POLLY'S BIG BUNDLE
The room was very quiet; but presently Phronsie strayed in, and seeingPolly studying, climbed up in a chair by the window to watch the birdshop over the veranda and pick up worms in the grass beside the carriagedrive. And then came Mrs. Pepper with the big mending basket, andensconced herself opposite by the table; and nothing was to be heard butthe "tick, tick" of the clock, and an occasional dropping of a spoolof thread, or scissors, from the busy hands flying in and out among thestockings.
All of a sudden there was a great rustling in Cherry's cage that swungin the big window on the other side of the room. And then he set up aloud and angry chirping, flying up and down, and opening his mouth as ifhe wanted to express his mind, but couldn't, and otherwise acting in avery strange 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 achair, she rushed across the room and flew up to the cage and began towildly gesticulate and explain and shower down on him every endearingname she could think of.
"What is the matter?" asked her mother, turning around in her chair inperfect astonishment. "What upon earth, Polly!"
"How could I!" cried Polly, in accents of despair, not heeding hermother's question. "Oh, mamsie, will he die, do you think?"
"I guess not," said Mrs. Pepper, laying down her work and coming up tothe cage, while Phronsie scrambled off from her chair and hurried to thescene. "Why, he does act queer, don't he? P'raps he's been eating toomuch?"
"Eating!" said Polly, "oh mamsie, he hasn't had anything." And shepointed with shame and remorse to the seed-cup with only a few driedhusks in the very bottom.
"Oh, Polly," began Mrs. Pepper; but seeing the look on her face, shechanged her tone for one more cheerful. "Well, hurry and get him somenow; he'll be all right, poor little thing, in a minute. There, there,"she said, nodding persuasively at the cage, "you pretty creature you! soyou sha'n't be starved."
At the word "starved," Polly winced as though a pin had been pointed ather.
"There isn't any, mamsie, in the house," she stammered; "he had the lastyesterday."
"And you forgot him to-day?" asked Mrs. Pepper, with a look in her blackeyes 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, soI'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'mmost afraid it will rain, Polly."
"Oh, no, mamsie," cried Polly, feeling as if she could fly to the endsof the earth to atone, and longing beside for the brisk walk down town.Going up to the window she pointed triumphantly to the little bit ofblue sky still visible. "There, now, see, it can't rain yet awhile."
"Well," said Mrs. Pepper, while Phronsie, standing in a chair with herface pressed close to the cage, was telling Cherry through the bars "notto be hungry, please don't!" which he didn't seem to mind in the least,but went on screaming harder than ever! "And besides, 'tisn't much useto wait for Ben. Nobody knows where he'll get shoes to fit himself andJoe and Davie, in one afternoon! But be sure, Polly, to hurry, for it'sgetting late, and I shall be worried about you.
"Oh, mamsie," said Polly, turning back just a minute, "I know the way toFletcher'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 accountof the shower. Well," she said, pulling out her well-worn purse from herpocket, "if it does sprinkle, you get into a car, Polly, remember."
"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 racing away 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 ride up with,"said her mother, tying up the purse carefully. "Remember, for you toride up with. Well, I guess you better ride up anyway, Polly, come tothink, and then you'll get home all the quicker."
"Where you going?" asked Phronsie, who on seeing the purse knew therewas some expedition on foot, and beginning to clamber down out of thechair. "Oh, I want to go too, I do. Take me, Polly!"
"Oh, no. Pet, I can't," cried Polly, "I've got to hurry likeeverything!"
"I can hurry too," cried Phronsie, drawing her small figure to itsutmost height, "oh, so fast, Polly!"
"And it's ever so far," cried Polly, in despair, as she saw the smallunder lip of the child begin to quiver. "Oh, dear me, mamsie, what shallI do!"
"Run right along," said Mrs. Pepper, briskly. "Now, Phronsie, you and Iought to take care of Cherry, poor thing."
At this Phronsie turned and wiped away two big tears, while she gazed upat the cage in extreme commiseration.
"I guess I'll give him a piece of bread," said Mrs. Pepper to herself.At this word "bread," Polly, who was half way down the hall, camerunning back.
"Oh, mamsie, don't," she said. "It made him sick before, don't you knowit 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, herspeed heightened by the dark and rolling bank of cloud that seemed toshut 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 crowdshomeward rushing to avoid the threatening shower. "Well, here I am," shesaid with a sigh of relief, as she at last reached Mr. Fletcher's bigbird store.
