL'S TURN. 
 
 WELL" Mrs. Pepper's tone was unusually 
 blithe as she stepped into the kitchen 
 "you've had a nice time, I suppose what in the 
 world I " and she stopped at the bedroom door. 
 
 "Oh, mammy, if you'd been here!" said Joel, 
 while Polly sat still, only holding on to her eyes as 
 if they were going to fly out; there's been a big 
 woman here; she came right in and she talked 
 awfully! and Polly's been a-cryin', and her eyes 
 ache dreadfully and" 
 
 " Been crying ! " repeated Mrs. Pepper, coming 
 up to poor Polly. " Polly been crying 1 " she still 
 repeated. 
 
 "Oh, mamy, I couldn't help it," said Polly; "she 
 said" and in spite of all she could do, the rain of 
 
And How They Grew. in 
 
 fears began again, which bade fair to be as uncon* 
 drolled as before. But Mrs. Pepper took her up firmly 
 jb her arms, as if she were Phronsie, and sat down in 
 the old rocking chair and just patted her back. 
 
 <: There, there," she whispered, soothingly, " don't 
 think of it, Polly ; mother's got home." 
 
 "Oh, mammy," said Polly, crawling up to the com- 
 fortable neck for protection, " I ought not to mind ; 
 but 'twas Miss Jerusha Henderson ; and she said " 
 
 " What did she say ? " asked Mrs. Pepper, thinking 
 perhaps it to be the wiser thing to let Polly free her 
 mind. 
 
 " Oh, she said that we ought to be doing something ; 
 and I ought to knit, and " 
 
 " Go on," said her mother. 
 
 " And then Joel got naughty ; oh, mammy, he never 
 iid so before ; and I couldn't stop him," cried Polly, 
 in great distress; "I really couldn't, mammy and 
 he talked to her ; and he told her she wasn't ever 
 coming here again." 
 
 "Joel shouldn't have said that," said Mrs. Pepper, 
 and under her breath something was added that Polly 
 even failed to hear "but no more she isn't! " 
 
 " And, mammy," cried Polly and she flung her 
 arms around her mother's neck and gave her a grasp 
 that nearlv chok^ VTS. Pepper* " *in't I helpin' you 
 
H2 Five Little Peppers { 
 
 some, mammy? Oh! I wish I could do something 
 big for you ? Ain't you happy, mammy ? " 
 
 " For the land's sakes ! " cried Mrs. Pepper, strain- 
 ing Polly to her heart, " whatever has that woman 
 whatever could she have said to you ? Such a girl as 
 you are, too ! " cried Mrs. Pepper, hugging Polly, 
 and covering her with kisses so tender, that Polly, 
 warmed and cuddled up to her heart's content, wa? 
 comforted to the full. 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Pepper, when at last she thought 
 she had formed between Polly and Joel about the 
 right idea of the visit, " well, now we won't think of 
 it, ever any more ; tisn't worth it, Polly, you know." 
 
 But poor Polly ! and poor mother ! They both 
 were obliged to think of it. Nothing could avert the 
 suffering of the next few days, caused by that long 
 flow of burning tears. 
 
 " Nothing feels good on 'em, mammy," said Polly, 
 at last, twisting her hands in the vain attempt to keep 
 from rubbing the aching, inflamed eyes that drove 
 her nearly wild with their itching, " there isn't any use 
 in trying anything." 
 
 " There will be use/' energetically protested Mrs. 
 Pepper, bringing another cool bandage, " as long as 
 you've got an eye in your head, Polly Pepper ! " 
 
 Dr. Fisher's face, when he first saw the change that 
 
And How They Grew. 113 
 
 the fateful visit had wrought, and heard the accounts, 
 was very grave indeed. Everything had been so 
 encouraging on his last visit, that he had come very 
 near promising Polly speedy freedom from the hate- 
 ful bandage. 
 
 But the little Pepper household soon had some- 
 thing else to think of more important even than 
 Polly's eyes, for now the heartiest, the jolliest of all 
 the little group was down JoeL How he fell sick, 
 they scarcely knew, it all came so suddenly. The 
 poor, bewildered family had hardly time to think, 
 before delirium and, perhaps, death stared them in 
 the face. 
 
 When Polly first heard it, by Phronsie's pattering 
 down-stairs and screaming : " Oh, Polly, Joey's 
 dre-ad-ful sick, he is 1 " she jumped right up, and 
 tore off the bandage. 
 
 "Now, I will help mother ! I a//7/, so there!" and 
 in another minute she would have been up in the sick 
 room. But the first thing she knew, a gentle but firm 
 hand Was laid upon hers; and she found herself 
 back again in the old rocking-chair, and listening to 
 the Doctor's words which were quite stern ana de- 
 cisive. 
 
 "Now, I tell you," he said, "you must not take 
 off that bandage again; do you know the conse- 
 
H4 Five Little Peppers / 
 
 quences ? " You will be blind ! and then you will be 
 a care to your mother all your life ! " 
 
 " I shall be blind, anyway," said Polly, despair- 
 ingly; "so 'twon't make any difference." 
 
 " No ; your eyes will come out of it all right, only 
 I did hope " and the good doctor's face fell " that 
 the other two boys would escape ; but " and he 
 brightened up at sight of Polly's forlorn visage " see 
 you do your part by keeping still." 
 
 But there came a day soon when everything was 
 still around the once happy little brown house 
 when only whispers were heard from white lips ; and 
 thoughts were fearfully left unuttered. 
 
 On the morning of one ~of these days, when Mrs. 
 Pepper felt she could not exist an hour longer with- 
 out sleep, kind Mrs. Beebe came to stay until things 
 were either better or worse. 
 
 Still the cloud hovered, dark and forbidding. At 
 last, one afternoon, when Polly was all alone, she 
 could endure it no longer. She flung herself down 
 by the side of the old bed, and buried her face in 
 the gay patched bed-quilt. 
 
 " Dear God," she said, " make me willing to have 
 anything " she hesitated " yes, anything happen ; 
 to be blind forever, and to have Joey sick, only make 
 me good." 
 
And How They Grew, 115 
 
 How long she staid there she never knew ; for she 
 fell asleep the first sleep she had had since Joey 
 
 POLLY'S PRAYER. 
 
 was taken sick. And little Mrs. Beebe coming in 
 found her thus. 
 
 " Polly/' the good woman said, leaning over her, 
 " you poor, pretty creeter, you ; I'm goin' to tell you 
 somethin' there, there, just to think ! Joel's goin 
 to get well ! " 
 
1 1 6 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Oh, Mrs. Beebe ! " cried Polly, tumbling over in 
 a heap on the floor, her face, as much as could be 
 seen under the bandage, in a perfect glow, "Is he, 
 really!" 
 
 "Yes, to be sure ; the danger's all over now," said 
 the little old lady, inwardly thinking " If I hadn't 
 a-come ! " 
 
 " Well, then, the Lord wants him to," cried Polly, 
 in rapture ; " don't he, Mrs. Beebe ? " 
 
 "To be sure to be sure," repeated the kind 
 friend, only half understanding. 
 
 " Well, I don't care about my eyes, then," cried 
 Polly; and to Mrs. Beebe's intense astonishment 
 and dismay, she spun round and round in the middle 
 of the floor. 
 
 " Oh, Polly, Polly!" the little old lady cried, run- 
 ning up to her, " do stop ! the doctor wouldn't let 
 you ! he wouldn't really, you know ! it'll all go to 
 your eyes." 
 
 " I don't care," repeated Polly, in the middle of a 
 spin ; but she stopped obediently ; u seems as if I 
 just as soon be blind as not ; it's so beautiful Joey's 
 going to get well ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 117 
 
 CHAPTER BE, 
 
 SUNSHINE AGAIN. 
 
 BUT as Joel was smitten down suddenly, so he 
 came up quickly, and his hearty nature asserted 
 itself by rapid strides toward returning health ; and 
 one morning he astonished them all by turning over 
 suddenly and exclaiming: 
 
 " I want something to eat ! " 
 
 "Bless the Lord!" cried Mrs. Pepper, "now he's 
 going to live ! " 
 
 "But he mustn't eat," protested Mrs. Beebe, in 
 great alarm, trotting for the cup of gruel. " Here, 
 you pretty creeter you, here's something nice." And 
 she temptingly held the spoon over Joel's mouth ; but 
 with a grimace he turned away. 
 
Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "Oh, I want something to eat! some gingerbread 
 or some bread and butter." 
 
 " Dear me ! " ejaculated Mrs. Beebe. " Ginger- 
 bread 1" 
 
 Poor Mrs. Pepper saw the hardest part of her 
 trouble now before her, as she realized that the re- 
 turning appetite must be fed only on strengthening 
 food ; for where it was to come from she couldn't 
 tell. 
 
 " The Lord only knows where we'll get it," she 
 groaned within herself. 
 
 Yes, He knew. A rap at the door, and little David 
 ran down to find the cause. 
 
 " Oh, mammy," he said, " Mrs. Henderson sent 
 it see ! see ! " 
 
 And in the greatest excitement he placed in her 
 lap a basket that smelt savory and nice even before 
 it was opened. When it was opened, there lay a little 
 bird delicately roasted, and folded in a clean napkin ; 
 also a glass of jelly, crimson and clear. 
 
 " Oh, Joey," cried Mrs. Pepper, almost over- 
 whelmed with joy, " see what Mrs. Henderson sent 
 you ! now you can eat fit for a king ! " 
 
 That little bird certainly performed its mission in 
 life; for as Mrs. Beebe said, "It just touched the 
 
And How They Grew. 119 
 
 spot ! " and from that very moment Joel improved 
 so rapidly they could hardly believe their eyes. 
 
 "Hoh! I haven't been sick!" he cried on the 
 third day, true to his nature. * 4 Mammy, I want to 
 get up." 
 
 "Oh, dear, no I you mustn't, Joel,'* jried Mrs. Pep- 
 per in a fright, running up to him as he was prepay 
 ing to give the bedclothes a lusty kick ; "you'll send 
 'em in." 
 
 " Send what in ? " asked Joel, looking up at his 
 mother in terror, as the dreadful thought made him 
 pause. 
 
 " Why, the measles, Joey ; they'll all go in if you 
 get out." 
 
 " How they goin* to get in again, I'd like* to 
 know?" asked Joel, looking at the little red spots 
 on his hands in incredulity ; " say, ma I " 
 
 "Well, they will? said his- mother, "as you'll 
 find to your sorrow if you get out of bed." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Joel, beginning to whimper, as 
 he drew into bed again, "when can I get up, 
 mammy I " 
 
 "Oh, in a day or two," responded Mrs. Pepper, 
 cheerfully; "you're getting on so finely you'll be as 
 smart as a cricket ! Shouldn't you say he might get 
 ap in a day or two, Mrs. Beebee ? " she appealed to 
 
120 Five Little Peppers / 
 
 that individual who was knitting away cheerily in the 
 corner. 
 
 " Well, if he keeps on as he's begun, I shouldn't 
 know what to think," replied Mrs. Beebe. " It beats 
 all how quick he' picked up. I never see anything 
 like it, I'm sure! ' 
 
 And as Mrs. Beebe was a great authority in sick 
 ness, the old, sunny cheeriness began to creep into 
 the brown house once more, and to bubble over as of 
 yore. 
 
 " Seems as if 'twas just good to live" said Mrs. 
 Pepper, thankfully once, when her thoughts were too 
 much for her. "I don't believe I shall ever care 
 how poor we are," she continued," as long as we're 
 together." 
 
 " And that's just what the Lord meant, maybe," 
 replied good Mrs. Beebe, who was preparing to go 
 home. 
 
 Joel kept the house in a perfect uproar all 
 through his getting well. Mrs. Pepper observed one 
 day, when he had been more turbulent than usual, 
 that she was " almost worn to a thread." 
 
 " Twasn't anything to take care of you, Joe," she 
 added, " when you were real sick, because then I knew 
 where you were ; but well, you won't ever have the 
 measles again, I s'pose, and that's some comfort! " 
 
And How They Grew. 121 
 
 Little David, who had been nearly stunned by the 
 sickness that had laid aside his almost constant com- 
 panion, could express his satisfaction and joy in no 
 other way than by running every third minute and 
 begging to do something for him. And Joel, who 
 loved dearly to be waited on, improved every oppor- 
 tunity that offered ; which Mrs. Pepper observing, 
 soon put a stop to. 
 
 " You'll run his legs off, Joel," at last she said, 
 when he sent David the third time down to the wood- 
 pile for a stick of just the exact thickness, and which 
 the little messenger declared wasn't to be found. 
 " Haven't you any mercy ? You've kept him going all 
 day, too," she added, glancing at David's pale face. 
 
 " Oh, mammy," panted David, " don't ; I love to 
 go. Here, Joe, is the best I could find," handing 
 him a nice smooth stick. 
 
 "I know you do," said his mother; "but Joe's 
 getting better now, and he must learn to spare you." 
 
 " I don't want to spare folks," grumbled Joel, whit- 
 tling away with energy ; " I've been sick raz/sick," 
 he added, lifting his chubby face to his mother to 
 impress the fact. 
 
 " I know you have," she cried, running to kiss her 
 boy; "but now, Joe, you're most well. To-morrow 
 
122 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Fm going to let you go downstairs; what do yo* 
 think of that!" 
 
 "Hooray!" screamed Joel, throwing away the 
 stick and clapping his hand.*, forgetting all about his 
 serious illness, "that'll \>zprimel" 
 
 "Aren't you too sick to go, Joey?" asked Mrs. 
 Pepper, mischievously. 
 
 " No, I'm not sick," cried Joel, in the greatest alarm, 
 fearful his mother meant to take back the promise ; 
 "IVe never been sick. Oh, mammy I you know 
 you'll let me go, won't you ? " 
 
 44 1 guess so," laughed his mother. 
 44 Come on, Phron," cried Joel, giving her a whirl. 
 David, who was too tired for active sport, sat on 
 the floor and watched them frolic in great delight 
 
 44 Mammy," said he, edging up to her side as the 
 sport went on, " do you know, I think it's just good 
 it's oh, it's sofris&y since Joe got well, isn't it, 
 mammy ? " 
 
 44 Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Pepper, giving him a radi- 
 ant look in return for his ; " and when Polly's around 
 again with her two eyes all right well, I don't know 
 what we shall do, I declare I " 
 
 "Boo!" cried a voice, next morning, close to 
 Polly's elbow, unmistakably Joel's. 
 
And How They Grew. 123 
 
 " Oh, Joel Pepper 1 " she cried, whirling around, 
 u is that really 702* /" 
 
 "Yes," cried that individual, confidently, "it's 
 I; oh, I say, Polly, I've had fun up-stairs, I tell 
 you what 1 " 
 
 " Poor boy 1 " said Polly, compassionately. 
 
 " I wasn't a poor boy," cried Joel, indignantly ; " I 
 had splendid things to eat ; oh, my ! " and he closed 
 one eye and smacked his lips in the delightful 
 memory. 
 
 " I know it," said Polly, " and I'm so glad, Joel." 
 
 " I don't suppose I'll ever get so many again," ob- 
 served Joel, reflectively, after a minute's pause, as 
 one and another of the wondrous delicacies rose 
 before his mind's eye ; " not unless I have the 
 measles again say, Polly, can't I have 'em again ? " 
 
 " Mercy, no 1 " cried Polly, in intense alarm, " I 
 hope not." 
 
 "Well, I don't," said Joel, "I wish I could have 
 'em sixty no two hundred times, so there ! " 
 
 "Well, mammy couldn't take care of you," said 
 Ben; "you don't know what you're sayin', Joe." 
 
 "Well, then, I wish I could have the things with- 
 out the measles," said Joel, willing to accommodate *, 
 " only folks won't send 'em," he added, in an injured 
 *one. 
 
B 2 4 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "Polly's had the hardest time of all/' said her 
 mother, affectionately patting the bandage. 
 
 " I think so too," put in Ben ; " if my eyes were 
 hurt I'd give up." 
 
 " So would I," said David ; and Joel, to be in the 
 fashion, cried also, " I know / would ; " while little 
 Phronsie squeezed up to Polly's side, " And f, too." 
 
 " Would what, Puss ? " asked Ben, tossing her up 
 high. 
 
 " Have good things," cried the child, in delight at 
 understanding the others, " I would really, Ben," she 
 cried, gravely, when they all screamed. 
 
 " Well, I hope so," said Ben, tossing her higher 
 yet. 
 
 " Don't laugh at her, boys," put in Polly ; " we're 
 all going to have good times now, Phronsie, now we've 
 got well. 
 
 " Yes," laughed the child from her high perch ; " we 
 aren't ever goin' to be sick again, ever any more," 
 she added impressively. 
 
 The good times were coming for Polly coming 
 pretty near, and she didn't know it ! All the children 
 were in the secret ; for as Mrs. Pepper declared, 
 " They'd have to know it ; and if they were let into 
 the secret they'd kep it better." 
 
 So they had individually and collectively teen Jn- 
 
And How They Grew. 125 
 
 trusted with the precious secret, and charged with 
 the extreme importance of " never letting any one 
 know," and they had been nearly bursting ever since 
 with the wild desire to impart their knowledge. 
 
 " I'm afraid I shall tell," said David, running to 
 his mother at last ; " oh, mammy, I don't dare stay 
 near Polly, I do want to tell so bad." 
 
 " Oh, no, you won't, David," said his mother en- 
 couragingly, " when you know mother don't want you 
 to ; and besides, think how Polly'll look when she 
 sees it." 
 
 " I know," cried David in the greatest rapture, " I 
 wouldn't tell for all the world ! I guess she'll look 
 nice, don't you mother ? " and he laughed in glee at 
 the thought. 
 
 " Poor child ! I guess she will ! " and then Mrs. 
 Pepper laughed too, till the little old kitchen rang^ 
 with delight at the accustomed sound. 
 
 The children all had to play " clap in and clap out ** 
 in the bedroom while it came ; and ' ' stage coach," too 
 " anything to make a noise," Ben said. And then 
 after they got nicely started in the game, he would be 
 missing to help about the mysterious thing in the 
 kitchen, which was safe since Polly couldn't see him 
 go on account of her bandage. So she didn't suspect in 
 the least. And although the rest were almost dying 
 
126 Five Little Peppers, 
 
 to be out in the kitchen, they conscientiously stuck 
 to their bargain to keep Polly occupied. Only Joel 
 would open the door and peep once ; and then Phron- 
 sie behind him began " Oh, I see the sto " but 
 David swooped down on her in a twinkling, and 
 smothered the rest by tickling her. 
 
 Once they came very near having the whole thing 
 pop out. 
 
 " Whatever is that noise in the kitchen ? " asked 
 Polly, as they all stopped to take breath after the 
 scuffle of " stage-coach." " It sounds just like grating." 
 
 " I'll go and see," cried Joel, promptly ; and then 
 he flew out where his mother and Ben and two men 
 were at work on a big, black thing in the corner. 
 The old stove, strange to say, was nowhere to be 
 seen ! Something else stood in its place, a shiny, 
 black affair, with a generous supply of oven doors, 
 and altogether such a comfortable, home-like look 
 about it, as if it would say " I'm going to make 
 sunshine in this house ! " 
 
 "Oh, Joel," cried his mother, turning around on 
 him with very black hands, " you haven't told ! " 
 
 "No," said Joel, "but she's hearin' the noise, 
 Polly is." 
 
 '-'-Hush /" said Ben, to one of the men. 
 
And How They Grew. 129 
 
 "We can't put it up without some noise," the man 
 replied, " but we'll be as still as we can." 
 
 " Isn't it a big one, ma ? " asked Joel, in the loud- 
 est of stage whispers, that Polly on the other side of 
 the door couldn't have failed to hear if Phronsie 
 hadn't laughed just then. 
 
 "Go back, Joe, do," said Ben, "play tag any- 
 thing" he implored, "we'll be through in a few 
 minutes." 
 
 " It takes forever ! " said Joel, disappearing within 
 the bedroom door. Luckily for the secret, Phronsie 
 just then ran a pin sticking up on the arm of the old 
 chair, into her finger ; and Polly, while comforting her, 
 forgot to question Joel. And then the mother came 
 in, and though she had ill-concealed hilarity in her 
 voice, she kept chattering and bustling around with 
 Polly's supper to such an extent that there was no 
 chance for a word to be got in. 
 
 Next morning it seemed as if the " little brown 
 house," would turn inside out with joy. 
 
 " Oh, mammy ! " cried Polly, jumping into her 
 arms the first thing, as Dr. Fisher untied the band- 
 age, "ray eyes are new ! just the same as if I'd just 
 got 'em ! Don't they look different ? " she asked, 
 earnestly, running to the cracked glass to see for her 
 self. 
 
13 five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "No," said Ben, "I hope not; the same brown 
 ones, Polly." 
 
 "Well," said Polly, hugging first one and then 
 another, "everybody looks different through them, 
 anyway." 
 
 " Oh," cried Joel, " come out into the kitchen, 
 Polly ; it's a great deal better out there." 
 
 " May I ? " asked Polly, who was in such a twitter 
 looking at everything that she didn't know which 
 way to turn. 
 
 " Yes," said the doctor, smiling at her. 
 
 " Well, then," sang Polly, " come mammy, we'll 
 go first ; isn't it just lovely oh, MAMMY ! " and 
 Polly turned so very pale, and looked as if she were 
 going to tumble right over, that Mrs. Pepper grasped 
 her arm in dismay. 
 
 " What is it '?" she asked, pointing to the corner, 
 while all the children stood round in the greatest ex- 
 citement. 
 
 "Why," cried Phronsie, "it's a stove don't you 
 know, Polly ? " 
 
 But Polly gave one plunge across the room, and 
 before anybody could think, she was down on her 
 knees with her arms flung right around the big, black 
 thing, and laughing and crying over it, all in the same 
 breath ! 
 
And How They Grew. 13* 
 
 And then they all took hold of hands and danced 
 around it like wild little things; while Dr. Fisher 
 stole out silently and Mrs. Pepper laughed till she 
 wiped her eyes to see them go. 
 
 "We aren't ever goin' to have any more burnt 
 bread," sang Polly, all out of breath. 
 
 "Nor your back isn't goin' to break any more," 
 panted Ben, with a very red face. 
 
 " Hooray I " screamed Joel and David, to fill any 
 pause that might occur, while Phronsie gurgled and 
 laughed at everything just as it came along. And 
 then they all danced and capered again; all bu v 
 Polly, who was down before the precious stove 
 examining and exploring into ovens and everything 
 that belonged to it. 
 
 " Oh, ma," she announced, coming up to Mrs. Pep- 
 per, who had been obliged to fly to her sewing again, 
 and exhibiting a very crocky face and a pair of ex- 
 tremely smutty hands, "it's most all ovens, arid it's 
 just splendid ! " 
 
 "I know it," answered her mother, delighted in the 
 joy of her child. " My ! how black you are, Polly ! " 
 
 " Oh, I wish," cried Polly, as the thought struck 
 her, " that Dr. Fisher could see it I Where did he 
 go to, ma?" 
 
 " I guess Dr. Fisher has seen it before," said Mrs 
 
132 Five Little Peppers f 
 
 Pepper, and then she began to laugh. * You haven't 
 ver asked where the stove came from, Polly." 
 
 And to be sure, Polly had been so overwhelmed 
 that if the stove had really dropped from the clouds 
 it would have been small matter of astonishment to 
 her, as long as it had come ; that was the main thing ! 
 
 " Mammy," said Polly, turning around slowly, with 
 the stove-lifter in her hand, " did Dr. Fisher bring 
 that stove ? " 
 
 " He didn't exactly bring it," answered her mother, 
 " but I guess he knew something about it." 
 
 " Oh, he's the splendidest, goodest man ! " cried 
 Polly, u that ever breathed 1 Did he really get us 
 that stove ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, " he would ; I couldn't 
 stop him. I don't know how he found out you wanted 
 one so bad ; but he said it must be kept as a surprise 
 when your eyes got well." 
 
 " And he saved my eyes " ! cried Polly, full of grati- 
 tude. " I've got a stove and two new eyes, mammy, 
 just to think ! " 
 
 "We ought to be good after all our mercies," said 
 Mrs. Pepper thankfully, looking around on her little 
 group. Joel was engaged in the pleasing occupation 
 of seeing how far he could run his head into the biggest 
 oven, and then pulling it out to exhihit its black- 
 
And How They Grew. 133 
 
 ness, thus engrossing the others in a perfect hubbub. 
 
 " I'm going to bake my doctor some little cakes," 
 declared Polly, when there was comparative quiet. 
 
 " Do, Polly," cried Joel, " and then leave one or two 
 over." 
 
 "No," said Polly; "we can't have any, because 
 these must be very nice. Mammy, can't I have some 
 white on top, just once ? " she pleaded. 
 
 " I don't know," dubiously replied Mrs. Pepper ; 
 " eggs are dreadful dear, and " 
 
 "I don't care," said Polly, recklessly; "I must 
 just once for Dr. Fisher." 
 
 " I tell you, Polly." said Mrs. Pepper, " what you 
 might do ; you might make him some little apple 
 tarts most every one likes them, you know." 
 
 " Well," said Polly, with a sigh, " I s'pose they'll 
 have to do ; but some time, mammy, I'm going to bake 
 him a big cake, so there ! " 
 
'34 five Little 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A THREATENED BLOW. 
 
 ONE day, a few weeks after, Mrs. Pepper and 
 Polly were busy in the kitchen. Phronsie was 
 out in the "orchard," as the one scraggy apple-tree was 
 called by courtesy, singing her rag doll to sleep under 
 its sheltering branches. But " Baby " was cross and 
 wouldn't go to sleep, and Phronsie was on the point 
 of giving up, and returning to the house, when a 
 strain of music made her pause with dolly in her 
 apron. There she stood with her finger in her mouth, 
 in utter astonishment, wondering where the sweet 
 sounds came from. 
 
 " Oh, Phronsie I " screamed Polly, from the back 
 door, "where are oh, here, come quick! it's the 
 beau-ti-fullest ! " 
 
 " What is it ? " eagerly asked the little one, hop- 
 ping over the stubby grass, leaving poor, discarded 
 
And How They Grew. 135 
 
 " Baby " on its snubby nose where it dropped in her 
 hurry. 
 
 THE MONKEY PAYS HIS COMPLIMENTS TO PHRONSIE. 
 
 "Oh, a monkey!" cried Polly ;" do hurry! the 
 sweetest little monkey you ever saw ! " 
 
136 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " What is a monkey ? " asked Phrorisie, skurrying 
 after Polly to the gate where her mother was waiting 
 for them. 
 
 " Why, a monkey's a monkey," explained 
 Polly, " I don't know any better'n that. Here he is ! 
 Isn't he splendid ! " and she lifted Phronsie up to 
 the big post where she could see finely. 
 
 " O-oh ! ow ! " screamed little Phronsie, " see him, 
 Polly ! just see him ! " 
 
 A man with an organ was standing in the middle of 
 the road playing away with all his might, and at the 
 end of a long rope was a lively little monkey in a 
 bright red coat and a smart cocked hat. The little 
 creature pulled off his hat, and with one long jump 
 coming on the fence, he made Phronsie a most mag- 
 nificent bow. Strange to say, the child wasn't in the 
 least frightened, but put out her little fat hand, speak- 
 ing in gentle tones, " Poor little monkey ! come here, 
 poor little monkey ! " 
 
 Turning up his little wrinkled face, and glancing 
 fearfully at his master, Jocko began to grimace and 
 beg for something to eat. The man pulled the string 
 and struck up a merry tune, and in a minute the 
 monkey spun around and around at such a lively pace, 
 and put in so many queer antics that the little audi- 
 ence were fairly corvUsed with laughter. 
 
And How They Grew. 137 
 
 " I can't pay you," said Mrs. Pepper, wiping her 
 eyes, when at last the man pulled up the strap 
 whistling to Jocko to jump up, " but I'll give you 
 something to eat ; and the monkey, too, he shall have 
 something for his pains in amusing my children." 
 
 The man looked very cross when she brought him 
 out only brown bread and two cold potatoes. 
 
 " Haven't you got nothin' better'n that ? " 
 
 " It's as good as we have," answered Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 The man threw down the bread in the road. But 
 Jocko thankfully ate his share, Polly and Phronsie 
 busily feeding him ; and then he turned and snapped 
 up the portion his master had left in the dusty road. 
 
 Then they moved on, Mrs. Pepper and Polly going 
 back to their work in the kitchen. A little down the 
 road the man struck up another tune. Phronsie who 
 had started merrily to tell " Baby " all about it, 
 stopped a minute to hear, and she didn't go bac^ 
 to the orchard ! 
 
 About two hours after, Polly said merrily : 
 
 " I'm going to call Phronsie in, mammy ; she must 
 be awfully tired and hungry by this time." 
 
 She sanggayly on the way, " I'm coming, Phronsie, 
 coming why. where ! " peeping under the tree. 
 
 ' Fteby " lay on its face disconsolately on the ground 
 
138 fwe Little Peppers ; 
 
 and the orchard was empty ! Phronsie was gonel 
 
 " It's no use/' said Ben, to the distracted household 
 and such of the neighbors as the news had brought 
 hurriedly to the scene, " to look any more around 
 here but somebody must go toward Hingham ; he'd 
 be likely to go that way." 
 
 "No one could tell where he would go," cried 
 Polly, wringing her hands. 
 
 " But he'd change, Ben, if he thought folks would 
 think he'd gone there," said Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 " We must go all roads," said Ben, firmly ; " one 
 must take the stage to Boxville, and I'll take Deacon 
 Brown's wagon on the Hingham road, and somebody 
 else must go to Toad Hollow." 
 
 "I'll go in the stage," screamed Joel, who could 
 scarcely see out of his eyes, he had cried so ; " I'll 
 find find her I know." 
 
 " Be spry, then, Joe, and catch it at the corner ! " 
 
 Everybody soon knew that little Phronsie Pepper 
 had gone off with " a cross organ man and an awful 
 monkey ! " and in the course of an hour dozens of 
 people were out on the hot, dusty roads in search. 
 
 " What's the matter ? " asked a testy old gentleman 
 in the stage, of Joel who, in his anxiety to see both 
 sides of the road at once, bobbed the old gentleman 
 
And How They Grew. 139 
 
 in the face so often as the stage lurched, that at last 
 he knocked his hat over his eyes. 
 
 " My sister's gone off with a monkey," explained 
 Joel, bobbing over to the other side, as he thought he 
 caught sight of something pink that he felt sure must 
 be Phronsie's apron. " Stop ! stop ! there she is ! " 
 he roared, and the driver, who had his instructions 
 and was fully in sympathy, pulled up so suddenly 
 that the old gentleman flew over into the opposite 
 seat. 
 
 " Where ? " 
 
 But when they got up to it Joel saw that it was 
 only a bit of pink calico flapping on a clothes-line ; so 
 he climbed back and away they rumbled again. 
 
 The others were having the same luck. No trace 
 could be found of the child. To Ben, who took the 
 Hingham road, the minutes seemed like hours. 
 
 " I won't go back," he muttered, " until I take her. 
 I can't see mother's face ! " 
 
 But the ten miles were nearly traversed ; almost the 
 last hope was gone. Into every thicket and lurking 
 place- by the road-side had he peered but no Phron- 
 sie ! Deacon Brown's horse began to lag. 
 
 "Go an!" said Ben, hoarsely; "oh, dear Lord, 
 make me find her ! " 
 
 The hot sun ooured down on the bov's face, and 
 
1 40 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 he had no cap. What cared he for that ? On and 
 on he went. Suddenly the horse stopped. Ben 
 doubled up the reins to give him a cut, when " WHOA ! " 
 he roared so loud that the horse in very astonishment 
 gave a lurch that nearly flung him headlong. But 
 he was over the wheel in a twinkling, and up with 
 a bound to a small thicket of scrubby bushes on a 
 high hill by the road-side. Here lay a little bundle 
 on the ground, and close by it a big, black dog ; and 
 over the whole, standing guard, was a boy a little 
 bigger than Ben, with honest gray eyes. And the 
 bundle was Phronsie ! 
 
 " Don't wake her up/' said the boy, warningly, as 
 Ben, with a hungry look in his eyes, leaped up the hill, 
 " she's tired to death ! " 
 
 " She's my sister ! " cried Ben, "our Phronsie!" 
 " I know it," said the boy kindly ; " but I wouldn't 
 wake her up yet if I were you. I'll tell you all about 
 it," and he took Ben's hand which was as cold as ice 
 
And How They Grew. 143 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 SAFE. 
 
 " TT'S all right, Prince," the boy added, encourag- 
 A ingly to the big dog who, lifting his noble head, 
 had turned two big eyes steadily on Ben. " He's all 
 right ! lie down again ! " 
 
 Then, flinging himself down on the. grass, he told 
 Ben how he came to rescue Phronsie. 
 
 " Prince and I were out for a stroll," said he. " I 
 live over in Hingham," pointing to the pretty little 
 town just a short distance before them in the hollow ; 
 "that is," laughing, "I do this summer. Well, we 
 were out strolling along about a mile below here on 
 the cross-road ; and all of a sudden, just as if they 
 sprung right up out of the ground, I saw a man with 
 ^n organ, and a monkey, and a little girl, coming 
 ilong the road. She was crying, and as soon as 
 Prince saw that, he gave a growl, and then the man 
 *aw us, and he looked so mean and cringing I knew 
 
1 44 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 there must be something wrong, and I inquired of 
 him what he was doing with that little girl, and then 
 she looked up and begged so with her eyes, and all 
 of a sudden broke away from him and ran towards 
 me screaming *I want Polly I 1 Well, the man 
 sprang after her ; then I tell you " here the boy 
 forgot his caution about waking Phronsie " we went 
 for him, Prince and I ! Prince is a noble fellow," (here 
 the dog's ears twitched very perceptibly) "and be 
 kept at that man ; oh I how he bit him t till he bad 
 to run for fear the monkey would get killed." 
 
 "Was Phronsie frightened? 1 ' asked Ben; "she's 
 never seen strangers." 
 
 "Not a bit," said the boy, cheerily; "she just 
 dung to me like everything I only wish she was 
 my sister," he added impulsively* 
 
 " What were you going to do with her if I hadn't 
 come along?" asked Ben. 
 
 " Well, I got out on the main road," said the boy, 
 " because I thought anybody who had lost her, would 
 probably come through this way; but if somebody 
 hadn't come, I was going to carry her in to Hingham ; 
 and the father and I'd had to contrive some way to 
 da" 
 
 a Well," said Ben, as the boy finished and fastened 
 his bright eyes on him, " somebody did come along ; 
 
And How They Grew. 145 
 
 and now I must get her home about as fast as I can, 
 for poor mammy and Polly ! " 
 
 Yes," said the boy, "I'll help yon lift her; per- 
 haps she won't wake up.* 
 
 The big dog moved away a step or two, but still 
 kept his eye on Phronsie. 
 
 "There," said the boy, brightly, as they laid the 
 child on the wagon seat ; " now when you get in you 
 can hold her head; that's it," he added, seeing 
 them both fixed to his satisfaction. But still Ben 
 lingered. 
 
 " Thank you," he tried to say. 
 
 "I know," laughed the boy; "only it's Prince in- 
 stead of me," and he pulled forward the big black 
 creature, who had followed faithfully down the hill to 
 see the last of it "To the front, sir, there 1 We're 
 coming to see you," he continued, " if you will let us 
 where do you live?" 
 
 u Do come," said Ben, lighting up, for he was just 
 feeling he couldn't bear to look his last on the merry, 
 honest face ; "anybody 9 !! tell you where Mrs. Pepper 
 lives." 
 
 "Is she a Pepper t* asked the boy, laughing, and 
 pointing to the unconscious little heap in the wagon ; 
 " and are you Pepper ? " 
 
146 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Yes," said Ben, laughing too. " There are five of 
 us besides mother." 
 
 " Jolly ! that's something like ! Good by ! Come 
 on, Prince ! " 
 
 Then away home to mother ! Phronsie never woke 
 up or turned over once till she was put, a little pink 
 sleepy heap, into her mother's arms. Joel was there, 
 crying bitterly at his forlorn search. The testy old 
 gentleman in the seat opposite had relented and or- 
 dered the coach about and brought him home in an 
 outburst of grief when all hope was gone. And one 
 after another they all had come back, disheartened, 
 to the distracted mother. Polly alone, clung to 
 hope ! 
 
 " Ben will bring her, mammy ; I know God will let 
 him," she whispered. 
 
 But when Ben did bring her, Polly, for the second 
 time in her life, tumbled over with a gasp, into old 
 Mrs. Bascom's lap. 
 
 Home and mother ! Little Phronsie slept all that 
 night straight through. The neighbors came in softly, 
 and with awe-struck visages stole into the bedroom to 
 look at the child; and as they crept out again, 
 thoughts of their own little ones tugging at their 
 hearts, the tears would drop unheeded. 
 
How They Grew. 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 NEW FRIENDS. 
 
 UP the stairs of the hotel, two steps at a time, ran 
 a boy with a big, black dog at his heels. "Come 
 on, Prince ; soft, now," as they neared a door at the 
 
 end of the corridor. 
 
 It opened into a corner room overlooking " the 
 Park," as the small open space in front of the hotel 
 was called. Within the .room there was sunshine and 
 comfort, it being the most luxurious one in the house, 
 which the proprietor had placed at the disposal of 
 this most exacting guest. He didn't look very happy, 
 however the gentleman who sat in an easy chair by 
 the window ; a large, handsome old gentleman, whose 
 whole bearing showed plainly that personal comfort 
 had always been his, and was, therefore, neither a 
 matter of surprise nor thankfulness. 
 
five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Where have you been ? " he asked, turning around 
 to greet the boy who came in, followed by Prince. 
 
 " Oh, such a long story, father ! " he cried, flushed ; 
 his eyes sparkling as he flung back the dark hair from 
 his forehead. " You can't even guess ! " 
 
 " Never mind now," said the old gentleman, testily j 
 " your stories are always long ; the paper hasn't come 
 strange, indeed, that one must needs be so an- 
 noyed ! do ring that bell again." 
 
 So the bell was pulled ; and a porter popped in his 
 head. 
 
 "What is it, sir?" 
 
 " The paper" said the old gentleman, irritably ; 
 " hasn't it come yet ? " 
 
 " No, sir," said the man ; and then he repeated, 
 " 'taint in yet, please, sir." 
 
 "Very well you said so once; that's all," waving 
 his hand ; then as the door closed, he said to his son, 
 " That pays one for coming to such an out-of-the-way 
 country place as this, away from papers I never will 
 do it again." 
 
 As the old gentleman, against the advice of many 
 friends who knew his dependence on externals, had 
 determined to come to this very place, the boy was not 
 much startled at the decisive words. He stood very 
 
And How They Grew. 149 
 
 quietly, however, until his father finished. Then he 
 said : 
 
 " It's too bad, father ! supposing I tell you my 
 story ? Perhaps you'll enjoy hearing it while you wait 
 it's really quite newspaperish." 
 
 " Well, you might as well tell it now, I suppose,'* 
 said the old gentleman ; " but it is a great shame 
 about that paper ! to advertise that morning papers 
 are to be obtained it's a swindle, Jasper ! a com- 
 plete swindle ! " and the old gentleman looked so 
 very irate that the boy exerted himself to soothe him. 
 
 " I know," he said ; " but they can't help the trains 
 being late." 
 
 "They shouldn't have the trains late," said his 
 father, unreasonably. " There's no necessity for all 
 this prating about * trains late.' I'm convinced it's 
 because they forgot to send down for the papers till 
 they were all sold." 
 
 " I don't believe that's it, father," said the boy, 
 trying to change the subject ; " but you don't know 
 how splendid Prince has been, nor " 
 
 " And then such a breakfast ! " continued the old 
 gentleman. " My liver certainly will be in a dreadful 
 state if these things continue ! " And he got up, and 
 going to the corner of the room, opened his medicine 
 chest, and taking a box of pills therefrom, he swallowed 
 
150 Jfive Little Peppers ; 
 
 two, which done, he came back with a somewhat 
 easier expression to his favorite chair. 
 
