The Adventures of Joel Pepper

e of the night, and the loft was very still, save

close to the ear on the straw pillow;

ng down under the scanty blanke

ith a wrathful pinch. "Ben'll h

ter, boys?" ask

anket, where he bestowed a kick from one set of

guess Joel wanted a drink of water, and he's gone to sleep an

he grumbled softly to himself. "No, there he goes!" he added joyfully, as Ben breathed hard. "Now, Dave," he rol

arfully. "Oh, I won't, Joe," huddlin

ver tell,--black and blu

ll Mamsie,"

"Mamsie won't care, and she's to

ittle Davie, in a smothered voice

David into a worse heap than before. "Now, you've gone and waked B

d, thinking of Mamsie and P

g breath, as Be

if I do,'" commanded Joel, sliding back

little David, stuffing the end of the blanket into his m

up there to live some day," announced Joel in a

ried David

o loud. Over in 'B

himself in the middle of a scream. "W

I guess. An' beside, I could knock him flat, yes, sir-ree!" He doubled up

pily; "turn over and go to sleep, and you'

d along the whole length of the bed,

off me," said Davie, clutching h

. "And Joe, stop grumbling for a drink

ast and clapped one

ice. "Now, don't you speak a single word and I'll tell you all about it," after

an' I'm goin' to take my gun,

David, "you can't ever in all t

Joel, sturdily, "'cause there ain't any work to d

overcome, and trembling in every limb. "He'

u said 'Black-an-blue-hope-to-die-i

bouncing up in terror. "I ain't

ed Joel, with

cried David, softly

ny bear up there," said Joel,

-catch me," mumbled David, digging

ng. I guess a thousand years," said Joel; "an'

id, taking down his ha

ul flowers, red and yellow and gre

flower," said littl

ts an' sights," said Joel, reckle

lowers up there, Joel?" asked D

ost beyewtiful things, I tel

near the cave, Joel," said Davie, a

"Then I guess you'll be glad, Dave

oey," cried little David, joyfully, "'cause I

hispered Joel

d, an' Polly too," he whispered, dreadfully excited. "Won't

with a nudge, "and remember not to s

you behind the wood pile?

't you look at me. If you do, O

arful whisper, and crouching tight to Joel

rd. Now go to sleep, an' when I tell you to come with

een flowers," said Davie, trying

you can bring 'em

swallowing hard. "I can't bring many, J

to the edge of the old straw bed, and in two minutes was fast asleep, leaving little Davie peering up at the rafters

hing either of them knew, there was Polly shaking their arms and laughing. "You lazy l

lew up into the

as Polly ran down into the kitchen. "An' I was just going to

well, I'll keep their porridge warm. Now, Phr

hronsie, standing up on her tiptoes to tu

o a laugh. "Well, I tell you, Pet, wha

down from her tiptoes. "Oh, do tell me, Polly!" And she ran up t

as going to fly at as soon as the work was done in the kitchen. How nice it was that Mamsie had promised she might try this very morning while Mrs. Pepper was down at the parsonage, mending the mi

ed little Phronsie, ho

ble, and nobody saw it go, and the boys kicked it up and made it into a mess, an' Mamsie put it into the little

the apron, and folded her hands. "Would

u needn't do but a little now, an' some

ainst the wall, and set it in the middle of the kitchen floor, and then brought the little cotton bag out of the old work

opped to drop a kiss on the yellow hair, "you must just come downst

down he tumbled, two steps at a tim

"just think of it, it's after seven o'clock, Jo

rtant air. "I'm going to pick out the whole of this, I am, for Mamsie. See, Joey!

you're making it wo

th both little fists. "Oh, no, I'm not; am I, Polly?"

h, for shame, Joel,

I'll get the spool--I'll get the spool. See, Polly, here 'tis," and he d

Now, Pet, I'll tell you what, let's put Mamsie's basket on the floor, and old Mr

d leaning out of her little wooden chair to see Joel drop the spool in.

st now, so fly at your snarl, Pet, Mamsie'll be

determination. And wiping off the tears on the back of her fa

ishing out Joel's mush from the kettle on t

me, I wish we ever had anything, Polly Pe

hing half as good," said Pol

" asked Joel in alarm,

different things. D

oel, stopping with a spoonful of porridge halfway to hi

y of people don't get near as good thin

f people get?" persisted Joel, beginning on his br

pausing at the foot of the sta

uldy?" as

up her face. "Eat your own breakfast, Joe, and not

erely, "and you only told me mouldy

, I don

sai

st everybody has potatoes. Now eat your breakfast, Joey

ey must obey. Joel ducked his head over his bowl of mush, and b

he appeared coming slowly down. "Oh, here you are!" cried Polly, brightly, running over to the old stove to dish out h