Here she steadily resisted all temptations to stop and look at the newarrivals of birds, and to feed the carrier-pigeons who seemed to beexpecting her, and who turned their soft eyes up at her reproachfullywhen she failed to pay her respects to them. Even the cunningblandishments of a very attractive monkey that always had entertainedthe children on their numerous visits, failed to interest her now.Mamsie would be worrying, she knew; and besides, the sight of so manybirds eating their suppers out of generously full seed-cups, only filledher heart with remorse as she thought of poor Cherry and his empty one.
So she put down her ten cents silently on the counter, and took up thelittle package of seed, and went out.
But what a change! The cloud that had seemed but a cloud when she wentin, was now fast descending in big ominous sprinkles that told of aheavy shower to follow. Quick and fast they came, making everybody flyto the nearest shelter.
"I don't care," said Polly to herself, holding fast her little package."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 cameto the corner. A car was just in sight--that was fine! Polly put herhand in her pocket for her purse, to have it all ready--but as quicklydrew it out again and stared wildly at the car, which she allowed topass by. Her pocket was empty!
"Oh, dear," she said to herself, as a sudden gust of wind blew aroundthe corner, and warned her to move on, "now what shall I do! Well, Imust hurry. Nothing for it but to run now!"
And secretly glad at the chance for a good hearty run along the hardpavements, a thing she had been longing to do ever since she came to thecity, Polly gathered her bundle of seed up under her arm, and set outfor a jolly race. She was enjoying it hugely, when--a sudden turn of thecorner brought her up against a gentleman, who, having his umbrella downto 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 shewas being helped up from the wet, slippery pavement by a kind hand; anda gentleman'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, andstraightening her hat. "Only--" and she began to look for her parcelthat had been sent spinning.
"What is it?" said the gentleman, bending down and beginning to explore,too, in the darkness.
"My bundle," began Polly. "Oh, dear!"
No need to ask for it now! There lay the paper wet and torn, down attheir feet. The seed lay all over the pavement, scattered far and wideeven out to the puddles in the street. And not a cent of money to getany more with! The rain that was falling around them as they stood theresent with the sound of every drop such a flood of misery into Polly'sheart!
"What was it, child?" asked the gentleman, peering sharply to find outwhat 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 andstiff in the bottom of his cage, if he didn't get it soon. "Now," saidthe kind tones, briskly, "come, little girl, we'll make this all rightspeedily. 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 theheart of the shop-keeper by ordering him to do up a big package of allkinds of seed. And then he added a cunning arrangement for birds toswing in, and two or three other things that didn't have anything to dowith birds at all. And then they came out on the wet, slippery streetagain.
"Now, then, little girl," said the gentleman, tucking the bundle underhis arm, and opening the umbrella; then he took hold of Polly's hand,who by this time was glad of a protector. "Where do you live? For I'mgoing to take you safely home this time where umbrellas can't run intoyou."
"Oh!" said Polly, with a little skip. "Thank you sir! It's up to Mr.King's; and--"
"What!" said the gentleman, stopping short in the midst of an immensepuddle, and staring at her, "Mr. Jasper King's?"
"I don't know sir," said Polly, "what his other name is. Yes it must beJasper; 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 arethere little Whitney children in the same house!"
"Oh, yes," said Polly, raising her clear, brown eyes up at him. The gaslighter was just beginning his rounds, and the light from a neighboringlamp flashed full on Polly's face as she spoke, showing just how clearand 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 knew her. And then shetold him how she'd forgotten Cherry's seed, and all about it. "Andoh, sir," she said, and her voice began to tremble, "Mamsie'll be sofrightened if I don't get there soon!"
"I'm going up there myself, so that it all happens very nicely," saidthe gentleman, commencing to start off briskly, and grasping her handtighter. "Now, then, Polly."
So off they went at a very fast pace; she, skipping through the puddlesthat his long, even strides carried him safely over, chattered awayby his side under the umbrella, and answered his many questions, andaltogether got so very well acquainted that by the time they turned inat 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 littlecorner back of the tall evergreens, was a small heap that rose as theysplashed up the carriage-drive, and resolved itself into a very reddress and a very white apron, as it rushed impulsively up and flungitself into Polly's wet arms:
"And I was so tired waiting, Polly!"