 " He was just splendid, father," began the boy ; " he 
 went for him, I tell you ! " 
 
 " I hope, Jasper, your dog has not been doing any- 
 thing violent," said the old gentleman. " I must 
 caution you ; he'll get you into trouble some day ; and 
 then there'll be a heavy bill to pay ; he grows more 
 irritable every day." 
 
 " Irritable /" cried the boy, flinging his arms around 
 the dog's neck, who was looking up at the old gentle- 
 man in high disdain. " He's done the most splendid, 
 thing you ever saw ! Why, he saved a little girl, father, 
 from a cross old organ-man, and he drove that man 
 oh ! you ought to have seen him run ! " 
 
 And now that it was over, Jasper put back his head 
 and laughed long and loud as he remembered the 
 rapid transit of the musical pair. 
 
 " Well, how do you know she wasn't the man's 
 daughter ? " asked his father, determined to find fault 
 someway. " You haven't any business to go around 
 the country setting your dog on people. I shall have 
 an awful bill to pay some day, Jasper an awful 
 bill ! " he continued, getting up and commencing to 
 pace up and down the floor in extreme irritation. 
 " Father," cried the boy, half laughing, half vexed 
 
And How They Grew. 151 
 
 springing to his side, and keeping step with him, " we 
 found her brother ; he came along when we were by 
 the side of the road. We couldn't go any further, 
 for the poor little thing was all tired out. And don't 
 you think they live over in Badgertown, and " 
 
 "Well," said the old gentleman, pausing in ML, 
 walk, and taking out his watch to wonder if that 
 paper would ever come, " she had probably followed 
 the organ-man ; so it served her right after all." 
 
 " Well, but father," and the boy's dark eyes glowed, 
 " she was such a cunning little thing ! she wasn't more 
 than four years old ; and she had such a pretty little 
 yellow head ; and she said so funny ' I want 
 Polly.'" 
 
 " Did she ? " said the old gentleman, getting inter- 
 ested in spite of himself ; " what then ? " 
 
 " Why, then, sir," said Jasper, delighted at his suc- 
 cess in diverting his thoughts, " Prince and I waited 
 and waited ; and I was just going to bring her 
 here to ask you what we should do, when " 
 
 " Dear me ! " said the old gentleman, instinctively 
 starting back as if he actually saw the forlorn little 
 damsel, " you needn't ever bring such people here, 
 Jasper ! I don't know what to do with them, I'm 
 sure ! " 
 
 " Well," said the boy, laughing, " we didn't have 
 
J5 2 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 to, did we, Prince ? " stroking the big head of the 
 dog who was slowly following the two as they paced 
 up and down, but keeping carefully on the side of 
 his master ; " for just as we really didn't know what to 
 do, don't you think there was a big wagon came along, 
 drawn by the ricketiest old horse, and a boy in the 
 wagon looking both sides of the road, and into every 
 bush, just as wild as he could be, and before I could 
 think, hardly, he spied us, and if he didn't jump ! I 
 thought he'd broken his leg" 
 
 " And I suppose he just abused you for what you 
 had done," observed the old gentleman, petulantly; 
 " that's about all the gratitude there is in this world." 
 
 " He didn't seem to see me at all/' said the boy. " I 
 thought he'd eat the little girl up." 
 
 " Ought to have looked out for her better then," 
 grumbled the old gentleman, determined to find fault 
 with somebody. 
 
 " And he's a splendid fellow, I just know," cried 
 Jasper, waxing enthusiastic ; " and his name is 
 Pepper." 
 
 " Pepper ! " repeated his father ; " no nice family 
 ever had the name of Pepper I" 
 
 " Well, I don't care/' and Jasper's laugh was loud 
 and merry ; " he's nice anyway," / know ; and the 
 
And How They Grew. 153 
 
 little thing's nice; and I'm going to see them can't 
 I, father ? 
 
 "Dear me!" said his father; "how can you, Cas- 
 per? You do have the strangest tastes I ever saw ! " 
 
 " It's dreadful dull here," pleaded the boy, touch- 
 ing the Tight string ; " you know that yourself, father, 
 and I don't know any boys around here ; and Prince 
 and I are so lonely on our walks do permit me, 
 father ! " 
 
 The old gentleman, who really cared very little 
 about it, turned away, muttering, " Well, I'm sure I 
 don't care ; go where you like," when a knock was 
 heard at the door, and the paper was handed in, which 
 broke up the conversation, and restored good humor. 
 
 The next day but one, Ben was out by the wood- 
 pile, trying to break up some kindlings for Polly who 
 was washing up the dishes, and otherwise preparing 
 for the delights of baking day. 
 
 " Hulloa ! " said a voice he thought he knew. 
 
 He turned around to see the merry-faced boy, and 
 the big, black dog who immediately began to wag his 
 tail as if willing to recognize him. 
 
 " You see I thought you'd never look round," said 
 the boy with a laugh. " How's the little girl ? " 
 
 " Oh I you have come, really," cried Ben, springing 
 
154 I** Little Peppers f 
 
 over the wood-pile with a beaming faca, " Polly f 
 
 But Polly was already by the door, wfth dish-cloth 
 in hand. 
 
 " This is my sister, Polly," began Ben and then 
 stopped, not knowing the boy's name. 
 
 " I'm Jasper King," said the boy, stepping upon 
 the flat stone by Polly's side ; and taking off his cap, 
 he put out his hand. " And this is Prince," he added. 
 
 Polly put her hand in his, and received a hearty 
 shake ; and then she sprang over the big stone, dish- 
 cloth and all, and just flung her arms around the 
 dog's neck. 
 
 " Oh, you splendid fellow, you ! " said she. " Don't 
 you know we all think you're as good as gold ? " 
 
 The dog submitted to the astonishing proceeding 
 as if he liked it, while Jasper, delighted with Polly's 
 appreciation, beamed down on them, and struck up 
 friendship with her on the instant. 
 
 " Now, I must call Phronsie," said Polly, getting 
 up, her face as red as a rose. 
 
 " Is her name Phronsie ? " asked the boy with in- 
 terest. 
 
 " No, it's Sophronia," said Polly, " but we call her 
 Phronsie." 
 
 "What a very funny name," said Jasper, " Sophro- 
 nia is, for such a little thing and yours is Polly, is 
 
Ttuy drew. 155 
 
 It not ? * he asked, turning around suddenly on het 
 
 " Yes," said Polly ; * no, not truly Polly ; it's Mary, 
 my real name is but I've always been Polly." 
 
 I like Polly best, too, declared Jasper, * 
 sounds so nice." 
 
 "And his name is Ben," said Polly. 
 
 "Ebenezer, you mean," said Ben, correcting her. 
 
 " Well, we call him Ben," said Polly; "it don't 
 erer seem as if there was any Ebenezer about it" 
 
 * I should think not," laughed Jasper. 
 
 "Well, I must get Phronsie," again said Polly, run- 
 ning back into the bed-room, where that small damsel 
 was busily engaged in washing "Baby" in the basin 
 of water that she had with extreme difficulty succeeded 
 in getting down on the floor. She had then, by 
 means of a handful of soft soap, taken from Polly's 
 soap-bowl during the dish-washing, and a bit of old 
 cotton, plastered both herself and " Baby " to a com* 
 fortable degree of stickiness. 
 
 " Phronsie/' said Polly " dear me 1 what you doing? 
 the big dog's out there, you know, that scared the 
 naughty organ-man; and the boy " but before the 
 words were half out, Phronsie had slipped from under 
 her hands, and to Polly's extreme dismay, clattered 
 out into the kitchen. 
 
 * Here she is I " cried Jasper, meeting her at the 
 
1 5 6 Five Littk Peppers ; 
 
 door. The little soapy hands were grasped, and 
 kissing her "Ugh I" he said, as the soft soap 
 plentifully spread on her face met his mouth. 
 
 "Oh, Phronsiel you shouldn't," cried Polly, and 
 then they all burst out into a peal of laughter at 
 Jasper's funny grimaces. 
 
 "She's been washing 'Baby,'" explained Polly, 
 wiping her eyes, and looking at Phronsie who was 
 hanging over Prince in extreme affection. Evidently 
 Prince still regarded her as his especial property. 
 
 "Have you got a baby?" asked Jasper. "I 
 thought she was the baby," pointing to Phronsie. 
 
 " Oh, I mean her littlest dolly ; she always calls her 
 'Baby,'" said Polly. "Come, Phronsie, and have 
 your face washed, and a clean apron on." 
 
 When Phronsie could be fairly persuaded that 
 Prince would not run away during her absence, she 
 allowed herself to be taken off ; and soon re-appeared, 
 her own, dainty little self. Ben, in the meantime, 
 had been initiating Jasper into the mysteries of cut- 
 ting the wood, the tool-house, and all the surround- 
 ings of the "little brown house." They had received 
 a re-inforcement in the advent of Joel and David, 
 who stared delightedly at Phronsie's protector, made 
 friends with the dog, and altogether had had such a 
 
And How They Grew 15^ 
 
 ihoroughly good time, that Phronsie, coming back, 
 clapped her hands in glee to hear them. 
 
 " I wish mammy was home," said Polly, polishing 
 <ip the last cup carefully. 
 
 " Let me put it up," said Jasper, taking it from her, 
 it goes up here, don't it, with the rest ? " reaching 
 up tt the upper-shelf of the old cupboard. 
 
 u Yes," said Polly, 
 
 "Oh, I should think you'd have real good times I" 
 ^aid the boy, enviously. " I haven't a single sister 
 or brother." 
 
 " Haven't you ? " said Polly, looking at him in ex 
 Tern pity. ** Yes, we do have real fun," she added, 
 answering his questioning look ; " the house is just 
 brimful sometimes, even if we are poor." 
 
 "We aren't poor," said Joel, who never could bear 
 
 be pitied. Then, with a very proud air, he said in 
 
 1 grand way " At any rate, we aren't going to be ? 
 k?ng, for something's coming ! " 
 
 ** What do you mean, Joey ? " asked Ben, while the 
 ^:est looked equally amazed. 
 
 ** Our ships," said Joel confidently, as if they were 
 idght before their eyes ; at which they all screamed < 
 
 " Sec Polly's stove ! " cried Phronsie, wishing to etv 
 certain in her turn. " Here 'tis/' running up to it,, 
 *nd pointing with her fat little finger. 
 
258 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Yes, I see/' cried Jasper, pretending to be greatly 
 surprised ; " it's new, isn't it ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the child ; " it's very all new ; four yes- 
 terdays ago !" 
 
 And then Polly stopped in sweeping up and related, 
 with many additions and explanations from the others, 
 Jie history of the stove, and good Dr. Fisher (upon 
 whom they all dilated at great length), and the dread- 
 ful measles, and everything. And Jasper sympa- 
 thized, and rejoiced with them to their hearts content, 
 and altogether got so very home-like, that they all felt 
 as if they had known him for a year. Ben neglected 
 
 his work a little, but th in visitors didn't come every 
 day to the Peppers ; so while Polly worked away at 
 
 her bread, which she was Agoing to make like bis/ 
 
 cuits," she said, the audience gathered in the little, 
 old kitchen was in the merriest mood, and enjoyed 
 everything to the fullest extent. 
 
 " Do put in another stick, Bensie dear," said Polly ; 
 " this bread won't be fit for anything ! " 
 
 " Isn't this fun, though ! " cried Jasper, running up 
 to try the oven ; " T wish I could ever bake," and he 
 looked longingly at the little brown biscuits waiting 
 their turn out on the table. 
 
 " You come out some day," said Polly, sociably s 
 * and we'll all try baking mammy'd like to have you,. 
 
And How They Grew. 159 
 
 I know," feeling sure that nothing would be too much 
 for Mrs. Pepper to do for the protector of little 
 Phronsie. 
 
 " I will ! " cried Jasper, perfectly delighted. " You 
 can't think how awfully dull it is out in Hingham ! " 
 
 " Don't you live there ? " asked Polly, with a gasp, 
 almost dropping a tin full of little brown lumps of 
 dough she was carrying to the oven. 
 
 "Live there /" cried Jasper; and then he burst out 
 into a merry laugh. "No, indeed! I hope notl Whyj 
 we're only spending the summer there, father and I, 
 in the hotel, 
 
 " Where's your mother ? " asked Joel, squeezing in 
 between Jasper and his audience. And then they all 
 felt instinctively that a very wrong question had been 
 asked. 
 
 " I haven't any mother/' said the boy, in a low 
 voice. 
 
 They all stood quite still for a moment ; then Polly 
 said, " I wish you'd come out sometime ; and you 
 may bake or anything else," she added ; and there 
 was a kinder ring to her voice than ever. 
 
 No mother ! Polly for her life, couldn't imagine 
 how anybody could feel without a mother, but the 
 very words alone smote her heart ; and there was 
 
l6o Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 nothing she wouldn't have done to give pleasure to 
 one who had done so much for them. 
 
 "I wish you could see our mother," she said, 
 gently. " Why, here she comes now ! oh, mamsie, 
 dear," she cried. " Do, Joe, run and take her bundle." 
 
 Mrs. Pepper stopped a minute to kiss Phronsie 
 her baby was dearer than ever to her now. Then her 
 eye fell on Jasper, who stood respectfully waiting and 
 watching her with great interest. 
 
 " Is this," she asked, taking it all in at the first 
 glance the boy with the honest eyes as Ben had 
 described him and the big, black dog " is this the 
 boy who saved my little girl ? " 
 
 "Oh, ma'am," cried Jasper, ' 'I didn't do much; 
 twas Prince." 
 
 " I guess you never'll know how much you did do," 
 said Mrs. Pepper. Then looking with a long, keen 
 gaze into the boy's eyes that met her own so frankly 
 and kindly : " I'll trust him," she said to herself ; " a 
 boy with those eyes can't help but be good." 
 
 " Her eyes are just the same as Polly's," thought 
 Jasper, "just such laughing ones, only Polly's are 
 brown," and he liked her on the spot. 
 
 And then, somehow, the hubbub ceased. Polly 
 went on with her work, and the others separated, and 
 Mrs. Pepper and Jasoer had a long talk. When the 
 
And How They Grew. 161 
 
 mother's eyes fell on Phronsie playing around on the 
 floor, she gave the boy a grateful smile that he thought 
 was beautiful. 
 
 * Well, I declare," said Jasper, at last, looking up 
 at the old clock in the corner by the side of the cup- 
 board, " I'm afraid I'll miss the stage, and then father 
 never'll let me come again. Come, Prince/' 
 
 "Oh, don't go," cried Phronsie, wailing. "Let 
 doggie stay I Oh, make him stay, mammy! " 
 
 "I can't, Phronsie," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling, "if 
 he thinks he ought to go." 
 
 " I'll come again," said Jasper, eagerly, " if I may, 
 ma'am." He looked up at Mrs. Pepper as he stood 
 cap in hand, waiting for the answer. 
 
 " I'm sure we should be glad if your father 5 !! be 
 willing," she added ; thinking, proudly, " My children 
 are an honor to anybody, I'm sure," as she glanced 
 around on the bright little group she could call her 
 own. " But be sure, Jasper," and she laid her hand 
 on his arm as she looked down into his eyes, "that 
 your father is willing, that's all." 
 
 "Oh, yes, ma'am," said the boy; "but he will be, 
 I guess, if he feels well." 
 
 " Then come on Thursday," said Polly ; " and can't 
 we bake something then, mammy ? " 
 
 "Pu* sure I don't care." laughed Mrs. Pepper j 
 
1 62 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " but you won't find much but brown flour and meal 
 to bake with." 
 
 " Well, we can pretend," said Polly ; " and we can 
 cut the cakes with the heart-shape, and they'll do for 
 anything." 
 
 "Oh, I'll come," laughed Jasper, ready for such 
 lovely fun in the old kitchen ; " look out for me on 
 Thursday, Ben 1 " 
 
 So Jasper and Prince took their leave, all the chil- 
 dren accompanying them to the gate ; and then after 
 seeing him fairly started on a smart run to catch the 
 stage, Prince scampering at his heels, they all began 
 to sing his praises and to wish for Thursday to come. 
 
 But Jasper didn't come I Thursday came and went ; 
 a beautiful, bright, sunny day, but with no signs of 
 the merry boy whom all had begun to love, nor of the 
 big black dog. The children had made all the 
 needful preparations with much ostentation and bustle, 
 and were in a state of excited happiness, ready for 
 any gale. But the last hope had to be given up, as 
 the old clock ticked away hour after hour. And at 
 last Polly had to put Phronsie to bed, who wouldn't 
 stop crying enough to eat her supper at the dreadful 
 disappointment. 
 
 "He couldrft come, I know," said both Ben and 
 
And How They Grew. 163 
 
 Polly, standing staunchly up for their new friend; 
 but Joel and David felt that he had broken bis 
 ivord. 
 
 " He promised," said Joel, vindictively, 
 
 "I don't believe his fatheTd let him. v said Polly, 
 wiping away a sly tear * I know Jaspert) come, if 
 be could." 
 
 Mrs. Pepper wisely kepf her own counsel, simply 
 giving them a fondly caution ; 
 
 " Don't /ou go to judging hint children, till you 
 know." 
 
 44 Well, he promised? said Joel, as a settler. 
 
 "Aren't you ashamed, Joe," said his mother, "to 
 talk about any one whose back is turned ? Wait till 
 he tells you the reason himself." 
 
 Joel hung his head, and then began to tease David 
 jn the corner, to make up for his disappointment. 
 
 The next morning Ben had to go to the store after 
 some more meal. As he was going out rather dis- 
 mally, the storekeeper, who was also postmaster, 
 called out, " Oh, halloa, there 1 " 
 
 a What is it ? " asked Ben, turning back, thinking 
 perhaps Mr. Atkins hadn't given him the right change. 
 
 " Here," said Mr. Atkins, stepping up to the Post- 
 office department, quite smart with its array of boxes 
 and official notices, where Ben had always lingered, 
 
1 64 five Little Peppers ; 
 
 wishing there might be sometime a letter for him ot 
 some of them. " You've got a sister Polly, haven't 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes," said Ben, wondering what was coming 
 next 
 
 M Well, she's got a letter," said the postmaster, 
 holding up a nice big envelope, looking just like 
 those that Ben had so many times wished for. That 
 magic piece of white paper danced before the boy's 
 eyes for a minute ; then he said 
 
 44 It can't be for her, Mr. Atkins; why, she's nevtr 
 had one." 
 
 44 Well, she's got one now, sure enough," said Mr. 
 Atkins; "here 'tis, plain enough," and he read what 
 he had no need to study much as it had already 
 passed examination by his own and his wife's faithful 
 eyes: "'Miss Polly Pepper, near the Turnpike, 
 Badgertown 'that's her, isn't it ? " he added, laying 
 it down before Ben's eyes. " Must be a first time foi 
 everything, you know, my boy I " and he laughed long 
 over his own joke ; "so take it and run along home." 
 For Ben still stood looking: at it, and not offering to 
 stir. 
 
 ** If you say so," said the boy, as if Mr. Atkins had 
 given hiiTi something out of his own pocket ; " but 
 I'm afraid 'tisn't for Polly " Then buttoning up the 
 
And How They Grew. 165 
 
 precious letter in his jacket, he spun along home as 
 never before. 
 
 " Polly I Polly I " he screamed "Where is she, 
 mother ? " 
 
 " I don't know/' said Mrs. Pepper, coming out of 
 foe bedroom. "Dear me! is anybody hurt, Ben?" 
 
 " I don't know," said Ben, in a state to believe 
 anything, " but Polly's got a letter." 
 
 " Polly got a letter / " cried Mrs. Pepper ; " what do 
 you mean, Ben ? " 
 
 ** I don't know," repeated the boy, still holding out 
 the precious letter ; " but Mr. Atkins gave it to me ; 
 where w Polly?" 
 
 u I know where she is," said Joel ; " she's up-stairs." 
 And he flew out in a twinkling, and just as soon 
 reappeared with Polly scampering after him in the 
 wildest excitement. 
 
 And then the kitchen was in an uproar as the 
 precious missive was put into Polly's hand; and 
 they all gathered around her, wondering and ex* 
 amining, till Ben thought he would go wild with the 
 delay. 
 
 " I wonder where it did come torn," said Polly, in 
 the greatest anxiety, examining again the address. 
 
 "Where does the postmark say?" asked MfB. 
 Pepper, looking over her shoulder. 
 
166 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 * It's all rubbed out," said Polly, peering at it 
 "you can't see anything." 
 
 " Do open it," said Ben, " and then you'll find out/ 
 
 " But p'raps 'tisn't for me," said Polly, timidly. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Atkins says 'tis," said Ben, impatiently j 
 " here, I'll open it for you, Polly." 
 
 " No, let her open it for herself, Ben," protested 
 his mother. 
 
 "But she won't? said Ben; "do tear it open, 
 Polly." 
 
 " No, I'm goin' to get a knife," she said. 
 
 * I'll get one," cried Joel, running up to the table 
 drawer; "here's one, Polly." 
 
 "Oh, dear," groaned Ben; "you never'll get it 
 open at this rate I " 
 
 But at last it was cut ; and they all holding their 
 breath, gazed awe-struck, while Polly drew out the 
 mysterious missive. 
 
 " What does it say ? " gasped Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 '* Dear Miss Polly," began both Ben and Polly in 
 a breath. 
 
 "Let Polly read," said Joel, who couldn't hear in 
 the confusion. 
 
 "Well, go on Polly," said Ben ; "hurry!" 
 
 44 * Dear Miss Polly, I was so sorry I couldn't comt 
 on Thursday'" 
 
AN EVENT IN POLLY'S LIFE. 
 
And How They Grew. 169 
 
 " Oh, it's Jasper ! it's Jasper ! " cried all the chil- 
 dren in a breath. 
 
 " I told you so ! " cried Ben and Polly, perfectly 
 delighted to find their friend vindicated fully "there! 
 Joey Pepper ! " 
 
 " Well, I don't care," cried Joe, nothing daunted, 
 " he didn't come, anyway do go on, Polly." 
 
 " I was so sorry I couldn't come ' " began Polly. 
 
 "You read that," said Joel. 
 
 "I know it," said Polly, "but it's just lovely; ( on 
 Thursday; but my father was sick, and I couldn't 
 leave him. If you don't mind I'll come again I 
 mean I'll come some other day, if it's just as conve- 
 nient for you, for I do so want the baking, and the 
 nice time. I forgot to say that I had a cold, to,' 
 (here Jasper had evidently had a struggle in his 
 mind whether there should be two o's or one, and he 
 had at last decided it, by crossing out one) but my 
 father is willing I should come when I get well. Give 
 my love to all, and especially remember me respect- 
 fully to your mother. Your friend, 
 
 JASPER ELYOT KING.' " 
 
 'Oh, lovely! lovely!" cried Polly, flying around 
 with the letter in her hand ; u so he is coming 1 " 
 
 Ben was just as wild as she was, for no one knew 
 but Polly just how the new friend had stepped into 
 
1 70 Five Little Peffiers ; 
 
 his heart. Phronsie went to sleep happy, hugging 
 "Baby." 
 
 " And don't you think, Baby, dear," she whispered 
 sleepily, and Polly heard her say as she was tuck- 
 ing her in, " that Jasper is really comin' ; really 
 and the big, be-you-ti-ful doggie, too ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 CHAPTER XML 
 
 JHRONSXB PAYS A DEBT OF GRATltTOm, 
 
 AMD now I tell you," said Polly, the next day 
 " kt ? s make Jasper something j can't we, ma ? 
 
 "Oh, do! do!" cried all the other children, ltfs<, 
 butwhat'll it be, Polly?" 
 
 "I don't know about this," interrupted Mrs. Pep- 
 per; " I don't see how you could get anything to him 
 if you could make it. 
 
 " Oh, we could, mamsie," said Polly, eagerly, run- 
 ning up to her ; " for Ben knows ; and he says we can 
 do it." 
 
 " Oh, well, if Ben and you have had your heads 
 together, I suppose it's all right/' laughed Mrs. Pep- 
 per, " but I don't see how you can do it." 
 
 " Well, we can, mother, truly/' put in Ben. " I'll 
 tell you how, and you'M say it'll be splendid. You see 
 Deacon Blodgett's goin' over to Hingham, to-morrow; 
 
17$ Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 I heard him tell Miss Blodgett so ; and he goes right 
 past the hotel ; and we can do it up real nice and 
 it'll please Jasper so do, mammy! " 
 
 " And it's real dull there, Jasper says," put in Polly, 
 persuasively ; " and just think, mammy, no brothers 
 and sisters ! " And Polly looked around on the 
 others. 
 
 After that there was no need to say anything 
 more ; her mother would have consented to almost 
 any plan then. 
 
 "Well, go on,children," she said; "you may do itj 
 I don't see but what you can get 'em there well 
 enough ; but I'm sure I don't know what you can 
 maker 
 
 " Can't we," said Polly and she knelt down by 
 iher mother's side and put her face in between the 
 sewing in Mrs. Pepper's lap, and the eyes bent kindly 
 down on her " make some little cakes, real cakes I 
 mean ? now don't say no, mammy ! " she said, 
 alarmed, for she saw a " no " slowly coming in the 
 eyes above her, as Mrs. Pepper began to shake her 
 head, 
 
 * But we haven't any white flour, Polly," began her 
 mother. 
 
 U I know/" said Polly; "but we'll make 'euffi of 
 
And How They Grew, 173 
 
 brown, it'll do, if you'll give us some raisins you 
 know there's some in the bowl, mammy." 
 
 " I was saving them for a nest egg," said Mrs. 
 Pepper ; meaning at some future time to indulge in 
 another plum-pudding that the children so loved. 
 
 " Well, do give 'em to us," cried Polly ; " do, ma ! " 
 
 " I want 'em for a plum-pudding sometime," said 
 Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 " Ow I " and Joel with a howl sprung up from the 
 floor where he had been trying to make a cart for 
 44 Baby " out of an old box, and joined Mrs. Pepper 
 and Polly. " No, don't give 'em away, ma ! " he 
 screamed; "let's have our plum-pudding now, 
 Polly Pepper, you're a-goin' to bake up all our raisins 
 in nasty little cakes and " 
 
 "Joey!* commanded Mrs. Pepper, "hush! what 
 word did you say ! " 
 
 " Well," blubbered Joel, wiping his tears away with 
 his grimy little hand, " Polly's a-goin' to give " 
 
 " I should rather you'd never have a plum-pudding 
 than to say such words/' said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, 
 taking up her work again. * And besides, do you 
 think what Jasper has done for you ? " and her face 
 grew very white around the lips. 
 
 " Well, he can have plum -puddings," said Joel, 
 
1J4 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 whimpering, "forever an' ever, if he wants them-* 
 and and " 
 
 "Well, Joey," said Polly, "there, don't feel bad," 
 and she put her arms around him, and tried to wipe 
 away the tears that still rolled down his cheeks. " We 
 won't give 'em if you don't want us to ; but Jasper's 
 sick, and there isn't anything for him to do, and" 
 here she whispered slyly up into his ear "don't 
 you remember how you liked folks to send jw/ things 
 when you had the measles ? " 
 
 " Yes, I know," said Joel, beginning to smile through 
 jais tears ; " wasn't it fun, Polly ? " 
 
 " I guess 'twas" laughed Polly back again, pleased 
 at the return of sunshine. "Well, Jasper'll be just 
 as pleased as you were, 'cause we love him and want 
 to do somethin' for him, he was so good to Phronsie.* 
 
 " I will, Polly, I will," cried Joel, completely won 
 over; "do let's make 'em for him; and put 'em in 
 thick ; oh I thick as you can ; * and determined to do 
 nothing by halves, Joel ran generously for the 
 precious bowl of raisins, and after setting it on the, 
 table, began to help Polly in all needful preparations. 
 
 Mrs. Pepper smiled away to herself to see happi- 
 ness restored to the little group. And soon a pleas- 
 ant hum and bustle went on around the baking table, 
 the centre of attraction. 
 
And How They Grew. 175 
 
 " Now," said Phronsie, coming up to the table and 
 standing on tip-toe to see Polly measure out the flour, 
 "I'm a-goin' to bake something for my sick man, I 
 am." 
 
 " Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't," began Polly. 
 
 " Hey ?" asked Joel, with a daub of flour on the tip 
 of his chubby nose, gained by too much peering into 
 Polly's flour-bag. "What did she say, Polly?" 
 watching her shake the clouds of flour in the sieve. 
 
 " She said she was goin' to bake something for 
 Jasper," said Polly. "There," as she whisked in the 
 flour, " now that's done." 
 
 " No, I didn't say Japser," said Phronsie ; " I didn't 
 say Japser," she repeated, emphatically. 
 
 * Why, what did you say, Pet? " asked Polly, as- 
 tonished, while little Davie repeated, * What did you 
 say, Phronsie ? " 
 
 " I said my sick man? said Phronsie, shaking her 
 yellow head ; " poor sick man." 
 
 a Who does she mean ? " said Polly in despair, stop- 
 ping a moment her violent stirring that threatened 
 to overturn the whole cake-bowl. 
 
 u I guess she means Prince," said JoeL "Can't I 
 stir, Polly?" 
 
 " Oh, no," said Polly ; " only one person must tfir 
 cake." 
 
176 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 Why ? " asked Joel ; why, Polly ? " 
 
 " Oh, I don't know," said Polly, " 'cause 'tis so ; 
 never mind now, Joel. Do you mean Prince, 
 Phronsie ? " 
 
 "No, I don't mean Princey," said the child deci- 
 sively; "I mean my sick man" 
 
 " It's Jasper's father, I guess she means," said Mrs. 
 Pepper over in the corner ; " but what in the world ! " 
 
 " Yes, yes," cried Phronsie, perfectly delighted at 
 being at last understood, and hopping on one toe ; 
 * my sick man." 
 
 " I shall give up ! " said Polly, tumbling over in a 
 chair, with the cake spoon in her hand, from which a 
 small sticky lump fell on her apron, which Joel im- 
 mediately pounced upon and devoured. " What do 
 you want to bake, Phronsie ? " she gasped, holding 
 the spoon sticking up straight, and staring at the 
 child. 
 
 "A gingerbread boy," said the child, promptly; 
 " he'd like that best ; poor, sick man ! " and she com- 
 menced to climb up to active preparations. 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A LETTER TO JASPER. 
 
 MAMSIE, what shall we do ? " implored Polly 
 of her mother. 
 
 "I don't know," said her mother; "however did 
 that get into her head, do you suppose ? " 
 
 " I am sure I can't tell," said Polly, jumping up 
 and beginning to stir briskly to make up for lost 
 time. " P'r'aps she heard us talking about Jasper's 
 having to take care of his sick father, and how hard 
 it must be to be sick away from home." 
 
 "Yes," said Phronsie, "but he'll be glad to see 
 my gingerbread boy, I guess ; poor, sick man." 
 
 "Oh, Phronsie," cried Polly, in great distress, 
 **you aren't ever going to make a 'gingerbread boy' 
 to-day ! see, we'll put in a cunning little cake for Mr. 
 King full of raisins, Phronsie; won't that be 
 lovely 1 " and Polly began to fill a little scalloped 
 tin with some of the cake mixture. 
 
said the child, eying it suspiciously; 
 "that isn't like a * gingerbread boy,' Polly; hell 
 like that best." 
 
 " Mamsie," said Polly, " we can't let her make a 
 dreadful, horrid ' gingerbread boy ' to send Mr. King ! 
 he never'll let Jasper come here again." 
 
 " Oh, let her," cried Joel ; " she can bake it, and 
 Dave an* I'll eat it," and he picked up a raisin that 
 had fallen under the table and began crunching it 
 with great gusto. 
 
 "That wouldn't be fair," said Polly, gloomily. 
 * Do get her off from it, mammy." 
 
 " Phronsie," said Mrs. Pepper, going up back ofc 
 the child, who sat patiently in her high chair waiting 
 for Polly to let her begin, " hadn't you rather wait 
 and give your 'gingerbread boy' to Jasper for his 
 father, when he comes ? " 
 
 " Oh, no, no," cried Phronsie, twisting in her chair 
 in great apprehension, " I want to send it now, I 
 do." 
 
 "Well, Polly," said her mother, laughing, " after 
 all it's best, I think, to let her; it can't do any harm 
 anyway and instead of Mr. King's not letting Jas- 
 per come, if he's a sensible man that won't make any 
 difference ; and if he isn't, why, then there'd be sure 
 to something come up sometime to make trouble," 
 
And How They Grew. 179 
 
 * Well," said Polly, " I suppose she's got to ; and 
 perhaps," as a consoling idea struck her, " perhaps 
 she'll want to eat it up herself when it's done. Here, 
 Phronsie," giving her a handful of the cake mixture, 
 which she stiffened with flour to the right thickness, 
 
 :< there, you can call that a 'gingerbread boy;' see, 
 
 won't it make a beautiful one ! " 
 
 " You needn't think," said Mrs. Pepper, seeing 
 
 Phronsie's delighted face, and laughing as she went 
 
 back to her work, " but what that gingerbread boy'll 
 
 go-" 
 
 When the little cakes were done, eight of them, 
 
 and set upon the table for exhibition, they one and 
 all protested that they never saw so fine a lot. Polly 
 was delighted with the praise they received, and her 
 mother's commendation that she was "growing a 
 better cook every day." " How glad Jasper'll be, 
 won't he, mamsie ? " said she. 
 
 The children walked around and around the table, 
 admiring and pointing out the chief points of attrac- 
 tion, as they appeared before their discriminating 
 eyes. 
 
 " I should choose that one," said Joel, pointing at 
 one which was particularly plummy, with a raisin 
 standing up on one end with a festive air, as if to 
 say, " There's lots of us inside, you better believe 1 " 
 
180 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "I wouldn't," saidDavie; "Pd have that that's 
 cracked so pretty." 
 
 " So 'tis," said Mrs. Pepper; "they're all as light 
 as a feather, Polly." 
 
 "But my * gingerbread boy/ " cried Phronsie, run* 
 ning eagerly along with a particularly ugly looking 
 specimen of a cake figure in her hand, " is the be- 
 yew-tifullest, isn't it, Polly?" 
 
 " Oh, dear," groaned Polly, " it looks just awfully, 
 don't it, Ben ! " 
 
 " Hoh, hoh ! " laughed Joel in derision ; " his leg 
 is crooked, see Phronsie you better let Davie an* 
 me have it." 
 
 "No, no" screamed the child in terror; "that's 
 my sick man's ' gingerbread boy,' it is/" 
 
 "Joe, put it down," said Ben. " Yes, Phronsie, 
 you shall have it ; there, it's all safe ; " and he put it 
 ' carefully into Phronsie's apron, when she breathed 
 easier. 
 
 " And he hasn't but one eye," still laughed Joel, 
 while little Davie giggled too. 
 
 " He did have two," said Polly, " but she punched 
 
 the other in with her thumb ; don't, boys," she said, 
 
 aside, " you'll make her feel bad ; do stop laughing. 
 
 Now, how'll we send the things ? " 
 
 "Put 'em in a basket," said Ben; " that's nicest." 
 
And How They Grew. i8x 
 
 "But we haven't got any basket," said Polly, *ex 
 cept the potato basket, and they'd be lost in that." 
 
 " Can't we take your work-basket, mamsie?" asked 
 Ben; "they'd look so nice in that." 
 
 " Oh," said Mrs. Pepper, " that wouldn't do ; I 
 couldn't spare it, and besides, it's all broken at the 
 side, Ben ; that don't look nice. 1 * 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Polly, sitting down on one of the 
 Hard wooden chairs to think, "I do wish we had 
 things nice to send to sic ; people." And her fore- 
 head puckered up in a little hard knot. 
 
 " We'll have to do 'em up in a paper, Polly," said 
 Ben ; " there isn't any other way; they'll look nice in 
 anything, 'cause they are nice," he added, comfort- 
 ingly. 
 
 " If we only had some flowers," said Polly, " that 
 would set 'em off." 
 
 " You're always a-thinkin' of flowers, Polly," said 
 Ben. ' ' I guess the cakes'll have to go without 'em." 
 
 " I suppose they will," said Polly, stifling a little 
 sigh. " Where's the paper ? " 
 
 " I've got a nice piece up-stairs," said Ben, " just 
 right ; I'll get it." 
 
 " Put my ' gingerbread boy ' on top," cried Phron- 
 sie, handing him up. 
 
 So Polly packed the little cakes neatly in two 
 
182 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 rows, and laid the ' gingerbread boy ' in a fascinating 
 attitude across the top. 
 
 " He looks as if he'd been struck by lightning ! " 
 said Ben, viewing him critically as he came in the 
 door with the paper. 
 
 " Be still," said Polly, trying not to laugh ; " that's 
 because he baked so funny ; it made his feet stick 
 out." 
 
 "Children," said Mrs. Pepper, "how'll Jasper 
 know where the cakes :ome from ? " 
 
 " Why, he'll know it's us," said Polly, " of course ; 
 cause it'll make him think of the baking we're going 
 to have when he gets well." 
 
 " Well, but you don't say so/' said Mrs. Pepper, 
 smiling; " 'tisn't polite to send it this way." 
 
 " Whatever'll we do, mammy ! " said all four chil- 
 dren in dismay, while Phronsie simply stared. " Can't 
 we send 'em at all ? " 
 
 " Why yes," said their mother ; " I hope so, I'm 
 sure, after you've got 'em baked; but you might 
 answer Jasper's letter I should think, and tell him 
 about 'em, and the 'gingerbread boy'." 
 
 "Oh dear," said Polly, ready to fly, "I couldn't 
 mamsie ; I never wrote a letter." 
 
 " Well, you never had one before, did you ? " said 
 her mother, composedly biting her thread. " Never 
 
And How They Grew. 183 
 
 say you can't, Polly, 'cause you don't know what you 
 can do till you've tried." 
 
 " You write, Ben," said Polly, imploringly. 
 
 " No," said Ben, " I think the nicest way is for all 
 to say somethin', then 'twont be hard for any< 
 of us." 
 
 "Where's the paper/' queried Polly, "coming 
 from, I wonder ! " 
 
 " Joel," said Mrs. Pepper, "run to the bureau in 
 the becjroom, and open the top drawer, and get a 
 green box there." 
 
 So Joel, quite important at the errand, departed, 
 and presently put the designated box into his 
 mother's hand. 
 
 " There, now I'm going to give you this," and she 
 took out a small sheet of paper slightly yellowed by 
 age ; but being gilt-edged, it looked very magnificent 
 to the five pairs of eyes directed to it. 
 
 " Now Ben, you get the ink bottle and the pen, 
 and then go to work." 
 
 So Ben reached down from the upper shelf in the 
 cupboard the ink bottle, and a pen in a black wooden 
 penholder. 
 
 "Oh, mamsie," cried Polly, " that's where Phronsie 
 bit it off when she was a baby, isn't it ? " holding up 
 the stubby end where the little ball had disappeared 
 
184 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, " and now you're going 
 to write about her 'gingerbread boy* with it well, 
 time goes, to be sure." And she bent over her 
 work again, harder than ever. Poor woman I if she 
 could only scrape together enough money to get her 
 children into school that was the earnest wish ot 
 her heart. She must do it soon, for Ben was twelve 
 years old ; but with all her strivings and scrimpings 
 she could only manage to put bread into their mouths, 
 and live from day to day. " I know I ought to 
 be thankful for that, she said to herself, not tak- 
 ing time even to cry over her troubles. " But oh, 
 the learning ! they must have that 1 " 
 
 "Now," said Polly, "how'll we do it Ben?" as 
 they ranged themselves around the table, on which re- 
 posed the cakes ; " you begin." 
 
 " How do folks begin a letter ? " asked Ben in de- 
 spair, of his mother. 
 
 " How did Jasper begin his ? " asked Mrs. Pepper 
 back again. 
 
