Ben Pepper

ing away, she wanted to run too, a

back. "She'll get all tired out to begin wit

l and David," said Phronsie, coming back slo

dedly, "you'll get all

nsie, drawing herself up very

ng she could join the boys herself. But she was holding Phronsie's hand by this

e kept tight hold of Polly's h

hronsie sigh, "we're going shopping, Phronsie, and th

d not waiting for Polly to finish, and lifting it high as it dangled

; "take care, now, or you

omething," declared Phronsie, with a bob

d Polly, radiantly;

, "I've been thinking of something t

twitter to know, for Ben's plans, if some

andpapa, for of course we are all going to give him something, and buy one good

chanted. "Oh, Ben, you do thi

h nice things as you do, Polly," and

anyway," said Polly, unwilling to take so much

heels, came tumbling up. "You are so

pink cheeks, stepping very high, all her atte

Joe," said Ben, "so you must ma

isfied," declared

said Ben, with

hrough the street," said Polly, "so when you get outside the ga

e children always felt very much impressed, an

I ran, Poll

outside, then you must walk in a nice way. Mamsie'd want yo

u're always doing that, Polly Pepper," cried Joel, loud

Ben, seizing his jacket collar

ts," said Joel, but he fell back with Ben nev

ave stayed with us

ere going to talk sec

ast Phronsie, "so you'll hear it all, Joey; and Davie, too," she

ed Joel, squirming up as close to Ben as he possibly c

, Joe," said Ben, striding on and thrusting out

ned Joel. But he gave way, moving up against David, wh

l them, Ben,

ut of the big stone gateway, "we are all to

mping up and down, "Whoo

Whenever Polly said "Joel Pepper," everybody felt that the case w

orry to hear you say

to say it again," said

l, his black head going up

rovingly. "Oh, now, do go on again

word. "I am, and I won't tell what I'm going to buy, either. You can't make me, Dave." He sla

ed Ben, with a laugh as he l

pulling off his glove to suck the dr

ee the extent of his injury, and turned pale. Perhaps it went

Polly, with a grimace; "t

repeating the process as another little drop appeared

ernly, "you must not d

anyway," declared Joel, "so I

er brood to look after. So the whole row stopped and Joel l

gh of relief. "Well, now, we must hurry, fo

ngs that it'll be hard to pick out five

mine," inter

ill I get through," comma

n, you must walk behind, J

hind," said Joel, duckin

rupt Ben again," declared Poll

he promised, much alar

ems as if perhaps it would be a good plan to all put

erfectly elegant plan,"

coat, so that he was pulled up short. "I'm not g

plan, Joe?" said Ben, getting his c

y money in," repeated Jo

eedn't," said Ben,

uld have been so perfectly splendid." She stopped short, and Phronsie, looking u

o it," said Ben, coolly, "

hrowing his arms around Ben and clinging to him in

om Joel's frantic little hands; "if you don't want to

e greatest distress, "need I, Polly?" and he flew ov

wered inste

we'll vote now, and all who don't want to get Grandpapa one big, nice present

the remainder of the "Five Little Peppers" would consider it the greatest calamity to be left out, so Joel

he busy little group. "Come on, Dave," twitching that individual's jacket to get him into the centre

o have the children appear well, and she looked quite mortified. "O

ld of him; "we aren't going to have such carryin

t result. "Oh, I won't make her feel," cried Joel, much alarmed, "I won't. Please don't, Poll

tle pucker between her eyebrows straightened itself out at

d Joel, quite astounded. "Why, Pol

" broke in B

with a backward glance to see if any one saw it,

. Hush, Joe, don't say a word. Now how many want to put in their money to buy one

rse Polly's went up, and so did David's. But Phronsie stood looking down at her money-

d look into the face within the fur-trimmed bonnet. "Look up, pet; n

d, taking her gaze from the money-bag, "I am, Polly," she declared, dreadfully excited. The

ed Polly, nearly tum

dly, "a dear sweet little cat, and

f your money you were going to spend for Grandpapa's present into something bi

be nice," said

t told them to keep away from this conference; "but don't you want to h

t," said Phronsie, decid

u can help to buy the o

from Polly and made a little cheese right on the sidewalk. The fur

olly, in dismay, getting he

ndpapa," announced Phronsie to all the bunch, as Polly got he

o the main street where the most of the holiday shoppers were out in full force. And as Joel wanted to stop at each window that p

face, quite lost to the delightful show within, he struck off at a smart pace, threading his way quickly in and out of the crowd of shoppers, so that Pol

before a big toy-shop

ed awry where an excited shopper had knocked a big bundle against

meanwhile the bunch of shop

s to be seen above the pile; there was another heap on the pavement and a man loading up, as fast as he cou

red up at him and doub

" cried Be

h an old bundle," said

ng his sleeve. Polly, busy with

ar!" David

of the way," declared the expressman, trying to look over his

ck and make him stop," and he shook his small fists in the air

and, the others following, they were soon lost in th

ay along, Phronsie proclaiming in a high key, as they threaded their course down a long aisle, that she was going to buy Grandpapa a

sie, who could just manage to see over

do, a really and truly ca

from the shelf she was looking over with a pair of sharp eyes

ts of the afternoon for Phronsie to choose her own present. Just at this juncture a stout old lady, with a stiff black silk coat that made her bigger than ever, as it

o the soft white puffs above the woman's

"You impertinent boy!" she exclaimed, then set her profi

ernation, all the color gone out

up to his shoulder. "Now, that's the

winging her feet delightedly, she grasped Ben's neck so tightly i

saleswoman, impatiently, and slamming the glass door ben

to go after her, for the big figure had paused in front of the doll counter, and say how sorry she was, for he was her brother, and would she please to excuse it? And without s

wedged in against the overcrowded counter, its owner by no means in th

ay flew right out of her mind, for the white puffs seemed to stand right out like mountain

h a glimpse of Ben, but the intervening crowd surged in waves between her and the spot where she had left them, so that they were swallowed up. Meantime ther

ntly, and her head dropped, "s

g wedged in so, and this time Polly felt that she must make herself understood. Besides, the people on

don't know anything about your brother, nor you, girl, and if you speak to me again, I shall call the proprietor," and she shook

y little sister." Polly was speaking so fast now, a little red spot on either cheek, th

eply than "It was scandalous, and you are nearly as bad, interrupting me in the midst of my Christmas shopping." Then she turned to the d