"Oh dear me, Phronsie!" cried Polly, huddling her up from the dark, wetground. "You'll catch your death! What will mamsie say!"
The stranger, amazed at this new stage of the proceedings, was vainlytrying to hold the umbrella over both, till the procession could move onagain.
"Oh!" cried Phronsie, shaking her yellow head decidedly, "they're alllooking for you, Polly." She pointed one finger solemnly up to the bigcarved door as she spoke. At that Polly gathered her up close and beganto walk with rapid footsteps up the path.
"Do let me carry you, little girl," said Polly's kind friendpersuasively, bending down to the little face on Polly's neck.
"Oh, no, no, no!" said Phronsie, at each syllable grasping Polly aroundthe 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 copioustears during her anxious watch. "Don't let him, Polly, don't!"
"There sha'n't anything hurt you," said Polly, kissing 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 thetroop in the greatest state of excitement.
"Oh, whickety! she's come!" he shouted, springing up to her over thepuddles, and crowding under the umbrella. "Where'd you get Phronsie?" heasked, standing quite still at sight of the little feet tucked up to getout of the rain. And without waiting for an answer he turned and shotback into the house proclaiming in stentorian tones, "Ma, Polly'scome--an' she's got Phronsie--an' an awful big man--and they're out bythe gate!"
"Phronsie!" said Mrs. Pepper, springing to her feet, "why, I thought shewas up-stairs with Jane."
"Now, somebody," exclaimed old Mr. King, who sat by the library tablevainly trying to read a newspaper, which he now threw down in extremeirritation as he rose quickly and went to the door to welcome thewanderers, "somebody ought to watch that poor child, whose businessit is to know where she is! She's caught her death-cold, no doubt, nodoubt!"
Outside, in the rain, the children revolved around and around Polly andPhronsie, hugging and kissing them, until nobody could do much more thanbreathe, not seeming to notice the stranger, who stood quietly waitingtill such time as he could be heard.
At last, in a lull in the scramble, as they were dragging Polly and herburden up the steps, each wild for the honor of escorting her into thehouse, 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 his eyes in a puzzled way, as Joel said,stopping a minute 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 inthe darkness, "the gentleman's been so kind to me!"
"You're right, my boy," said the stranger, laughing and bending downto Joel's upturned, sturdy countenance, at the same instant that Mrs.Pepper flung open the big door, and a bright, warm light fell straightacross his handsome face. And then--well, then Percy gave a violentbound, and upsetting Joel as he did so, wriggled his way down thesteps--at the same time that Van, on Polly's other side, rushed up tothe gentleman:
"Papa--oh, papa!"
Polly, half way up the steps, turned around, and then, at the rush offeeling that gathered at her heart, sat right down on the wet slipperystep.
"Why, Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Joel, not minding his own upset. "You'reright in all the slush--mother won't like it, I tell you!"
"Hush!" cried Polly, catching his arm, "he's come--oh, Joel--he's come!"
"Who?" cried Joel, staring around blindly, "who, Polly?" Polly had justopened her lips to explain, when Mr. King's portly, handsome figureappeared in the doorway. "Do come in, children--why--good gracious,Mason!"
"Yes," cried the stranger, lightly, dropping his big bundle and umbrellaas he passed in the door, with his little sons clinging to him. "Whereis Marian?"
"Why didn't you write?" asked the old gentleman, testily. "Thesesurprises aren't the right sort of things," and he began to feelvigorously of his heart. "Here, Mrs. Pepper,
be so good as to call Mrs.Whitney."
"Pepper! Pepper!" repeated Mr. Whitney, perplexedly.
"She's coming--I hear her up-stairs," cried Van Whitney. "Oh, let metell her!" He struggled to get down from his father's arms as he saidthis.
"No, I shall--I heard her first!" cried Percy. "Oh, dear me! Grandpapa'sgoing to!"
Mr. King advanced to the foot of the staircase as his daughter, allunconscious, ran down with a light step, and a smile on her face.
"Has Polly come?" she asked, seeing only her father. "Yes," replied theold gentleman, shortly, "and she'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 turnedher around on--her husband.
So Polly and Phronsie crept in unnoticed after all.
"I wish Ben was here," said little Davie, capering around the Whitneygroup, "an' Jappy, I do!"
"Where are they!" asked Polly.
"Don't know," said Joel, tugging at his shoe-string. "See--aren't theseprime!" He held up a shining black shoe, fairly bristling with newness,for Polly to admire.