 "Oh," cried Polly, running into the bedroom to 
 get the precious missive. "'Dear Miss Polly' 
 that's what it says." 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Pepper, "then you'd better say. 
 ' Dear Mister Jasper ' or you might say, * Dear Mrv 
 King.'" 
 
And How They Grew. 183 
 
 "Oh, dear I 1 ' cried Polly, "that would be the 
 father then s'pose he should think we wrote to 
 him!" and Polly looked, horror-stricken to the last 
 degree. 
 
 " There, there 'tis," said Bei; : ' Dear Mister Jas- 
 per ' now what'll we say ?" 
 
 " Why say about the cakes," replied Polly. 
 
 " And the ' gingerbread boy/ " cried Phronsie. 
 " Oh, tell about him, Polly, do." 
 
 "Yes, yes, Phronsie," said Polly, "we will why, 
 tell him how we wish he could have come, and that 
 we baked him some cakes, and that we do so want 
 him to come just as soon as he can." 
 
 " All right I " said Ben ; so he went to work labo- 
 riously ] only his hard breathing showing what a hard 
 task it was, as the stiff old pen scratched up and 
 down the paper. 
 
 "There, that's done," he cried at length in great 
 satisfaction, holding it up for inspection. 
 
 " Oh, I do wish," cried Polly in intense admiration, 
 a I could write so nice and so fast as you can, Ben." 
 
 " Read it, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, in pride. 
 
 So Polly began : " * Dear Mister Jasper we were 
 all dreadfully sorry that you didn't come and so we 
 baked you some cakes/ You didn't say anything 
 about his being sick, Ben." 
 
86 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " I forgot it," said Ben, " but I put it in farthei 
 down you'll see if you read on." 
 
 " * Baked you some cakes that is, Polly did, for 
 this is Ben that's writing." 
 
 " You needn't said that, Ben," said Polly, dissat- 
 isfied ; " we all baked 'em, I'm sure. * And just as 
 soon as you get well we do want you to come over 
 and have the baking. We're real sorry you're sick 
 boneset's good for colds.' " 
 
 "Oh, Ben!" said Mrs. Pepper, "I guess his 
 father knows what to give him." 
 
 " And oh I the bitter stuff ! " cried Polly, with a 
 wry face. 
 
 " Well, it's hard work to write," said Ben, yawn- 
 ing "I'd rather chop wood." 
 
 " I wish I knew how," exclaimed Joel, longingly. 
 
 " Just you try every day ; Ben'll teach you, Joe," 
 said his mother, eagerly, "and then I'll let you 
 write." 
 
 "I will I " cried Joe ; " then, Dave, you'll see how 
 I'll write I tell you!" 
 
 " And I'm goin' to ma, can't I ? " said Davie, 
 unwilling to be outdone. 
 
 " Yes, you may, be sure," said Mrs, Pepper, de 
 lighted ; " that'll make a man of you fast." 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 18, 
 
 "Oh, boys," said Polly, lifting a very red face, 
 'you joggle the table so I can't do anything." 
 
 TING THE LETTER. 
 
 "I wasn't joggim'," said Joel; "the old thing] 
 tipped. Look ! " he whispered to Davie, " see Polly, 
 she's writing crooked." 
 
i88 F&c Little Peppers ; 
 
 So while the others hung around her and looked 
 over her shoulder while they made their various com- 
 ments, Polly finished her part, and also held it up 
 for inspection. 
 
 " Let us see," said Ben, taking it up. 
 
 * It's after, ' boneset's good for colds/ * said 
 Polly, puckering up her face again at the thought. 
 
 "We most of us knew you were sick I'm Polly 
 now because you didn't come; and we liked your 
 letter telling us so," 
 
 " Oh, Polly I we weren't glad to hear he was sick ! " 
 cried Ben, in horror. 
 
 " I didn't say so ! " cried Polly, starting up. " Why, 
 Ben Pepper, I never said so I " and she looked ready 
 to cry. 
 
 " It sounds something like it, don't it, mammy ? " 
 said Ben, unwilling to give her pain, but appealing to 
 Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 " Polly didn't mean it," said her mother consol- 
 ingly ; " but if I were you, I'd say something to ex 
 plain it.'* 
 
 " I can't put anything in now," said poor Polly * 
 "there isn't any room nor any more paper either 
 what shall I do I I told you, Ben, I couldn't write." 
 And Polly looked helplessly from one to the othet 
 for comfort." 
 
And How They Grew. 189 
 
 "Yes, you can," said Ben; "there, now I'll show 
 you : write it fine, Polly you write so big little 
 bits of letters, like these." 
 
 So Polly took the pen again with a sigh. " Now 
 he won't think so, I guess," she said, much relieved, 
 as Ben began to read again. 
 
 " I'll begin yours again," Ben said : " ' We most of 
 us knew you were sick because you didn't come, and 
 we liked your letter telling us so because we'd all 
 felt so badly, and Phronsie cried herself to sleep ' 
 (that's good, I'm sure.) ' The "gingerbread boy" is for 
 your father please excuse it, but Phronsie would 
 make it for him because he is sick. There isn't any 
 more to write, and besides I can't write good, and 
 Ben's tired. From all of us/ " 
 
 " Why, how's he to know ? " cried Ben. " That 
 won't do to sign it." 
 
 " Well, let's say from Ben and Polly then," said 
 Polly ; " only all the others want to be in the letter." 
 
 " Well, they can't write," said Ben. 
 
 " We might sign their names for 'em," suggested 
 Polly. 
 
 " Here's mine," said Ben, putting under the " From 
 all of us " a big, bold " Ben." 
 
 " And here's mine," echoed Polly, setting a slightly 
 crooked " Polly " by its side. 
 
190 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Now Joe, you better let Ben hold your hand," 
 said Polly, warningly. But Joel declaring he could 
 write had already begun, so there was no hope for 
 it ; and a big drop of ink falling from the pen, he 
 spattered the " J " so that no one could tell what it 
 was. The children looked at each other in despair. 
 
 " Can we ever get it out, mammy ? " said Polly, 
 running to Mrs. Pepper with it. 
 
 " I don't know," said her mother. " How could 
 
 you try it, Joe ? " 
 
 
 
 " I didn't mean to," said Joel, looking very down- 
 cast and ashamed. <; The ugly old pen did it ! " 
 
 " Well," said Polly, " it's got to go ; we can't help 
 it." But she looked so sorrowful over it that half 
 the pleasure was gone for Ben ; for Polly wanted 
 everything just right, and was very particular about 
 things. 
 
 " Now, Dave." Ben held his hand, and " David " 
 went down next to Joel. 
 
 But when it was Phronsie's turn, she protested 
 that Polly, and no one else, must hold her hand. 
 
 " It's a dreadful hard name to write Phronsie 
 is," said Polly, as she guided Phronsie's fat little 
 hand that clung faithfully to the stubby old pen. 
 "There, it's over now," she cried; " and I'm thanl& 
 ful ! I wouldn't write another for anything ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 191 
 
 " Read it all over now, Ben," cried Mrs. Pepper, 
 * and don't speak, children, till he gets through." 
 
 " Don't it sound elegant ! " said Polly, clasping her 
 hands, when he had finished. " I didn't think we 
 ever could do it so nice, did you, Ben?" 
 
 " No, indeed, I didn't," replied Ben, in a highly 
 ecstatic frame of mind. " Now oh 1 what'll we 
 do for an envelope ? " he asked in dismay. 
 
 " You'll have to do without that," said Mrs. Pep- 
 per, "for there isn't any in the house -but see 
 here, children," she added, as she saw the sorry faces 
 before her "you just fold up the letter, and put it 
 inside the parcel ; that'll be just as good." 
 
 " Oh dear," said Polly ; " but it would have been 
 splendid the other way, mammy just like othe y 
 folks!" 
 
 "You must make believe this is like other folks," 
 said Mrs. Pepper, cheerily, " when you can't do any 
 other way." 
 
 "Yes," said Ben, "that's so, Polly; tie 'em up 
 quick's you can, and I'll take 'em over to Deacon 
 Blodgett's, for he's goin' to start early in the morn- 
 ing." 
 
 So after another last look all around, Polly put the 
 Cakes in the paper, and tied it with four or fiv 
 strong knots, to avoid all danger of its undoing. 
 
1 92 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " He never'll untie it, Polly," said Ben ; " that? s 
 just like a girPs knots ! " 
 
 "Why didn't you tie it then? "said Polly; "I'm 
 sure it's as good as a boy's knots, and they always 
 muss up a parcel so." And she gave a loving, ap- 
 proving little pat to the top of the package, which, 
 despite its multitude of knots, was certainly very 
 neat indeed. 
 
 "Now," said Ben, grasping the pen again, "here 
 goes for the direction." 
 
 " Deary, yes ! " said Polly. " I forgot all about 
 that ; I thought 'twas done." 
 
 " How'd you s'pose he'd get it ? " asked Ben, 
 coolly beginning the u M." 
 
 " I don't know," replied Polly, looking over his 
 shoulder ; " s'pose anybody else had eaten 'em up, 
 Ben ! " And she turned pale at the very thought. 
 
 "There," said Ben, at last, after a good many 
 flourishes, " now 'tis done ! you can't think of 
 another thing to do to it, Polly ! " 
 
 " Mamsie, see ! " cried Polly, running with it to 
 Mrs. Pepper, " isn't that fine ! ' Mr. Jasper E. King, 
 at the Hotel Hingham.' " 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, admiringly, to the con- 
 tent of all the children, " I should think it was ! " 
 
 "Let me take it in my hand," screamed Joel, 
 
And How They Grew. 193 
 
 reaching eagerly up for the tempting brown parcel. 
 
 " Be careful then, Joe," said Polly, with an impor- 
 tant air. 
 
 So Joel took a comfortable feel, and then Davie 
 must have the same privilege. At last it was off, 
 and with intense satisfaction the children watched 
 Ben disappear with it down the long hill to Deacon 
 Blodgett's. 
 
 The next day Ben came running in from his work 
 at the deacon's. 
 
 " Oh, Polly, you had 'em ! " he screamed, all out 
 of breath. "You had 'em!" 
 
 " Had what? " asked Polly in astonishment " Oh, 
 Bensie, what do you mean ? " 
 
 "Your flowers," he panted. "You sent soros 
 flowers to Jasper." 
 
 " Flowers to Jasper!" repeated Polly, afraid Ben 
 had gone out of his wits. 
 
 "Yes," said Ben; "I'll begin at the beginning. 
 You see, Polly, when I went down this morning, 
 Betsey was to set me to work. Deacon Blodgett and 
 Mrs. Blodgett had started early, you know ; and 
 while I was a-cleanin' up the woodshed, as she told 
 me, all of a sudden she said, as she stood in the door 
 looking on, 'Oh, Ben, Mis' Blodgett took some posies 
 
194 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 along with your parcel/ ' What ? ' said I ; I didn't 
 know as I'd heard straight. * Posies, I said/ says 
 Betsey; 'beautiful ones they were, too, the best in 
 the garding. I heard her tell Mr. Blodgett it would 
 be a pity if that sick boy couldn't have some flowers, 
 and she knew the Pepper children were crazy about 
 'em, so she twisted 'em in the string around the par- 
 cel, and there they stood up and looked fine, I tell 
 you, as they drove away.' So, Polly ! " 
 
 " Bensie Pepper ! " cried Polly, taking hold of his 
 jacket, and spinning him round, " I told you so ! I 
 told you so ! " 
 
 " I know you did," said Ben, as she gave him a 
 parting whirl, " an' I wish you'd say so about other 
 things, Polly, if you can get 'em so easy/' 
 
On* Ttoy Grew, 19$ 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 JOLLY DAYS. 
 
 OH Ben," cried Jasper, overtaking him by a smart 
 run as he was turning in at the little brown 
 gate one morning three days after, "do wait 9 * 
 
 * Halloa ! " cried Ben, turning around, and setting 
 down his load a bag of salt and a basket of pota- 
 toes and viewing Jasper and Prince with great 
 satisfaction. 
 
 " Yes, here I am," said Jasper. " And how I've 
 run ; that fellow on the stage was awful slow in get- 
 ting here oh, you're so good," he said and his eyes, 
 brimful of gladness, beamed on Ben. " The cakes 
 were just prime, and 'twas great fun to get youi 
 letter." 
 
 44 Did you like it?" asked Ben, the color up all 
 over his brown face ** 
 
1 96 Five Little Peppers / 
 
 " Like it ! " cried Jasper. " Why 'twas just splen- 
 did ; and the cakes were royal ! Isn't Polly smart 
 though, to bake like that ! " he added admiringly. 
 
 " I guess she w," said Ben, drawing himself up to 
 his very tallest dimensions. " She knows how to do 
 everything, Jasper King ! " 
 
 "I should think she did," responded the boy 
 quickly. " I wish she was my sister," he finished 
 longingly. 
 
 "Well, I don't," quickly replied Ben, "for then 
 she wouldn't be mine ; and I couldn't think of being 
 without Polly! Was your father angry about 
 about 'the gingerbread boy'?" he asked timidly, 
 trembling for an answer. 
 
 " Oh dear," cried Jasper, tumbling over on the 
 grass, " don't, don't I I shan't be good for anything 
 if you make me laugh ! oh ! wasn't it funny ; " 
 and he rolled over and over, shaking with glee. 
 
 " Yes," said Ben, immensely relieved to find that 
 no offence had been taken. " But she would send it ; 
 Polly tried not to have her, and she most cried when 
 Phronsie was so determined, cause she said your 
 father never'd let you come again " 
 
 " 'Twas just lovely in Phronsie," said the boy, sit- 
 ting up and wiping his eyes, " but oh it was so funny ! 
 vou ought to have seen my father, Ben Pepper." 
 
And How They Grew. igp 
 
 " Oh, then he was angry,*' cried Ben. 
 
 * No indeed he wasn't I " said Jasper ; w don't you 
 think it ! do you know it did him lots of good, for 
 he'd been feeling real badly that morning, he hadn't 
 eaten any breakfast, and when he saw that ginger- 
 bread boy" here Jasper rolled over again with a 
 peal of laughter "and heard the message, he just 
 put back his head, and he laughed why, I never 
 heard him laugh as he did then ! the room shook all 
 over ; and he ate a big dinner, and all that afternoon 
 he felt as good as could be. But he says he's coming 
 to see the little girl that baked it for him before we 
 go home.'* 
 
 Ben nearly tumbled over by the side of Jasper at 
 these words " Coming to see usf" he gasped. 
 
 * Yes," said Jasper, who had scarcely got over his 
 own astonishment about it, for if the roof had sud- 
 denly whisked off on to the church steeple, he couldn't 
 have been more amazed than when he heard his 
 father say cheerily: "Well, Jasper my boy, I guess 
 I shall have to drive over and see your little girl, 
 since she's been polite enough to bake me this," 
 pointing to the wild-looking " gingerbread boy." 
 
 "Come in and tell 'em about it," cried Ben, radi- 
 antly, picking up his potatoes and salt. "It's all 
 
198 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 right, Polly 1 " he said in a jubilant voice, " for here's 
 Jasper, and he'll tell you so himself." 
 
 "Hush!" said Jasper warningly, "don't let 
 Phronsie hear ; well, here's my pet now/' and after 
 bobbing lovingly to the others, with eyes beaming 
 over with fun, he caught up the little girl who was 
 screaming " Oh, here's Japser ! and my be-yew-ti- 
 ful doggie ! " 
 
 " Now Phronsie," he cried, " give me a kiss ; you 
 haven't any soft soap to-day, have you ? no ; that's 
 a good, nice one," now ; your * gingerbread boy ' was 
 just splendid ! " 
 
 " Did he eat it ? " asked the child in grave de- 
 light. 
 
 "Well no he hasn't eaten it yet," said Jasper, 
 smiling on the others ; " he's keeping it to look at, 
 Phronsie." 
 
 "I should think so ! " groaned Polly. 
 
 " Never mind, Polly," Ben whispered ; Jasper's 
 been a-tellin' me about it ; his father liked it he 
 did truly." 
 
 " Oh!" said Polly, u I'm so glad ! " 
 
 " He had eyes," said Phronsie, going back to thf 
 charms of the " gingerbread boy." 
 
 "I know it" said Jasper admiringly; "so b* 
 did." 
 
And How They Grew. 199 
 
 " Rather deep sunk, one of 'em was," muttered 
 Ben. 
 
 " And I'll bake you one, Japser," said the child^ 
 as he put her down; "I will very truly some 
 day." 
 
 "Will you," smiled Jasper; "well then," and 
 there was a whispered conference with Phronsie that 
 somehow sent that damsel into a blissful state of de- 
 light. And then while Phronsie monopolized Prince, 
 Jasper told them all about the reception of the par- 
 cel how very dull and forlorn he was feeling that 
 morning, Prince and he shut up in-doors and how 
 his father had had a miserable night, and had eaten 
 scarcely no breakfast, and just at this juncture there 
 came a knock at the door, " and " said Jasper, " your 
 parcel walked in, all dressed up in flowers ! " 
 
 " They weren't our flowers," said Polly, honestly. 
 " Mrs. Blodgett put 'em on." 
 
 "Well she couldn't have, if you hadn't sent the 
 parcel," said Jasper in a tone of conviction. 
 
 Then he launched out into a description of how 
 they opened the package Prince looking on, and 
 begging for one of the cakes. 
 
 " Oh, didn't you give him one ? " cried Polly at 
 this. " Good old Prince I " 
 
200 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Yes I did," said Jasper, "the biggest one of 
 all." 
 
 "The one I guess," interrupted Joel, "with the 
 big raisin on top." 
 
 Polly spoke up quickly to save any more remarks 
 on Joel's part. "Now tell us about your father 
 and the * gingerbread boy.' " 
 
 So Jasper broke out with a merry laugh, into thi 
 part of the story, and soon had them all in such a 
 gale of merriment, that Phronsie stopped playing out 
 on the door-step with Prince, and came in to see 
 what the matter was. 
 
 "Never mind," said Polly, trying to get her breath, 
 
 just as Jasper was relating how Mr. King set up the 
 
 " gingerbread boy" on his writing table before him, 
 
 while he leaned back in his chair for a hearty laugh. 
 
 "And to make it funnier still," said Jasper 
 41 don't you think, a little pen-wiper he has, made like 
 a cap, hanging on the pen-rack above him, tumbled 
 off just at this very identical minute right on the 
 head of the * gingerbread boy,' and there it stuck ! " 
 
 " Oh!" they all screamed, "if we could only have 
 seen it." 
 
 "What was it? "asked Phronsie, pulling Polly's 
 sleeve to make her hear. 
 
 So Jasper took her in his lap, and told how funny 
 
THB GINGERBREAD BOY AT HOME. 
 
And How They Grew. 303 
 
 the 'gingerbread boy " looked with a cap on, and 
 Phronsie clapped her hands, and laughed with the 
 rest, till the little old kitchen rang and rang again. 
 
 And then they had the baking ! and Polly tied one 
 of her mother's ample aprons on Jasper, as Mrs. 
 Pepper had left directions if he should come while 
 she was away ; and he developed such a taste for 
 cookery, and had so many splendid improvements on 
 the Peppers' simple ideas, that the children thought 
 it the most fortunate thing in the world that he 
 came ; and one and all voted him a most charming 
 companion. 
 
 " You could cook a Thanksgiving dinner in this 
 stove, just as easy as not," said Jasper, putting into 
 the oven something on a little cracked plate that 
 would have been a pie if there were any centre ; but 
 lacking that necessary accompaniment, probably was 
 a short-cake. " Just as easy as not," he repeated with 
 emphasis, slamming the door, to give point to his re- 
 marks. 
 
 " No, you couldn't either," said Ben at the table 
 with equal decision; "not a bit of it, Jasper 
 King ! " 
 
 " Why, Ben Pepper ? " asked Jasper, " that oven's 
 big enough! I should like to know why not?* 
 
 a 'Cause there isn't anything to cook, 1 " said Bes? 
 
204 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 coolly, cutting out a piece of dough for a jumbl* j 
 " we don't keep Thanksgiving." 
 
 " Not keep Thanksgiving!" said Jasper, standing 
 quite still ; " never had a Thanksgiving I well, I de- 
 clare/' and then he stopped again. 
 
 " Yes," answered Ben ; " we had one once ; 'twas 
 last year but that wasn't much." 
 
 " Well then," said Jasper, leaning over the table, 
 "I'll tell you what I should think you'd do try 
 Christmas." 
 
 "Oh, that's always worse/' said Polly, setting 
 down her rolling-pin to think which immediately 
 rolled away by itself off from the table. 
 
 " We never had a Christmas," said little Davie re- 
 flectively ; " what are they like, Jasper ? " 
 
 Jasper sat quite still, and didn't reply to this ques- 
 tion for a moment or two. 
 
 To be among children who didn't like Thanksgiv- 
 ing, and who " never had seen a Christmas," and 
 " didn't know what it was like," was a new revelation 
 to him. 
 
 " They hang up stockings," said Polly softly. 
 
 How many, many times she had begged her moth- 
 er to try it for the younger ones ; but there was never 
 anything to put in them, and the winters were cold 
 
And How They Grew. 205 
 
 and hard, and the strictest economy only carried 
 them through. 
 
 " Oh ! " said little Phronsie in horror, " are their 
 feet in 'em, Polly ? " 
 
 " No dear," said Polly ; while Jasper instead of 
 laughing, only stared. Something requiring a deal 
 of thought was passing through the boy's mind just 
 then. " They shall have a Christmas ! " he mut- 
 tered, " I know father'll let me/' But he kept his 
 thoughts to himself; and becoming his own gay, 
 kindly self, he explained and told to Phronsie and 
 the others, so many stories of past Christmases he 
 had enjoyed, that the interest over the baking soon 
 dwindled away, until a horrible smell of something 
 burning, brought them all to their senses. 
 
 "Oh! the house is burning?" cried Polly. "Oh 
 get a pail of water 1 " 
 
 " Tisn't either," said Jasper, snuffing wisely ; 
 " oh ! I know I forgot all about it I do beg your 
 pardon." And running to the stove, he knelt down 
 and drew out of the oven, a black, odorous mass, 
 which with a crest-fallen air he brought to Polly. 
 
 " I'm no end sorry I made such a mess of it," he 
 said, " I meant it for you." 
 
 " Tisn't any matter," said Polry kindly. 
 
 " And now do you go on," cried Joel and David 
 
2 06 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 both in the same breath, " all about the Tree, you 
 know." 
 
 " Yes, yes," said the others ; " if you're not tired, 
 Jasper." 
 
 " Oh, no," cried their accommodating friend, " I 
 love to tell about it ; only wait let's help Polly 
 clear up first. 7 '* 
 
 So after all traces of the frolic had been tidied up, 
 and made nice for the mother's return, they took 
 seats in a circle and Jasper regaled them with story 
 and reminiscence, till they felt as if fairy land were 
 nothing to it ! 
 
 "How did you ever live through it, Jasper King, 1 
 said Polly, drawing the first long breath she had 
 dared to indulge in. " Such an elegant time ! " 
 
 Jasper laughed. " I hope I'll live through plenty 
 more of them," he said merrily. "We're going to 
 sister Marian's again, father and I ; we always spend 
 our Christmas there, you know, and she's to have all 
 the cousins, and I don't know how many more ; and 
 a tree but the best of all, there's going to be a 
 German carol sung by choir boys I shall lik* that 
 best of all." 
 
 "What are choir boys?" asked Polly who was in- 
 tensely fond of music. 
 
 " In some of the churches," explained Jasper, "the 
 
And How They Grew. 207 
 
 choir is all boys ; and they do chant, and sing an- 
 thems perfectly beautifully, Polly ! " 
 
 "Do you play on the piano, and sing?" asked 
 Polly, looking at him in awe. 
 
 " Yes," said the boy simply ; " I've played ever 
 since I was a little fellow, no bigger'n Phronsie." 
 
 " Oh, Jasper ! " cried Polly, clasping her hands, 
 her cheeks all aflame " do you mean to say you do 
 really and truly play on the piano ? " 
 
 "Why yes," said the boy, looking into her flash- 
 ing eyes. 
 
 " Polly's always crazy about music," explained 
 Ben ; " she'll drum on the table, and anywhere, to 
 make believe it's a piano." 
 
 " There's Dr. Fisher going by," said Joel, who, now 
 that they had gotten on the subject of music, began 
 to find prickles running up and down his legs from 
 sitting so still. " I wish he'd stop." 
 
 "Is he the one that cured your measles and 
 Polly's eyes ? " asked Jasper running to the window. 
 " I want to see him." 
 
 " Well there he is," cried Ben, as the doctor put 
 his head out of the gig and bowed and smiled to the 
 little group in the window. 
 
 "He's just lovely," cried Polly, "oh! I wish you 
 knew him." 
 
208 Five Little Peppers , 
 
 " If father's sick again," said Jasper, *' we'll have 
 him he looks nice, anyway for father don't like the 
 doctor over in Hingham do you know perhaps 
 we'll come again next summer ; wouldn't that be 
 nice ! " 
 
 " Oh ! " cried the children rapturously ; " do come, 
 Jasper, do /" 
 
 "Well, maybe," said Jasper, " if father likes it and 
 sister Marian and her family will come with us ; they 
 do some summers. You'd like little Dick, I know," 
 turning to Phronsie. " And I guess all of you'd 
 like all of them," he added, looking at the group of 
 interested listeners. "They wanted to come this 
 year awfully ; they said ' Oh grandpapa, do let us 
 go with you and Jappy, and ' " 
 
 "What!" said the children. 
 
 " Oh," said Jasper with a laugh, " they call me 
 Jappy its easier to say than Jasper ; ever so many 
 people do for short. You may if you want to," he 
 said looking around on them all. 
 
 " How funny ! " laughed Polly, " But I don't know 
 as it is any worse than Polly or Ben." 
 
 "Or Phronsie," said Jappy. "Don't you like 
 Jappy ? " he said, bringing his head down to her level, 
 as she sat on the little stool at his feet, content in 
 listening to the merry chat. 
 
And How They Grew. 209 
 
 " Is that the same as Japser ? " she asked gravely. 
 
 " Yes, the very same," he said. 
 
 When they parted Jappy and the little Peppers 
 were sworn friends ; and the boy, happy in his good 
 times in the cheery little home, felt the hours long 
 between the visits that his father, when he saw the 
 change that they wrought in his son, willingly allowed 
 him to make. 
 
 " Oh dear ! " said Mrs. Pepper one day in the last of 
 September as a carriage drawn by a pair of very 
 handsome horses, stopped at their door, " here comes 
 Mr. King I do believe ; we never looked worse'n 
 we do to-day ! " 
 
 "I don't care/' said Polly, flying out of the bed- 
 room. " Jappy's with him, mamma, and it'll be nice 
 I guess. At any rate, Phronsie's clean as a pink," 
 she thought to herself looking at the little maiden, 
 busy with " baby " to whom she was teaching deport- 
 ment in the corner. But there was no time to " fix 
 up ; " for a tall, portly gentleman, leaning on his 
 heavy gold cane,was walking up from the little brown 
 gate to the big flat-stone that served as a step. Jas- 
 per and Prince followed decorously. 
 
 " Is this little Miss Peppei ? " he asked pompously 
 of Polly, who answered his rap on the door. Now 
 
aio Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 whether she was little " Miss Pepper" she never 
 had stopped to consider. 
 
 "I don't know sir; I'm Polly." And then she 
 blushed bright as a rose, and the laughing brown 
 eyes looked beyond to Jasper, who stood on the walk, 
 and smiled encouragingly. 
 
 " Is your mother in ? " asked the old gentleman, 
 who was so tall he could scarcely enter the low door, 
 And then Mrs. Pepper came forward, and Jasper in- 
 troduced her, and the old gentleman bowed, and sat 
 down in the seat Polly placed for him. And Mrs. 
 Pepper thanked him with a heart overflowing with 
 gratitude, through lips that would tremble even then, 
 for all that Jasper had done for them. And the old 
 gentleman said " Humph ! " but he looked at his 
 son, and something shone in his eye just for a 
 moment. 
 
 Phronsie had retreated with " baby " in her arms 
 behind the door on the new arrival. But seeing 
 everything progressing finely, and overcome by her 
 extreme desire to see Jappy and Prince, she began 
 by peeping out with big eyes to observe how things 
 were going on. Just then the old gentleman hap- 
 pened to say, " Well, where is my little girl that 
 baked me a cake so kindly ? " 
 
 Then Phronsie, forgetting all else but her " pooi 
 
o 
 5 
 
 i 
 
And How They Grew. 215 
 
 sick man," who also was " Jasper's father," rushed 
 out from behind the door, and coming up to the 
 stately old gentleman in the chair, she looked up 
 pityingly, and said, shaking her yellow head, " Poor, 
 sick man, was my boy good ? " 
 
 After that there was no more gravity and cere- 
 mony. In a moment, Phronsie was perched upon 
 old Mr. King's knee, and playing with his watch ; 
 while the others, freed from all restraint, were chat- 
 ting and laughing happily, till some of the cheeri- 
 ness overflowed and warmed the heart of the old 
 gentleman. 
 
 " We go to-morrow," he said, rising, and looking 
 at his watch. " Why, is it possible that we have 
 been here an hour ! there, my little girl, will you 
 give me a kiss ? " and he bent his handsome old 
 head down to the childish face upturned to his con- 
 fidingly. 
 
 " Don't go," said the child, as she put up her little 
 lips in grave confidence. " I do like you I do I " 
 
 "Oh, Phronsie," began Mrs. Pepper. 
 
 " Don't reprove her, madam," said the old gentle- 
 man, who liked it immensely. " Yes, we go to-mor- 
 row/' he said, looking around on the group to whom 
 this was a blow they little expected. They had 
 surely thought Jasper was to stay a week longer. 
 
1 1 4 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "I received a telegram this morning, that I 
 must be in the city on Thursday. And besides, 
 madam," he said, addressing Mrs. Pepper, " I think 
 the climate is bad for me now, as it induces rheuma- 
 tism. The hotel is also getting unpleasant ; there 
 are many annoyances that I cannot put up with ; so 
 that altogether, I do not regret it." 
 
 Mrs. Pepper, not knowing exactly what to say to 
 this, wisely said nothing. Meantime, Jappy and the 
 little Peppers were having a sorry time over in the 
 corner by themselves. 
 
 "Well, I'll write," cried Jasper, not liking to look 
 at Polly just then, as he was sure he should'nt want 
 any one to look at him, if he felt like crying. " And 
 you must answer 'em all." 
 
 " Oh, we will ! we will ! " they cried. " And 
 Jappy, do come next summer," said Joel. 
 
 " If father'll only say yes, we will, I tell you ! " he 
 responded eagerly. 
 
 " Come, my boy," said his father the third time ; 
 and Jasper knew by the tone that there must be no 
 delay. 
 
 Mr. King had been nervously putting his hand in 
 his pocket during the last few moments that the 
 children were together ; but when he glanced at Mrs. 
 Pepper's eyes, something made him draw it out again 
 
Ana How They Grew. 215 
 
 hastily, as empty as he put it in. " No, 'twouldn't 
 do," he said to himself ; " she isn't the kind of 
 woman to whom one could offer money." 
 
 The children crowded back their tears, and hastily 
 said their last good-bye, some of them hanging on 
 to Prince till the last moment. 
 
 And then the carriage door shut with a bang, Jas- 
 per giving them a bright parting smile, and they were 
 gone. 
 
 And the Peppers went into their little brown 
 house, and shut the door. 
 
216 Five Little Peppers: 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 GETTING A CHRISTMAS FOR THE LITTLE ONES. 
 
 AND so October came and went. The little 
 Peppers were very lonely after Jasper had 
 gone ; even Mrs. Pepper caught herself looking up 
 one day when the wind blew the door open suddenly, 
 half expecting to see the merry whole-souled boy, and 
 the faithful dog come scampering in. 
 
 But the letters came and that was a comfort \ 
 and it was fun to answer them. The first one spoke 
 of Jasper's being under a private tutor, with his 
 cousins ; then they were less frequent, and they knew 
 he was studying hard. Full of anticipations of 
 Christmas himself, he urged the little Peppers to try 
 for one. And the life and spirit of the letter was so 
 catching, that Polly and Ben found their souls fired 
 within them to try at least to get for the little ones a 
 taste of Christmastide. 
 
And How They Grew. 3*7 
 
 * Now, mammy," they said at last, one day in the 
 latter part of October, when the crisp, fresh air filled 
 their little healthy bodies with springing vitality that 
 must bubble over and rush into something, " we don't 
 want a Thanksgiving truly we don't. But may 
 we try for a Christmas just a little one," they 
 added, timidly, "for the children?'* Ben and Polly 
 always called the three younger ones of the flock "the 
 Children." 
 
 To their utter surprise, Mrs. Pepper looked mildly 
 assenting, and presently she said 
 
 *' Well, I don't see why you can't try ; 'twon't do 
 any harm, I'm sure." 
 
 You see Mrs. Pepper had received a letter from 
 Jasper, which at present she didn't feel called upon 
 to say anything about. 
 
 " Now," said Polly, drawing a long breath, as she 
 and Ben stole away into a corner to "talk over " and 
 lay plans, " what does it mean ? * 
 
 * Never mind," said Ben ; " as long as she's given 
 us leave I don't care what it is." 
 
 " I neither," said Polly, with the delicious feeling 
 as if the whole worjd were before them where to 
 choose ; " it'll be just gorgeous, Ben I " 
 
 " What's that ? " asked Ben, who was not as much 
 
2 18 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 given to long words as Polly, who dearly loved to 1* 
 fine in language as well as other things. 
 
 " Oh, it's something Jappy said one day ; and J 
 asked him, and he says it's fine, and lovely, and all 
 that," answered Polly, delighted that she knew some- 
 thing she could really tell Ben. 
 
 " Then why not say fine ? " commented Ben, prac- 
 tically, with a little upward lift of his nose. 
 
 "Oh, I'd know, I'm sure," laughed Polly. "LetV 
 think what'll we do for Christmas how many weeks 
 are there, anyway, Ben ? " And she began to count 
 on her fingers. 
 
 "That's no way," said Ben, "I'm going to get the 
 Almanac." 
 
 So he went to the old clock where hanging up 
 by its side, was a " Farmer's Almanac." 
 
 " Now, we'll know," he said, coming back to theii 
 corner. So with heads together they consulted and 
 counted up till they found that eight weeks and three 
 days remained in which to get ready. 
 
 44 Dear me I" said Polly, it's most a year, isn't it, 
 Ben?" 
 
 " 'Twon't be much time for us," said Ben, who 
 thought of the many hours to be devoted to hard 
 work that would run away with the time. " We'd 
 better begin right away, Polly." 
 
Ana How They Grew. 219 
 
 " Well, all right/' said Polly, who could scarcely keep 
 her fingers still, as she thought of the many things 
 she should so love to do if she could. " But first 
 Ben, what let's do ? " 
 
 " Would you rather hang up their stockings ? " asked 
 Ben, as if he had unlimited means at his disposal ; 
 " or have a tree ? " 
 
 " Why," said Polly, with wide open eyes at the two 
 magnificent ideas, " we haven't got anything to put in 
 the stockings when we hang 'em, Ben." 
 
 " That's just it," said Ben. " Now, wouldn't it be 
 better to have a tree, Polly ? I can get that easy in 
 the woods, you know." 
 
 "Well," interrupted Polly, eagerly, " we haven't got 
 anything to hang on that, either, Ben. You know 
 Jappy said folks hang all sorts of presents on the 
 branches. So I don't see," she continued, impatiently, 
 "as that's any good. We can't do anything, Ben 
 Pepper, so there ! there isn't anything to do anything 
 with," and with a flounce Polly sat down on the old 
 wooden stool, and folding her hands looked at Ben 
 in a most despairing way. 
 
 " I know," said Ben, " we haven't got much." 
 
 " We haven't got anything," said Polly, still looking 
 at him. 
 
220 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Why, we've got a tree," replied Ben, hopefully. 
 
 " Well, what's a tree," retorted Polly, scornfully. 
 "Anybody can go out and look at a tree out- 
 doors." 
 
 " Well, now, I tell you, Polly/' said Ben, sitting 
 down on the floor beside her, and speaking very 
 slowly and decisively, " we've got to do something 
 'cause we've begun ; and we might make a tree real 
 pretty." 
 
 " How ? " asked Polly, ashamed of her ill-humor, 
 but not in the least seeing how anything could be 
 made of a tree. " How, Ben Pepper ? " 
 
 "Well," said Ben, pleasantly, "we'd set it up in 
 the corner " 
 
 "Oh, no, not in the corner," cried Polly, whose 
 spirits began to rise a little as she saw Ben so hope-* 
 ful. " Put it in the middle of the room, do!" 
 
 " I don't care where you put it," said Ben, smiling, 
 happy that Polly's usual cheerful energy had returned, 
 " but I thought 'twill be a little one, you know, and 
 I thought 'twould look better in the corner." 
 
 " What else ? " asked Polly, eager to see how Ben 
 would dress the tree. 
 
 " Well," said Ben, " you know the Henderson boys 
 gave me a lot of corn last week." 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 221 
 
 " I don't see as that helps much," said Polly, still 
 incredulous. " Do you mean hang the cobs on the 
 branches, Ben ? That would be just dreadful 1 " 
 
 THE CONSPIRATORS. 
 
 " I should think likely," laughed Ben. " No, indeed, 
 Polly Pepper ! but if we should pop a lot, oh ! a 
 bushel, and then we should string 'em, we could wind 
 it all in and out among the branches, and " 
 
 " Why, wouldn't that be pretty ? " cried Polly, 
 "real pretty and we can do that, I'm sure." 
 
222 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Yes," continued Ben ; " and then, don't you 
 know, there's some little candle ends in that box in 
 the Provision Room, maybe mammy 'd give us them." 
 
 u I don't believe but she would," cried Polly > 
 " twould be just like Jappy's if she would ! Let's 
 ask her now this very same minute ! * 
 
 And they scampered hurriedly to Mrs. Pepper, who 
 to their extreme astonishment, after all, s*ul "yes," 
 and smiled encouragingly on the plan. 
 
 a Isn't mammy good ? " said Polly, with loving grat- 
 itude, as they seated themselves again. 
 
 " Now we're all right," exclaimed Ben, " and I tell 
 you we can make the tree look perfectly splendid, 
 Polly Pepper ! " 
 
 "And I'll tell you another thing, Ben," Polly said, 
 " oh ! something elegant ! You must get ever so many 
 hickory nuts ; and you know those bits of bright 
 paper I've got in the bureau drawer ? Well, we can 
 paste them on to the nuts and hang 'em on for the 
 balls Jappy tells of." 
 
 " Polly," cried Ben, " it'll be such a tree as never 
 was, won't it ? " 
 
 " Yes ; but dear me," cried Polly, springing up, 
 " the children are coming ! Wasn't it good, grandma 
 wanted 'em to come over this afternoon, so's we could 
 
And How They Grew. 223 
 
 talk! Now hush /" as the door opened to admit the 
 noisy little troop. 
 
 " If you think of any new plan," whispered Ben, 
 behind his hand, while Mrs. Pepper engaged their at- 
 tention, " you'll have to come out into the woodshed 
 to talk after this." 
 
 " I know it," whispered Polly back again ; " oh ! 
 we've got just heaps of things to think of, Bensie ! " 
 
 Such a contriving and racking of brains as Polly 
 and Ben set up after this ! They would bob over at 
 each other, and smile with significant gesture as a 
 new idea would strike one of them, in the most mys- 
 terious way that, if observed, would drive the others 
 almost wild. And then, frightened lest in some hila- 
 rious moment the secret should pop out, the two con- 
 spirators would betake themselves to the wood-shed 
 as before agreed on. But Joel, finding this out, fol- 
 lowed them one day or, as Polly said, tagged se 
 Shat was no good. 
 
 " Let's go behind the wood-pile," she said to Ben, 
 jn desperation ; " he can't hear there, if we whisper 
 real soft." 
 
