The Adventures of Joel Pepper

had come out on their return; how in a minute the passion had died down when the two children thought of Mamsie a

radicted Joel, "Poll

," Mother Pepper

Polly, and her hea

store and besides, he ought not to have gone ther

nt of her. The bedroom door was shut fast, and Ben was doing his best out in the

mmy," said Polly, in a brok

," cried Joe

slowly, "and I don't believe I can begin now. And it seems to me it's the best way for you to pun

that, and, strange to relate, without a single grumble, while as Polly couldn't very well do more work than she did at present, and as there were no luxuries to give up in the way of eatables, the Peppers having butter and other nice things only when people were good enough to send them some, it is hard to

"We'd give that up, Mamsie," cried Polly, though Joel made a

once. But down in her heart Polly had many sad thoughts. At last it was the great day. Nobody said "circus," but all the five little Peppers shouted it was the Play Day! And it really didn't rain, and the sky was as blue as could be, and Mamsie stayed home that day, and oh! Polly was quite sure she smelt something very nice, when she raced into the kitchen in the middle of the morning. Mother Pepper had sent them all out to rehearse the play in the orchard, and in the midst of it Polly cried out that she ha

ly, wrinkling up her nose at the u

stood straight. "Polly," she said, and there was a little laugh in her eyes, although her

making a cake?" as she rushed into the bedroom, got the wings, and raced out again. And all throu

indow, as the rehearsal for the grand play was in progress. And then the whole bunch of little Peppers hurried off to get some wild flowers, "

g that, and seeing them go on the flower-hunt, as she paused

d she didn't mean to whisper

y were all nicely set in the cracked teacup with the handle gone that Mamsie had given them some time before, and some other dishes that Mr

l!" exclaimed Polly, in a ra

tiful!" breathe

hopping up and down with very p

, Polly," said Ben,

somethin' to ea

ow, children," she said, "we've got everything all done," with a quick glance around, "and Phronsie must have her nap, so's to be a nice little wid

erything back when we'd got

on, I know," said Polly, "if you tuck 'em in neatly. Won't you, Ma

aid Mrs.

l come in now?

d Mother P

ng them up where Polly had carefully laid them agai

d over, and caught in a knobby old branch of the apple tree

arms around him. "You couldn't help it," she finished, "and I can paste a piece of paper over it, and it will be most as good

ow it won't fly--fly," s

l see. And when I get it on, Joey Pepper, look out

e saw Polly so merry, they smiled too, and Ben caught Polly's eye and didn't say any more. So they all marched in

girl, and Mother knows it." So Polly began to hum at her task, and presently the kitchen became the very cheeriest place possible. What they would have d

onsie were in the depths of excitement, and flitting here and there, Polly, as chief director, having a perfectly awful time to get them into their parts, particularly as Phronsie would keep rushing up, the old white fur rug nearly tripping her up every step, to lay he

A WHITE CA

Ben at him. "See here, now all your

to look with dismay at the damage he was making. "Polly didn't

, "only you are flourishing round so, nothin

l I fix Davie--just a minute--there, Davie, you're all righ

t on from first to last perfectly splendidly, and Mrs. Pepper, feeling very strange indeed to be sitting there in the middle of the afternoon with nothing in her hands to work over,

er in a heap on the grass when it was all over,

, Polly," said Mother Pe

en with enthusiasm, which m

u rest on the grass and talk it over, and

the grass to wave his legs in the air, while little Davie lay quite still.

ting down on the grass as close to Polly as sh

ite cat in all the world, Phronsie dear," giving her a littl

ou've ever done, Polly," d

ie's voice, and i

e longer," he said. So it happened that he was last in the procession fil

every one of the others, while Joel pushed in between

yes, a big one, and there was--yes, there actually was white on top! When Polly saw that, she sat right down in the firs

running around the big cake. "Now, children, all of you sit down, and Polly shall cut it, for sh

eyes now for anything but the sharp kni

ly. "No, Joe, Polly made the play, else you

f most to death to get u

oward the wonderful cake. Now she stopped, and looke

. Then he stopped suddenly, on meeting hi

rd with anxiety. But the white frosting didn't fall off a bit, and each piece was soon laid on a plate by Mother Pepper

lly and Mrs. Pepper were clearing up, Joel nudged David. "Come on,

"O dear me! Ben's taken in all the black

msie's cushion again," said

t a little bit of a w

ht away," persisted Dav

ck hair, then," declared Joel. "Now, look out, Da

David, critically, watching Joel's progress, q

up in the midst of the gnarled branches. "I'm goin' to climb

l grass, meandered past him, trying to get home. So he put forth a gentle finger, bending down the biggest spears accom

e green spears swing back abruptly, and viewi

ost at the very tip of the apple tree, and he swung both arms exultingly. There was a crack, a swish, and someth