"Splendid," she cried heartily; "but where are the boys?"
"They went after you," said Davie, "after we came home with our shoes."
"No, they didn't," contradicted Joel, flatly; and sitting down on thefloor he began to tie and untie his new possessions. "When we came homeBen drew us pictures--lots of 'em--don't you know?"
"Oh, yes," said Davie, nodding his head, "so he did; that was when weall cried 'cause you weren't home, Polly."
"He drawed me a be-yew-tiful one," cried Phronsie, holding up her mangybit; "see, Polly, see!"
"That's the little brown house," said Davie, looking over her shoulderas Phronsie put it carefully into Polly's hand.
"It's all washed out," said Polly, smoothing it out, "when you staid outin the rain."
Phronsie's face grew very grave at that.
"Bad, naughty old rain," she said, and then she began to cry as hard asshe could.
"Oh dear, don't!" cried Polly in dismay, trying her best to stop her,"oh, Phronsie, do stop!" she implored, pointing into the next roomwhence the sound of happy voices issued, "they'll all hear you!"
But Phronsie in her grief didn't care, but wailed 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!"
"Whockey!" cried Joel, completely stunned, "really and truly, PollyPepper?"
"Really and truly," cried Polly, bundling Phronsie up in her arms to laythe little wet cheek against hers.
"Then I'm going to peek," cried Joel, squeaking across the floor tocarry his threat into execution.
"Oh, you mustn't, Joe!" cried Polly, frightened lest he should. "Comeright back, or I'll tell mamsie!"
"They're all comin' in, anyway," cried little Davie, delightedly, andscuttling over to Polly's side.
"And here are the little friends I've heard so much about!" criedMr. Whitney coming in amongst them. "Oh, you needn't introduce me toPolly--she brought me home!"
"They're all Pepperses," said Percy, waving his hand, and doing thebusiness up at one stroke.
"Only the best of 'em isn't here," observed Van, rather ungallantly, "hedraws perfectly elegant, papa!"
"I like Polly best, I do!" cried little Dick, tumbling after. "Peppers!"again repeated Mr. Whitney in a puzzled way.
"And here is Mrs. Pepper," said old Mr. King, pompously drawing herforward, "the children's mother, and--"
But here Mrs. Pepper began to act in a very queer way, rubbing her eyesand twisting one corner of her black apron in a decidedly nervous mannerthat, as the old gentleman looked up, he saw with astonishment presentlycommunicated itself to the gentleman opposite.
"Is it," 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 blackeyes.
"Of all things in this world!" cried the old gentleman, waving hishead helplessly from one to the other. "Will somebody have the extremegoodness to tell us what all this means?"
At this the little Peppers crowded around their mother, and into all thevacant 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 thereason I never knew when they were all talking of Mason Whitney."
"John Whitney I was," said Mr. Whitney, laughing, "or rather, Johnny andJack. But Grandmother Mason, when I grew older, wanted me called by mymiddle name to please grandfather. But to go back--when I was a littleshaver, about as big as Percy here--"
"Oh, papa!" began Percy, deprecatingly. To be called "a little shaver"before all the others!
"He means, dearie," said his mamma, reassuringly, "when he was a boylike you. Now hear what papa is going to say."
"Well, I was sent up into Vermont to stay at the old place. There was alittle 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 waslaughing 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 totell us all about it."
"Well, this little cousin and I went to the district school, and hadmany good times together. And then my parents sent for me, and I went toGermany to school; and when I came back I lost sight of her. All I couldfind out was that she had married an Englishman by the name of Pepper."
"Oh!" cried all the children together.
"And I always supposed she had gone to England for despite allmy exertions, I could find no trace of her. Ah, Mary," he saidreproachfully, "why didn't you let me know where you were?"
"I heard," said Mrs. Pepper, "that you'd grown awfully rich, and Icouldn't."
"You always were a proud little thing," he said laughing. "Well, but,"broke in Mr. King, unable to keep silence any longer, "I'd like toinquire, Mason, why you didn't find all this out before, in Marian'sletters, when she mentioned Mrs. Pepper?"
"She didn't ever mention her," said Mr. Whitney, turning around to facehis questioner, "not as Mrs. Pepper--never once by name. It was alwayseither 'Polly's mother,' or 'Phronsie's mother.' Just like a woman," headded, with a mischievous glance at his wife, "not to be explicit."