 :e Yes, he will," said Ben, who knew Joel's hearing 
 faculties much better. " We'll have to wait till they're 
 a-bed." 
 
224 -Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 So after that, when nightfall first began to make its 
 appearance, Polly would hint mildly about bedtime. 
 
 " You hustle us so ! " said Joel, after he had been 
 sent off to bed for two or three nights unusually 
 early. 
 
 " Oh, Joey, it's good for you to get to bed," said 
 Polly, coaxingly ; " it'll make you grow, you know, 
 real fast." 
 
 " Well, I don't grow a-bed," grumbled Joel, who 
 thought something was in the wind. " You and Ben 
 are going to talk, I know, and wink your eyes, as soon 
 as we're gone." 
 
 " Well, go along, Joe, that's a good boy," said Polly, 
 laughing, " and you'll know some day." 
 
 " What'll you give me ? " asked Joel, seeing a bar- 
 gain, his foot on the lowest stair leading to the loft, 
 " say, Polly ? " 
 
 " Oh, I haven't got much to give," she said, cheerily ; 
 " but I'll tell you what, Joey I'll tell you a story 
 every day that you go to bed." 
 
 " Will you ? " cried Joe, hopping back into the room. 
 " Begin now, Polly, begin now ! " 
 
 " Why, you haven't been to bed yet," said Polly, 
 " so I r-an't till to-morrow." 
 
And How They Grew. 225 
 
 " Yes, I have you've made us go for three no, 
 I guess fourteen nights," said Joel, indignantly. 
 
 " Well, you were made to go," laughed Polly. " I 
 said if you'd go good, you know ; so run along, Joe, 
 and I'll tell you a nice one to-morrow." 
 
 " It's got to be long," shouted Joel, when he saw 
 he could get no more, making good time up to the 
 loft. 
 
 To say that Polly, in the following days, was Mas- 
 ter Joel's slave, was stating the case lightly. How- 
 ever, she thought by her story-telling she got off easily, 
 as each evening saw the boys drag their unwilling feet 
 to-bedward, and leave Ben and herself in peace to 
 plan and work undisturbed. There they would sit by 
 the little old table, around the one tallow candle, 
 while Mrs. Pepper sewed away busily, looking up to 
 smile or to give some bits of advice ; keeping her own 
 secret meanwhile, which made her blood leap fast, as 
 the happy thoughts nestled in her heart of her little 
 ones and their coming glee. And Polly made the 
 loveliest of paper dolls for Phronsie out of the rest 
 of the bits of bright paper ; and Ben made windmills 
 and whistles for the boys ; and a funny little carved 
 basket with a handle, for Phronsie, out of a hickory 
 nut shell ; and a new pink calico dress for Seraphina 
 peered out from the top drawer of the old bureau in 
 
926 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 the bed-room, whenever anyone opened it for Mrs. 
 Pepper kindly let the children lock up their treasures 
 there as fast as completed. 
 
 " I'll make Seraphina a bonnet," said Mrs. Pepper, 
 " for there's that old bonnet-string in the bag, you 
 know, Polly, that'll make it beautiful." 
 
 "Oh, do, mother," cried Polly, "she's been wanting 
 a new one awfully." 
 
 " And I'm going to knit some mittens for Joel and 
 David," continued Mrs. Pepper j " 'cause I can get 
 the yarn cheap now. I saw some down at the store 
 yesterday I could have at half price." 
 
 " I don't believe anybody'll have as good a Christ- 
 mas as we shall," cried Polly, pasting on a bit of 
 trimming to the gayest doll's dress ; " no, not even 
 
 Jappy." 
 
 An odd little smile played around Mrs. Pepper's 
 mouth, but she said not a word, and so the fun and 
 the work went on. 
 
 The tree was to be set up in the Provision Room ; 
 that was finally decided, as Mrs. Pepper showed the 
 children how utterly useless it would be to try having 
 it in the kitchen. 
 
 "I'll find the key, children," she said, "I think I 
 know where 'tis, and then we can keep them out/' 
 
And How They Grew. 227 
 
 " Well, but it looks so," said Polly, demurring at 
 the prospect. 
 
 " Oh, no, Polly," said her mother ; " at any rate 
 it's dean" 
 
 44 Polly," said Ben, "we can put evergreen around, 
 you know." 
 
 " So we can," said Polly, brightly ; " oh, Ben, you 
 do think of the best things ; we couldn't have had 
 them in the kitchen." 
 
 " And don't let's hang the presents on the tree," 
 continued Ben; "let's have the children hang up their 
 stockings ; they want to, awfully for I heard David 
 tell Joel this morning before we got up they 
 thought I was asleep, but I wasn't that he did so 
 wish they could, but, says he, ' Don't tell mammy, 
 'cause that'll make her feel bad.' " 
 
 " The little dears ! " said Mrs. Pepper, impulsively 
 " they shall have their stockings, too." 
 
 "And we'll make the tree pretty enough," said 
 Polly, enthusiastically ; " we shan't want the presents 
 to hang on ; we've got so many things. And then 
 we'll have hickory nuts to eat ; and perhaps mammy'll 
 let us make some molasses candy the day before," 
 she said, with a sly look at her mother. 
 
 may," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling. 
 
228 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Oh, goody ! " they both cried, hugging each other 
 ecstatically. 
 
 " And we'll have a frolic in the Provision Room 
 afterwards," finished Polly ; " oh ! ooh ! " 
 
 And so the weeks flew by one, two, three, four, 
 five, six, seven eight ! till only the three days remained, 
 and to think the fun that Polly and Ben had had al- 
 ready ! 
 
 " It's better'n a Christmas," they told their mother, 
 " to get ready for it ! " 
 
 " It's too bad you can't hang up your stockings," 
 said Mrs. Pepper, looking keenly at their flushed 
 faces and bright eyes ; "you've never hung 'em up." 
 
 " That isn't any matter, mamsie," they both said, 
 cheerily ; " it's a great deal better to have the chil- 
 dren have a nice time oh, won't it be elegant I 
 p'r'aps we'll have ours next year ! " 
 
 For two days before, the house was turned upside 
 down for Joel to find the biggest stocking he 
 could ; but on Polly telling him it must be his own, 
 he stopped his search, and bringing down his well- 
 worn one, hung it by the corner of the chimney to be 
 ready. 
 
 "You put yours up the other side, Dave," he ad- 
 vised. 
 
 " There isn't any nail," cried David, investigating, 
 
And How They Grew. 229 
 
 * I'll drive one," said Joel , so he ran out to the 
 tool-house, as one corner of the woodshed was called, 
 and brought in the hammer and one or two nails. 
 
 " Phronsie's a-goin' in the middle," he said, with a 
 nail in his mouth. 
 
 " Yes, I'm a-goin' to hang tp my stocking" cried 
 the child, hopping from one toe to the other. 
 
 " Run get it, Phronsie," said Joel, " and I'll hang 
 it up for you." 
 
 " Why, it's two days before Christmas yet," said 
 Polly, laughing ; " how they'll look hanging there so 
 long." 
 
 " I don't care," said Joel, giving a last thump to 
 the nail ; " we're a-goin' to be ready. Oh, dear ! I 
 wish 'twas to-night ! " 
 
 " Can't Seraphina hang up her stocking " asked 
 Phronsie, coming up to Polly's side; "and Baby, 
 too ? " 
 
 ! Oh, let her have part of yours/' said Polly, " that'll 
 be best Seraphina and Baby, and you have one 
 stocking together." 
 
 " Oh, yes." cried Phronsie, easily pleased ; " that'll 
 be oest." 
 
 So for the next two days, they were almost distracted; 
 the youngest ones asking countless questions about 
 Santa Claus, and how he possibly could get down the 
 
Five Little Peppers: 
 
 chimney, Joel running his head up as far as he dared, 
 to see if it was big enough. 
 
 " I guess he can/ 9 he said, coming back in a sooty 
 state, looking very much excited and delighted. 
 
 "Will he be black like Joey? asked Phronsie^ 
 pointing to his grimy face. 
 
 No ; " said Polly ; he don't ever get black.* 
 
 "Why ?" they all asked ; and then, over and over, 
 they wanted the delightful mystery explained. 
 
 "We never'll get through this day," said Polly in 
 despair, as the last one arrived. " I wish 'twas to- 
 night, for we're all ready." 
 
 " Santy's coming ! Santy's coming ! * sang Phron- 
 sie^ as the bright afternoon sunlight went down over 
 the fresh, crisp snow, " for it's night now." 
 
 "Yes, Santa is coming !" sang Polly; and "Santa 
 Claus is a-coming," rang back and forth through the 
 old kitchen, till it seemed as if the three little olc 
 stockings would hop down and join in the dance 
 going on so merrily. 
 
 * I'm glad mine is red," said Phronsie, at last, stop- 
 ping in the wild jig, and going up to see if it was all 
 safe, * 'cause then Santy'll know it's mine, won't he^ 
 Polly?" 
 
 * Yes, dear," cried PoUy, catching her up. *Oh, 
 Phronsie 1 you are going to have a Christmas 1 * 
 
"lit GLAD MINE I* &D," SAID PHBONSIB, 
 
And How They Grew. 33 
 
 " Well, I wish," said Joel, " I had my name on 
 mine ! I know Dave'll get some of my things." 
 
 " Oh, no, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, " Santa Glaus is 
 smart ; he'll know your's is in the left-hand corner." 
 
 * Will he?" asked Joel, still a little fearful. 
 
 "Oh, yes, indeed/ ' said Mrs. Pepper, confidently. 
 " I never knew him to make a mistake." 
 
 " Now," said Ben, when they had all made a pre- 
 tence of eating supper, for there was such an excite- 
 ment prevailing that no one sat still long enough to 
 eat much, " you must every one fly off to bed as 
 quick as ever can be." 
 
 "Will Santa Glaus come faster then?" asked 
 Joel. 
 
 "Yes," said Ben, "just twice as fast." 
 
 *I'm going, then," said Joel; "but I ain't going 
 to sleep, 'cause I mean to hear him come over the 
 roof; then I'm going to get up, for I do so want a 
 squint at the reindeer ! " 
 
 "I am, too," cried Davie, excitedly. "Oh, do 
 come, Joe ! " and he began to mount the stairs. 
 
 "Good night," said Phronsie, going up to the 
 centre of the chimney-piece, where the little red 
 stocking dangled limpsily, " lift me up, Polly, do." 
 
 "What you want to do ?" asked Polly, running 
 
234 F* ve Little Peppers ; 
 
 and giving her a jump. "What you goin* to do 
 Phronsie?" 
 
 <c I want to kiss it good night," said the child, with 
 eyes big with anticipation and happiness, hugging 
 the well worn toe of the little old stocking affec 
 tionately. " I wish I had something to give Santa, 
 Polly, I do " she cried, as she held her fast in her 
 arms. 
 
 " Never mind, Pet," said Polly, nearly smothering 
 her with kisses ; " if you're a good girl, Phronsie, that 
 pleases Santa the most of anything." 
 
 "Does :t?" cried Phronsie, delighted beyond 
 measure, as Polly carried her into the bedroom, " then 
 I'll be good always, I wiit/" 
 
And Haw Th*y Grew. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIL 
 CHRISTMAS BELLS! 
 
 IN the middle of the night Polly woke up with a 
 start. 
 
 What in the world ! " said she, and she bobbed 
 up her head and looked over at her mother, who was 
 tin peacefully sleeping, and was just going to lie 
 down again, when a second noise out in the kitchen 
 made her pause and lean on her elbow to listen. At 
 this moment she thought she heard a faint whisper, 
 and springing out of bed she ran to Phronsie's crib 
 it was empty ! As quick as a flash she sped out into 
 the kitchen. There, in front of the chimney, were 
 two figures. One was Joel, and the other, unmistaka- 
 bly, was Phronsie ! 
 
 " What are you doing ?* gasped Polly, holding on 
 to a chair. 
 
 The two little night-gowns turned round at this. 
 
236 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Why, I thought it was morning," said Joel, " and 
 I wanted my stocking. Oh ! " as he felt the toe, 
 which was generously stuffed, " give it to me, Polly 
 Pepper, and I'll run right back to bed again ! " 
 
 " Dear me ! " said Polly ; " and you, too, Phronsie ! 
 Why, it's the middle of the night! Did I ever!" 
 and she had to pinch her mouth together tight to keep 
 from bursting out into a loud laugh. "Oh, dear, I 
 shall laugh! don't look so scared, Phronsie, there 
 won't anything hurt you." For Phronsie who, on hear- 
 ing Joel fumbling around the precious stockings, had 
 been quite willing to hop out of bed and join him, 
 had now, on Polly's saying the dire words " in the 
 middle of the night," scuttled over to her protecting 
 side like a frightened rabbit. 
 
 " It never'll be morning," said Joel taking up first 
 one cold toe and then the other; "you might let us 
 have 'em now, Polly, do /" 
 
 " No," said Polly sobering down "you can't have 
 yours till Davie wakes up, too. Scamper off to bed, 
 Joey, dear, and forget all about 'em and it'll be 
 morning before you know it." 
 
 " Oh, I'd rather go to bed," said Phronsie, trying to 
 tuck up her feet in the little flannel night-gown, which 
 was rather short, " but I don't know the way back, 
 
And How ITicy Grew. 237 
 
 Polly. Take me, Polly, do," and she put up her 
 arms to be carried. 
 
 " Oh, / ain't a-goin' back alone, either," whimpered 
 Joel, coming up to Polly, too. 
 
 " Why, you came down alone, didn't you ? " whis- 
 pered Polly, with a little laugh. 
 
 "Yes, but I thought 'twas morning," said Joel, his 
 teeth chattering with something beside the cold. 
 
 "Well, you must think of the morning that's 
 coming," said Polly, cheerily. "I'll tell you you 
 wait till I put Phronsie into the crib, and then I'll 
 come back and go half way up the stairs with you." 
 
 " I won't never come down till it's mornin* again," 
 said Joel, bouncing along the stairs, when Polly was 
 ready to go with him, at a great rate. 
 
 " Better not," laughed Polly, softly. " Be careful 
 and not wake Davie nor Ben." 
 
 " I'm />*," announced Joel, in a loud whisper ; and 
 Polly could hear him snuggle down among the warm 
 bedclothes. " Call us when 'tis mornin', Polly." 
 
 "Yes," said Polly, " I will ; go to sleep." 
 
 Phronsie had forgotten stockings and everything 
 else on Polly's return, and was fast asleep in the old 
 crib. The result of it was that the children slept 
 aver, when morning did really come ; and Polly had 
 
23* Fiw Little Peppers ; 
 
 to keep her promise, and go to the foot of the stairs 
 
 and call 
 
 "MERRY CHRISTMAS! oh, Benl and Joel! and 
 Davie 1 " 
 
 " Oh 1 oh ! oo-h 1 " and then the sounds that an- 
 swered her, as with smothered whoops of expectation 
 they one and all flew into their clothes I 
 
 Quick as a flash Joel and Davie were down and 
 dancing around the chimney. 
 
 " Mammy ! mammy ! " screamed Phronsie, hugging 
 her stocking, which Ben lifted her up to unhook from 
 the big nail, " Santy did come, he did! " and then she 
 spun around in the middle of the floor, not stopping 
 to look in it. 
 
 " Well, open it, Phronsie," called Davie, deep in 
 the exploring of his own ; " oh ! isn't that a splendid 
 wind-mill, Joe ? " 
 
 "Yes," said that individual, who, having found 
 a big piece of molasses candy, was so engaged in 
 enjoying a huge bite that, regardless alike of his other 
 gifts or of the smearing his face was getting, he gave 
 himself wholly up to its delights. 
 
 "Oh, Joey," cried Polly, laughingly, " molasses 
 candy for breakfast ! " 
 
 "That's prime!" cried Joel, swallowing the last 
 morsel. "Now I'm going to see what's this oh, 
 
And How They Grew. 241 
 
 Dave, see here ! see here ! " he cried in intense ex- 
 citement, pulling out a nice little parcel which, un- 
 rolled, proved to be a bright pair of stout mittens. 
 M See if you've got some look quick ! " 
 
 "Yes, I have," said David, picking up a parcel 
 about as big. " No, that's molasses candy." 
 
 " Just the same as I had," said Joel ; " do look for 
 the mittens. P'r'aps Santa Glaus thought you had 
 some oh, dear ! " 
 
 " Here they are ! " screamed Davie. " I have got 
 some, Joe, just exactly like yours ! See, Joe I " 
 
 44 Goody ! " said Joel, immensely relieved ; for now 
 he could quite enjoy his to see a pair on Davie's 
 hands, also. " Look at Phron," he cried, " she hasn't 
 got only half of her things out ! " 
 
 To tell the truth, Phronsie was so bewildered by 
 her riches that she sat on the floor with the little 
 red stocking in her lap, laughing and cooing to her- 
 self amid the few things she had drawn out. When 
 she came to Seraphina's bonnet she was quite over- 
 come. She turned it over and over, and smoothed 
 out the little white feather that had once adorned one 
 of Grandma Bascom's chickens, until the two boys 
 with their stockings, and the others sitting around in 
 a group on the floor watching them, laughed in glee 
 to see her enjoyment 
 
f 4* Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Joel, at last, shaking his stocb 
 fag ; * I've got all there is. I wish there were forty 
 Christmases coming I" 
 
 "I haven't!" screamed Davie v "there's some 
 thing in the toe." 
 
 "It's an apple, I guess," said Joel; "turn it up, 
 Dave." 
 
 "Tisn't an apple," exclaimed Davie, "'tisn't 
 found it's long and thin; here 'tis." And he 
 pulled out a splendid long whistle on which he blew 
 a blast long and terrible, and Joel immediately fol- 
 lowing, all quiet was broken up, and the wildest hilar. 
 ity reigned. 
 
 "I don't know as you'll want any breakfast," at 
 last said Mrs. Pepper, when she had got Phronsie * 
 little sobered down. 
 
 -I do, Idol" cried JoeL 
 
 *Dear me 1 after your candy?" said Polly. 
 
 - That's all gone," said Joel, tooting around the 
 table on his whistle. " What are we going to have 
 for breakfast?" 
 
 * Same as ever," said his mother; "it can't ba 
 Christmas all the time." 
 
 *I wish 'twas," said little Davie; "forever and 
 ever!" 
 
 "Forever an* ever " echoed little Phronsie, flying 
 
And How They Grew. 243 
 
 up, her cheeks like two pinks, and Seraphina in her 
 arms with her bonnet on upside down. 
 
 "Dear, dear," said Polly, pinching Ben to keep 
 still as they tumbled down the little rickety steps to 
 the Provision Room, after breakfast. The children, 
 content in their treasures, were holding high carnival 
 in the kitchen. " Suppose they should find it out now 
 I declare I should feel most awfully. Isn't it ele- 
 gant ? " she asked, in a subdued whisper, going all 
 around and around the tree, magnificent in its dress 
 of bright red and yellow balls, white festoons, and 
 little candle-ends all ready for lighting. " Oh, Ben, did 
 you lock the door ? " 
 
 "Yes," he said. "That's a mouse," he added, as 
 a little rustling noise made Polly stop where she stood 
 back of the tree and prick up her ears in great dis- 
 tress of mind. " 'Tis elegant," he said, turning around 
 in admiration, and taking in the tree which, as Polly 
 said, was quite "gorgeous," and the evergreen 
 branches twisted up on the beams and rafters, and all 
 the other festive arrangements. " Even Jappy's isn't 
 better, I don't believe ! " 
 
 " I wish Jappy was here," said Polly with a small 
 
 "Well, he isn't," said Ben; "come, we must go 
 back into the kitek^n* pr alt *h#* children will be out 
 
244 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 here. Look your last, Polly; 'twon't do to come 
 again till it's time to light up." 
 
 " Mammy says she'd rather do the lighting up," 
 said Polly. 
 
 " Had she ? " said Ben, in surprise ; " oh, I sup- 
 pose she's afraid we'll set somethin' a-fire. Well, then, 
 we shan't come in till we have it." 
 
 " I can't bear to go," said Polly, turning reluc- 
 tantly away; "it's most beautiful oh, Ben," and 
 she faced him for the five-hundredth time with the 
 question, " is your Santa Glaus dress all safe ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Ben, " I'll warrant they won't find that 
 in one hurry J Such a time as we've had to make 
 it!" 
 
 " I know it," laughed Polly ; " don't that cotton 
 wool look just like bits of fur, Ben ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Ben, "and when the flour's shaken over 
 me it'll be Santa himself." 
 
 "We've got to put back the hair into mamsie's 
 cushion the first thing to-morrow," whispered Polly 
 anxiously, " and we mustn't forget it, Bensie." 
 
 " I want to keep the wig awfully," said Ben. " You 
 did make that just magnificent, Polly ! " 
 
 " If you could see yourself," giggled Polly ; " did 
 you put it in the straw bed ? and are you sure you 
 pulled the ticking over it smooth ? " 
 
And How They Grew. 245 
 
 "Ye3,//r," replied Ben, "sure's my name's Ben 
 Pepper! if you'll only keep them from seeing me 
 when I'm in it till we're ready that's all I ask." 
 
 "Well," said Polly a little relieved, " but I hope 
 Joe won't look." 
 
 " Come on 1 they're a-comin' 1 " whispered Ben ; 
 " quick 1 " 
 
 " Polly 1 " rang a voice dangerously near ; so near 
 that Polly, speeding over the stairs to intercept it, 
 neatly fell on her nose. 
 
 " Where you been ? " asked one. 
 
 " Let's have a concert," put in Ben ; Polly was so 
 out of breath that she couldn't speak. " Come, now, 
 each take a whistle, and we'll march round and round 
 and see which can make the biggest noise." 
 
 In the rattle and laughter which this procession 
 made all mystery was forgotten, and the two conspira- 
 tors began to breathe freer. 
 
 Five o'clock ! The small ones of the Pepper 
 flock, being pretty well tired out with noise and ex- 
 citement, all gathered around Polly and Ben, and 
 clamored for a story. 
 
 " Do, Polly, do," begged Joel. " It's Christmas, 
 and 'twon't come again for a year." 
 
 '* I can't," said Polly, in such a twitter that she 
 
146 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 could hardly stand still, and for the first time in her 
 life refusing, " I can't think of a thing." 
 
 " I will then," said Ben ; " we must do something," 
 he whispered to Polly. 
 
 " Tell it good," said Joel, settling himself. 
 
 So for an hour the small tyrants kept their enter- 
 tainers well employed. 
 
 " Isn't it growing awful dark ? " said Davie, rousing 
 himself at last, as Ben paused to take breath. 
 
 Polly pinched Ben. 
 
 " Mammy's a-goin' to let us know," he whispered 
 in reply. "We must keep on a little longer." 
 
 " Don't stop," said Joel, lifting his head where he 
 sat on the floor. " What you whisperin' for, Polly ? " 
 
 "I'm not," said Polly, glad to think she hadn't 
 spoken. 
 
 " Well, do go on, Ben," said Joel, lying down again. 
 
 "Polly '11 have to finish it," said Ben; "I've got 
 to go up-stairs now." 
 
 So Polly launched out into such an extravagant 
 story that they all, per force, had to listen. 
 
 All this time Mrs. Pepper had been pretty busy in 
 her way. And now she came into the kitchen and 
 set down her candle on the table. " Children," she 
 said. Everybody turned and looked at her her 
 tone was so strange ; and when they saw her dark 
 
And How TTiey Grew. 247 
 
 eyes shining with such a new light, little Davie 
 skipped right out into the middle of the room. 
 " What's the matter, mammy ? " 
 
 " You may all come into the Provision Room," said 
 she. 
 
 " What for ? " shouted Joel, in amazement ; whi : 
 the others jumped to their feet, and stood staring. 
 
 Polly flew around like a general, arranging her 
 forces. " Let's march there," said she ; " Phronsie, 
 you take hold of Davie's hand, and go first." 
 
 " I'm goin' first," announced Joel, squeezing up 
 past Polly. 
 
 "No, you mustn't, Joe," said Polly decidedly; 
 " Phronsie and David are the youngest." 
 
 " They're always the youngest," said Joel, falling 
 back with Polly to the rear. 
 
 "Forward! MARCH!" sang Polly. "Follow mam- 
 sie!" 
 
 Down the stairs they went with military step, and 
 into the Provision Room. And then, with one wild 
 look, the little battalion broke ranks, and tumbling 
 one over the other, in decidedly unmilitary style, pre- 
 sented a very queer appearance ! 
 
 And Captain Polly was the queerest of all ; for 
 she just gave one gaze at the tree, and then sat right 
 down on the floor, and saidr * 4 OH I OH 1 " 
 
248 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Mrs. Pepper was flying around delightedly, and 
 saying, " Please to come right in," and " How do you 
 do?" 
 
 And before anybody knew it, there were the laugh- 
 ing faces of Mrs. Henderson and the Parson him- 
 self, Doctor Fisher and old Grandma Bascom ; while 
 the two Henderson boys, unwilling to be defrauded 
 of any of the fun, were squeezing themselves in be- 
 tween everybody else, and coming up to Polly every 
 third minute, and saying, "There aren't you sur- 
 prised ? " 
 
 " It's Fairyland ! " cried little Davie, out of his wits 
 with joy ; " Oh 1 aren't we in Fairyland, ma ? " 
 
 The whole room was in one buzz of chatter and 
 fun ; and everybody beamed on everybody else ; and 
 nobody knew what they said, till Mrs. Pepper called, 
 " Hush ! Santa Glaus is coming ! n 
 
 A rattle at the little old window made everybody 
 look there, just as a great snow-white head popped 
 up over the sill. 
 
 Oh f" screamed Joel, " 9 fs Santy!" 
 
 " He's a-comin' in ! " cried Davie in chorus, which 
 sent Phronsie flying to Polly. In jumped a little old 
 man, quite spry for his years ; with a jolly, red face 
 and a pack on his back, and flew into their midst, pre- 
 pared to do his duty ; but what should he do, instead 
 
And How They Grew. 249 
 
 of making his speech, "this jolly Old Saint " but 
 first fly up to Mrs. Pepper, and say "Oh, mammy 
 how did you do it ? " 
 
 " It's Ben ! " screamed Phronsie ; but the little 
 Old Saint didn't hear, for he and Polly took hold of 
 hands, and pranced around that tree while everybody 
 laughed till they cried to see them go ! 
 
 And then it all came out I 
 
 " Order!" said Parson Henderson in his deepest 
 tones ; and then he put into Santa Glaus* hands a 
 letter, which he requested him to read. And the 
 jolly Old Saint, although he was very old, didn't need 
 any spectacles, but piped out in Ben's, loudest tones : 
 
 * Dear Friends A Merry Christmas to you all I And that 
 you'll have a good time, and enjoy it all as much as I've en- 
 joyed my good times at your house, is the wish of your friend, 
 
 JASPER ELYOT KING." 
 
 "Hurrah for Jappy!" cried Santa Glaus, pulling 
 his beard ; and " Hurrah for Jasper ! " went all 
 around the room ; and this ended in three good 
 cheers Phronsie coming in too late with her little 
 crow which was just as well, however ! 
 
 " Do your duty now, Santa Glaus ! " commanded 
 Dr. Fisher as master of ceremonies ; and everything 
 was as still as a mouse ! 
 
t$o Five Little Peppers? 
 
 And the first thing she knew, a lovely brass cage, 
 With a dear little bird with two astonished black eyes 
 dropped down into Polly's hands. The card on if 
 said : " For Miss Polly Pepper, to give her music every- 
 day in the year" 
 
 "Mammy," said Polly; and then she did the 
 queerest thing of the whole ! she just burst into 
 tears ! " I never thought I should have a bird for 
 my very own I " 
 
 Hulloa 1" said Santa Glaus, "I've got something 
 myself !" 
 
 " Santa Glaus* clothes are too old," laughed Dr. 
 Fisher, holding up a stout, warm suit that a boy 
 about as big as Ben would delight in. 
 
 And then that wonderful tree just rained down all 
 manner of lovely fruit. Gifts came flying thick and 
 fast, till the air seemed full, and each one was 
 greeted with a shout of glee, as it was put into the 
 hands of its owner. A shawl flew down on Mrs. 
 Pepper's shoulders ; and a work-basket tumbled on 
 Polly's head ; and tops and balls and fishing-poles, 
 sent Joel and David into a corner with howls of de- 
 light 1 
 
 But the climax was reached when a large wax doll 
 in a very gay pink silk dress, was put into Phronsie's 
 hands, and Dfc Fisher, stooping down, read in loud 
 
And How They Grew. 251 
 
 tones : " FOR PHRONSIE, FROM ONE WHO ENJOYED 
 HER GINGERBREAD BOY." 
 
 After that, nobody had anything to say ! Books 
 jumped down unnoticed, and gay boxes of candy. 
 Only Polly peeped into one of her books, and saw in 
 Jappy's plain hand " / hope we'll both read this 
 next summer" And turning over to the title-page, 
 she saw " A Complete Manual of Cookery." 
 
 " The best is to come," said Mrs. Henderson in 
 her gentle way, When there was a lull in the gale- 
 she took Polly's hand, and led her to a little stand ol 
 flowers in the corner concealed by a sheet pinks 
 and geraniums, heliotropes and roses, blooming away, 
 and nodding their pretty heads at the happy sight 
 Polly had her flowers. 
 
 "Why didn't we know?" cried the children at 
 last, when everybody was tying on their hoods, and 
 getting their hats to leave the festive scene, " how 
 could you keep it secret, mammy ? " 
 
 " They all went to Mrs. Henderson's," said Mrs. 
 Pepper ; " Jasper wrote me, and asked where to send 
 'em, and Mrs. Henderson was so kind as to say that 
 they might come there. And we brought 'em over 
 last evening, when you were all abea. I couldn't have 
 done it/' she said, bowing to the Parson and his 
 
35* fwc Little Peppers ; 
 
 wife, "if 't wasn't for their kindness never, m 9 
 this world I " 
 
 14 And Pinsure,* said the minister, looking around 
 on the bright group, " if we can help along a bit of 
 happiness like this, it is a blessed thing I " 
 
 And here Joel had the last word. "You said 
 'twan't goin* to be Christmas always, mammy. J 
 say," looking around on the overflow of treasure* 
 and the happy faces " 'it'll be just forcwrl* 
 
And How Iftey ^rcw. 253 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 EDUCATION AHEAD. 
 
 AFTER that they couldn't thank Jasper enough ! 
 They tried to, lovingly, and an elaborate let- 
 ter of thanks, headed by Mrs. Pepper, was drawn up 
 and sent with a box of the results of Polly's diligent 
 study of Jasper's book. Polly stripped off recklessly 
 her choicest buds and blossoms from the gay little 
 stand of flowers in the corner, that had already be- 
 gun to blossom, and tucked them into every little nook 
 in the box that could possibly hold a posy. But as 
 for thanking him enough ! 
 
 "We can't do it, mammy," said Polly, looking, 
 around on all the happy faces, and then up at Cherry, 
 who was singing in the window, and who immediately 
 swelled up his little throat and poured out such a 
 merry burst of song that she had to wait for him to 
 finish. " No, not if we tried a thousand years ! " 
 
,54- &M Ztf/fc Peppers; 
 
 " I'm a-goin'," said Joel, who was busy as a bee with 
 his new tools that the tree had shaken down for him, 
 "to make Jappy the splendidest box you ever saw, 
 Polly ! I guess that'll thank him 1" 
 
 " Do," cried Polly ; "he'd be so pleased, Joey." 
 
 " And I," said Phronsie, over in the corner with 
 .er children, "I'm goin' to see my poor sick man 
 sometime, Polly, I am 1 " 
 
 "Oh, dearl" cried Polly, whirling around, and 
 looking at her mother in dismay. " She'll be goin' to- 
 morrow I Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't ; he lives miles 
 and miles awaj oh, ever so far ! " 
 
 " Does he live as far as the moon ? " asked little 
 Phronsie, carefully laying Seraphina down, and look* 
 ing up at Polly, anxiously. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know," said Polly, giving Cherry a 
 piece of bread, and laughing to see how cunning he 
 looked. " Oh, no, of course not, but it's an awful 
 long ways, Phronsie.'* 
 
 " I don't care," said Phronsie, determinedly, giving 
 the new doll a loving little pat, " I'm goin' sometime, 
 Polly, to thank my poor sick man, yes, I am ! " 
 
 "You'll see him next summer, Phronsie," sang 
 Polly skipping around the kitchen, " and Jappy's sister 
 Marian, the lovely lady, and all the boys. Won't that 
 be nice ? " and Polly stopped to pat the yellow head 
 
And How They Grew. 155 
 
 bending in motherly attentions over her array of 
 dolls. 
 
 " Ye-es," said Phronsie, slowly ; " the whole of 'em, 
 Polly?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! " said Polly, gayly ; " the whole of 
 'em, Phronsie ! " 
 
 " Hooray ! " shouted the two boys, while Phronsie 
 only gave a long sigh, and clasped her hands. 
 
 44 Better not be looking for summer," said Mrs. Pep- 
 per, " until you do your duty by the winter ; then you 
 can enjoy it," and she took a fresh needleful of 
 thread. 
 
 44 Mamsie's right," said Ben, smiling over at her. 
 And he threw down his book and jumped for his cap. 
 44 Now for a good chop I " he cried, and snatching a 
 kiss from Phronsie, he rushed out of the door to his 
 work, whistling as he went. 
 
 " Warn't Mr. Henderson good, ma," asked Polly, 
 watching his retreating figure, "to give Ben learn- 
 ing?" 
 
 "Yes, he was," replied Mrs. Pepper, enthusiasti- 
 cally. " We've got a parson, if anybody has in this 
 world ! " 
 
 44 And Ben's learning," said Polly, swelling with 
 pride, as she sat down by her mother, and began to 
 sew rapidly, " so that he'll be a big man right off 1 
 
156 five Little Peppers; 
 
 dear," as a thought made her needle pause a minutt 
 in its quick flying in and out. 
 
 " What is it, Polly ?" Mrs. Pepper looked keenly 
 at the troubled face and downcast eyes. 
 
 " Why " began Polly, and then she finished very 
 lowly, "I sha'n't know anything, and Ben'll be 
 ashamed of me." 
 
 " Yes, you will 1 " cried Mrs. Pepper, energetically, 
 "you keep on trying, and the Lord'll send some 
 way ; don't you go to bothering your head about it 
 now, Polly it'll come when it's time." 
 
 "Will it?" asked Polly, doubtfully, taking up her 
 needle again. 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! " cried Mrs. Pepper, briskly ; * come 
 fly at your sewing ; that's your learning now." 
 
 " So 'tis," said Polly, with a little laugh. " Now 
 let's see which'll get their seam done first, mamsie ? " 
 
 And now letters flew thick and fast from the city to 
 the little brown house, and back again, warming Jas 
 per's heart, and filling the tedious months of that win- 
 ter with more of jollity and fun than the lad ever en- 
 joyed before; and never was fun and jollity more 
 needed than now; for Mr. King, having nothing to 
 do, and each year finding himself less incHned to ex- 
 ercise any thoughtful energy for others, began to look 
 
And How They Grew. 257 
 
 at life something in the light of a serious bore, and 
 accordingly made it decidedly disagreeable for all 
 around him, and particularly for Jasper who was 
 his constant companion. But the boy was looking 
 forward to summer, and so held on bravely. 
 
 "I do verily believe, Polly," he wrote, "that 
 Badgertown'll see the gayest times it ever knew! 
 Sister Marian wants to go, so that's all right. Now, 
 hurrah for a good time it's surely coming ! " 
 
 But alas ! for Jasper ! as spring advanced, his 
 father took a decided aversion to Hingham, Badger- 
 town, and all other places that could be mentioned in 
 that vicinity. 
 
 " It's a wretched climate," he asserted, over and 
 over ; " and the foundation of all my ill feelings this 
 winter was laid, I'm convinced, in Hingham last sum- 
 mer." 
 
 No use to urge the contrary ; and all Jasper's plead- 
 ings were equally vain. At last, sister Marian, who 
 was kind-hearted to a fault, sorry to see her brother's 
 dismay and disappointment said, one day, " Why not 
 have one of the children come here ? I should like 
 it very much do invite Ben." 
 
 " I don't want Ben," said Jasper gloomily, "I want 
 Polly." He added this in much the same tone as 
 
258 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 Phronsie's when she had rushed up to him the day 
 she was lost, declaring, " I want Polly ! " 
 
 "Very well, then," said sister Marian, laughing, 
 " I'm sure I didn't mean to dictate which one ; let it 
 be Polly then ; yes, I should prefer Polly myself, I 
 think, as we've enough boys now," smiling to think of 
 her own brood of wide awake youngsters. 
 
 " If you only will, father, I'll try to be ever so 
 good! " said Jasper, turning suddenly to his father. 
 
 " Jasper needs some change," said sister Marian 
 kindly, " he really has grown very pale and thin." 
 
 "Ztey/"said Mr. King, sharply, looking at him 
 over his eye-glasses. " The boy's well enough ; well 
 enough ! " But he twisted uneasily in his chair, all 
 the same. At last he flung down his paper, twitched 
 his fingers through his hair two or three times, and 
 then burst out 
 
 "Well, why don't you send for her? I'm sure I 
 don't care I'll write myself, and I had better do it 
 now. Tell Thomas to be ready to take it right down \ 
 it must get into this mail." 
 
 When Mr. King had made up his mind to do any- 
 thing, everybody else must immediately give up their 
 individual plans, and stand out of the way for him to 
 execute his at just that particular moment ! Accord- 
 ingly Thomas was dragged from his work to post th* 
 
And How They Grew. 259 
 
 letter, while the old gentleman occupied the time in 
 pulling out his watch every third second until the 
 slightly-out-of -breath Thomas reported on his return 
 that the letter did get in. Then Mr. King settled 
 down satisfied, and everything went on smoothly as 
 before. 
 
 But Polly didn't come ! A grateful, appreciative 
 letter, expressed in Mrs. Pepper's own stiff way, 
 plainly showed the determination of that good woman 
 not to accept what ^as such a favor to her child. 
 
 In vain Mr. King stormed, and fretted, and begged, 
 offering every advantage possible Polly should have 
 the best foundation for a musical education that the 
 city could afford; also lessons in the schoolroom 
 under the boys' private tutor it was all of no avail. 
 In vain sister Marian sent a gentle appeal, fully show- 
 ing her heart was in it ; nothing broke down Mrs. 
 Pepper's resolve, until, at last, the old gentleman 
 wrote one day that Jasper, being in such failing health, 
 really depended on Polly to cheer him up. That re- 
 moved the last straw that made it "putting one's seK 
 under an obligation," which to Mrs. Pepper's inde- 
 pendent soul, had seemed insurmountable. 
 
 And now, it was decided that Polly was really to 
 go ! and pretty soon all Badgertown knew that Polly 
 Pepper was going to the bip- city. And there wasn't 
 
260 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 a man, woman, or child but what greatly rejoiced that 
 a sunny time was coming to one of the chicks in the 
 little brown house. With many warm words, and 
 some substantial gifts, kind friends helped forward 
 the "outing." Only one person doubted that this 
 delightful chance should be grasped at once and 
 that one was Polly herself ! 
 
 " I can't, " she said, and stood quite pale and still, 
 when the Hendersons advised her mother's approval, 
 and even Grandma Bascom said, " Go." " I can't go 
 and leave mammy to do all the work." 
 
 " But don't you see, Polly," said Mrs. Henderson, 
 .drawing her to her side, " that you will help your 
 mother twice as much as you possibly could here, by 
 getting a good education ? Think what your music 
 will be-; only think, Polly!" 
 
 Polly drew a long breath at this and turned away. 
 
 " Oh, Polly ! " cried Ben, though his voice choked, 
 " if you give this up, there never'll be another 
 chance," and the boy put his arm around her, and 
 whispered something in her ear. 
 
 " I know," said Polly quietly and then she burst 
 out, " oh, but I can't ! 'tish't right." 
 
