The Adventures of Joel Pepper

  XXIII

  THE BLACKBERRIES AND THE BULL

  "Now, Joel," said Polly, a few days after, "you mustn't teasefor the pie, you know, 'cause Mamsie may not be able to get thewhite flour."

  "P'r'aps she will," said Joel, swinging his tin pail, andkicking the sweet fern with his bare feet; "then, Polly, wecould have it, couldn't we?"

  "Maybe," said Polly, with her thoughts not so much on blackberrypie, as how good it was to be out of doors for a whole afternoon."Oh, Joe, what a big butterfly!"

  "Hoh--that's nothing!" said Joel, who was rather tired ofbutterflies. "I'm going to pick bushels and bushels of blackberries,Polly."

  "You'll do well if you pick a quart," said Polly, laughing,remembering his past experiences. "Oh, Joel, isn't it justlovely to go blackberrying like this!" and her brown eyes sparkled.

  "The bushes scratch like everything," said Joel, with anotherkick at the sweet fern.

  "It's nice to go blackberrying," hummed Phronsie, holding fastto a little tin cup the rag-man had presented her on his lastvisit. "I'm going to pick ever and ever so many, to carry hometo my Mamsie."

  "So you shall," cried Polly, rapturously; "and, children, Inever saw anything so perfectly beautiful as it is thisafternoon! Isn't the sky blue!"

  Little David looked up and smiled. Joel threw back his head andsquinted critically. "I wish I could go sailing up there on thatcloud," he said.

  "I don't," said Polly, merrily, swinging her tin pail. "I'drather be down here and going blackberrying with you children.Well, come on, we ought to hurry, 'cause we want to take home asmany as we can."

  "You're always hurrying us, Polly Pepper," grumbled Joel,lagging behind. "What for, if we can't have any pie?"

  "Well, we can carry home the berries to Mamsie, anyway," saidPolly, moving on very fast. Phronsie trotted after her with a veryhappy face.

  "Now, children," said Polly, when they reached the place wherethe bars were to be taken down, "we must keep together, and notstraggle off. Remember, Joe; then when we're ready to go home,it won't be such a piece of work to get started."

  Joel was already pulling at the bars. "Come on, Dave, and help,"he called.

  "We'll go right across this corner," said Polly, when the barswere put back, and they were on the other side, "and then, saysI, we'll soon be at the blackberry patch. O my, just see thatbird!"

  "Polly's always stopping to look at birds," said Joel.

  "I like 'em, too," said David. "And that one is just beautiful."

  "It's just beautiful," hummed Phronsie, who wanted to stop everymoment and pick clover blossoms, or the big waving green grasses.

  "Well, come on, Pet," said Polly, seeing this, "or we shan'tever get to the blackberry patch; and then, says I, what wouldMamsie ever do for her berries!"

  At this, such a dreadful distress seized the whole bunch oflittle Peppers, that they one and all scuttled as fast as theycould through the long grass, Phronsie not looking back once topick a single blossom; and Polly presently had her company allmarshalled up in good order in a perfect thicket of blackberrybushes, where the berries hung as thick and ripe as could be.

  For a few minutes no one spoke; the big blackberries tumblinginto the tin pails making the only noise, though Phronsiedropped hers into the grass as often as she put one in herlittle cup. And they worked so fast, that no one noticed thatPolly's blue sky was getting overcast by white patches of puffyclouds that looked as if they were chasing each other. At lastJoel said, "Ow!" and began to complain that he was all scratchedup by the prickly bushes, and when Phronsie heard that, she setdown her tin cup and held up her fat little arms. "See, Polly,"she said gravely.

  "O dear me, now that's too bad, Pet!" So Polly had to come outfrom her nice little clump where she was picking fast, and kissthe little red marks on Phronsie's arms. "Now don't lean in thebushes again; I'll show you a place. There," and Polly pointedto some low branches that stood out; and the blackberries onthem were thick and ripe.

  "Ooh!" said Phronsie, when she saw them; and she forgot allabout her arms, that prickled and ached, and Polly flew back toher clump again.

  Rumble--rumble! "Oh, boys!" gasped Polly, "there can't be athunder-storm coming!" and she poked her head out from her clump,and stared up at the sky in dismay. "There surely is! Now wemust run home like everything." She skipped out and seizedPhronsie's arm. "Come, Pet," and not stopping to look, she setout upon a run. Phronsie began to wail, and then pulled back."I've left my cup, Polly," she said.

  "Didn't you bring it?" cried Polly, pausing a minute. "Boys," asshe saw that they hadn't started, "come this minute, and bringPhronsie's cup," she screamed. "Now come on, child; they run somuch faster they will soon overtake us."

