The Adventures of Joel Pepper

his chair, "I want you to help me, that is,

our kindlings chopped yesterday, an' there ain't anything else

orn, "if you don't want to help, Joel. I'm sure the little brown house can g

him made Joel aghast at once, and he stood quite still. D

he cried, the pink co

who hasn't finished his breakfast. Go back and eat every bit of that m

and clambered into his chair, plying his spoon so fast tha

hard, "it's all slipping down. There, see, Polly. I'm all throug

know that pile of old nails that Deacon Brown said Ben might have? Well, 'tisn't nice, you know, to play all day, so yo

at 'em," declared little Davie, g

e most all to-day to play in. And then some other day, when there isn't any other work to do, you can pick over some more; and prett

Joel, loudly, and knocking his heels against the pantry door.

or with the pile of dishes; "it's fine of him to give

day," said Joel, with a sharp look out of

er cheek. "Dear me, it is so hard not to say thi

ring this remark, "and it's real mean, Polly Pepper, to make me, w

ng in the soap, "but I shouldn't think it was nice to go out to play right after

hour, too!" cried Joel, in a dudgeo

at him, as the little fellow ran out into the woodsh

him, running up and down in a merry song till a little bird outsid

her dress. "It's as mean as it can be to

hes up and down in the hot soap-suds, till the old kitchen seemed full of merry bu

the shed, and tugging at the box of nai

n," he said. "Come

, and clutched wildly at the air, and before Joel could speak, came tumbling down, and after him, the

," he screamed, rushing into the k

not," she said with a gasp, as she saw his face. Then she remembered Phronsi

soft refrain to Polly's song, and laying down the snarl carefu

ut of white lips, "don't you sc

ly?" asked Phron

nd covered his face with his hands, trying not to scream. "Go right back to your chair, Polly says so.

Polly," begged

sie wouldn't like it. Go back,

seized Joel's hand and sped into the woodshed, they could hear t

d he fell down and flung his arms around the little figure. Davie s

n they all spilled. I'm sorry, Polly," and he op

d speak, he gave a great gasp

said Polly, soothingly.

d he sprang up and went scrambling around and sweeping them into a pi

o speak gayly, "how the old nail

, with a wan little smil

th him to a pile of grain bags in the corner. "I can't get him into the bedroom till Joel helps me, and besides, I must

scom's little cottage. Grandma, with a tin pan full of wet corn meal, was just going out to feed her hens, when h

E SHOUTED CLOSE T

wait a minute, and I'll be ready to see her. Come, Biddy-Biddy," she ca

Dave's killed, I guess," and before she knew it, she was halfway to the little brown house, and in a minute or two more th

ainted a bit. Now 'tisn't anything to what my son John's Abram did

Then she found her voice. "The box of nails--I didn't know 'twas up ther

ere?" asked Grandma,

lf to speak. Joel wrung his hand

"this boy must go for Dr. Fi

rd as ever you c

sh, only to reach the doctor's house to be told that he was away twenty miles into the country. Then Joel s

g down the road, the bright horses all a-jingle, and the carri

somebody to him, but he cr

n smartly. "See here, my boy, either you tell me what you

g his face, where he had rubbed it with his grimy hands. "Da

y a pair of strong arms that presently tossed him into the carriage, in amongst the occupan

's the little brown house--

ple keeping quite still to listen. "You are a brave boy, I know. Now I'm a doctor, and

e stepping-stones in such a lively fashion that Joel had to run to keep up with him, until there they were, with Grandma Bascom waddling around in search of some herbs that were drying in the corner of the woodshed, and Polly still holding David's hand as he lay on the pile of grain bags. And in five minutes the new doctor had all the examination m

, "Uncle John is always doing such queer things. I do wish he would hurry and come. It is too bad to have our driving tour interrupted like that." And pretty soon down the stepping-stones he came, as light and quick as could be, Gran

em through the doorwa

just a minute

ll girl in the hat with big red roses looked impatient enoug

burst out, "eve

e said; "now look out for it while you're a boy. I guess you'll do." He jumped into the carriage and drove the