 " Polly," said Mrs. Pepper and never in all their 
 lives had the children seen such a look in mamsie's 
 eyes as met them then ; " it does seem as if my 
 
And How They Grew. 261 
 
 heart would be broken if you didn't go ! " And then 
 she burst out crying, right before them all ! 
 
 " Oh mammy," cried Polly, breaking away from 
 everybody, and flinging herself into her arms. " I'll 
 go if you think I ought to. But it's too good ! 
 don't cry don't, mammy dear," and Polly stroked 
 the careworn face lovingly, and patted the smooth 
 hair that was still so black. 
 
 " And, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling through 
 her tears, "just think what a comfort you'll be tome, 
 and us all," she added, taking in the children who 
 were crowding around Polly as the centre of attrac- 
 tion. " Why, you'll be the making of us," she added 
 hopefully. 
 
 "I'll do something? said Polly, her brown eyes 
 kindling, " or I shan't be worthy of you, mammy." 
 
 " O, youll do it," said Mrs. Pepper, confidently, 
 *now that you're going." 
 
 But when Polly stepped into the stage, with her 
 little hair trunk strapped on behind, containing her 
 one brown merino that Mrs. Henderson had made 
 over for her out of one of her own, and her two new 
 ginghams. kr courage failed again, and she aston- 
 ished evtrybody, and nearly upset a mild-faced old 
 lady who was in the corner placidly eating dough- 
 nuts, by springing out and rushing up through tho 
 
i 6 2 five Little Peppers ; 
 
 little brown gate, past all the family, drawn up to see 
 her off. She flew over the old flat door-stone, and 
 into the bed-room, where she flung herself down 
 between the old bed and Phronsie's crib, in a sudden 
 torrent of tears. "I rtz./go!" she sobbed "oh 
 
 " Why, Polly ! " cried Mrs. Pepper, hurrying in, 
 followed by Joel and the rest of the troops at his 
 heels. " What are you thinking of ! " 
 
 "Think of by-and-by, Polly," put in Ben, patting 
 her on the back with an unsteady hand, while Joel 
 varied the proceedings by running back and forth, 
 creaming at the top of his lungs, " The stage's 
 going ! your trunk'll be taken ! " 
 
 * Dear me ! " ejaculated Mrs. Pepper, " do stop it 
 jjomebody 1 there, Polly, come now 1 Do as mother 
 says!" 
 
 " I'll try again," said poor Polly, choking back her 
 *obs, and getting on her feet. 
 
 Then Polly's tears were wiped away, her hat 
 straightened, after which she was kissed all round 
 again by the whole family, Phronsie waiting for the 
 last two, and then was helped again into the stage, 
 the bags and parcels, and a box for Jappy, which, as 
 it wouldn't go into the trunk, Joel had insisted Polly 
 should carry in her hand, were again piled around 
 
And How They Grew. 263 
 
 her, and Mr. Tisbett mounted to his seat, and with a 
 crack of the whip, bore her safely off this time. 
 
 The doughnut lady, viewing poor Polly with ex- 
 treme sympathy, immediately forced upon her accep- 
 tance three of the largest and sugariest. 
 
 " 'Twill do you good," she said, falling to, herself, 
 on another with good zeal. " I always eat 'em, and 
 then there ain't any room for homesickness I " 
 
 And away, and away, and away they rumbled and 
 jumbled to the cars. 
 
 Here Mr. Tisbett put Polly and her numerous 
 bundles under the care of the conductor, with mani- 
 fold charges and explicit directions, to see her safely 
 into Mr. King's own hands. He left her sitting 
 straight up among her parcels, her sturdy little figure 
 drawn up to its full height, and the clear brown eyes 
 regaining a little of their dancing light ; for although 
 a dreadful feeling tugged at her heart, as she thought 
 of the little brown house she was fast flying away 
 from, there was something else ; our Polly had begun 
 to realize that now she was going to* " help mother.* 
 
 And now they neared the big city, and everybody 
 began to bustle around, and get ready to jump out, 
 and the minute the train stopped, the crowd poured 
 out from the cars, making way for the crowd pouring 
 in, for this was a through train. 
 
264 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 "All aboard!" sang the conductor. "Oh my 
 senses ! " springing to Polly; "I forgot you here!" 
 
 But as quick as a flash he was pushed aside, and a 
 bright, boyish figure dashed up. 
 
 "Oh, Polly!" he said in such a ringing voice! 
 and in another second, Polly and her bag, and the 
 bundle of cakes and apples that Grandma Bascom 
 had put up for her, and Joel's box, were one and all 
 bundled out upon the platform, and the train whizzed 
 on, and there Mr. King was fuming up and down, 
 berating the departing conductor, and speaking his 
 mind in regard to all the railroad officials he could 
 think of. He pulled himself up long enough to give 
 Polly a hearty welcome; and then away again he 
 flew in righteous indignation, while Jasper rushed off 
 into the baggage room with Polly's check. 
 
 However, every now and then, turning to look 
 down into the little rosy face beside him, the old 
 gentleman would burst forth, " Bless me, child 1 I'm 
 glad you're here, Polly I how could the fellow for- 
 get when " 
 
 " Oh well, you know," said Polly, with a happy little 
 wriggle under her brown coat, " I'm here now." 
 
 " So you are I so you are ! " laughed the old gen 
 tleman suddenly ; " where can Jasper be so long." 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 265 
 
 " They're all in the carriage," answered the boy 
 skipping back. " Now, father ! now Polly ! " 
 
 He was fairly bubbling over with joy and Mr. King 
 forgot his dudgeon and joined in the general glee, 
 which soon became so great that travellers gave 
 
 POLLY IS REALLY ON THE WAY. 
 
 many a glance at the merry trio who bundled away 
 to Thomas and the waiting grays. 
 
 " You're sure you've got the right check ? " askec* 
 Mr. King, nervously, getting into a handsome coach 
 lined with dark green satin, and settling down among 
 its ample cushions with a sigh of relief, 
 
266 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 "Oh yes," laughed Jasper; "Polly didn't have 
 any one else's check, I guess 
 
 Over through the heart of the city, down narrow, 
 noisy business streets, out into wide avenues, with 
 handsome stately mansions on either side they 
 flew along. 
 
 "Oh" said Polly; and then she stopped, and 
 blushed very hard. 
 
 " What is it, my dear ? " asked Mr. King, kindly. 
 
 Polly couldn't speak at first, but when Jasper 
 stopped his merry chat and begged to know what it 
 was, she turned on him, and burst out, " You live 
 here ? " 
 
 " Why, yes," laughed the boy ; " why not ? " 
 
 " Oh /" said Polly again, her cheeks as red as two 
 roses, " it's so lovely ! " 
 
 And then the carriage turned in at a brown stone 
 gateway, and winding up among some fine old trees, 
 stopped before a large,stately residence that in Polly's 
 eyes seemed like one of the castles of Ben's famous 
 stories. And then Mr. King got out, and gallantly 
 escorted Polly out, and up the steps, while Jasper fol- 
 lowed with Polly's bag which he couldn't be per- 
 suaded to resign to Thomas A stiff waiter held the 
 door open and then, the rest was only a pleasant, 
 confused jumble of kind welcoming words, smiling 
 
And How They Grew. 267 
 
 faces, with a background of high spacious walls, 
 bright pictures, and soft elegant hangings, everything 
 and all inextricably mixed till Polly herself 
 seemed floating away away, fast to the Fairyland 
 of her dreams ; now, Mr. King was handing her 
 around, like a precious parcel, from one to the other 
 now Jasper was bobbing in and out everywhere, 
 introducing her on all sides, and then Prince was 
 jumping up and trying to lick her face every min- 
 ute but best of all was, it when a lovely face looked 
 down into hers, and Jasper's sister bent to kiss her. 
 
 " I am very glad to have you here, little Polly." 
 The words were simple, but Polly, lifting up her clear 
 brown eyes, looked straight into the heart of the 
 speaker, and from that moment never ceased to love 
 her. 
 
 " It was a good inspiration," thought Mrs. Whitney 
 to herself ; " this little girl is going to be a comfort, I 
 know." And then she set herself to conduct success- 
 fully her three boys into friendliness and good fellow 
 ship with Polly, for each of them was following his 
 own sweet will in the capacity of host, and besides 
 staring at her with all his might, was determined to 
 do the whole of the entertaining, a state of things 
 which might become unpleasant. However, Polly 
 stood it like a veteran. 
 
68 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " This little girl must be very tired," said Mrs. 
 Whitney, at last with a bright smile. " Besides I am 
 going to have her to myself now." 
 
 " Oh, no, no," cried little Dick in alarm ; " why, 
 she's just come ; we want to see her." 
 
 " For shame, Dick ! " said Percy, the eldest, a boy 
 of ten years, who took every opportunity to reprove 
 Dick in public ; " she's come a great ways, so she 
 ought to rest, you know." 
 
 " You wanted her to come out to the greenhouse 
 yourself, you know you did," put in Van, the next to 
 Percy, who never would be reproved or patronized, 
 " only she wouldn't go. 
 
 " You'll come down to dinner," said Percy, politely, 
 ignoring Van. " Then you won't be tired, perhaps.'-" 
 
 " Oh, I'm not very tired now," said Polly, brightly, 
 with a merry little laugh, " only I've never been in 
 the cars before, and " 
 
 "Never been in the cars before!" exclaimed Van, 
 crowding up, while Percy made a big round O with 
 his mouth, and little Dick's eyes stretched to their 
 widest extent. 
 
 "No," said Polly simply, "never in all my life." 
 
 " Come, dear," said sister Marian, rising quickly, 
 and taking Polly's hand ; while Jasper, showing un- 
 
And How They Grew. 269 
 
 mfctakable symptoms of pitching into all the three 
 boys, followed with the bag. 
 
 Up the broad oak staircase they went, Polly hold- 
 ing by Mrs. Whitney's soft hand, as if for dear life, 
 and Jasper tripping up two steps at a time, in front of 
 them. They turned after reaching the top, down a 
 hall soft to the foot and brightly lighted. 
 
 "Now, Polly," said sister Marian, u I'm going to 
 have you here, right next to my dressing room ; this 
 is your nest, little bird, and I hope you'll be very 
 happy in it." 
 
 And here Mrs. Whitney turned up the gas, and 
 then, just because she couldn't help it, gathered Polly 
 up in her arms without another word. Jasper set 
 down the bag on a chair, and came and stood by his 
 sister's side, looking down at her as she stroked the 
 brown wavy hair on her bosom. 
 
 " It's so nice to have Polly here, sister,*' he said, 
 and he put his hand on Mrs. Whitney's neck ; and 
 then with the other hand took hold of both of Polly's 
 chubby ones, who looked up and smiled ; and in that 
 smile the little brown house seemed to hop right out, 
 and bring back in a flash all the nice times those 
 eight happy weeks had brought him. 
 
 "Oh, 'twas so perfectly splendid, sister Marian, " he 
 cried, flinging himself down on the floor by her chair. 
 
9 jo Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " You don't know what good times we had does 
 she, Polly ? " and then he launched out into a perfect 
 shower of " Don't you remember this?" or "Oh, 
 Polly ! you surely haven't forgotten that ! " Mrs. 
 Whitney good naturedly entering into it and enjoying 
 it all with them, until, warned by the lateness of the 
 hour, she laughingly reminded Jasper of dinner, and 
 dismissed him to prepare for it. 
 
 When the three boys saw Polly coming in again, 
 they welcomed her with a cordial shout, for one and 
 all, after careful measurement of her, had succumbed 
 entirely to Polly ; and each was unwilling that the 
 others should get ahead of him in her regard. 
 
 " This is your seat, Polly," said sister Marian, 
 touching the chair next to her own. 
 
 Thereupon a small fight ensued between the little 
 Whitneys, while Jasper looked decidedly discom- 
 fited. 
 
 " Let Polly sit next to me," said Van, as if a seat 
 next to him was of all things most to be desired. 
 
 " Oh, no, I want her," said little Dick. 
 
 " Pshaw, Dick ! you're too young," put in Percy. 
 " You' d spill the bread and butter all over her." 
 
 " I wouldn't either," said little Dick, indignantly, 
 and beginning to crawl into his seat ; " I don't spill 
 bread and butter, now Percy, you kno v." 
 

And How They Grew. 173 
 
 * See here," said Jasper, decidedly, " she's coming 
 up here by father and me ; that is, sister Marian," he 
 finished more politely, " if you're willing." 
 
 All this while Polly had stood quietly watching the 
 group, the big, handsome table, the bright lights, and 
 the well-trained servants with a curious feeling at her 
 heart what were the little-brown-house-people doing ? 
 
 " Polly shall decide it," said sister Marian, laugh- 
 ing. " Now, where will you sit, dear ? " she added, 
 looking down on the little quiet figure beside her. 
 
 " Oh, by Jappy, please," said Polly, quickly, as if 
 there could 'be no doubt; "and kind Mr. King," she 
 added, smiling at him. 
 
 "That's right; that's right, my dear," cried the old 
 gentleman, pleased beyond measure at her honest 
 choice. And he pulled out her chair, and waited 
 upon her into it so handsomely that Polly was happy 
 at once ; while Jasper, with a proud toss of his dark, 
 wa^ry hair, marched up delightedly, and took the chair 
 on her other side. 
 
 And now, in two or three minutes it seemed as if 
 Polly had always been there ; it was the most natural 
 thing in the world that sister Marian should smile 
 down the table at the bright-faced narrator, who an- 
 swered all their numerous questions, and entertained 
 them all with accounts of Ben's skill, of Phronsie'i 
 
274 F* ve Little Peppers; 
 
 cunning ways, of the boys who made fun for all, and 
 above everything else of the dear mother whom they 
 all longed to help, and of all the sayings and doings 
 in the little brown house. No wonder that the little 
 boys forgot to eat ; and for once never thought of the 
 attractions of the table. And when, as they left the 
 table at last, little Dick rushed impulsively up to 
 Polly, and flinging himself into her arms, declared 
 
 " I love you ! and you're my sister I " Nothing 
 more was needed to make Polly feel at home. 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Whitney, and nodded to herself 
 in the saying, " it was a good thing ; and a comfort, 
 I believe, has come to this house this day ! " 
 
And Mow They Grew, 275 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 BRAVE WORK, AND THE REWARD. 
 
 AND on the very first morrow came Polly's nvusic 
 teacher ! 
 
 The big drawing-room, with its shaded light and 
 draped furniture, with its thick soft carpet, on which 
 no foot-fall could be heard, with all its beauty and 
 loveliness on every side was nothing to Polly's eyes ; 
 only the room that contained the piano ! 
 
 That was all she saw ! And when the teacher came 
 he was simply the Fairy (an ugly little one, it is true, 
 but still a most powerful being) who was to unlock its 
 mysteries, and conduct her into Fairyland itself. He 
 was a homely little Frenchman, with a long, curved 
 nose, and an enormous black moustache, magnifi- 
 cently waxed, who bowed elaborately, and called her 
 " Mademoiselle Pep-paire ; " but he had music in his 
 soul, and Polly couldn't reverence him too much. 
 
Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 And now the big piano gave out new sounds \ 
 sounds that told of a strong purpose and steady pa- 
 tience. Every note was struck for mother and the 
 home brood. Monsieur Tourtelotte, after watching her 
 keenly out of his little black eyes, would nod to him- 
 self like a mandarin, and the nod would be followed 
 by showers of extra politeness, as his appreciation of 
 her patient energy and attention. 
 
 Every chance she could get, Polly would steal away 
 into the drawing-room from Jappy and the three boys 
 and all the attractions they could offer, and labori- 
 ously work away over ar.d over at the tedious scales 
 and exercises that were to be stepping-stones to so 
 much that was glorious beyond. Never had she sat 
 still for so long a time in her active little life ; and 
 now, with her arms at just such an angle, with the 
 stiff, chubby fingers kept under training and restraint 
 well, Polly realized, years after, that only her love 
 of the little brown house could ever have kept her 
 from flying up and spinning around in perfect des- 
 pair. 
 
 " She likes it ! " said Percy, in absolute astonish- 
 ment, one day, when Polly had refused to go out driv- 
 ing with all the other children in the park, and had 
 gone resolutely, instead, into the drawing-room and 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 277 
 
 shut the door. u She likes those hateful old exercises 
 and she don't like anything else." 
 
 "Much you know about it," said Jappy; " she's? 
 perfectly aching to go, now Percy Whitney ! " 
 
 THE INDEFATIGABLE POLLY. 
 
 " Well, why don't she then ? " said Percy, opening 
 his eyes to their widest extent. 
 
 " 'Cause," said Jasper, stopping on his way to the 
 door to look him full in the face, " she's commenced 
 
278 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 to learn to play, and there won't anything stop her." 
 
 "I'm going to try," said Percy, gleefully. " I know 
 lots of ways I can do to try, anyway." 
 
 " See here, now," said Jasper, turning back, " you 
 let her alone ! Do you hear ? " he added, and there 
 must have been something in his eye to command at- 
 tention, for Percy instantly signified his intention not 
 to tease this young music student in the least 
 
 " Come on then, old fellow," and Jasper swung his 
 cap on his head, " Thomas will be like forty bears if 
 we keep him waiting much longer." 
 
 And Polly kept at it steadily day after day ; getting 
 through with the lessons in the school-room as quickly 
 as possible to rush to her music, until presently the 
 little Frenchman waxed enthusiastic to that degree 
 that, as day after day progressed and swelled into 
 weeks, and each lesson came to an end, he would 
 skip away on the tips of his toes, his nose in the air> 
 and the waxed ends of his moustache, fairly trembling 
 with delight 
 
 " Ah, such patience as Mademoiselle Pep-paire has ) 
 I know no other such little Americane I " 
 
 " I think," said Jasper one evening after dinner v 
 when all the children were assembled as usual in then 
 favorite place on the big rug in front of the fire in 
 the library, Prince in the middle of the group, his 
 
stna How They Grew. 279 
 
 head on his paws, watching everything in infinite sat- 
 isfaction, " that Polly's getting on in music as I never 
 saw anyone do ; and that's a fact ! " 
 
 "/mean to begin," said Van, ambitiously, sitting 
 up straight and staring at the glowing coals. " I guess 
 I will to-morrow," which announcement was received 
 with a perfect shout Van's taste being anything 
 rather than of a musical nature. 
 
 " If you do," said Jappy, when the merriment had 
 a little subsided, " I shall go out of the house at every 
 lesson ; there won't anyone stay in it, Van." 
 
 "I can bang all I want to, then," said Van, noways 
 disturbed by the reflection, and pulling one of Prince's 
 long ears, " you think you're so big, Jappy, just be- 
 cause you're thirteen. 
 
 " He's only three ahead of me, Van," bristled 
 Percy, who never could forgive Jappy for being his 
 uncle, much less the still greater sin of having been 
 born three years earlier than himself. 
 
 " Three's just as bad as four," said Van. 
 
 " Let's tell stories," began Polly, who never could 
 remember such goings on in the little brown house ; 
 * we must each tell one," she added with the greatest 
 enthusiasm, " and see which will be the biggest and 
 the best." 
 
 " Oh, no," said Van, who perfectly revelled in 
 
8o Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 Polly's stories, and who now forgot his trials in the 
 prospect of one, "you tell, Polly you tell alone." 
 
 " Yes, do, Polly," said Jasper ; " we'd rather." 
 
 So Polly launched out into one of her gayest and 
 finest ; and soon they were in such a peal of laugh- 
 ter, and had reached such heights of enjoyment, that 
 Mr. King popped his head in at the door, and then 
 came in, and took a seat in a big rocking-chair in the 
 corner to hear the fun go on. 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Van, leaning back with a long 
 sigh, and wiping his flushed face as Polly wound up 
 with a triumphant flourish, " how ever do you think 
 of such things, Polly Pepper ? " 
 
 "That isn't anything," said Jappy, bringing his 
 handsome face out into the strong light ; " why, it's 
 just nothing to what she has told time and again in 
 the little brown house in Badgertown ; " and then he 
 caught sight of Polly's face, which turned a little 
 pale in the firelight as he spoke ; and the brown eyes 
 had such a pathetic droop in them that it went to the 
 boy's very heart. 
 
 Was Polly homesick ? and so soon I 
 
And How They Grew. s& 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 
 
 POLLY IS COMFORTED, 
 
 YES, it must be confessed. Polly was homesick. 
 All her imaginations of her mother's hard 
 -work, increased by her absence, loomed up before 
 jher, till she was almost ready to fly home without a 
 minute's warning. At night, when no one knew it, 
 the tears would come racing over the poor, forlorn 
 little face, and would not be squeezed back. It got to 
 be noticed finally ; and one and all redoubled their 
 exertions to make everything twice as pleasant as ever ! 
 
 The only place, except in front of the grand piano, 
 where Polly approached a state of comparative hap- 
 piness, was in the greenhouse. 
 
 Here she would stay, comforted and soothed 
 .among the lovely plants and rich exotics, rejoicing 
 the heart of Old Turner the gardener, who since 
 
282 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 Polly's first rapturous entrance, had taken her into 
 his good graces for all time. 
 
 Every chance she could steal after practice hours 
 were over, and after the clamorous demands of the 
 boys upon her time were fully satisfied, was seized 
 to fly on the wings of the wind, to the flowers. 
 
 But even with the music and flowers the dancing 
 light in the eyes went down a little ; and Polly, grow- 
 ing more silent^ and pale, moved around with a little 
 droop to the small figure that had only been wont to 
 fly through the wide halls and spacious rooms with 
 gay and springing step. 
 
 " Polly don't like us," at last said Van one day in 
 despair. 
 
 "Then, dear," said Mrs. Whitney, "you must be 
 kinder to her than ever ; think what it would be for 
 one of you to be away from home even among 
 friends." 
 
 " I'd like it first rate to be away from Percy/' said 
 Van, reflectively ; " I wouldn't come back in three, 
 no, six weeks." 
 
 " My son," said his mamma, "just stop and think 
 how badly you would feel, if you really couldn't see 
 Percy." 
 
 " Well," said Van, and he showed signs of relent- 
 ing a little at that ; " but Percy is perfectly awful. 
 
And How They Grew. 283 
 
 mamma you don't know ; and he feels so smart too/ 
 
 he added vindictively. 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Whitney, softly, "let's think 
 what we can do for Polly ; it makes me feel very 
 badly to see her sad little face." 
 
 "I don't know," said Van, running over in his 
 mind all the possible ways he could think of for en- 
 tertaining anybody, " unless she'd like my new book 
 of travels or my velocipede," he added. 
 
 " I'm afraid those wouldn't quite answer the pur- 
 pose," said his mamma, smiling " especially the 
 last ; yet we must think of something." 
 
 But just here Mr. King thought it about time to 
 take matters into his hands. So, with a great many 
 chucklings and shruggings when no one was by, he 
 had departed after breakfast one day, simply saying 
 he shouldn't be back to lunch. 
 
 Polly sat in the drawing-room, near the edge of the 
 twilight, practicing away bravely. Somehow, of all 
 the days when the home feeling was the strongest, 
 this day it seemed as if she could bear it no longer. 
 If she could only see Phronsie for just one moment ! 
 " I shall have to give up I " she moaned. " I can't 
 jbear it 1 " and over went her head on the music 
 rack. 
 
 " Where is she ? " said a voice over in front of the 
 
f 84 Five Little Peppers , 
 
 piano, in the gathering dusk unmistakably Mi. 
 
 King's. 
 
 "Oh, she's always at the piano," said Van's 
 " She must be there now, somewhere," and then 
 somebody laughed. Then came in the loudest of 
 whispers from little Dick, "Oh, Jappy, what'll she 
 say? 
 
 "Hush!" said one of the other boys; "do be 
 still, Dick ! " 
 
 Polly sat up very straight, and whisked off the 
 tears quickly. Up came Mr. King with an enormous 
 bundle in his arms ; and he marched up to the piano, 
 puffing with his exertions. 
 
 " Here, Polly, hold your arms," he had only strength 
 to gasp. And then he broke out into a loud burst of 
 merriment, in which all the troop joined, until the 
 big room echoed with the sound. 
 
 At this, the bundle opened suddenly, and out 
 popped Phronsie ! 
 
 " Here I am ! I'm here, Polly ! " 
 
 But Polly couldn't speak ; and if Jasper hadn't 
 caught her just in time, she would have tumbled over 
 backward from the stool, Phronsie and all ! 
 
 " Arn't you glad I've come, Polly ? " asked Phron- 
 sie, with her little face close to Polly's own. 
 
 That brought Polly to. "Oh, PhronsieJ" sh 
 
And How They Grew. 287 
 
 cried, and strained her to her heart ; while the boys 
 crowded around, and plied her with sudden ques- 
 tions. 
 
 " Now you'll stay," cried Van ; * say, Polly, won't 
 you. * 
 
 "Weren't you awfully surprised?" cried Percy; 
 " say, Polly, awfully ? " 
 
 " Is her name Phronsie," put in Dick, unwilling to 
 be left out, and not thinking of anything else to 
 ask. 
 
 " Boys," whispered their mother, warningly, " she 
 can't answer you ; just look at her face." 
 
 And to be sure, our Polly's face was a study to be- 
 hold. All its old sunniness was as nothing to the 
 joy that now transfigured it. 
 
 " Oh ! " she cried, coming out of her rapture a lit- 
 tle, and springing over to Mr. King with Phronsie 
 still in her arms. " Oh, you are the dearest and best 
 Mr. King I ever saw ! but how did you make mammy 
 let her come ? " 
 
 " Isn't he splendid I " cried Jasper in intense 
 pride, swelling up. " Father knew how to do it." 
 
 But Polly's arms were around the old gentleman's 
 neck, so she didn't hear. "There, there," he said 
 soothingly, patting her brown, fuzzy head. Some- 
 thing was going down the old gentleman's neck, that 
 
*SS Five Littk Ptpper* ; 
 
 wet his collar, and made him whisper very tenderly 
 in her ear, "don't give way now, Polly; Phronsie 'II 
 see you." 
 
 44 1 know," gasped Polly, controlling her sobs; 
 11 1 won't only I can't thank you I " 
 
 "Phronsie," said Jasper quickly, "what do you 
 suppose Prince said the other day ? * 
 
 " What ? " asked Phronsie in intense interest slip- 
 ping down out of Polly's arms, and crowding up 
 close to Jasper's side. " What did he, Japser ? " 
 
 "Oh-ho, how funny!" laughed Van, while little 
 Dick burst right out, " Japser /" 
 
 " Be still," said Jappy warningly, while Phronsie 
 stood surveying them all with grave eyes. 
 
 " Well, I asked him, * Don't you want to see 
 Phronsie Pepper, Prince ? ' And do you know, he 
 just stood right upon his hind legs, Phronsie, and 
 said : ' Bark! yes, Bark! Bark /'" 
 
 " Did he really, Japser ? " cried Phronsie, delighted 
 beyond measure ; and clasping her hands in rapture, 
 11 all alone by himself ? " 
 
 "Yes, all alone by himself,'* asserted Jasper, vehe- 
 mently, and winking furiously to the others to stop 
 <heir laughing ; u he did now, truly, Phronsie." 
 
 "Then mustn't I go and see him now, Japser} 
 f es, pretty soon now 9 98 
 
And How They Grew. 289 
 
 " So you must," cried Jasper, enchanted at his suc- 
 cess in amusing; " and I'll go with you." 
 
 "Oh, no," cried Phronsie, shaking her yellow head 
 " Oh no, Japser ; I must go by my very own self." 
 
 "There Jap, you've caught it," laughed Percy; 
 while the others screamed at the sight of Jasper's 
 face. 
 
 " Oh Phronsie ! " cried Polly, turning around at 
 the last words ; " how could you ! " 
 
 "Don't mind it, Polly," whispered Jasper; 
 " 'twasn't her fault." 
 
 " Phronsie," said Mrs. Whitney, smilingly, stoop- 
 ing over the child, " would you like to see a little 
 pussy I have for you ? " 
 
 But the chubby face didn't look up brightly, as 
 usual : and the next moment, without a bit of warn- 
 ing, Phronsie sprang past them all, even Polly, 
 and flung herself into Mr. King's arms, in a perfect 
 torrent of sobs. "Oh ! let's go back!" was all they 
 heard I 
 
 " Dear me J " ejaculated the old gentleman, in the 
 utmost amazement ; " and such a time as I've had to 
 get her here too ! " he added, staring around on the 
 astonished group, none of whom had a word to say. 
 
 But Polly stood like a statue ! All Jasper's frantic 
 efforts at comfort, utterly failed. To think that 
 
190 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 Phronsie had left her for any one ! even good Mr. 
 King 1 The room seemed to buzz, and everything to 
 turn upside down and just then, she heard another 
 cry "Oh, I want Polly, I do I" 
 
 With a bound, Polly was at Mr. King's side, with 
 her face on his coat, close to the little tear-stained 
 one. The fat, little arms unclasped their hold, and 
 transferred themselves willingly to Polly's neck \ and 
 Phronsie hugged up comfortingly to Polly's heart, 
 who poured into her ear all the loving words she had 
 so longed to say. 
 
 Just then there was a great rush and a scuffling 
 noise; and something rushed up to Phronsie 
 " Ohf" And then the next minute, she had her 
 arms around Prince's neck, too, who was jumping all 
 over her and trying as hard as he could, to express 
 his overwhelming delight. 
 
 " She's the cunningest little thing I ever saw," 
 said Mrs. Whitney, enthusiastically, afterward, aside 
 to Mr. King. " Such lovely yellow hair, and such 
 exquisite brown eyes the combination is very 
 striking. How did her mother ever let her go ? " 
 she asked impulsively, " I didn't believe you could 
 persuade her, father." 
 
 " I didn't have any fears, if f worked it rightly," 
 said the old gentleman complacently. " I wasn't 
 
And How They Grew. 291 
 
 coming without her, Marian, if it could possibly be 
 managed. The truth is, that Phronsie had been pin- 
 ing for Polly to such an extent, that there was no 
 other way but for her to have Polly ; and her mother 
 was just on the point, although it almost killed her, 
 of sending for Polly as if we should have let her 
 go ! " he cried in high dudgeon ; just as if he owned 
 the whole of the Peppers, and could dispose of them 
 all to suit his fancy ! " So you see, I was just in 
 time ; in the very nick of time, in fact I " 
 
 "So her mother was willing?" asked his daugh- 
 ter, curiously. 
 
 * Oh, she couldn't help it," cried Mr. King, begin- 
 ning to walk up and down the floor, and beaming as 
 he recalled his successful strategy; "there wasn't 
 the smallest use in thinking of anything else. I told 
 her 'twould just stop Polly from ever being a musi- 
 cian if she broke off now and so 'twould, you 
 know yourself, Marian, for we should never get the 
 child here again, if we let her go now ; and I talked 
 well, I had to talk some ; but, well the upshot Is 
 I did get her, and I did bring her and here she 
 is I " And the old gentleman was so delighted with 
 his success, that he had to burst out into a series of 
 short, happy bits of laughter, that occupied quite a 
 
19* Five Little 
 
 space of time. At last he came out of them, an 
 wiped his face vigorously. 
 
 " And to think how fond the little girl is of you, 
 father ! " said Mrs. Whitney, who hadn't yet gotten 
 over her extreme surprise at the old gentleman's 
 complete subjection to the little Peppers : he, whom 
 all children had by instinct always approached so 
 carefully, and whom every one found it necessary to 
 conciliate ! 
 
 " Well, she's a nice child," he said, " a very nice 
 child ; and," straightening himself up to his fullest 
 height, and looking so very handsome, that his 
 daughter could not conceal her admiration, " I shall 
 1 Jways take care of Phronsie Pepper, Marian I " 
 
 " So I hope," said Mrs. Whitney ; " and father, I 
 do believe they'll repay you ; for I do think there's 
 good blood there 3 these children have a look about 
 them that shows them worthy to be trusted." 
 
 " So they have : so they have," assented Mr. King, 
 and then the conversation dropped. 
 
And How They Grew. 293 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PHRONSIE. 
 
 PHRONSIE was toiling up and down 
 the long, oak stair-case the next 
 morning ; slowly going from one 
 step to the other, drawing each 
 little fat foot into place labori- 
 ously, but with a pleased expres- 
 sion on her face that only gave 
 some small idea of the rapture 
 within. Up and down she had 
 been going for a long time, per- 
 fectly fascinated; seeming to 
 care for nothing else in the world but to work her way 
 up to the top of the long flight, only to turn and come 
 down again. She had been going on so for some 
 time, till at last, Polly, who was afraid she would tire 
 herself all out, sat down at the foot and begged and 
 
94 five Little Peppers ; 
 
 implored the little girl, who had nearly reached the 
 top, to stop and rest. 
 
 "You'll be tired to death, Phronsie!" she said, 
 looking up at the small figure on its toilsome journey 
 "Why you must have gone up a million times ! Do sit 
 down, pet ; we're all going out riding, Phronsie, this 
 afternoon ; and you can't go if you're all tired out." 
 
 " I won't be tired, Polly," said Phronsie, turning 
 around and looking at her, "do let me go just once 
 more ! " 
 
 * Well," said Polly, who never could refuse her any- 
 thing, "just0;&r<?, Phronsie, and then you must stop." 
 
 So Phronsie kept on her way rejoicing, while 
 Polly still sat on the lowest stair, and drummed im- 
 patiently on the stair above her, waiting for her to get 
 through. 
 
 Jappy came through the hall and found them thus. 
 
 "Halloa, Polly I " he said, stopping suddenly; 
 'what's the matter?" 
 
 41 Oh, Phronsie's been going so," said Polly, look- 
 ing up at the little figure above them, which had 
 nearly reached the top in delight, "that I can't stop 
 her. She has really, Jappy, almost all the morning , 
 you can't think how crazy she is over it." 
 
 "Is that so?" said Jasper, with a little laugh. 
 
And How They Grew. 295 
 
 " Hulloa, Phronsie, is it nice ? " and he tossed a kiss 
 to the little girl, and then sat down by Polly. 
 
 " Oh," said Phronsie, turning to come down, " it's 
 the be-yew-tiflest place I ever saw, Japser ! the very 
 be-yew-tiflest ! " 
 
 " I wish she could have her picture painted," whis- 
 pered Jasper, enthusiastically. " Look at her now, 
 Polly, quick ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Polly, " isn't she sweet ! " 
 
 " Sweet!" said Jasper. " I should think she was/ 99 
 The sunlight through an oriel window fell on the 
 childish face and figure, glinting the yellow hair, and 
 lighting up the radiant face, that yet had a tender, 
 loving glance for the two who waited for her below. 
 One little foot was poised, just in the act of stepping 
 down to the next lower stair, and the fat hand grasped 
 the polished railing, expressive of just enough caution 
 to make it truly childish. In after years Jasper never 
 thought of Phronsie without bringing up this picture 
 on that April morning, when Polly and he sat at the 
 foot of the stairs, and looked up and saw it 
 
 " Where's Jap ? " called one of the boys ; and then 
 there was a clatter out into the hall. 
 
 "What are you doing?" and Van came to a full 
 stop of amazement and stared at them. 
 
296 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 " Resting," said Jappy, concisely, " what do you 
 want, Van ? " 
 
 "I want you," said Van, "we can't do anything 
 without you, Jappy ; you know that." 
 "Very well," said Jasper, getting up. "Come on, 
 Polly, we must go." 
 
 " And Phronsie," said Van, anxiously, looking up 
 to Phronsie, who had nearly reached them by this 
 time, " we want her, too." 
 
 " Of course," said Polly, running up and meeting 
 her to give her a hug ; " / don't go unless she does." 
 
 " Where are we going, Polly ? " asked Phronsie, 
 looking back longingly to her beloved stairs as she 
 was borne off. 
 
 " To the greenhouse, chick ! " said Jasper, " to help 
 Turner ; and it'll be good fun, won't it, Polly ? " 
 
 " What is a greenhouse ? " asked the child, wonder^ 
 ingly. " All green, Japser ? " 
 
 " Oh, dear me," said Van, doubling up, " do you 
 suppose she thinks it's painted green ? " 
 
 " It's green inside, Phronsie, dear," said Jasper, 
 kindly, " and that's the best of all." 
 
 When Phronsie was really let loose in the green- 
 house she thought it decidedly best of all; and she 
 went into nearly as much of a rapture as Polly did 
 on her first visit to it. 
 
And How They Grew. 297 
 
 In a few moments she was cooing and jumping 
 among the plants, while old Turner, staid and partic- 
 ular as he was, laughed to see her go. 
 
 " She's your sister, Miss Mary, ain't she ? " at last 
 he asked, as Phronsie bent lovingly over a little pot 
 of heath, and just touched one little leaf carefully 
 with her ringer. 
 
 " Yes," said Polly, "but she don't look like me." 
 
 " She is like you," said Turner, respectfully, " if 
 she don't look like you ; and the flowers know it, 
 too," he added, " and they'll love to see her coming, 
 just as they do you." 
 
 For Polly had won the old gardener's heart com- 
 pletely by her passionate love for flowers, and nearly 
 every morning a little nosegay, fresh and beautiful, 
 came up to the house for " Miss Mary.'' 
 
 And now nobody liked to think of the time, or to 
 look back to it, when Phronsie hadn't been in the 
 house. When the little feet went pattering through 
 halls and over stairs, it seemed to bring sun- 
 shine and happiness into every one's heart just to 
 hear the sounds. Polly and the boys in the school- 
 room would look up from their books and nod away 
 brightly to each other, and then fall to faster than 
 ever on their lessons, to get through the quicker to 
 be with her again. 
 
298 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 One thing Phronsie always insisted on, and kept to 
 it pertinaciously and that was to go into the draw- 
 ing-room with Polly when she went to practice, and 
 there, with one of her numerous family of dolls, to sit 
 down quietly in some corner and wait till she got 
 through. 
 
 Day after day she did it, until Polly, who was wor- 
 ried to think how tedious it must be for her, would 
 look around and say 
 
 " Oh, childie, do run out and play." 
 
 " I want to sta)'," Phronsie would beg in an injured 
 tone ; " please let me, Polly." 
 
 So Polly would jump and give her a kiss, and then, 
 delighted to know that she was there, would go at her 
 practicing with twice the vigor and enthusiasm. 
 
 But Phronsie's chief occupation, at least when she 
 wasn't with Polly, was the entertainment and amuse- 
 ment of Mr. King. And never was she very long 
 absent from his side, which so pleased the old gentle- 
 man that he could scarcely contain himself, as with a 
 gravity befitting the importance of her office, she 
 would follow him around in a happy contented way, 
 that took with him immensely. And now-a-days, no 
 one ever saw the old gentleman going out of a morn- 
 ing, when Jasper was busy with his lessons, without 
 Phronsie by his side, and many people turned to see 
 
And How They Grew. 199 
 
 the portly figure with the handsome head bent to catch 
 the prattle of a little sunny-haired child, who trotted 
 along, clasping his hand confidingly. And nearly all 
 of them stopped to gaze the second time before they 
 could convince themselves that it was really that queer, 
 stiff old Mr. King of whom they had heard so much. 
 
 And now the accumulation of dolls in the house 
 became something alarming, for Mr. King, observing 
 Phronsie's devotion to her family, thought there 
 couldn't possibly be too many of them j so he scarcely 
 ever went out without bringing home one at least to 
 add to them, until Phronsie had such a remarkable 
 collection as would have driven almost any other child 
 nearly crazy with delight. She, however, regarded 
 them something in the light of a grave responsibility, 
 to be taken care of tenderly, to be watched over care- 
 fully as to just the right kind of bringing up ; and to 
 have small morals and manners taught in just the 
 right way. 
 
 Phronsie was playing in the corner of Mrs. Whit- 
 ney's little boudoir, engai^d in sending out invitations 
 for an elaborate tea-party to be given by one of the 
 dolls, when Polly rushed in with consternation in her 
 tones, and dismay written all over her face. 
 
2oo Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " What is it, dear ? " asked Mrs. Whitney, looking 
 up from her embroidery. 
 