"And just like a man," she retorted, with a happy little laugh, "not toask for explanations."
"I hear Jappy," cried Polly, in a glad voice, "and Ben--oh, good!" asa sound of rushing footsteps was heard over the veranda steps, and downthe long hall.
The door was thrown suddenly open, and Jasper plunged in, his faceflushed with excitement, and after him Ben, looking a little as he didwhen Phronsie was lost, while Prince squeezed panting in between the twoboys.
"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 yousee, Jappy?"
"She's all home," echoed Phronsie, flying up. "Oh, Ben, do draw meanother little house!"
"And see--see!" cried the little Whitneys, pointing with jubilantfingers 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 onthe boy, "how you have stretched up in six months!"
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"Haven't I?" said Jasper, laughing, and drawing himself up to hisfullest height.
"He's a-standin' on tip-toe," said Joel critically, who was hoveringnear. "I most know he is!" and he bent down to examine the position ofJasper's heels.
"Not a bit of it, Joe!" cried Jasper, with a merry laugh, and settingboth feet with a convincing thud on the floor.
"Well, anyway, I'll be just as big," cried Joel, "when I'm thirteen,so!"
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," said he, "come here, child. I can't do anything withoutyou," and held out his hand. Phronsie immediately left Ben, who washanging over Polly as if he never meant to let her go out of his sightagain, and went directly over to the old gentleman's side.
"Now, then!" He swung her upon his shoulder, where she perched like alittle bird, gravely surveying the whole group. One little hand stolearound the old gentleman's neck, and patted his cheek softly, which sopleased him that for a minute or two he stood perfectly still so thateverybody might see it.
"Now, Phronsie, you must tell all these children so that they'llunderstand--say everything just as I tell you, mind!"
"I will," said Phronsie, shaking her small head wisely, "every singlething."
"Well, then, now begin--"
"Well, then, now begin," said Phronsie, looking down on the faces withan air as much like Mr. King's as was possible, and finishing up withtwo or three little nods.
"Oh, no, dear, that isn't it," cried the old gentleman, "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.
"Does she mean it, grandpapa? Does she mean it?" cried Percy, in thegreatest excitement.
"As true as everything?" demanded Joel, crowding in between them.
"As true as--truth!" said the old gentleman solemnly, patting thechild's little fat hand. "So make the most of it."
"Oh!" said Polly, with a long sigh. And then Jasper and she took hold ofhands 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 to Polly, too--that's best!"
"Can't I be a Cousin?" cried little Dick, crowding up, with two redcheeks. "Isn't anybody going to be a cousin to me, too?"
"Everybody but Jasper," said the old gentleman, laughing heartily atthem. "You and I, my boy," he turned to his son, "are left out in thecold."
At this a scream, loud and terrible to hear, struck upon them all, asJoel flung himself flat on the floor.
"Isn't Jappy--our--cousin? I--want--Jappy!"
"Goodness!" exclaimed the old gentleman, in the greatest alarm, "what isthe matter with the boy! Do somebody stop him!"
"Joel," said Jasper, leaning over him, and trying to help Polly lift himup. "I'll tell you how we'll fix it! I'll be your brother. That's bestof 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 runningdown 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 realbrother like him."
"Phoo--phoo! Then I don't care!" cried Joel wiping off the last tearon the back of his chubby hand. "Now I guess we're better'n you," heexclaimed with a triumphant glance over at the little Whitneys, as hebegan to make the new shoes skip at a lively pace up and down the longroom.
"Oh, dear!" they both cried in great distress.
"Now, papa, Jappy's going to be Joey's brother--and he isn't anythingbut our old uncle! Make him be ours more, papa, do!"
And then Polly sprang up.
"Oh! oh--deary me!" And she rushed out into the hall and began totug violently at the big bundle, tossed down in a corner. "Cherry'lldie--Cherry'll die!" she cried, "do somebody help me off with thestring!"
But Polly already had it off by the time Jasper's knife was half outof his pocket, and was kneeling down on the floor scooping out a bighandful 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 seedsflew out of the outstretched hand and went dancing away to the foot ofthe stairs by themselves.
"Oh, I heard him scolding away there when I first came home," saidJasper, "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 disappointedtone, 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, pointing with the handfulof seed into the library, "but I shouldn't have met the other big bundleif it hadn't have been for this, Joe!"
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew Page 25