 "Why," said Polly, " how could I! I don't see 
 but I've forgotten to write to mamsie to-day ; it's 
 Wednesday, you know, and there's Monsieur com- 
 ing." And poor Polly looked out in despair to see 
 the lively little music teacher advancing towards the 
 house at an alarming rate of speed. 
 
 " That is because you were helping Van so long 
 last evening over his lessons," said Mrs. Whitney; "I 
 am so sorry." 
 
 " Oh, no," cried Polly honestly, " I had plenty of 
 time but I forgot 'twas mamsie's day. What will 
 she do ! " 
 
 " You will have to let it go now till the afternoon, 
 dear ; there's no other way ; it can go in the early 
 morning mail." 
 
 "Oh, dear," sighed Polly, "I suppose I must." 
 And she went down to meet Monsieur with a very dis- 
 tressed little heart. 
 
 Phronsie laid down the note of invitation she was 
 scribbling, and stopped to think; and a moment or two 
 after, at a summons from a caller, Mrs. Whitney left 
 the room. 
 
 " I know I ought to," said Phronsie to herself and 
 the dolls, " yes, I know I had ; mamsie will feel, oh ' 
 
And How They Grew. 301 
 
 so bad, when she don't get Polly's letter ; and I know 
 the way, I do, truly." 
 
 She got up and went to the window, where she 
 thought a minute ; and then, coming back, she took 
 up her little stubby pencil, and bending over a small 
 bit of paper, she commenced to trace with laborious 
 efforts and much hard breathing, some very queer 
 hieroglyphics that to her seemed to be admirable, as 
 at last she held them up with great satisfaction. 
 
 " Good bye," she said then, getting up and bowing 
 to the dolls who sat among the interrupted invitations, 
 " I won't be gone but a little bit of one minute," and 
 she went out determinedly and shut the door. 
 
 Nobody saw the little figure going down the car- 
 riage drive, so of course nobody could stop her. 
 When Phronsie got to the gate-way she looked up and 
 down the street carefully, either way. 
 
 u Yes," she said, at last, " it was down here, I'm 
 very sure, I went with grandpa," and immediately 
 turned down the wrong way, and went on and on, 
 grasping carefully her small, and by this time rather 
 soiled bit of paper. 
 
 At last she reached the business streets ; and al- 
 though she didn't come to the Post Office, she com- 
 forted herself by the thought " it must be coming 
 soon. I guess it's round this corner." 
 
302 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 She kept turning corner after corner, until, at last, 
 a little anxious feeling began to tug at her heart j 
 and she began to think "I wish I could see 
 Polly 
 
 And now, she had all she could do to get out of 
 the way of the crowds of people who were pouring 
 up and down the thoroughfare. Everybody jostled 
 against her, and gave her a push. " Oh dear ! ' 
 thought Phronsie, " there's such a many big people ! " 
 and then there was no time for anything else but to 
 stumble in and out, to keep from being crushed com- 
 pletely beneath their feet. At last, an old huckster 
 woman, in passing along, knocked off her bonnet 
 with the end of her big basket, which flew around 
 and struck Phronsie's head. Not stopping to look 
 into the piteous brown eyes, she strode on without a 
 word. Phronsie turned in perfect despair to go 
 down a street that looked as if there might be room 
 enough for her in it. Thoroughly frightened, she 
 plunged over the crossing, to reach it ! 
 
 " Look out ! " cried a ringing voice. " Stop I " 
 
 " The little girPll be killed ! " said others with 
 bated breath, as a powerful pair of horses whose 
 driver could not pull them up in time, dashed along 
 just in front of her ! With one cry, Phronsie sprang 
 
And How Ihey Grew. 303 
 
 between their feet, and reached the opposite curb- 
 stone in safety ! 
 
 The plunge brought her up against a knot of gen- 
 tlemen who were standing talking on the corner. 
 
 "What's this!" asked one, whose back being 
 next to the street, hadn't seen the commotion, as the 
 small object dashed into their midst, and fell up 
 against him, 
 
 " Didn't you see that narrow escape ? " asked a 
 second, whose face had paled in witnessing it. 
 " This little girl was nearly killed a moment ago 
 careless driving enough ! " And he put out his hand 
 to catch the child. 
 
 " Bless me ! " cried a third, whirling around sud- 
 denly, " Bless me ! you don't say so ! why " 
 
 With a small cry, but gladsome and distinct in its 
 utterance, Phronsie gave one look " Oh, grandpa I " 
 was all she could say. 
 
 "Oh! where" Mr. King couldn't possibly have 
 uttered another word, for then his breath gave out 
 entirely, as he caught the small figure. 
 
 " I went to the Post Office," said the child, cling- 
 ing to him in delight, her tangled hair waving over 
 the little white face, into which a faint pink color was 
 quickly coming back. " Only it wouldn't come j and 
 I walked and walked where is it, grandpa ? " 
 
304 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 And Phronsie gazed up anxiously into the old gentle 
 man's face. 
 
 " She went to the Post Office I " turning around on 
 the others fiercely, as if they had contradicted him 
 " Why, my child, what were you going to do ? " 
 
 " Mamsie's letter," said Phronsie, holding up for 
 inspection the precious bit, which by this time, was 
 decidedly forlorn " Polly couldn't write ; and Mam- 
 sie'd feel so bad not to get one she would really " 
 said the child, shaking her head very soberly, " for 
 Polly said so." 
 
 " And you've been oh ! I can't think of it," 
 said Mr. King, tenderly taking her up on his shoul- 
 der, " well, we must get home now, or I don't know 
 what Polly will do ! " And without stopping to say 
 a word to his friends, he hailed a passing carriage, 
 and putting Phronsie in, he commanded the driver to 
 get them as quickly as possible to their destination. 
 
 In a few moments they were home. Mr. King 
 pushed into the house with his burden. " Don't any- 
 body know," he burst out, puffing up the stairs, and 
 scolding furiously at every step, " enough to take 
 better care of this child, than to have such goings 
 on ! " 
 
 " What is the matter, father?" asked Mrs. Whit- 
 
* 'TWAS A NAUGHTY HORSE I * 
 
And How They Grew. 307 
 
 ney, coming up the stairs, after him. " What has 
 happened out of the way ? " 
 
 " Out of the way I" roared the old gentleman, 
 irascibly, '' well, if you want Phronsie racing off 
 to the Post Office by herself, and nearly getting 
 killed, poor child ! yes, Marian, I say nearly killed ! " 
 he continued. 
 
 " What do you mean ? " gasped Mrs. Whitney. 
 
 " Why, where have you been ? " asked the old gen- 
 tleman, who wouldn't let Phronsie get down out of 
 his arms, under any circumstances ; so there she lay, 
 poking up her head like a little bird, and trying to 
 say she wasn't in the least hurt, " where's everybody 
 been not to know she'd gone ? " he exclaimed, 
 " where's Polly and Jasper and all of 'em ? " 
 
 " Polly's taking her music lesson/' said Mrs. Whit- 
 ney. " Oh, Phronsie darling ! " and she bent 
 over the child in her father's arms, and nearly 
 smothered her with kisses. 
 
 " 'Twas a naughty horse," said Phronsie, sitting up 
 straight and looking at her, "or I should have found 
 the Post Office ; and I lost off my bonnet, too," she 
 added, for the first time realizing her loss, putting her 
 hand to her head ; " a bad old woman knocked it off 
 with a basket and now mamsie won't get her letter ! " 
 and she waved the bit, which she still grasped firmly 
 
308 Five Little Peppers , 
 
 between her thumb and unger, sadly towards Mn, 
 Whitney. 
 
 " Oh, dear," groaned that lady, " how could we tall 
 before her ! But who would have thought it ! Dar 
 ling," and she took the little girl from her father's 
 arms, who at last let her go, " don't think of your 
 mamma's letter ; we'll tell her how it was," and she 
 sat down in the first chair that she could reach ; while 
 Phronsie put her tumbled little head down on the 
 kind shoulder and gave a weary little sigh. 
 
 " It was so long," she said, " and my shoes hurt,' 
 and she thrust out the dusty little boots, that spoke 
 pathetically of the long and unaccustomed tramp. 
 
 " Poor little lamb ! " said Mr. King, getting down 
 to unbutton them. " What a shame 1 " he mumbled 
 pulling off half of the buttons in his frantic endeav- 
 ors to get them off quickly. 
 
 But Phronsie never heard the last of his objurga- 
 tions, for in a minute she was fast asleep. The tan- 
 gled hair fell off from the tired little face; the 
 breathing came peaceful and regular, and with her 
 little hand fast clasped in Mrs. Whitney's she slept 
 on and on. 
 
 Polly came flying up stairs, two or three at a time, 
 and humming a scrap of her last piece that she had 
 just conquered 
 
And How They Grew. 309 
 
 " Phronsie," she called, with a merry little laugh, 
 "where" 
 
 "Hush !" said Mr. King, warningly, and then just 
 because he couldn't explain there without waking 
 Phronsie up, he took hold of Polly's two shoulders 
 and marched her into the next room, where he care- 
 fully closed the door, and told her the whole thing, 
 using his own discretion about the very narrow escape 
 she had passed through. He told enough, however, 
 for Polly to see what had been so near them ; and she 
 stood there so quietly, alternately paling and flushing 
 as he proceeded, till at last, when he finished, Mr. 
 King was frightened almost to death at the sight of 
 her face. 
 
 " Oh, goodness me, Polly ! " he said, striding up to 
 her, and then fumbling around on the table to find a 
 glass of water, " you are not going to faint, are you ? 
 Phronsie's all well now, she isn't hurt in the least, I 
 assure you ; I assure you where is a glass of water ! 
 Marian ought to see that there's some here that 
 stupid Jane ! " and in utter bewilderment he was fuss- 
 ing here and there, knocking down so many things 
 in general, that the noise soon brought Polly to, with 
 a little gasp. 
 
 u Oh, don't mind me, dear Mr. King I'm all 
 weL' ' 
 
Five Little Peppers / 
 
 " So you are," said the old gentleman, setting up ft 
 toilet bottle that he had knocked over, " so you are ; 
 I didn't think you'd go and tumble over, Polly, I 
 really didn't," and he beamed admiringly down on 
 her. 
 
 And then Polly crept away to Mrs. Whitney's side 
 where she threw herself down on the floor, to watch 
 the little sleeping figure. Her hand was gathered up, 
 into the kind one that held Phronsie's; and there 
 they watched and watched and waited. 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Phronsie, suddenly, turning over 
 with a little sigh, and bobbing up her head to look at 
 Polly ; " I'm so hungry I I haven't had anything to 
 eat in ever an' ever so long, Polly I " and she gazed 
 at her with a very injured countenance. 
 
 " So you must be," said Mrs. Whitney, kissing the 
 flushed little face. " Polly must ring the bell for Jane 
 to bring this little bird some crumbs." 
 
 " Can I have a great many ?" asked Phronsie, lift- 
 ing her eyes, with the dewy look of sleep still linger- 
 ing in them, " as many as two birdies ? w 
 
 "Yes, dear," said Mrs. Whitney, laughing j "I 
 think as many as tkrcc little birdies could eat^ 
 Phronsie." 
 
 "Oh," said Phronsie, and leaned back satisfied, 
 
And How Iliey Grew. 311 
 
 while Polly gave the order, which was presently fol- 
 lowed by Jane with a well-filled tray. 
 
 " Now," said Jappy, when he heard the account of 
 the adventure, " / say that letter ought to go to your 
 mother, Polly." 
 
 " Oh," said Polly, " it would scare mamsie most t' 
 death, Jappy ! " 
 
 " Don't tell her the whole," said Jasper, quickly, "I 
 didn't mean that about the horses and all that 
 but only enough to let her see how Phronsie tried to 
 get it to her." 
 
 " And I'm going to write to your brother Joel," said 
 Van, drawing up to the library table ; " I'll scare him, 
 Polly, I guess ; he won't tell your mother." 
 
 " Your crow-tracks'll scare him enough without any- 
 thing else," said Percy, pleasantly, who really could 
 write very nicely, while Polly broke out in an agony : 
 
 "Oh, no, Van, you mustn't! you mustn't ! " 
 
 "If Van does," said Jasper, decidedly, "it'll be the 
 last time he'll write to the ' brown house,' I can tell 
 him ; and besides, he'll go to Coventry." This had 
 the desired effect. 
 
 " Let's all write," said Polly. 
 
 So a space on the table was cleared, and the chil- 
 dren gathered around it, when there was great scratch- 
 
312 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 ing of pens, and clearing of ideas ; which presently 
 resulted in a respectable budget of letters, into which 
 Phronsie's was lovingly tucked in the centre ; and 
 then they all filed out to put it into the letter-box in 
 the hall, for Thomas to mail with the rest in the 
 morning. 
 
AtdHow They Gr< 
 
 CHAPTER XXIL 
 
 GETTING READY FOR MAMSIE AND THE BOYS. 
 
 AND I'll tell you, Marian, what I am going to 
 do." 
 
 Mr. King's voice was pitched on a higher key than 
 usual ; and extreme determination was expressed in ev- 
 ery line of his face. He had met Mrs. Whitney at the 
 foot of the staircase, dressed for paying visits. " Oh, 
 are you going out ? " he said, glancing impatiently at 
 her attire. " And I'd just started to speak to you on 
 a matter of great importance 1 Of the greatest im- 
 portance indeed ! * he repeated irritably, as he stood 
 with one gloved hand resting on the balustrade. 
 
 " Oh, it's no matter, father," she replied pleas- 
 antly ; " if it's really important, I can postpone going 
 for another day, and-" 
 
 " RcaUy important!" repeated the old gentleman 
 tasciblv. " Haven't I jast told you it's of the great 
 
3 14 -Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 est importance ? There's no time to be lost ; and with 
 my state of health too, it's of the utmost conse- 
 quence that I shouldn't be troubled. It's very bad 
 for me ; I should think you would realize that, Mari- 
 an." 
 
 "I'll tell Thomas to take the carriage directly 
 back," said Mrs. Whitney stepping to the door. " Or 
 stay, father ; I'll just run up and send the children 
 out for a little drive. The horses ought to be used 
 too, you know," she said lightly, preparing to run up 
 to carry out the changed plan. 
 
 " Never mind that now," said Mr. King abruptly. 
 " I want you to give me your attention directly" 
 And walking towards the library door, getting a fresh 
 accession of impatience with avery step, he beck- 
 oned her to follow. 
 
 But his progress was somewhat impeded by little 
 Dick or rather, little Dick and Prince, who were 
 standing at the top of the stairs to see Mrs. Whitney 
 off. When he saw his mother retrace her steps, 
 supposing her yielding to the urgent entreaties that 
 he was sending after her to stay at home, the child 
 suddenly changed his " Good-byes " to vociferous 
 howls of delight, and speedily began to plunge down 
 the stairs to welcome her. 
 
 But the staircase was long, and little Dick was in a 
 
And How They Grew. 315 
 
 hurry, and besides, Prince was in the way. The con- 
 sequence was, nobody knew just how, that a bump- 
 ing noise struck into the conversation that made the 
 two below in the hall look up quickly, to see the child 
 and dog come rolling over the stairs at a rapid 
 "ate. 
 
 " Zounas ! " cried the old gentleman. " Here, 
 Thomas, Thomas /" But as that individual was 
 waiting patiently outside the door on the carriage 
 box, there was small hope of his being in time to 
 catch the boy, who was already in his mother's arms, 
 not quite clear by the suddenness of the whole thing, 
 as to how he came there. 
 
 ' Oh ! oh ! Dicky's hurt ! " cried somebody up 
 above followed by every one within hearing dis- 
 tance, and all came rushing to the spot to ask a thou- 
 sand questions all in the same minute. 
 
 There sat Mrs. Whitney in one of the big carved 
 chairs, with little Dick in her lap, and Prince walking 
 gravely around and around him with the greatest 
 expression of concern on his noble face. Mr. King 
 Was storming up and down, and calling on ev- 
 erybody to bring a " bowl of water, and some brown 
 paper; and be quick I" interpolated with showers of 
 blame on Prince for sitting on the stairs, and tripping 
 people up ! whib Dick meanwhile was laughing 
 
316 Jftve Little Peppers ; 
 
 chatting, and enjoying the distinction of making so 
 many people run, and of otherwise being the object 
 of so much attention ! 
 
 " I don't think he was sitting on the stairs, father," 
 said Jasper, who, when he saw that Dicky was really 
 unhurt, began to vindicate his dog. " He never does 
 that ; do you Sir ? " he said patting the head that was 
 lifted up to him, as if to be defended. 
 
 "And I expect we shall all be killed some day, 
 Jasper," said Mr. King, warming with his subject ; 
 and forgetting all about the brown paper and water 
 which he had ordered, and which was now waiting for 
 him at his elbow, " just by that creature." 
 
 " He's the noblest " began Jasper, throwing his 
 arms around his neck ; an example which was imme- 
 diately followed by the Whitney boys, and the 
 two little Peppers. When Dick saw this, he be- 
 gan to struggle to get down to add himself to the 
 number. 
 
 " Where's the brown paper ? " began Mr. King, see- 
 ing this and whirling around suddenly. " Hasn't any 
 body brought it yet ? " 
 
 " Here 'tis sir," said Jane, handing him a generous 
 supply. 
 
 " Oh, I don't want to," cried little Dick in dismay, 
 seeing his grandfather advance with an enormous 
 
And How They Grew. 317 
 
 piece of paper, which previously wet in the bowl of 
 water, was now unpleasantly clammy and wet " oh, 
 no, I don't want to be all stuck up with old horrid 
 wet paper 1 " 
 
 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM \ 
 
 + Hush, dear ! " said his mamma, soothingly*. 
 " Grandpapa wants to put it on there " as* 
 Mr. King dropped it scientifically on his head, and! 
 then proceeded to paste another one over his left eye. 
 
 " And I hope they'll all drop off," cried Dick, sav- 
 agely, shaking his head to facilitate matters. " Yes, 
 I do, every single one of 'em ! " he added, with an ex- 
 
2 1 8 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 pression that seen under the brown bits was anything 
 but benign. 
 
 " Was Prince on the stairs, Dick ? " asked Jasper, 
 Coming up and peering under his several adornments. 
 " Tell us how you fell ! " 
 
 " No," said little Dick, crossly, and giving his head 
 another shake. " He was up in the hall oh, dear, 
 I want to get down," and he began to stretch his legs 
 and to struggle with so much energy, that two or three 
 pieces fell off, and landed on the floor to his intense 
 delight. 
 
 " And how did you fall then ? " said Jasper, perse- 
 veringly. " Can't you remember, Dicky, boy ? " 
 
 " I pushed Princey," said Dick, feeling, with free- 
 dom from some of his encumbrances, more disposed 
 for conversation, " and made him go ahead and 
 then I fell on top of him that's all." 
 
 " I guess Prince has savedhim, father," cried Jasper, 
 turning around with eyes full of pride and love on 
 the dog, who was trying as hard as he could to tell all 
 the children how much he enjoyed their caresses. 
 
 And so it all came about that the consultation so 
 summarily interrupted was never held. For, as Mrs. 
 Whitney was about retiring that evening, Mr. King 
 rapped at her door, on his way to bed. 
 
 u Oh," he said popping in his head, in response to 
 
And tfow They Grew. 319 
 
 her invitation to come in, "it's nothing only I 
 thought I'd just tell you a word or two about what 
 I've decided to do." 
 
 " Do you mean what you wanted to see me about 
 this afternoon?" asked Mrs. Whitney, who hadn't 
 thought of it since. " Do come in, father." 
 
 " It's no consequence," said the old gentleman ^ 
 " no consequence at all," he repeated, waving his 
 hand emphatically, " because I've made up my mind 
 and arranged all my plans it's only about the 
 Peppers " 
 
 " The Peppers ? " repeated Mrs. Whitney. 
 
 " Yes. Well, the fact of it is, I'm going to have: 
 them here for a visit the whole of them, you under- 
 stand ; that's all there is to it. And I shall go down* 
 to see about all the arrangements Jasper and I day 
 after to-morrow," said the old gentleman, as if he 
 owned the whole Pepper family inclusive, and was 
 the only responsible person to be consulted about their 
 movements. 
 
 " Will they come ? " asked Mrs. Whitney, doubt- 
 fully. 
 
 ' ' Come ? of course," said Mr. King, sharply, u there 
 isn't any other way ; or else Mrs. Pepper will be send- 
 ing for her children and of course you know, 
 Marian, we couldn't allow that well, that's all ; so 
 
320 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 good night," and the door closed on his retreating 
 footsteps. 
 
 And so Polly and Phronsie soon knew that mamsie 
 and the boys were to be invited ! And then the grand 
 house, big as it was, didn't seem large enough to con- 
 tain them. 
 
 " I declare/' said Jasper, next day, when they had 
 been laughing and planning till they were all as 
 merry as grigs, " if this old dungeon don't begin to 
 seem a little like * the little brown house,' Polly." 
 
 " 'Twon't," answered Polly, hopping around on one 
 toe, followed by Phronsie, u till mamsie and the boys 
 get here, Jasper King ! " 
 
 " Well, they'll be here soon/' said Jappy, pleased 
 at Polly's exultation over it, " for we're going to- 
 morrow to do the inviting." 
 
 " And Polly's to write a note to slip into Marian's," 
 said Mr. King, putting his head in at the door. " And 
 if you want your mother to come, child, why, you'd 
 Better mention it as strong as you can." 
 
 "I'm going to write," said Phronsie, pulling up 
 after a prolonged skip, all out of breath. " I'm going 
 to write, and beg mamsie dear. Then she'll come, I 
 guess." 
 
 " I guess she will," said Mr. King, looking at her. 
 
And How They Grew. 321 
 
 " You go on, Phronsie, and write ; and that lette* 
 shall go straight in my coat pocket alone by itself." 
 
 " Shall it ? " asked Phronsie, coming up to him, 
 " and nobody will take it out till you give it to mam^ 
 sie ? " 
 
 " No, nobody shall touch it," said the old gentle- 
 man, stooping to kiss the upturned face, " till I put it 
 into her own hand." 
 
 " Then," said Phronsie, in the greatest satisfaction,, 
 " I'm going to write this very one minute ! " and she 
 marched away to carry her resolve into immediate 
 execution. 
 
 Before they got through they had quite a bundle of 
 invitations and pleadings ; for each of the three boys 
 insisted on doing his part, so that when they were 
 finally done up in an enormous envelope and put into 
 Mr. King's hands, he told them with a laugh that 
 there was no use for Jappy and himself to go, as 
 those were strong enough to win almost anybody's 
 consent. 
 
 However, the next morning they set off, happy in 
 their hopes, and bearing the countless messages, 
 which the children would come up every now and 
 then to intrust to them, declaring that they had for- 
 gotten to put them in the letters. 
 
 " You'd had to have had an express wagon to carry 
 
Five Little Peppers; 
 
 the letters if you had put them all in," at last cried 
 Jasper. "You've given us a bushel of things to re- 
 member." 
 
 * And oh ! don't forget to ask Ben to bring Cherry," 
 cried Polly, the last minute as they were driving oft 
 
 a l'M GOING TO WRITE THIS VERY ONE MINUTE." 
 
 although she had put it in her letter at least a dozen 
 times; "and oh, dear! of course the flowers can't 
 come." 
 
 " We've got plenty here," said Jasper. " You would 
 not know what to do with them, Polly." 
 
 * Well, I do wish mamsie would give some to kind 
 Mrs. Henderson, then," said Polly, on the steps, clasp- 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 ing her nands anxiously, while Jasper told Thomas to 
 wait till he heard the rest of the message, " and to 
 grandma you know Grandma Bascom ; she was so 
 good to us," she said impulsively. " And, oh I don't 
 let her forget to carry some to dear, dear Dr. Fisher ;, 
 and don't forget to give him our love, Jappy ; don't 
 forget that 1 " and Polly ran down the steps to the car- 
 riage door, where she gazed up imploringly to the 
 boy's face. 
 
 " I guess I won't," cried Jasper, " when I think how 
 he saved your eyes, Polly 1 He's the best fellow I 
 know I " he finished in an impulsive burst. 
 
 " And don't let mamsie forget to carry some in to 
 good old Mr. and Mrs. Beebe in town where Phronsie 
 got her shoes, you know \ that is, if mamsie can," she 
 added, remembering how very busy her mother would 
 be. 
 
 " I'll carry them myself," said Jasper; * we're going 
 to stay over till the next day, you know." 
 
 " O ! " cried Polly, radiant as a rose, " will you, 
 really, Jappy ? you're so good I " 
 
 " Yes, I will," said Jasper, " everything you want 
 done, Polly ; anything else ? " he asked, quickly, as 
 Mr. King, impatient to be off, showed unmistakable 
 symptoms of hurrying up Thomas. 
 
 "Oh, no," said Polly, "only do look at the little 
 
3 *4 m e Little Peppers ; 
 
 brown house, Jasper, as much as you can," and Polly 
 left the rest unfinished. Jasper seemed to understand, 
 however, for he smiled brightly as he said, looking 
 into the brown eyes, " I'll do it all, Polly ; every sin- 
 gle thing." And then they were off. 
 
 Mamsie and the boys ! could Polly ever wait tffl 
 the next afternoon that would bring the decision? 
 
 Long before it was possibly time for the carriage 
 to come back from the depot, Polly, with Phronsie 
 and the three boys, who, improving Jasper's absence, 
 had waited upon her with the grace and persistence 
 of cavaliers of the olden time, were drawn up at the 
 old stone gateway. 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Van with an impatient fling ; 
 * they never will come ! * 
 
 " Won't they, Polly ? " asked Phronsie, anxiously, 
 and standing quite still. 
 
 "Dear me, yes," said Polly, with a little laugh, 
 * Van only means they'll be a good while, Phronsie, 
 They're sure to come some time." 
 
 "Oh ! " said Phronsie, quite relieved ; and she com- 
 menced her capering again in extreme enjoyment. 
 
 a I'm going," said little Dick " to run down and 
 meet them.* 
 
 Accordingly off he went, and was immediately fal- 
 
And How They Grew. 325 
 
 lowed by Percy, who started with the laudable desire 
 of bringing him back ; but finding it so very enjoya- 
 ble, he stayed himself and frolicked with Dick, till the 
 others, hearing the fun, all took hold of hands an<? 
 flew off to join them. 
 
 " Now," said Polly, when they recovered their 
 breath a little, " let's all turn our backs to the road \ 
 and the minute we hear the carriage we must whirl 
 round ; and the one who sees 'em first can ask first 
 * Is mamsie coming ? ' ' 
 
 " All right," cried the boys. 
 
 "Turn round, Dick," said Percy, with a little shove, 
 for Dick was staring with all his might right down 
 the road. And so they all flew around till they looked 
 like five statues set up to grace the sidewalk. 
 
 " Suppose a big dog should come," suggested Van, 
 pleasantly, "and snap at our backs ! " 
 
 At this little Dick gave a small howl, and turned 
 around in a fright. 
 
 " There isn't any dog coming," said Polly. " What 
 does make you say such awful things, Van ? " 
 
 " I hear a noise," said Phronsie j and so they all 
 whirled around in expectation. But it proved to be 
 only a market wagon coming at a furious pace down 
 the road, with somebody's belated dinner. So they 
 all had to whirl back again as before. The conse- 
 
326 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 quence was that when the carriage did come, nobody 
 heard it. 
 
 Jasper, looking out, was considerably astonished to 
 see, drawn up in solemn array with their backs to 
 the road, five children, who stood as if completely 
 petrified. 
 
 " What in the world ! " he began, and called to 
 Thomas to stop, whose energetic " Whoa /" reaching 
 the ears of the frozen line, caused it to break ranks, 
 and spring into life at an alarming rate. 
 
 " Oh, is she coming Jappy ? Is she ? Is she ? " 
 they all screamed together , swarming up to the car- 
 riage door, and over the wheels. 
 
 " Yes," said Jasper looking at Polly. 
 
 At that, Phronsie made a little cheese and sat 
 right down on the pavement in an ecstasy. 
 
 " Get in here, all of you ; " said Jasper merrily \ 
 "help Polly in first. For shame Dick ! don't scram- 
 ble so." 
 
 " Dick always shoves," said Percy, escorting Polly 
 up with quite an air. 
 
 " I don't either/* said Dick ; "you pushed me aw- 
 ful, just a little while ago," he added indignantly. 
 
 " Do say awfully," corrected Van, crowding up to 
 get in. " You leave off your lys so," he finished crit- 
 cally 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 " I don't know anything about any lees," said little 
 Dick, who, usually so good natured, was now 
 thoroughly out of temper ; " I want to get in and 
 go home," and he showed evident symptoms of break- 
 ing into a perfect roar. 
 
 "There," said Polly, lifting him up, "there he 
 goes ! now one, two, three ! " and little Dick was 
 spun in so merrily that the tears changed into a 
 happy laugh. 
 
 " Now then, bundle in, all the rest of you," put in 
 Mr. King, who seemed to be in the best of spirits. 
 " That's it \ go on, Thomas ! " 
 
 " When are they coming ? " Polly found time to 
 ask in the general jumble. 
 
 " In three weeks from to-morrow," said Jasper. 
 " And everything's all right, Polly ! and the whole of 
 them, Cherry and all, will be here then 1 " 
 
 "CM/" said Polly. 
 
 "Here we are 1" cried Van, jumping out Almost 
 before the carriage door was open. "Mamma; 
 mamma," he shouted to Mrs. Whitney in the door- 
 way, " the Peppers are coming, and the little brown 
 house too ! everything and everybody " ! 
 
 " They are ! " said Percy, as wild as his brother , 
 " and everything's just splendid 1 Jappy said so." 
 
328 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " Everything's coming," said little Dick, tumbling 
 up the steps " and the bird and and " 
 
 " And mamsie ! " finished Phronsie, impatient to 
 add her part while Polly didn't say anything 
 only looked. 
 
 Three weeks ! " I can't wait ! " thought Polly at 
 first, in counting over the many hours before the 
 happy day would come. But on Jasper's suggesting 
 that they should all do something to get ready for the 
 visitors, and have a general trimming up with vines 
 and flowers beside the time passed away much 
 more rapidly than was feared. 
 
 Polly chose a new and more difficult piece of 
 music to learn to surprise mamsie. Phronsie had 
 aspired to an elaborate pincushion, that was nearly 
 done, made of bits of worsted and canvas, over 
 whose surface she had wandered according to her 
 own sweet will, in a way charming to behold. 
 
 " I don't know what to do," said Van in de- 
 spair, " cause I don't know what she'd like." 
 
 " Can't you draw her a little picture ? " asked 
 Polly. " She'd like that." 
 
 " Does she like pictures ? " asked Van with the 
 greatest interest. 
 
 " Yes indeed ! " said Polly, " I guess you'd think so 
 if you could see her ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 329 
 
 " I know what /shall do," with a dignified ait 
 said Percy, who couldn't draw, and therefore looked 
 down on all Van's attempts with the greatest scorn. 
 "And it won't be any old pictures either," he 
 added. 
 
 "What is it, old fellow?" asked Jasper, "tell on, 
 now, your grand plan." 
 
 " No, I'm not going to tell," said Percy, with the 
 greatest secrecy, " until the very day." 
 
 " What will you do, sir ? " asked Jasper, pulling one 
 of Dick's ears, who stood waiting to speak, as if his 
 mind was made up, and wouldn't be changed for any- 
 one ! 
 
 " I shall give Ben one of my kitties the littlest 
 and the best ! " he said, with heroic self-sacrifice. 
 
 A perfect shout greeted this announcement. 
 
 " Fancy Ben going round with one of those awful 
 little things," whispered Jappy to Polly, who shook at 
 the very thought. 
 
 " Don't laugh ! oh, it's dreadful to laugh at him, 
 Jappy," she said, when she could get voice enough. 
 
 " No, I shctrft tell," said Percy, when the fun had 
 subsided ; who, finding that no one teased him to 
 divulge his wonderful plan, kept trying to harrow up 
 their feelings by parading it. 
 
 " You needn't then," screamed Van, who was nearly 
 
330 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 dying to know. " I don't believe it's so very dread- 
 ful much, anyway." 
 
 "What's yours, Jappy ? " asked Polly, "I know 
 vours will be just splendid." 
 
 " Oh, no, it isn't," said Jasper, smiling brightly, 
 " but as I didn't know what better I could do, I'm 
 going to get a little stand, and then beg some flowers 
 of Turner to fill it, and " 
 
 "Why, that's mine!" screamed Percy, in the great* 
 est disappointment. " That's just what / was going 
 to do ! " 
 
 u Hoh, hoh ! " shouted Van ; " I thought you 
 wouldn't tell, Mr. Percy ! hoh. hoh ! " 
 
 " Hoh, hoh ! " echoed Dick. 
 
 " Hush," said Jappy. " Why, Percy, I didn't know 
 as you had thought of that," he said kindly. " Well, 
 then, you do it, and I'll take something else. I don't 
 care as long as Mrs. Pepper gets 'em." 
 
 " I didn't exactly mean that," began Percy ; " mine 
 was roots and little flowers growing." 
 
 " He means what he gets in the woods," said Polly, 
 explaining ; " don't you, Percy ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the boy. " And then I was going to 
 put stones and things in among them to make them 
 *>k pretty." 
 
 " And they will," cried Jasper. " Go ahead, Percy, 
 
And How 27iey Grew. 331 
 
 they'll look real pretty, and then Turner will give you 
 some flowers for the stand, I know ; I'll ask him to- 
 morrow." 
 
 " Will you ?* cried Percy, " that'll be fine ! " 
 
 " Mine is the best," said Van, just at this juncture ; 
 but it was said a little anxiously, as he saw how things 
 were prospering with Percy ; " for my flowers in the 
 picture will always be there, and your old roots and 
 things will die." 
 
 " What will yours be, then, Jappy ? " asked Polly 
 very soberly. "The stand of flowers would have 
 been just lovely ! and you do fix them so nice," she 
 added sorrowfully. 
 
 * Oh, I'll find something else," said Jappy, cheer- 
 fully, who had quite set his heart on giving the flow- 
 ers. ' Let me see I might carve her a bracket." 
 
 " Do," cried Polly, clapping her hands enthusiasti- 
 cally. " And do carve a little bird, like the one you 
 did on your father's." 
 
 " I will," said Jasper, " just exactly like it. Now, 
 we've got something to do, before we welcome the 
 little brown house ' people so let's fly at it, and the 
 time won't seem so long." 
 
 And at last the day came when they could all say 
 To-morrow they'll be here 1 
 
132 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 Well, the vines were all up ; and pots of lovely 
 climbing ferns, and all manner of pretty green things 
 had been arranged and re-arranged a dozen times till 
 everything was pronounced perfect ; and a big green 
 " Welcome " over the library door, made of laurel 
 leaves, by the patient fingers of all the children, 
 Stared down into their admiring eyes as much as to 
 say, " I'll do my part ! " 
 
 "Oh, dear," said Phronsie, when evening came, 
 and the children were, as usual, assembled on the rug 
 before the fire, their tongues running wild with antici- 
 pation and excitemen ,, " I don't mean to go to bed 
 at all, Polly ; I don't truly." 
 
 "Oh, yes, you do," said Polly laughing; "then 
 you'll be all fresh and rested to see mammy when she 
 does come." 
 
 "Oh, no," said Phronsie, shaking her head soberly, 
 and speaking in an injured tone. " I'm not one bit 
 tired, Polly ; not one bit." 
 
 " You needn't go yet, Phronsie," said Polly. "You 
 can sit up half an hour yet, if you want to." 
 
 "But I don't want to goto bed at all," said the 
 child anxiously, "for then I may be asleep when 
 mamsie comes, Polly." 
 
 " She's afraid she won't wake up," said Percy, 
 
And How They Grew. 333 
 
 laughing. "Oh, there'll be oceans of time before 
 they come, Phronsie." 
 
 " What is oceans,' 7 asked Phronsie, coining up and 
 looking at him, doubtfully. 
 
 "He means mamsie won't get here till afternoon," 
 said Polly, catching her up and kissing her; "then I 
 guess you'll be awake, Phronsie, pet." 
 
 So Phronsie allowed herself to be persuaded, at the 
 proper time, to be carried off and inducted into her 
 little night-gown. And when Polly went up to bed, 
 she found the little pin-cushion, with its hieroglyphics, 
 that she had insisted on taking to bed with her, still 
 tightly grasped in the little fat hand. 
 
 " She'll roll over and muss it," thought Polly 
 " and then she'll feel bad in the morning. I guess 
 I'd better lay it on the bureau." 
 
 So she drew it carefully away, without awaking the 
 little sleeper, and placed it where she knew Phronsie's 
 eyes would rest on it the first thing in the morn- 
 ing. 
 
 It was going on towards the middle of the night 
 when Phronsie, whose exciting dreams of mamsie and 
 the boys wouldn't let her rest quietly, woke up ; and 
 in the very first flash she thought of her cushion. 
 
 " Why, where " she said, in the softest little 
 
334 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 tones, only half awake, " why, Polly, where is it ? M 
 and she began to feel all around her pillow to see if 
 it had fallen down there. 
 
 But Polly's brown head with its crowd of anticipa< 
 tions and busy plans was away off in dreamland, and 
 she breathed on and on perfectly motionless. 
 
 " I guess I better," said Phronsie to herself, now 
 thoroughly awake, and sitting up in bed, " not wake 
 her up. Poor Polly's tired -, I can find it myself, I 
 know I can." 
 
 So she slipped out of bed, and prowling around on 
 the floor, felt all about for the little cushion. 
 
 " Tisn't here, oh, no, it isn't," she sighed at last, 
 and getting up, she stood still a moment, lost in 
 thought. " Maybe Jane's put it out in the hall," she 
 said, as a bright thought struck her. " I can get it 
 there," and out she pattered over the soft carpet to 
 the table at the end of the long hall, where Jane 
 often placed the children's playthings over night. As 
 she was coming back after her fruitless search, she 
 stopped to peep over the balustrade down the fascinat- 
 ing flight of stairs, now so long and dark. Just then 
 a little faint ray of light shot up from below, and met 
 her eyes. 
 
 " Why ! " she said in gentle surprise, " they're all 
 
And How They Grew. 335 
 
 down-stairs ! I guess they're making something for 
 mamsie I'm going to see." 
 
 So, carefully picking her way over the stairs with 
 her little bare feet, and holding on to the balustrade 
 at every step, she went slowly down, guided by the 
 light, which, as she neared the bottom of the flight, 
 she saw came from the library door. 
 
 " Oh, isn't it funny ! " and she gave a little happy 
 laugh. " They, won't know I'm comin' ! " and now 
 the soft little feet went pattering over the thick car- 
 pet, until she stood just within the door. There she 
 stopped perfectly still. 
 
 Two dark figures, big and powerful, were bending 
 over something that Phronsie couldn't see, between 
 the two big windows. A lantern on the floor flung 
 its rays over them as they were busily occupied ; and 
 the firelight from the dying coals made the whole 
 stand out distinctly to the gaze of the motionless little 
 figure. 
 
 " Why ! what are you doing with my grandpa's 
 things ? " 
 
 The soft, clear notes fell like a thunderbolt upon 
 the men. With a start they brought themselves up, 
 and stared only to see a little white-robed figure, 
 with its astonished eyes uplifted with childlike, earn- 
 est gaze, as she waited for her answer. 
 
336 Five Little Peppers , 
 
 For an instant they were powerless to move ; and 
 stood as if frozen to the spot, till Phronsie, moving 
 one step forward, piped forth : 
 
 " Naughty men, to touch my dear grandpa's 
 things ! " 
 
 With a smothered cry one of them started forward 
 with arm uplifted ; but the. other sprang like a cat 
 and intercepted the blow. 
 
 " Stop ! " was all he said. A noise above the stairs 
 a rushing sound through the hall ! Something will 
 save Phronsie, for the household is aroused ! The 
 two men sprang through the window, having no time 
 to catch the lantern or their tools, as Polly, fol- 
 lowed by one and another, rushed in and surrounded 
 the child. 
 
 " What ! " gasped Polly, and got no further. 
 
 " STOP, THIEF ! " roared Mr. King, hurrying over 
 the stairs. 
 
 The children, frightened at the strange noises, began 
 to cry and scream, as they came running through the 
 halls to the spot. Jasper rushed for the men-ser< 
 vants. 
 
 And there stood Phronsie, surrounded by the pale 
 group. 
 
 "'Twas two naughty men," she said, lifting her 
 little face with the grieved, astonished look still in the 
 
. 
 
 'HAUGHTY MEN TO TOUCH MY DRAR GRANDPA'S THINGS!' 
 
And How They Grew. 339 
 
 big brown eyes, " and they were touching my grand- 
 pa's things, Polly ! " 
 
 " I should think they were," said Jasper, running 
 over amongst the few scattered tools and the lantern, 
 to the windows, where, on the floor, was a large table 
 cover hastily caught up by the corners, into which a 
 vast variety of silver, jewelry, and quantities of costly 
 articles were gathered ready for flight. " They've 
 broken open your safe, father ! " he cried in excite- 
 ment, "see ! " 
 
 " And they put up their hand one man did," went 
 on Phronsie. "And the other said ' Stop ! ' oh, Polly, 
 you hurt me ! " she cried, as Polly, unable to bear the 
 strain any longer, held her so tightly she could hardly 
 breathe. 
 
 " Go on," said Jasper, " how did they look ? " 
 
 " All black," said the child, pushing back her wavy 
 hair and looking at him, "very all black, Japser." 
 
 " And their faces, Phronsie ? " said Mr. King, get- 
 ting down on his old knees on the floor beside her. 
 " Bless me ! somebody else ask her, I can't talk ! " 
 
 " How did their faces look, Phronsie, dear ? " asked 
 Jasper, taking one of the cold hands in his. " Can't 
 you think ? " 
 
 " Oh ! " said Phronsie and then she gave a funny 
 
34 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 little laugh, "two big. holes, Japser, that's all they 
 had ! " 
 
 " She means they were masked," whispered Jasper. 
 
 " What did you get up for ? " Mrs. Whitney asked, 
 " Dear child, what made you get out of bed ? " 
 
 "Why, my cushion-pin/' said Phronsie looking 
 worried at once. " I couldn't find it, and " 
 
 But just at this, without a bit of warning, Polly 
 tumbled over in a dead faint. 
 
 And then it was all confusion again. 
 
 And so, on the following afternoon, it turned 
 out that the Peppers, about whose coming there had 
 been so many plans and expectations, just walked in 
 as if they had always lived there. The greater ex- 
 citement completely swallowed up the less ! 
 
And How They Grew. 341 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 WHICH TREATS OF A GOOD MANY MATTERS. 
 
 PHOOH ! " said Joel a few mornings after the 
 emptying of the little brown house into the big 
 one, when he and Van were rehearsing for the 
 fiftieth time all the points of the eventful night, 
 " phooh 1 if I'd been here they wouldn't got away, I 
 guess 1 " 
 
 " What would you have done ? " asked Van, bris- 
 tling up at this reflection on their courage, and 
 squaring up to him. " What would you have done, 
 Joel Pepper ?" 
 
 " I'd a-pitched right into 'em like everything I " 
 said Joel, valiantly ; " and a-caught 'era I Yes, every 
 single one of the Bunglers 1 " 
 
 "The what?" said Van, bursting into a loud 
 laugh. 
 
 " The Bunglers," said Joel, with a red face. " That's 
 
342 Kve J&tb 
 
 what you said they were, anyway," he added pori 
 
 tively. 
 
 "I said Burglars" said Van, doubling up with 
 amusement, while Joel stood, a little sturdy figure, 
 regarding him with anything but a sweet counte- 
 nance. 
 
 "Well anyway, I'd a-caught 'em, so there!" he 
 said, as Van at last showed signs of coming out ot 
 his fit of laughter, and got up and wiped his eyes. 
 
 " How'd you caught 'em ? " asked Van, scornfully 
 surveying the square little country figure before him. 
 * You can't hit any." 
 
 "Can't?" said Joel, the black eyes flashing vol- 
 umes, and coming up in front of Van. " You better 
 believe I can, Van Whitney ! n 
 
 " Come out in the back yard and try then," said 
 Van hospitably, perfectly delighted at the prospect 
 and flying along towards the door. " Come right out 
 and try." 
 
 " All right I " said Joel, following sturdily, equally 
 delighted to show his skill. 
 
 "There," said Van, taking off his jacket, and 
 flinging it on the grass, while Joel immediately fol- 
 lowed suit with his little homespun one. " Now we 
 can begin perfectly splendid I I won't hit hard," he 
 added patronizingly, as both boys stood ready. 
 
And How They Grew. 
 
 343 
 
 "Hit as hard as you've a-mind too, said Joel, 
 " I'm a-going to." 
 
 " Oh, you may," said Van politely, " because you're 
 company. All right now ! M 
 
 *\S 
 
 JOEL SHOWS WHAT HE WOULD DO TO A BURGLAR. 
 
 So at it they went Before very many minutes 
 were over, Van relinquished all ideas of treating his 
 company with extra consideration, and was only 
 thinking how he could possibly hold his own with the 
 valiant little country lad. Oh, if he could only be 
 called to his lessons anything that would summon 
 
344 ffo* LittU Peppers ; 
 
 him into the house! Just then a window above theil 
 heads was suddenly thrown up, and his mamma's 
 voice in natural surprise and distress called quickly : 
 " Children what are you doing ? Oh, Van, how could 
 you ! " 
 
 Both contestants turned around suddenly. Joel 
 looked up steadily, "We're a-hitting, ma'am ; he 
 said I couldn't, and so we came out and " 
 
 "Oh, Vanny," said Mrs. Whitney reproachfully, 
 "to treat a little guest in this way!" 
 
 "I wanted to," said Joel cheerfully; "'twas great 
 fun. Let's begin again, Van ! " 
 
 "We mustn't," said Van, readily giving up the 
 charming prospect, and beginning to edge quickly 
 towards the house. " Mamma wouldn't like it you 
 know. He hits splendidly, mamma," he added gen- 
 erously, looking up. " He does really." 
 
 " And so does Van," cried Joel, his face glowing at 
 the praise. " We'll come out every day," he added 
 slipping into his jacket, and turning enthusiastically 
 back to Van. 
 
 "And perhaps he could have pitched into the 
 Burglars," finished Van, ignoring the invitation, 
 and tumbling into his jacket with alarming speed. 
 
 *\know\ could!" cried Joel, scampering aftei 
 him into the house. " If I'd only a-been here ! " 
 
And How They Grew. 345 
 
 C> Where's Ben ? " said Van, bounding into the hall, 
 and flinging himself down on one of the chairs. 
 "Oh, dear, I'm so hot I Say, Joe, where do you 
 s'pose Ben is?" 
 
 " I don't know," replied Joel, who didn't even puff. 
 
 " I saw him a little while ago with Master Percy," 
 said Jane, who was going through the hall. 
 
 "There now! and they've gone off somewhere," 
 cried Van, in extreme irritation, and starting up 
 quickly. " I know they have. Which way did they 
 go, Jane ? And how long ago ? " 
 
 " Oh, I don't know," replied Jane carelessly, " half 
 an hour maybe ; and they didn't go nowhere as I see, 
 at least they were talking at the door, and I was 
 going up-stairs." 
 
 " Right here ? " cried Van, and stamping with his 
 foot to point out the exact place; "at this door, 
 Jane?" 
 
 " Yes, yes," said Jane ; " at that very door," and 
 then she went into the dining-room to her work. 
 
 " Oh dear me I " cried Van, and flying out on the 
 veranda, he began to peer wildly up and down the 
 drive. "And they've gone to some splendid place, 
 I know, and wouldn't tell us. That's just like 
 Percy 1 " he added, vindictively, " he's always steal* 
 
346 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 ing away ! don't you see 'em, Joel ? oh, do come out 
 
 and look ! " 
 
 "Tisn't any use," said Joel coolly, sitting down on 
 the chair Van had just vacated, and swinging his feet 
 comfortably ; " they're miles away if they've been 
 gone half an hour. Fm goin' up-stairs," and he 
 sprang up, and energetically pranced to the stairs. 
 
 "They aren't up stairs /" screamed Van, in scorn, 
 bounding into the hall. " Don't go ; I know that 
 they've gone down to the museum ! " 
 
 " The what ? " exclaimed Joel, nearly at the top, 
 peering over the railing. " What's that you said 
 what is it ? " 
 
 " A museum" shouted Van, " and it's a perfectly 
 elegant place, Joel Pepper, and Percy knows I like to 
 go ; and now he's taken Ben off ; and he'll show him 
 all the things ! and they'll all be old when 7 take 
 him and and oh! I hope the snakes will bite 
 him ! " he added, trying to think of something bad 
 enough. 
 
 "Do they have snakes there?" asked Joel, star- 
 ing. 
 
 " Yes, they do" snapped out Van. " They have 
 everything!" 
 
 "Well, they shan't bite Ben!" cried Joel in terror. 
 "Oh! do you suppose they willl" and he turned 
 
And How They Grew. 347 
 
 right straight around on the stairs, and looked at 
 Van. 
 
 "No," said Van, "they won't bite what's the 
 matter, Joe ? " 
 
 " Oh, they may" said Joel, his face working, and 
 screwing both fists into his eyes ; at last he burst 
 right out into a torrent of sobs. " Oh, don't let 'era 
 Van don't/" 
 
 " Why, they can't" said Van in an emphatic voice, 
 running up the stairs to Joel's side, frightened to 
 death at his tears. Then he began to shake his 
 jacket sleeve violently to bring him back to reason. 
 " Wait Joe ! oh, do stop ! oh, dear, \vhat shall I do ! 
 I tell you, they can't bite," he screamed as loud as he 
 could into his ear. 
 
 " You said you hoped they would," 
 said Joel's voice in smothered tones. 
 
 "Well, they won't anyway," said Van decidedly 
 1 'Cause they're all stuffed so there now ! " 
 
 Ain't they alive nor anythin* ? " asked Joel, 
 Bringing one black eye into sight from behind his 
 chubby hands. 
 
 " No," said Van, " they're just as dead as anything, 
 Joel Pepper been dead years 1 and there's old 
 crabs there too, old dead crabs and they're just 
 lovely I Oh, such a lots of eggs as they've got And 
 
348 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 there are shells and bugs and stones and an awful 
 old crocodile, and " 
 
 " Oh, dear 1 " sighed Joel, perfectly overcome at 
 such a vision, and sitting down on the stairs to think. 
 "Well, mamsie'll know where Ben is," he said, 
 springing up. " And then I tell you Van, we'll just* 
 tag ? em ! " 
 
 " So she will," cried Van. " Why didn't we think 
 of that before ? I wanted to think." 
 
 "I did," said Joel. "That was where I was 
 goin'." 
 
 Without any more ado they rushed into Mrs. Pep- 
 per's big, sunay room, there to see, seated at the 
 square table between the two large windows, the two 
 lost ones bending over what seemed to be an object 
 of the greatest importance, for Polly was hanging 
 over Ben's shoulder with intense pride and delight, 
 which she couldn't possibly conceal, and Davie was 
 crowded as near as he could get to Percy's elbow. 
 
 Phronsie and little Dick were perched comfortably 
 on the corner of the table, surveying the whole scene 
 in quiet rapture ; and Mrs. Pepper with her big mend' 
 ing basket, was ensconced over by the deep window 
 seat just on the other side of the room, underneath 
 Cherry's cage, and looking up between quick energetic 
 
And How They Grew* 349 
 
 stitches, over at the busy group, with the most placid 
 expression on her face. 
 
 " Oh! what you doin' ? " cried Joel, flying up to 
 them. " Let us see, do Ben ! " 
 
 " What is it ? " exclaimed Van, squeezing in be 
 tween Percy and Ben. 
 
 *' Don't" began Percy. "There, see, you've 
 
 knocked his elbow and spoilt it ! " 
 
 " Oh no, he hasn't," said Ben, putting down his 
 pencil, and taking up a piece of rubber. "There, 
 see it all comes out as good as ever." 
 
 "Isn't it just elegant '?" said Percy in the most 
 pleased tone, and wriggling his toes under the table 
 to express his satisfaction. 
 
 " Yes," said Van, craning his neck to get a better 
 view of the picture, now nearly completed, " it's per- 
 fectly splendid. How'd you do it, Ben ? " 
 
 *' I don't know," replied Ben with a smile, carefully 
 shading in a few last touches. " It just drew it- 
 self." 
 
 " 'Tisn't anything to what he can do," said Polly, 
 standing up as tall as she could, and beaming at Ben, 
 " He used to draw most beautiful at home." 
 
 " Better than this ? " asked Van, with great respect 
 and taking up the picture, after some demur on Per- 
 
35 -Five Little Peppers / 
 
 cy's part, and examining it critically. "I don't 
 believe it, Polly." 
 
 " Phooh ; he did ! " exclaimed Joel, looking over 
 his shoulder at a wonderful view of a dog in an ex- 
 tremely excited state of mind running down an inter- 
 minable hill to bark at a locomotive and train of 
 cars whizzing along a curve in the foreground. 
 "Lots better'n that! Ben can do anything!" he 
 added, in an utterly convincing way. 
 
 " Now give it back," cried Percy, holding out his 
 hand in alarm. "I'm going to ask mamma to have 
 it framed; and then I'm going to hang it right over 
 my bed," he finished, as Van reluctantly gave up the 
 treasure. 
 
 " Did you draw all the time in the little brown 
 house ? " asked Van, lost in thought. " How I wish 
 I'd been there ! " 
 
 "Dear, no I" cried Polly, with a little skip, turn- 
 ing away to laugh. "He didn't have hardly any 
 time, and 5 * 
 
 "Why not?" asked Percy. 
 
 u 'Cause there was things to do? said Polly. * But 
 sometimes when it rained, and he couldn't go out and 
 work, and there wasn't anything to do in the house 
 then we'd have oh I" and she drew a long 
 
And ffbw They Grew. 351 
 
 breath at the memory, "such a time^ you can't 
 think!" 
 
 "Eidn'tyou wish it would dhoay* rain?" asked 
 Van, still gazing at the picture. 
 
 41 Dear, no!" began Polly. 
 
 " I didn't," broke in Joel, in horror. "I wouldn't 
 
 a-had it rain for anything I only once in a while,* 
 
 he added, as he thought of the good times that Poll> 
 had spoken of. 
 
 "'Twas nice outdoors," said little Davie, refleo 
 tively ; " and nice inside, too." And then he glanced 
 over to his mother, who gave him a smile in return. 
 ** And 'twas nice always? 
 
 "Well," said Van, returning to the picture, "I do 
 wish you'd tell me how to draw, Ben. I can't do 
 anything but flowers," he said in a discouraged 
 way. 
 
 " Flowers aren't anything," said Percy, pleasantly. 
 "That's girl's work; but dogs and horses and 
 cars those are just^zw//" 
 
 " Will you, Ben ? " asked Van, looking down into 
 the big blue eyes, so kindly turned up to his. 
 
 u Yes, indeedl will," cried Ben, " that is, all I know j 
 Hisn't much, but everything I can, I'll tell you." 
 
 " Then I can learn, can't I ?" cried Van joyfully, 
 
352 Five Little Pepper s\ 
 
 " Oh, tell me too, Ben," cried Percy, " will you? 
 I want to learn too.** 
 
 " And me ! " cried Dick, bending forward, nearly 
 upsetting Phronsie as he did so. " Yes, say I may, 
 Ben, do I" 
 
 " You're too little," began Percy. But Ben nodded 
 his head at Dick, which caused him to clap his hands 
 and return to his original position, satisfied. 
 
 "Well, I guess we're going to, too? said Joel. 
 u Dave an* me ; there isn't anybody goin' to learn 
 without us." 
 
 " Of course not," said Polly, " Ben wouldn't leave 
 you out, Joey." 
 
 Phronsie sat quite still all this time, on the corner 
 of the table, her feet tucked up under her, and her 
 hands clasped in her lap, and never said a word. 
 But Ben looking up, saw the most grieved expression 
 settling on her face, as the large eyes were fixed in 
 wonder on the faces before her. 
 
 " And there's my pet," he cried in enthusiasm, and 
 reaching over the table, he caught hold of one of the 
 little fat hands. " Why we couldn't think of getting 
 along without her I She shall learn to draw she 
 shall!" 
 
 " Really ^ Bensie ? "said Phronsie, the sunlight break 
 ing all over the gloomy little visage, and setting th 
 
And How They Grew. 355 
 
 brown eyes to dancing. ' " Real, true, splendid pic- 
 tures ? " 
 
 " Yes, the splendidest," said Ben, " the very splen- 
 didest pictures, Phronsie Pepper, you ever saw I " 
 
 " Oh!" cried Phronsie; and before anyone knew 
 what she was about, she tripped right into the middle 
 of the table, over the papers and everything, and gave 
 a happy little whirl I 
 
 " Dear me, Phronsie I " cried Polly, catching her up 
 and hugging her ; " you mustn't dance on the table." 
 
 "I'm going to learn," said Phronsie, coming out 
 of Polly's embrace, " to draw whole pictures, all alone 
 by myself Ben said so 1 " 
 
 " I know it," said Polly, " and then you shall draw 
 one for mamsie you shall I " 
 
 "I will," said Phronsie, dreadfully excited; "I'll 
 draw her a cow, and two thickens, Polly, just like 
 Grandma Bascom's 1 " 
 
 "Yes," whispered Polly, "but don't you tell her 
 yet till you get it done, Phronsie." 
 
 " I won't," said Phronsie, in the loudest of tones 
 but putting her mouth close to Polly's ear. "And 
 then she'll be so s'prised, Polly I won't she?" 
 
 Just then came Jasper's voice at the door. " Can 
 I come in ? " 
 
 " Oh, do, Jappy," cried Polly, rushing along with 
 
556 &W Little Peppers ; 
 
 Phronsie in her arms to open the door. * We're so 
 glad you've got home ! " 
 
 " So am I," said Jasper, coming in, his face flushed 
 and his eyes sparkling; "I thought father never 
 would be through down town, Polly ! " 
 
 " We're going to learn to draw," said Percy, over 
 by the table, who wouldn't on any account leave his 
 seat by Ben, though he was awfully tired of sitting 
 still so long, for fear somebody else would hop into 
 it. " Ben's going to teach us." 
 
 "Yes, he is," put in Van, bounding up to Jasper 
 and pulling at all the buttons on his jacket he could 
 reach, to command attention. 
 
 " And us," said Joel, coming up too. " You forgot 
 us, Van." 
 
 " The whole of us every single one in this room," 
 said Van decidedly, " all except Mrs. Pepper." 
 
 * Hulloa ! " said Jasper, " that is a class ! Well, 
 Professor Ben, you've got to teach me then, for I'm 
 coming too." 
 
 " You f " said Ben, turning around his chair, and 
 looking at him ; " I can't teach you anything, Jappy e 
 You know everything already " 
 
 " Let him come, anyway/' said Polly, hopping up 
 and down. 
 
 " Oh, I'm coming, Professor," laughed Jasper. 
 
And How They Grew. 357 
 
 " Never you fear, Polly ; I'll be on hand when the 
 rest of the class comes in ! " 
 
 " And Van," said Mrs. Pepper, pausing a minute 
 in her work, and smiling over at him in a lull in the 
 chatter " I think flowers are most beautiful ! " and 
 she pointed to a little framed picture on the mantel, 
 of the bunch of buttercups and one huge rose that 
 Van had with infinite patience drawn, and then col- 
 ored to suit his fancy. 
 
 "Do you?" cried Van, perfectly delighted ; and 
 leaving the group he rushed up to her side. " Do 
 you really think they're nice, Mrs. Pepper ? " 
 
 " Of course I do/' said Mrs. Pepper briskly, and 
 beaming on him ; " I think everything of them, and 
 I shall keep them as long as I live, Van ! " 
 
 "Well, then," said Van, very much pleased, "I 
 shall paint you ever so many more just as many 
 as you want I " 
 
 " Do ! " said Mrs. Pepper, taking up her work 
 again. " And I'll hang them every one up." 
 
 " Yes, I will," said Van ; " and I'll go right to 
 work on one to-morrow. What you mending our 
 jackets for ? " he asked abruptly as a familiar hole 
 caught his attention. 
 
 " Because they're torn," said Mrs. Pepper cheei* 
 fully, " an' they won 9 / mend themselves." 
 
35$ /&" Little Peppers; 
 
 * Why don't you let Jane ? " he persisted. " She 
 always does them." 
 
 " Jane's got enough to do," replied Mrs. Pepper, 
 smiling away as hard as she could, " and I haven't} 
 so I'm going to look around and pick up something 
 to keep my hands out of ^mischief as much as I can, 
 while I'm here." 
 
 " Do you ever get into mischief ? " asked little 
 Dick, coming up and looking into Mrs. Pepper's 
 face wonderingly. " Why, you're a big woman ! " 
 
 " Dear me, yes 1 " said Mrs. Pepper. " The big- 
 ger you are, the more mischief you can get into. 
 You'll find that out, Dickey." 
 
 " And then do you have to stand in a corner ? " 
 asked Dick, determined to find out just what were 
 the consequences, and reverting to his most dreaded 
 punishment. 
 
 " No," said Mrs. Pepper laughing. " Corners are 
 for little folks ; but when people who know better, 
 do wrong, there aren't any corners they can creep 
 into, or they'd get into them pretty quick I * 
 
 "I wish," said little Dick, "you'd let me get 
 into your lap. That would be a nice corner I " 
 
 * Do, mamsie," said Polly, coming up, " that's just 
 the way I used to feel ; and I'll finish the mending.' 1 
 
 So Mrs. Pepper put down her work, and moved 
 
And How xJiey Grew. 359 
 
 the big basket for little Dick to clamber up, when 
 he laid his head contentedly back in her motherly 
 arms with a sigh of happiness. Phronsie regarded 
 him with a very grave expression. At last she drew 
 near : " I'm tired ; do-, mamsie, take me 1 " 
 
 " So mamsie will," said Mrs. Pepper, opening her 
 arms, when Phronsie immediately crawled up into 
 their protecting shelter, with a happy little crow. 
 
 "Oh, now, tell us a story, Mrs. Pepper," cried 
 Van ; t( please, please do J " 
 
 "No, no;" exclaimed Percy, scuttling out of his 
 chair, and coming up, " let's talk of the little brown 
 house. Do tell us what you used to do there 
 that's best." 
 
 " So 'tis !" cried Van; "ALL the nice times you 
 used to have in it ! Wait just a minute, do." And 
 he ran back for a cricket which he placed at Mrs. 
 Pepper's feet ; and then sitting down on it, he leaned 
 on her comfortable lap, in order to hear better. 
 
 " Wait for me too, till I get a chair," called Percy, 
 starting. " Don't begin till I get there." 
 
 " Here, let me, Percy," said Ben ; and he drew 
 forward a big easy-chair that the boy was tugging at 
 with all his might. 
 
 " Now 7'm ready, too," said Polly, setting small 
 finishing stitches quickly with a merry little flourish. 
 
360 ffo* Little Peppers $ 
 
 and drawing her chair nearer her mother's as she 
 spoke. 
 
 "Now begin, please," said Van, u all the nice times 
 you know." 
 
 " She couldn't tell all the nice times if she had 
 ten years to tell them in, could she, Polly?" said 
 Jasper. 
 
 " Well, in the first place then," said Mrs. Pepper, 
 clearing her throat, " the little brown house had got 
 to be, you know, so we made up our minds to make it 
 just the nicest brown house that ever was ! " 
 
 " And it was 1 " declared Jasper, with an emphatic 
 ring to his voice. " The very nicest place in the whole 
 world!" 
 
 "Oh dear," broke in Van enviously; "Jappy's 
 always said so. I wish we'd been there, too ! " 
 
 " We didn't want anybody but Jappy," said Joel 
 not very politely. 
 
 " Oh Joey, for shame ! " cried Polly. 
 
 "Jappy used to bake," cried little Davie ; "an' we 
 all made pies ; an' then we sat round an' ate 'em, 
 an* then told stories." 
 
 " Oh what fun ! " cried Percy. " Do tell us ! " 
 
 So the five little Peppers and Jasper flew off into 
 reminiscences and accounts of the funny doings, 
 and Mrs. Pepper joined in heartily till the room 
 
And How They Grew. 361 
 
 got very merry with the glee and enthusiasm called 
 forth ; so much so, that nobody heard Mrs. Whitney 
 knock gently at the door, and nobody answering, she 
 was obliged to come in by herself. 
 
 "Well, well," she cried, merrily, looking at the 
 swarm of little ones around Mrs. Pepper and the big 
 chair. " You are having a nice time ! May I come 
 and listen ? " 
 
 " Oh, if you will, sister/' cried Jasper, springing off 
 from his arm of the chair, while Ben flew from the 
 other side, to hurry and get her a chair. 
 
 Percy and Van rushed too, knocking over so many 
 things that they didn't help much ; and little Dick 
 poked his head out from Mrs. Pepper's arms when 
 he saw his mamma sitting down to stay and began 
 to scramble down to get into her lap. 
 
 " There now," said Mrs. Whitney, smiling over at 
 Mrs. Pepper, who was smiling at her. " You have 
 your baby, and I have mine ! Now children, what's 
 it all about ? What has Mrs. Pepper been telling 
 you ? " 
 
 " Oh, the little brown house," cried Dicky, his 
 cheeks all a-flame. " The dearest little house 
 mamma ! I wish I could live in one ! " 
 
 " 'Twouldn't be the same without the Peppers in 
 it," said Jasper. " Not a bit of it 1 " 
 
362 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 " And they had such perfectly elegant times," cried 
 Percy, enviously, drawing up to her side. " Oh, you 
 can't think, mamma ! " 
 
 " Well now," said his mamma, " do go on, and let 
 me hear some of the nice times." 
 
 So away they launched again, and Mrs. Whitney 
 was soon enjoying it as hugely as the children, when 
 a heavy step sounded in the middle of the room, 
 and a voice spoke in such a tone that everybody 
 skipped. 
 
 " Well, I should like to know what all this means ! 
 I've been all over the house, and not a trace of any- 
 body could I find." 
 
 "Oh f ather !" cried Mrs. Whitney. "Van, dear, 
 get up and get grandpapa a chair." 
 
 " No, no \" said the old gentleman, waving him off 
 impatiently. " I'm not going to stay ; I must go and 
 lie down. My head is in a bad condition to-day ; 
 very bad indeed," he added. 
 
 " Oh ! " said Phronsie, popping up her head and 
 looking at him. " I must get right down." 
 
 "What's the matter, Phronsie?" asked Mrs. Pep- 
 per, trying to hold her back. 
 
 "Oh, but I must" said Phronsie, energetically 
 wriggling. " My poor sick man wants me, he does" 
 And flying out of her mother's arms, she ran up to 
 
1 
 
 
 
And How They Grew. 365 
 
 Mr. King, and standing on tiptoe, said softly, "I'll 
 rub your head, grandpa dear, poor sick man j yes I 
 will." 
 
 "And you're the best child," cried the old gentle- 
 man, catching her up and marching over to the other 
 side of the room where there was a lounging chair. 
 " There now, you and I, Phronsie, will stay by our- 
 selves. Then my head will feel better." 
 
 And he sat down and drew her into his arms. 
 
 "Does it ache very bad ? ' ; said Phronsie, in a soft 
 little voice. Then reaching up she began to pat 
 and smooth it gently with one little hand, " Very 
 bad, dear grandpa ? " 
 
 " It wont," said the old gentleman, " if you only 
 keep on taking care of it, little Phronsie." 
 
 "Then/ 5 said the child, perfectly delighted, " I'm 
 going to take all care of you, grandpa, always ! " 
 
 '* So you shall, so you shall ! " cried Mr. King, no 
 less delighted than she was. " Mrs. Pepper ! " 
 
 " Sir ? " said Mrs. Pepper, trying to answer, which 
 she couldn't do very well surrounded as she was by 
 the crowd of little chatterers. " Yes, sir ; excuse me 
 what is it, sir?" 
 
 "We've got to come to an understanding about 
 this thing," said the old gentleman, " and I can't talk 
 
366 Five Little Peppers $ 
 
 much to-day, because my head ache won't allow 
 
 Here the worried look came into Phronsie's face 
 again, and she began to try to smooth his head 
 with both little hands. 
 
 " And so I must say it all in as few words as pos- 
 sible," he continued. 
 
 "What is it, sir ? " again asked Mrs. Pepper, won- 
 deringly. 
 
 "Well, the fact is, I've got to have somebody 
 who will keep this house. Now Marian, not a word I 
 as he saw symptoms of Mrs. Whitney's joining in the 
 conversation. " You've been good ; just as good as 
 can be under the circumstances ; but Mason will be 
 home in the fall, and then I suppose you'll have to 
 go with him. Now 7," said the old gentleman, for- 
 getting all about his head, and straightening himself 
 up suddenly in the chair, ** am going to get things in- 
 to shape, so that the house will be kept for all of 
 us ; so that we can come or go. And how can 1 do it 
 better than to have the Peppers you, Mrs. Pepper, 
 and all your children come here and live, and " 
 
 "Oh, father!" cried Jasper, rushing up to him; 
 and flinging his arms around his neck, he gave him 
 such a hug as he hadn't received for many a day. 
 
 44 Goodness, Jasper 1" cried his father, feeling 
 
And How They Grew. 367 
 
 of hl^ thtoctf, f< How can you express your feelings 
 so violently ! And, besides, you interrupt." 
 
 " Beg pardui, sir," said Jasper, swallowing his 
 excitement, and trying to control his eagerness. 
 
 " Do you say yes, Mrs. Pepper ? " queried the old 
 gentleman impatiently. ** I must get this thing fixed 
 up to-day. I'm really too ill to be worried ma'am.'* 
 
 44 Why sir," stammered Mrs. Pepper, "I don't 
 know whatto say. I couldn't think of imposing all 
 my children on you, and " 
 
 "Imposing! Who's talking of imposing I" said 
 Mr. King in a loud key. " I want my house kept ; 
 will you live here and keep it? That is the ques- 
 tion." 
 
 44 But sir," began Mrs. Pepper again, "you don't 
 think " 
 
 u \ do think ; I tell you, ma'am, I do think," snap- 
 ped the old gentleman. " It's just because I have 
 thought that I've made up my mind. Will you do it 
 Mrs. Pepper ? " 
 
 "What yougoin* to do, mamsie?" asked Joel 
 quickly. 
 
 " I don't know as I'm going to do anything yet," 
 said poor Mrs. Pepper, who was almost stunned. 
 
 " To come here and live 1 " cried Jasper, unable 
 
368 Five Little Pepper s\ 
 
 to keep rfall any longer and springing to tfe 
 children, " Don't you want to, Joe ? " 
 
 " n live!" screamed Joel. "Oh whickety, yes! 
 " De ma, do come here and live do ! " 
 
 " To live ? " echoed Phronsie, over in the old 
 gentleman's lap. " In this be-^o/-ti-ful place ? 
 Oh, oh!" 
 
 " Oh, mamsie!" that was all Polly could say. 
 
 And even Ben had his arms around his mother's 
 neck, whispering " Do " into her ear, while little 
 Davie got into her lap and teased her with all his 
 might. 
 
 " What shall I do ! " cried the poor woman. " Did 
 ever anybody see the like ? " 
 
 " It's the very best thing you could possibly do," 
 cried the old gentleman. " Don't you see it's for 
 the children's advantage ? They'll get such educa- 
 tions, Mrs. Pepper, as you want for them. And it 
 accommodates me immensely. What obstacle can 
 there be to it ? " 
 
 " If I was only sure tVas best ? " said Mrs. Pep- 
 per doubtfully. 
 
 " Oh, dear Mrs. Pepper," said Mrs. Whitney, lay- 
 ing her hand on hers. " Can you doubt it ? " 
 
 "Then," said Mr. King, getting up, but still 
 
And How They Grew. 369 
 
 holding on to Phronsie, "we'll consider it settled. 
 This is your home, children," he said, waving his 
 hand at the five little Peppers in a bunch. And hav- 
 ing thus summarily disposed of the whole business, 
 he marched out with Phronsie on his shoulder. 
 
five Little 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 OLLY ? S DISMAL MORNING. 
 
 EVERYTHING had gone wrong with Polly that 
 day. It began with her boots. 
 Of all things in the world that tried Polly's pa- 
 tience most were the troublesome little black but 
 tons that originally adorned those useful parts of hei 
 tlothing, and that were fondly supposed to be there 
 when needed. But they never were. The little 
 black things seemed to be invested with a special 
 spite, for one by one they would hop off on the slight- 
 est provocation, and go rolling over the floor, just 
 when she was in her most terrible hurry, compelling 
 her to fly for needle and thread on the instant. For 
 one thing Mrs. Pepper was very strict about and 
 that was, Polly should do nothing else till the but- 
 tons were all on again, and the boots buttoned up 
 firm and snug. 
 
And How They Grew. 571 
 
 * Oh dear ! " said Polly, sitting Aown on the floor, 
 and pulling on her stockings. " There now, see that 
 hateful old shoe, mamsie 1 " And she thrust out one 
 foot in dismay. 
 
 " What's the matter with it ? " said Mrs. Pepper 
 straightening the things on the bureau. "You haven't 
 worn it out already, Polly ? " 
 
 "Oh no," said Polly, with a little laugh. "I hope 
 not yet, but it's these dreadful hateful old buttons ! " 
 And she twitched the boot off from her foot with 
 such an impatient little pull, that three or four more 
 went flying under the bed. " There now there's a 
 lot more. I don't care ! I wish they'd all go , they 
 might as well ! " she cried, tossing that boot on the 
 floor in intense scorn, while she investigated the 
 state of the other one. 
 
 "Are they all off?" asked Phronsie, pulling her- 
 self up out of a little heap in the middle of the bed, 
 and leaning over the side, where she viewed Poliy 
 sorrowfully. " Every one, Polly ? " 
 
 "No, "said Polly, "but I wish they were, mean 
 old things ; when I was going down to play a duet 
 with Jasper ! We should have had a good long time 
 before breakfast Oh, mayn't I go just once, mam- 
 ie ? Nobody'll see me if I tuck my foot under the 
 
37* 
 
 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 piano ; and I can sew 'em on afterwards there'll 
 be plenty of time. Do, just once, mamsie 1 " 
 
 " No," said Mrs. Pepper firmly, " there isn't any 
 time but now. And piano playing isn't very nice 
 when you've got to stick your toes under it to keep 
 your shoes on." 
 
 ** Well then," grumbled Polly, hopping around in 
 
 PHRONSIE HELPS POLLY. 
 
 her stocking-feet, " where is the work-basket, mam- 
 sie ? Oh here it is on the window-seat." A rattle 
 of spools, scissors and necessary utensils showed 
 plainly that Polly had found it, followed by a jumble 
 of words and despairing ejaculations as she groped 
 hurriedly under chairs and tables to collect the 
 scattered contents. 
 
How They Grew. 
 
 When she got back with a very red face, she found 
 Phronsie, who had crawled out of bed, sitting down 
 on the floor in her little nightgown and examining 
 the boot with profound interest. 
 
 " I can sew 'em, Polly," she said, holding up her 
 hand for the big needle that Polly was trying to 
 thread "I can now truly ; let me, Polly, do 1 " 
 
 "Dear no!" said Polly with a little laugh, be- 
 ginning to be very much ashamed. " What could you 
 do with your little mites of hands pulling this big 
 thread through that old leather? There, scarnpei 
 teto bed again \ you'll catch cold out here." 
 
 " Tisn't very cold," said Phronsie, tucking up her 
 toes under the nightgown, but Polly hurried her into 
 bed, where she curled herself up under the clothes, 
 watching her make a big knot. But the knot didn't 
 stay; for when Polly drew up the long thread tri- 
 umphantly to the end out it flew, and away the 
 button hopped again as if glad to be released. And 
 then the thread kinked horribly, and got all twisted 
 up in disagreeable little snarls that took all Polly's 
 patience to unravel. 
 
 " It's because you're in such a hurry," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, who was getting Phronsie's clothes. And 
 coming over across the room she got down on one 
 
574 fto* Z&fle Peppers; 
 
 knee, and looked over Polly's shoulder. "Thc/a 
 now, let mother see what's the matter." 
 
 ''Oh dear," said Polly, resigning the needle with 
 a big sigh, and leaning back to take a good stretch, 
 followed by Phronsie's sympathizing eyes ; " they 
 never 7/be on I And there goes the first bell! "as 
 the loud sounds under Jane's vigorous ringing pealed 
 up over the stairs. " There won't be time anyway, 
 now ! I wish there wasn't such a thing as shoes in 
 the world ! " And she gave a flounce and sat up 
 straight in front of her mother. 
 
 "Polly!" said Mrs. Pepper sternly, deftly fasten- 
 ing the little buttons tightly into place with quick, 
 firm stitches, "better be glad you've got them to sew 
 at all. There now, here they are. Those won t come 
 off in a hurry ! " 
 
 "Oh, mamsief" cried Polly, ignoring for a mo- 
 ment the delights of the finished shoe to fling her 
 arms around her mother's neck and give her a good 
 hug. "You're just the splendidest, goodest mamsie in 
 all the world. And I'm a hateful, cross old bear, so 
 I am ! " she cried remorsefully, buttoning herself into 
 her boots. Which done, she flew at the rest of her 
 preparations and tried to make up for lost time. 
 
 But 'twas all of no use. The day seemed to be 
 always just racing ahead of her, and turning a 
 
And How They Grew. 375 
 
 ncr, before she could catch up to it, and Ben and 
 the other boys only caught dissolving views of her 
 as she flitted through halls or over stairs. 
 
 " Where's Polly ? " said Percy at last, coming with 
 great dissatisfaction in his voice to the library door. 
 4 We've called her and called her, I guess a million 
 times, and she won't hiury." 
 
 " What do you want to have her do ? " asked Ja 
 per, looking up from the sofa where he had flung 
 himself with a book. 
 
 "Why, she said she'd make Van and me our sails 
 you know," said Percy, holding up a rather forlorn 
 looking specimen of a boat, but which the boys had 
 carved with the greatest enthusiasm, " and we want 
 her now." 
 
 " Can't you let her alone till she's ready to come ? " 
 said Jasper quickly. " You're always teasing her to 
 do something," he added. 
 
 " I didn't tease," said Percy indignantly, coming 
 up to the sofa, boat in hand, to enforce his words. 
 " She said she'd love to do 'em, so there, Jasper 
 King! 1 ' 
 
 "Coming! coming !" sang Polly over the stairs, 
 and bobbing into the library, "Oh here you are, 
 Percy ! I couldn't come before ; mamsie wanted me. 
 Now, says I, for the sails." And she began to flap 
 
376 Five Little Peppers / 
 
 out a long white piece of cotton cloth on the table 
 to trim into just the desired shape. 
 
 " That isn't the way," said Percy, crowding up, the 
 brightness that had flashed over his face at Polly's 
 appearance beginning to fade. " Hoh I those won't 
 be good for any thing those ain't sails? 
 
 "I haven't finished." said Po.ly, snipping away 
 vigorously, and longing to get back to mamsie. 
 " Wait till they're done j then they'll be good as 
 good as can be 1 " 
 
 "And it's bad enough to have to make them," put 
 in Jasper, flinging aside his book and rolling over to 
 watch them, "without having to be found fault with 
 every second, Percy." 
 
 " They're too big," said Percy, surveying them 
 critically, and then looking at his boat. 
 
 " Oh, that corner's coming off," cried Polly cheer- 
 fully, giving it a sharp cut that sent it flying on the 
 floor. "And they won't be too big when they're 
 done, Percy, all hemmed and everything. There," 
 as she hb*d one up for inspection, " that's just the 
 way I used to make Ben's and mine, when we sailed 
 boats." 
 
 "Is it?" asked Percy ? looking with more respect 
 it the piece of cloth Polly was waving alluringly 
 before him. ' Just exactly like it, Polly ? 
 
Ana JJow They Grew. 377 
 
 M Yes," said Polly, laying it down again for a pat- 
 tern " oh, how does this go oh that's it, there 
 yes, this is just exactly like Bensie's and mine 
 that was when I was ever so little ; and then I used 
 to make Joel's and Davie's afterwards and" 
 
 " And were theirs just like this ? " asked Percy, 
 laying his hand on the sail she had finished cutting 
 out. 
 
 " /Vr-cisely," said Polly, with a pin in her mouth. 
 "Just as like as two peas, Percy Whitney." 
 
 "Then I like them," cried Percy, veering round 
 and regarding them with great satisfaction as Van 
 bounded in with a torrent of complaints, and great 
 disappointment in every line of his face. 
 
 "Oh now, that's too bad!" he cried, seeing Polly 
 fold up the remaining bits of cloth, and pick up the 
 scraps on the floor. "And you've gone and let her 
 cut out every one of 'em, and never told me a word J 
 You're a mean, old hateful thing, Percy Whitney! " 
 
 "Oh don't/" said Polly, on her keees on the 
 floor. 
 
 " I forgot " began Percy, " and she cut 'em so 
 quick and " 
 
 "And I've been waiting," said Van, in a loud 
 wrathful key, "and waiting and waiting!" 
 
 *"Never mind, Van," said Jasper consolingly, get- 
 
378 fto* Little Peppers ; 
 
 ting off from the sofa and coming up to the table, 
 hey're done and done beautifully, aren't they ? " 
 he said, holding up one. 
 
 But this only proved fresh fuel for the fire of 
 Van's indignation. 
 
 " And you shan't have em, so ! " he cried, making 
 a lunge at the one on the .table, " for I made most 
 of the boat, there!" 
 
 " Oh no, you didn't I " cried Percy in the greatest 
 alarm, hanging on to the boat in his hand. " I cut 
 all the keel and the bow and " 
 
 " Oh dear 1 " said Polly, in extrem dismay, looking 
 at Jasper. " Come, I'll tell you what I'll do, boys.' 5 
 " What? " said Van, cooling off a little, and allow- 
 ing Percy to edge into a corner with the beloved 
 boat and one sail. " What will you, Polly ? " 
 
 46 I'll make you another pair of sails/' said Polly 
 groaning within herself as she thought of the wasted 
 minutes, "and then you can see me cut 'em, Van." 
 " Will you really? he said, delight coming all ovei 
 his flushed face. 
 
 * Yes, I will," cried Polly, "wait a minute till I get 
 some more cloth." And she started for the door. 
 
 " Oh now, that's too bad ! " said Jasper. " To have 
 to cut more of those tiresome old things ! Van, let 
 her off!" 
 
And How They Grew. 379 
 
 " Oh no, I won't ! I won't ! " he cried in the greatest 
 alarm, running up to her as she stood by the door. 
 " You did say so, Polly ! You know you did ! " 
 
 "Of course I did, Vanny," said Polly, smiling 
 down into his eager face, " and we'll have a splen- 
 did pair in just one minute ! " she sang. 
 
 And so the sails were cut out, and the hems 
 turned down arid basted, and tucked away into 
 Polly's little work-basket ready for the sewing ofl 
 the morrow. And then Mr. King came in and took 
 Jasper off with him ; and the two Whitney boys went 
 up to mamma for a story ; and Polly sat down in 
 mamsie's room to tackle her French exercise, 
 
380 five Little 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 POLLY'S BIO BUNDLE! 
 
 THE room was very quiet; but presently Phron- 
 sie strayed in, and seeing Polly studying, 
 climbed up in a chair by the window to watch the 
 birds hop over the verandah and pick up worms in 
 the grass beside the carriage drive. And then came 
 Mrs. Pepper with the big mending basket, and en- 
 sconced herself opposite by the table ; and nothing 
 was to be heard but the " tick, tick " of the clock, and 
 an occasional dropping of a spool of thread, or scis- 
 sors, from the busy hands flying in and out among 
 the stockings. 
 
 All of a sudden there was a great rustling in 
 Cherry's cage that swung in the big window on the 
 other side of the room. And then he set up a loud 
 and angry chirping, flying up and down, and opening 
 his mouth as if he wanted to express his mind, but 
 
And How They Grew. 3^1 
 
 couldn't, and otherwise acting in a very straujge and 
 unaccountable manner. 
 
 " Dear me ! " said Mrs. Pepper, " what's that ?* 
 
 * It's Cherry," said Polly, lifting up her head from 
 " Fasquelle," "and oh, dear me!" and flinging 
 down the pile of books in her lap on a chair, she 
 rushed across the room and flew up to the cage and 
 began to wildly gesticulate and explain and shower 
 down on him every endearing name she could think 
 of. 
 
 " What is the matter? " asked her mother, turning 
 around in her chair in perfect astonishment " What 
 upon earth, Polly 1 " 
 
 " How could 1 1 " cried Polly, in accents of despair, 
 not heeding her mother's question. "Oh, mamsie, 
 will he die, do you think ? " 
 
 " I guess not," said Mrs. Pepper, laying down her 
 work and coming up to the cage, while Phronsie 
 scrambled off from her chair and hurried to the 
 scene. " Why, he does act queer, don't he ? P'raps 
 he's been eating too much ? " 
 
 "Eating!" said Polly, oh mamsie, he hasn't had 
 anything. " And she pointed with shame and remorse 
 to the seed-cup with only a few dried husks in the 
 irery bottom. 
 
 "Oh, Polly," began Mrs. Pepper; but seeing the 
 
382 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 look on her face, she changed her tone for one more 
 Cheerful. "Well, hurry and get him some now ; he'll 
 be all right, poor little thing, in a minute. There, 
 there," she said, nodding persuasively at the cage, 
 "you pretty creature you 1 so you sha'n't be starved." 
 
 At the word " starved," Polly winced as though 
 a pin had been pointed at her. 
 
 " There isn't any, mamsie, in the house," she 
 stammered ; " he had the last yesterday." 
 
 " And you forgot him to-day ? " asked Mrs. Pepper, 
 with a look in her black eyes Polly didn't like. 
 
 " Yes'm," said poor Polly in a low voice. 
 
 " Well, he must have something right away," said 
 Mrs. Pepper, decidedly. " That's certain." 
 
 "I'll run right down to Fletcher's and get it," cried 
 Polly. "Twon't take me but a minute, mamsie; 
 Jasper's gone, and Thomas, too, so I've got to go/' 
 she added, as she saw her mother hesitate. 
 
 " If you could wait till Ben gets home," said Mrs. 
 Pepper, slowly. "I'm most afraid it will rain, 
 Polly." 
 
 " Oh, no, mamsie/' cried Polly, feeling as if she 
 could fly to the ends of the earth to atone, and long- 
 ing beside for the brisk walk down town. Going up 
 to the window she pointed triumphantly to the little 
 
And How They Grew. 383 
 
 bit of blue sky still visible. "There, now, see, it 
 w?t rain yet awhile." 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Pepper, while Phronsie, stand- 
 ing in a chair with her face pressed close to the cage, 
 was telling Cherry through the bars " not to be hun- 
 gry, please don't 1" which he didn't seem to mind in 
 the least, but went on screaming harder than ever 
 " And besides, 'tisn't much use to wait for Ben. No 
 body knows where he'll get shoes to fit himself and 
 Joe and Davie, in one afternoon I But be sure, Polly, 
 to hurry, for it's getting late, and I shall be worried 
 about you." 
 
 "Oh, mamsie," said Polly, turning back just a 
 minute, " I know the way to Fletcher's just as easy as 
 anything. I couldn't get lost." 
 
 " I know you do," said Mrs. Pepper, "but it'll be 
 dark early on account of the shower. Well," she 
 said, pulling out her well-worn purse from her pocket, 
 " if it does sprinkle, you get into a car, Polly, remem- 
 ber." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I will," she cried, taking the purse. 
 
 And there's ten cents for your bird seed in that 
 pocket," said Mrs. Pepper, pointing to a coin raring 
 mway into a corner by itself. 
 
 " Yes'm," said Polly, wild to be off. 
 
 * And there's a five-cent piece in that one for you to 
 
3*4 Five Little Peppers s 
 
 ride up with," said her mother, tying up the purse 
 carefully. " Remember, for you to ride up with. 
 Well, I aruess vou better ride up anyway, Polly, come 
 to think, and then you'll get home all the quicker." 
 
 " Where you going ? " asked Phronsie, who on see* 
 ing the purse knew there was some expedition on 
 foot, and beginning to clamber down out of the chair. 
 " Oh, I want to go too, I do. Take me, Polly ! " 
 
 " Oh, no, Pet, I can't," cried Polly, " I've got to 
 hurry like everything ! " 
 
 " I can hurry too," cried Phronsie, drawing her 
 
 small figure to its utmost height, "oh, so fast, 
 Polly ! " 
 
 "And it's ever so far," cried Polly, in despair, as 
 she saw the small under lip of the child begin to 
 quiver. " Oh, dear me, mamsie, what shall I do ! " 
 
 "Run right along," said Mrs. Pepper, briskly. 
 " Now, Phronsie, you and I ought to take care of 
 Cherry, poor thing." 
 
 At this Phronsie turned and wiped away two big 
 tears, while she gazed up at the cage in extreme com- 
 
 I naiseration. 
 
 * 
 
 " I guess 111 give him a piece of bread," said Mrs. 
 Pepper to herself. At this word "bread," Polly, who 
 Was half way down the hall, came running back. 
 
 " Oh, mamsie, don't? she said. " It m-^e him sick 
 
4rvt flow They Grew. 3*3 
 
 before, don't you know it did so fat and stuffy." 
 " Well, hurry along then," said Mrs. Pepper, and 
 Polly was off. 
 
 Over the ground she sped, only intent on reaching 
 the bird store, her speed heightened by the dark and 
 rolling bank of cloud that seemed to shut right down 
 suddenly over her and envelop her warningly. 
 
 " It's good I've got the money to ride up with," she 
 thought to herself, hurrying along through the busy 
 streets, filled now with anxious crowds homeward 
 rushing to avoid the threatening shower. "Well, 
 here I am," she said with a sigh of relief, as she 
 at last reached Mr. Fletcher's big bird store. 
 
 Here she steadily resisted all temptations to stop 
 and look at the new arrivals of birds, and to feed the 
 carrier-pigeons who seemed to be expecting her, and 
 who turned their soft eyes up at her reproachfully 
 when she failed to pay her respects to them. Even 
 the cunning blandishments of a very attractive mon- 
 key that always had entertained the children on their 
 numerous visits, failed to interest her now. Mamsie 
 would be worrying, she knew ; and besides, the sight 
 of so many birds eating their suppers out of gener- 
 ously full seed-cups, only filled her heart with remorse 
 as she thought of poor Cherry and his empty one. 
 
386 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 So she put down her ten cents silently on the coun 
 ter, and took up the little package of seed, and went 
 out 
 
 But what a change 1 The cloud that had seemed 
 but a cloud when she went in, was now fast descend- 
 ing in big ominous sprinkles that told of a heavy 
 shower to follow. Quick and fast they came, making 
 everybody fly to the nearest shelter. 
 
 " 1 don't care," said Folly to herself, holding fast 
 her little package. tf I'll run and get in the car 
 then I'll be all right." 
 
 So she went on with nimble footsteps, dodging the 
 crowd, and soon came to the corner. A car was just 
 in sight that was fine ! Polly put her hand in her 
 pocket for her purse, to have it all ready but as 
 quickly drew it out again and stared wildly at the car, 
 which she allowed to pass by. Her pocket was 
 empty ! 
 
 " Oh, dear," she said to herself, as a sudden gust 
 of wind blew around the corner, and warned her to 
 move on, " now what shall I do ! Well, I must hurry. 
 Nothing for it but to run now ! " 
 
 And secretly glad at the chance for a good hearty 
 run along the hard pavements, a thing she had been 
 longing to do ever since she came to the city, Polly 
 gathered her bundle of seed up under her arm, and 
 
POOR CHERRY'S BIRD-SEED. 
 
And How They Grew. 389 
 
 set out for a jolly race. She was enjoying it hugely, 
 when a sudden turn of the corner brought her up 
 against a gentleman, who, having his umbrella down 
 to protect his face, hadn't seen her till it was too 
 late. 
 
 Polly never could tell how it was done ; but the 
 first thing she knew she was being helped up from the 
 wet, slippery pavement by a kind hand ; and a gen- 
 tleman's voice said in the deepest concern : 
 
 " I beg your pardon ; it was extremely careless in 
 me," 
 
 " It's no matter," said Polly, hopping up with a 
 little laugh, and straightening her hat. " Only " 
 and she began to look for her parcel that had been 
 sent spinning. 
 
 " What is it ? " said the gentleman, bending down 
 and beginning to explore, too, in the darkness. 
 
 44 My bundle," began Polly. " Oh, dear ! " 
 
 No need to ask for it now ! There lay the paper 
 wet and torn, down at their feet. The seed lay all 
 over the pavement, scattered far and wide even out to 
 the puddles in the street. And not a cent of money 
 to get any more with ! The rain that was falling 
 around them as they stood there sent with the sound 
 of every drop such a flood of misery into Polly's 
 heart 1 
 
39 F*w Little Peppers; 
 
 " What was it, child ? " asked the gentleman, peering 
 sharply to find out what the little shiny things were. 
 
 " Bird-seed," gasped Polly. 
 
 " Is that all ? " said the gentleman with a happy 
 laugh. " I'm very glad." 
 
 "All!" Polly's heart stood still as she thought of 
 Cherry, stark and stiff in the bottom of his cage, if he 
 didn't get it soon. "Now," said the kind tones, 
 briskly, " come, little girl, we'll make this all right 
 speedily. Let's see here's a bird store. Now, 
 then." 
 
 "But, sir " began Polly, holding back. 
 
 Even Cherry had better die than to do anything 
 her mother wouldn't like. But the gentleman already 
 had her in the shop, and was delighting the heart of 
 the shop-keeper by ordering him to do up a big pack- 
 age of all kinds of seed. And then he added a cun- 
 ning arrangement for birds to swing in, and two 01 
 three other things that didn't have anything to do with 
 birds at all. And then they came out on the wet, 
 slippery street again. 
 
 " Now, then, little girl," said the gentleman, tuck- 
 ing the bundle under his arm, and opening the um- 
 brella ; then he took hold of Polly's hand, who by 
 this time was glad of a protector. " Where do you 
 
And How They Grew. 391 
 
 live ? For I'm going to take you safely home this time 
 where umbrellas can't run into you." 
 
 " Oh /" said Polly, with a little skip. " Thank you 
 sir I It's up to Mr. King's ; and " 
 
 " What!" said the gentleman, stopping short in 
 the midst of an immense puddle, and staring at her, 
 " Mr. Jasper King's?" 
 
 " I don't know sir," said Polly, " what his other 
 name is. Yes it must be Jasper ; that's what Jappy's 
 is, anyway," she added with a little laugh, wishing 
 very much that she could see Jappy at that identical 
 moment. 
 
 "Jappy!" said the stranger, still standing as if 
 petrified. " And are there little Whitney children IQ 
 the same house ! " 
 
 " Oh. yes," said Polly, raising her clear, brown eyes 
 up at him. The gas lighter was just beginning his 
 rounds, and the light from a neighboring lamp flashed 
 full on Polly's face as she spoke, showing just how 
 clear and brown the eyes were. "There's Percy, and 
 Van, and little Dick oh, he's so cunning!" she 
 cried, impulsively. 
 
 The gentleman's face looked very queer just then ; 
 but he merely said : 
 
 " Why, you must be Polly ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, I am," said Polly, pleased to think he 
 
39* ft Little Peppers; 
 
 knew her. And then she told him how she'd forgot- 
 ten Cherry's seed, and all about it. ' And oh, sir," 
 she said, and her voice began to tremble, " mamsie'll 
 be so frightened if I don't get there soon ! " 
 
 " I'm going up there myself, so that it all happens 
 very nicely," said the gentleman, commencing to start 
 off briskly, and grasping her hand tighter. " Now, 
 then, Polly." 
 
 So off 'they went at a very fast pace ; she, skipping 
 through the puddles that his long, even strides carried 
 him safely over, chattered away by his side under the 
 umbrella, and answered his many questions, and alto- 
 gether got so very well acquainted that by the time 
 they turned in at the old stone gateway, she felt as if 
 she had known him for years. 
 
 And there, the first thing they either of them saw, 
 down in a little corner back of the tall evergreens, 
 was a small heap that rose as they splashed up the 
 carriage-drive, and resolved itself into a very red dress 
 and a very white apron, as it rushed impulsively up 
 and flung itself into Polly's wet arms : 
 
 "And I was so tired waiting, Polly ! " 
 . "Oh dear me, Phronsie ! " cried Polly, huddling 
 fcer up from the dark, wet ground. " You'll catch your 
 death ' "Vhat will mamsie say ! " 
 
 The stranger, amazed at this new stage of the 
 
And How They Grew. 393 
 
 proceedings, was vainly trying to hold the umbrella 
 over both, till the procession couH move on again. 
 
 u Oh ! " cried Phronsie, shaking her yellow head 
 decidedly, " they're all looking for you, Polly." She 
 pointed one finger solemnly up to the big carved door 
 as she spoke. At that Polly gathered her up close 
 and began to walk with rapid footsteps up the path. 
 
 " Do let me carry you, little girl," said Polly's kind 
 friend persuasively, bending down to the little face on 
 Polly's neck. 
 
 " Oh, no, no, no ! " said Phronsie, at each syllable 
 grasping Polly around the throat in perfect terror, and 
 waving him off with a very crumpled, mangy bit of 
 paper, that had already done duty to wipe off the 
 copious tears during her anxious watch. " Don't let 
 him, Polly, don't!" 
 
 " There sha'n't anything hurt you," said Polly, kiss- 
 ing her reassuringly, and stepping briskly off with her 
 burden, just as the door burst open, and Joel flew 
 out on the veranda steps, followed by the rest of the 
 troop in the greatest state of excitement. 
 
 "Oh, whickety I she's^w/^/" he shouted, springing 
 tip to her over the puddles, and crowding under the 
 ttnbrella. " Where'd you get Phronsie ? " he asked, 
 standing quite still at sight of the little feet tucked 
 Op to get out of the rain. And without waiting for 
 
394- Kv9 Little Peppers; 
 
 an answer he turned and shot back into the hous$ 
 proclaiming in stentorian tones, " Ma, Polly's come 
 an' she's got Phronsie an' an awfufbig man 
 and they're out by the gate ! " 
 
 "Phronsie I" said Mrs. Pepper, springing to her 
 feet, "why, I thought she was up-stairs with Jane." 
 
 "Now, somebody," exclaimed old Mr. King, who 
 sat by the library table vainly trying to read a news- 
 paper, which he now threw down in extreme irritation 
 as he rose quickly and went to the door to welcome 
 the wanderers, " somebody ought to watch that poor 
 child, whose business it is to know where she is I 
 She's caught her death-cold, no doubt, no doubt I " 
 
 Outside, in the rain, the children revolved around 
 and around Polly and Phronsie, hugging and kissing 
 them, until nobody could do much more than breathe, 
 not seeming to notice the stranger, who stood quietly 
 waiting till such time as he could be heard. 
 
 At last, in a lull in the scramble, as they were drag- 
 ing Polly and her burden up the steps, each wild for 
 the honor of escorting her into the house, he cried out 
 in laughing tones : 
 
 " Isn't anybody going to kiss me, I wonder ! " 
 
 The two little Whitneys, who were eagerly clutching 
 Polly's arms, turned around ; and Percy rubbed hit 
 
And How They Grew. 395 
 
 eyes in a puzzled way, as Joel said, stopping a min- 
 ute to look up at the tall figure : 
 
 " We don't ever kiss strangers mamsie'-s told us 
 not to." 
 
 " For shame, Joey ! " cried Polly, feeling her face 
 grow dreadfully red in the darkness, " the gentleman's 
 been so kind to me ! " 
 
 " You're right, my boy," said the stranger, laughing 
 and bending down to Joel's upturned, sturdy counte- 
 nance, at the same instant that Mrs. Pepper flung 
 open the big door, and a bright, warm light fell 
 straight across his handsome face. And then 
 
 Well, then Percy gave a violent bound, and upset- 
 ting Joel as he did so, wriggled his way down the 
 steps at the same time that Van, on Polly's other 
 side, rushed up to the gentleman : 
 
 "Papa oh, papa!" 
 
 Polly, half way up the steps, turned around, and 
 then, at the rush of feeling that gathered at her heart, 
 sat right down on the wet slippery step. 
 
 " Why, Polly Pepper ! " exclaimed Joel, not mind- 
 ing his own upset. " You're right in all the slush 
 mother won't like it, I tell you ! " 
 
 " Hush 1 " cried Polly, catching his arm, " he's 
 come oh, Joel he's come / " 
 
396 Fwe Little Peppers; 
 
 " Who ? " cried Joel, staring around blindly, " who, 
 Polly?" 
 
 Polly had just opened her lips to explain, when. 
 Mr. King's portly, handsome figure appeared in the 
 doorway. "Do come in, children why good 
 gracious, Mason ! " 
 
 " Yes," cried the stranger, lightly, dropping his big 
 bundle and umbrella as he passed in the door, with 
 his little sons clinging to him. " Where is Marian ? " 
 
 " Why didn't you write ? " asked the old gentleman, 
 testily. "These surprises aren't the right sort of 
 things," and he began to feel vigorously of his heart. 
 " Here, Mrs. Pepper, be so good as to call Mrs. Whit- 
 ney." 
 
 "Pepper! Pepper 1" repeated Mr. Whitney, per- 
 plexedly. 
 
 " She's coming I hear her up-stairs," cried Van 
 Whitney. " Oh, let me tell her ! " He struggled to 
 get down from his father's arms as he said this. 
 
 " No, I shall I heard her first ! " cried Percy. 
 " Oh, dear me ! Grandpapa's going to ! " 
 
 Mr. King advanced to the foot of the staircase as 
 his daughter, all unconscious, ran down with a light 
 step, and a smile on her face. 
 
 "Has Polly come?" she asked, seeing only her 
 
And How They Grew. 397 
 
 " Yes," replied the old gentleman, shortly, " and 
 the's brought a big bundle, Marian ! " 
 
 " A big bundle ? " she repeated wonderingly, and 
 gazing at him. 
 
 " A very big bundle," he said, and taking hold of 
 her shoulders he turned her around on her hus- 
 band. 
 
 So Polly and Phronsie crept in unnoticed after all. 
 
 " I wish Ben was here," said little Davie, capering 
 around the Whitney group, " an' Jappy, I do 1 " 
 
 " Where are they ! " asked Polly. 
 
 " Don't know," said Joel, tugging at his shoe-string. 
 H bee aren't these prime 1 " He held up a 
 black shoe, fairly bristling with newness, for Polly to 
 admire. 
 
 "Splendid," she cried heartily; "but where art 
 the boys?" 
 
 " They went after you," said Pavie, " after we came 
 home with our shoes." 
 
 " No, they didn't/' contradicted Joel, flatly ; anc 
 sitting down on the floor he began to tie and untie 
 his new possessions. "When we came home Ben 
 drew us pictures lots of 'em don't you know ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes," said Davie, nodding his head, " so he 
 did ; that was when we all cried 'cause you weren't 
 home, Polly/' 
 
398 Five Little Peppers: 
 
 " He drawed me a be-^^-tiful one," cried Phron- 
 sie, holding up her -nangy bit ; u see, Polly, see 1 " 
 
 " That's the little brown house/' said Davie, look- 
 ing over her shoulder as Phronsie put it carefully into 
 Polly's hand. 
 
 " It's all washed out," said Polly, smoothing it out, 
 " when you staid out in the rain." 
 
 Phronsie's face grew very grave at that. 
 
 "Bad, naughty old rain," she said, and then sha 
 began to cry as hard as she could. 
 
 " Oh dear, don't 1 " cried Poiiy in dismay, trying her 
 best to stop her, " oh, Phronsie, do stop ! " she im- 
 plored, pointing into the next room whence the sound 
 of happy voices issued, " they'll all hear you I " 
 
 But Phronsie in her grief didn't care, bat wailei 
 on steadily. 
 
 " Who is it anyway ? ' cried Joel, tired of admiring 
 his precious shoes, and getting up to hear them squeak, 
 *' that great big man, you know, Polly, that came in 
 with you ? " 
 
 " Why, I thought I told you," said Polly, at her 
 wit's end over Phronsie. " It's Percy and Van's father, 
 Joey I " 
 
 "Whockey ! " cried Joel, completely stunned, " really 
 and truly, Polly Pepper ? " 
 
 " Really and truly," cried Polly, bundling Phronsia 
 
And How They Grew. 399 
 
 up in her arms to lay the little wet cheek against 
 hers. 
 
 "Then I'm going to peek," cried Joel, squeaking 
 across the floor to carry his threat into execution. 
 
 " Oh, you mustn't, Joe ! " cried Polly, frightened 
 lest he should. " Come right back, or I'll tell mam- 
 sie!" 
 
 " They're all comin' in, anyway," cried little Davie. 
 delightedly, and scuttling over to Polly's side. 
 
 " And here are the little friends I've heard so much 
 about ! " cried Mr. Whitney coming in amongst them. 
 " Oh, you needn't introduce me to Polly she brought 
 me home I " 
 
 " They're all Pepperses," said Percy, waving his 
 hand, and doing the business up at one stroke. 
 
 " Only the best of 'em isn't here," observed Van, 
 rather ungallantly, "he draws perfectly elegant, 
 papa ! " 
 
 " /like Polly best, I do 1" cried little Dick, tumb- 
 ling after. 
 
 "Peppers /" again repeated Mr. Whitney in a puzzled 
 way. 
 
 44 And here is Mrs. Pepper," said old Mr. King, 
 pompously drawing her forward, "the children's 
 mother, and " 
 
 But here Mrs. Pepper began to act in a very quett 
 
400 five Little Peppers; 
 
 way, rubbing her eyes and twisting one corner of her 
 black apron in a decidedly nervous manner that, as 
 the old gentleman looked up, he saw with astonish 
 ment presently communicated itself to the gentleman 
 opposite. 
 
 " Is it/ 5 said Mr. Whitney, putting out his hand 
 and grasping the hard, toil-worn one in the folds of 
 the apron, " is it cousin Mary ? " 
 
 " And aren't you cousin John ? " she asked, the tears 
 in her bright black eyes. 
 
 " Of all things in this world ! " cried the old gen- 
 tleman, waving his head helplessly from one to the 
 other. " Will somebody have the extreme goodness to 
 tell us what all this means?" 
 
 At this the little Peppers crowded around their 
 mother, and into all the vacant places they could find, 
 to get near the fascinating scene. 
 
 " Well/' said Mr. Whitney, sitting down and drawing 
 his wife to his side, " it's a long story. You see, when 
 I was a little youngster, and " 
 
 " You were John Whitney then? put in Mrs. Pepper, 
 slyly. "That's the reason I never knew when they 
 were all talking of Mason Whitney." 
 
 " John Whitney I was," said Mr. Whitney, laughing, 
 or rather, Johnny and Jack. But Grandmother 
 Mason, when I grew older, wanted me called by my 
 
I 
 
 8 
 
 H 
 
 8 
 
 S 
 
 s 
 
 o 
 
And How They Grew. 403 
 
 middle name to please grandfather. But to go back 
 when I was a little shaver, about as big as Percy 
 'here " 
 
 "Oh, papa!" began Percy, deprecatingly. To be 
 called " a little shaver " before all the others I 
 
 " He means, dearie," said his mamma, reassuringly, 
 * when he was a boy like you. Now hear what papa 
 is going to say." 
 
 " Well, I was sent up into Vermont to stay at the 
 old place. There was a little girl there; a bright, 
 black-eyed little girl. She was my cousin, and her 
 name was Mary Bartlett." 
 
 "Who's Mary Bartlett ?" asked Joel, interrupting. 
 
 " There she is, sir," said Mr. Whitney, pointing to 
 Mrs. Pepper, who was laughing and crying together. 
 
 " Where ? " said Joel, utterly bewildered. I don't 
 see any Mary Bartlett. What does he mean, Polly ? " 
 
 "I don't know," said Polly. "Wait, Joey," she 
 whispered, " he's going to tell us all about it." 
 
 " Well, this little cousin and I went to the district 
 school, and had many good times together. And 
 then my parents sent for me, and I went to Germany 
 to school ; and when I came back I lost sight of her. 
 All I could find out was that she had married an 
 Englishman by the name of Pepper." 
 
 " Ok /" cried all the children together. 
 
404 Five Little Peppers ; 
 
 * And I always supposed she had gone to England; 
 for despite all my exertions, I could find no trace of 
 her. Ah, Mary," he said reproachfully, "why didn't 
 you let me know where you were ? " 
 
 " I heard," said Mrs. Pepper, " that you'd grown 
 awfully rich, and I couldn't." 
 
 a You always were a proud little thing," he said 
 laughing. 
 
 " Well, but," broke in Mr. King, unable to keep si- 
 lence any longer, " Pd like to inquire, Mason, why you 
 didn't find all this out before, in Marian's letters, 
 when she mentioned Mrs. Pepper ? " 
 
 " She didn't ever mention her," said Mr. Whitney, 
 turning around to face his questioner, " not as Mrs. 
 Pepper never once by name. It was always either 
 'Polly's mother,' or * Phronsie's mother.' Just like a 
 woman," he added, with a mischievous glance at his 
 wife, " not to be explicit." 
 
 * And just like a man," she retorted, with a happy 
 little laugh, " not to ask for explanations." 
 
 " I hear Jappy," cried Polly, in a glad voice, " and 
 Ben oh, good ! " as a sound of rushing footsteps 
 was heard c* r er the veranda steps, and down the !mi$ 
 hall. 
 
 The door was thrown suddenly open, and Jasper 
 plunged in, his face flushed with excitement, and after 
 
And How They Grew. 405 
 
 him Ben, looking a little as he did when Phronsie 
 was lost, while Prince squeezed panting in between 
 the two boys. 
 
 " Has Polly got " began Jasper. 
 
 " Oh, yes, I'm here," cried Polly, springing up to 
 them ; " oh, Ben ! " 
 
 " She has," cried Joel, disentangling himself from 
 the group, " don't you see, Jappy ? " 
 
 "She's all home," echoed Phronsie, flying up. 
 " Oh, Ben, do draw me another little house ! " 
 
 " And see see I " cried the little Whitneys, point- 
 ing with jubilant fingers to their papa, "see what she 
 brought ! " 
 
 Jasper turned around at that and then rushed 
 forward. 
 
 "Oh, brother Mason!" 
 
 " Well, Jasper," said Mr. Whitney, a whole wealth 
 of affection beaming on the boy, "how you have 
 stretched up in six months ! " 
 
 " Haven't I ? " said Jasper, laughing, and drawing 
 himself up to his fullest height. 
 
 " He's a-standin' on tip-toe," said Joel critically, 
 who was hovering near. " I most know he is ! " and 
 he bent down to examine the position of Jasper's 
 heels. 
 
 " Not a bit of it, Joe ! " cried Jasper, with a merry 
 
4*6 
 
 Five Little Peppers; 
 
 laugh, and setting both feet with a convincing thud 
 on the floor. 
 
 " Well, anyway, I'll be just as big," cried Joel, 
 " when I'm thirteen, so I " 
 
 Just then a loud and quick rap on the table made 
 all the children skip, and stopped everybody's tongue. 
 It came from Mr. King. 
 
 PHRONSIE OVERLOOKS THE PROCEEDINGS. 
 
 " Phronsie," said he, "come here, child. I can't do 
 anything without you," and held out his hand. Phron- 
 sie immediately left Ben, who was hanging over Polly 
 as if he never meant to let her go out of his sight 
 again, and went directly over to the old gentleman's 
 side. 
 
And How They Grew. 407 
 
 "Now, then ! " He swung her upon his shoulder, 
 where she perched like a little bird, gravely surveying 
 the whole group. One little hand stole around the 
 old gentleman's neck, and patted his cheek softly, 
 which so pleased him that for a minute or two he 
 stood perfectly still so that everybody might see it. 
 
 " Now, Phronsie, ^<w/ must tell all these children so 
 tiiat they'll understand say everything just as I tell 
 you, mind ! " 
 
 " I will/' said Phronsie, shaking her small head 
 wisely, " every single thing." 
 
 "Well, then, now begin " 
 
 "Well, then, now begin," said Phronsie, looking 
 down on the faces with an air as much like Mr. King's 
 as was possible, and finishing up with two or thr^e 
 little nods. 
 
 * Oh, no, dear, that isn't it," cried the old gentle- 
 man, "I'll tell you. Say, Phronsie, 'you are all 
 cousins every one.' " 
 
 "You are all cousins every one," repeated little 
 Phronsie, simply, shaking her yellow head into the 
 very middle of the group. 
 
 44 Does she mean it, grandpapa ? Does she mean it ? " 
 cried Percy, in the greatest excitement. 
 
 "As true zs every thing?" demanded Joel, crowding 
 in between them* 
 
408 Five Little Peppers y 
 
 " As true as truth ! " said the old gentleman so\ 
 emnly, patting the child's little fat hand. " So mak< 
 the most of it." 
 
 "OhJ" said Polly, with a long sigh. And then 
 Jasper and she took hold of hands and had a good 
 spin ! 
 
 Joel turned around with two big eyes on Percy. 
 
 " We're cousins/" he said. 
 
 " I know it," said Percy, " and so's Van ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Van, flying up, " and I'm cousin tc 
 Polly, too that's best ! " 
 
 " Can't /be a cousin ? " cried little Dick, crowding 
 up, with two red cheeks. " Isn't anybody going to be 
 a cousin to me, too ? " 
 
 " Everybody but Jasper," said the old gentleman, 
 laughing heartily at them. " You and I, my boy," he 
 turned to his son, " are left out in the cold." 
 
 At this a scream, loud and terrible to hear, struck 
 upon them all, as Joel flung himself flat on the floor. 
 
 " Isn't Jappy our cousin ? f want 
 Jd&yl* 
 
 " Goodness 1 " exclaimed the old gentleman, in the 
 greatest alarm, *' what is the matter with the boy ! 
 Do somebody stop him 1 " 
 
 "Joel," said Jasper, leaning over him, and trying 
 to help Polly lift him up. " I'll tell you how we'll fix 
 
And Ifow They Grew. 409 
 
 h I I'll be your brother. That' s best of all brother 
 to Polly, and Ben and the whole of you then we'll 
 see!" 
 
 Joel bolted up at that, and began to smile through 
 the tears running down the rosy face. 
 
 "Will you, really? " he said, "just like Ben and 
 everything ? " 
 
 " I can't be as good as Ben," said Jappy, laughing, 
 
 * but I'll be a real brother like him." 
 
 "Phoo phoo! Then I don't care!" cried Joel 
 wiping off the last tear on the back of his chubby 
 hand. " Now I guess we're better'n you" he ex- 
 claimed with a triumphant glance over at the little 
 Whitneys, as he began to make the new shoes skip at 
 
 lively pace up and down the long room. 
 
 " Oh, dear ! " they both cried in great distress. 
 
 " Now, papa, Jappy's going to be Joey's brother 
 end he isn't anything but our old uncle I Make him 
 be ours more, papa, do I " 
 
 And then Polly sprang up. 
 
 "Oh! oh deary me!" And she rushed out into 
 the hall and began to tug violently at the big bundle, 
 tossed down in a corner. " Cherry'll die Cherry'll 
 die ! " she cried, " do somebody help me off with the 
 Btring!" 
 
 But Polly already had it off by the time Jasper 1 ! 
 
410 Five Little Pcpters. 
 
 knife was half out of his pocket, and was kneeling 
 down on the floor scooping out a b)<* handful of the 
 seed. 
 
 " Don't hurry so, Polly," said Jasper, as she jumped 
 up to fly up-stairs. " He's had some a perfect age 
 he's all right." 
 
 " What!" said Polly, stopping so suddenly that 
 two or three little seeds flew out of the outstretched 
 hand and went dancing away to the foot of the stairs 
 by themselves. 
 
 " Oh, I heard him scolding away there when I first 
 came home," said Jasper, " so I just ran down a 
 block or two, and got him some." 
 
 " Is that all there is in that big bundle ? " said Joel 
 in a disappointed tone, who had followed with extreme 
 curiosity to see its contents. " Phoo ! that's no fun 
 old bird-seed!" 
 
 " I know," said Polly with a gay little laugh, point 
 ing with the handful of seed into the library, " but * 
 shouldn't have met the other big bundle if it hadn't 
 have been for this, Joei" 
 
THE 
 
 FAMOUS PEPPER BOOKS 
 
 By MARGARET SIDNEY 
 
 IN ORDER OF PUBLICATION 
 
 Cloth iamo Illustrated $1.50 each 
 
 Five Little Peppers and How they Grew. 
 This was an instantaneous success ; it has become a genuine child classic. 
 
 Five Little Peppers Midway. 
 "A perfect Cheeryble of a book." Boston Herald. 
 
 Five Little Peppers Grown Up. 
 
 This shows the Five Little Peppers as <: grown up," with all the 
 struggles and successes of young manhood and womanhood. 
 
 Phronsie Pepper. 
 It is the story of Phronsie, the youngest and dearest of all the Peppers. 
 
 The Stories Polly Pepper Told. 
 
 Wherever there exists a child or a " grown-up," there will be a welcome 
 for these charming and delightful Stories Polly Pepper told."j 
 
 The Adventures of Joel Pepper. 
 
 As bright and just as certain to be a child's favorite as the others in the 
 famous series. Harum-scarum "Joey" is lovable, 
 
 Five Little Peppers Abroad. 
 
 The "Peppers Abroad" adds another most delightful book to this 
 famous series. 
 
 Five Little Peppers at School. 
 
 Of all the fascinating adventures and experiences of the " Peppers," none 
 will surpass those contained in this volume. 
 
 Five Little Peppers and Their Friends. 
 
 The friends of the Peppers are legion and the number will be further 
 increased by this book. 
 
 Ben Pepper. 
 
 This story centres about Ben, ''the quiet, steady-as-a-rockboy," while the 
 rest of the Peppers help to make it as bright and pleasing as its predeces. 
 sors. 
 
 Five Little Peppers in the Little Brown House. 
 Here they all are, Ben, Polly, Joel, Phronsie, and David, in the loved 
 " Little Brown House," with such happenings crowding one upon the 
 other as all children delightedly follow, and their elders find no less 
 interesting. 
 
 LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON 
 
THE JUDGES' CAVE 
 
 A Romance of the New Haven Colony in the Days 
 of the Regicides 
 
 By MARGARET SIDNEY 
 X2mo. Cloth. Illustrated. $1.50 
 
 There are few more fascinating phases of colonial history than that 
 which tells the wanderings and adventures of the two judges who, 
 because they sat in judgment over that royal criminal, Charles the 
 First of England, were hunted out of England into hiding in New 
 England, and there remained, a mystery and fugitives, in their cele- 
 brated cave in New Haven Colony. Marcia, the heroine, is a strong 
 and delightful character, and the book easily takes high rank among 
 the most effective and absorbing stories based upon a dramatic phase 
 of American history. 
 
 THE LITTLE MAID OF CONCORD TOWN 
 
 A Romance of the American Revolution 
 By MARGARET SIDNEY 
 
 xamo, cloth. Illustrated by F. T. Merrill 
 Price, $1.50 
 
 A delightful revolutionary romance of life, love, and adventure in 
 old Concord. The author knows the interesting town thoroughly. 
 
 Debby Parlin, the heroine, lived in a little house on the Lexington 
 Road, still standing, and was surrounded by all the stir and excitement 
 of the months of preparation and the days of action at the beginning 
 of our struggle for freedom. 
 
 Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co*, Boston 
 
YA 07850