  Phronsie, with her mind at rest about her cup, kept up as well asshe could by Polly's side. "I guess I shall have to carry you,"at last said Polly, as the boys came rushing up in high gleeover their dash across the meadow.

  "Where's my cup?" asked Phronsie, holding out eager hands.

  "Here," said Joel, thrusting it at her. "Now come on, Dave,let's see who will get to the bars first."

  Phronsie peered within the tin cup. "Why--where--" she began.Then she turned two big sorrowful eyes up toward Polly. "Theyaren't there," she said.

  "What--the berries? Oh, never mind, Pet, you shall have some ofmine," said Polly, whose only thought was how to get home asquickly as possible. "Goodness me, child!" as a raindropsplashed on her nose. "I really shall have to carry you," andPolly picked her up, and tried to hurry over the ground.

  "But they won't be mine I picked," wailed Phronsie. "Polly, Iwant my very own."

  "Well, the boys spilled 'em, I s'pose," said Polly, staggeringon, her own tin pail swinging from her arms, while Phronsie grewheavier and heavier every minute, and the clouds blacker andblacker. "Dear me, I didn't think it was so far across this meadow!"when suddenly Joel screamed out, "Oh, Polly, he's coming!" andthere, from the further corner of the field, was walking quite smartlya bull, and he was looking straight at her and Phronsie.

  "I mustn't run," said Polly; "Mamsie said once, I remember, Imust look straight at any cross animal, and not let 'em see thatI was afraid." So she set Phronsie down on the ground. "Now, Pet,don't run, but walk to Joel as fast as you can," for Joel andDavid were over the bars, which they hadn't taken the trouble totake down for themselves, intending to do it for Polly andPhronsie when they should come up.

  Phronsie set off at once, since Polly had told her to do so, andwas soon nearly at the bars. Joel sprang over to meet her.

  "Don't run, Joe," called Polly, in a warning voice; "just takeher over the bars." Then she slowly went backward, keeping herbrown eyes fastened on the bull, who still walked toward her,with his eyes fixed on her face.

  Joel got Phronsie safely over the bars, David, with tremblingfingers, pulling her from the other side, and all was going onwell when Polly stepped backward into a little gully, and overshe went in a heap. In a minute, the bull tossed his head andquickened his pace, and by the time she was up on her feet,he was coming on toward her at a trot, and with an angry lightin his eyes.

  All of a sudden, Joel shot past her. "I'll stop him, Polly," hesaid cheerily, and he dashed in between her and the bull, who,not liking this interference, now shook his head angrily. Joelthen turned off, and the animal went after him.

  "Joel, you'll be killed!" cried Polly, rushing after him, tomake the bull turn from the chase. But it was useless; for bothwere now well across the field, Joel running like wildfire, andthe bull snorting and kicking up the ground in his rage afterhim. And Polly, straining her eyes, pretty soon saw Joel turnswiftly and duck, and the bull run with full force against atree, before he could stop himself. And there was Joel clamberingover a high stone wall. Then she started and rushed for the highbars, climbed them in a flash, and when the disappointed bull camerunning back, there she was, with the other two, huddled up ina place of safety. And in a minute Joel scrambled around fromhis stone wall. So there they were, all together, safe
and sound!

  "Oh, Joel, are you really here?" exclaimed Polly, laughing andcrying over him together.

  "Yes," said Joel, "I am, Polly;" then he looked up from her armsthat she had thrown around his neck. "You've lost your berries,Polly Pepper, and the tin pail. Now what will Mamsie say?"

  "I guess she won't say anything," said Polly, with a littleshiver. "Come, children, we must run, now, as fast as we can,for it is going to rain like everything."

  "Joey," said Polly, when they paused a moment to take breath,"you must give Phronsie some of your berries when we get home;that's a good boy, for I promised her some of mine. Hers gotspilt, and now I haven't any."

  "Well, mine shook out of the pail," said Joel, dismally, "when Iswung it at that old bull's face."

  "I'll give her mine," declared Davie. "You shall have 'em all,Phronsie."

  Phronsie, at that, could not express her delight, but she claspedher hands, and gave a great sigh of satisfaction.

  When they all reached home, there was Mamsie watching for themanxiously. And they all scampered in out of the rain like somany rabbits.

  "Children, I've got such a surprise for you," said Mother Pepper,as soon as she could take off the wet clothes from Phronsie, andget her into something dry. "Now, you all better get your thingsoff, and hang 'em to dry by the stove, and get on some cleanclothes."

  "I ain't wet, and we haven't got any berries, 'cept Dave, an' hegave 'em to Phronsie," said Joel. "They all got shook out of thepails, Polly's and mine did, when the bull chased us."

  "When the bull chased you!" repeated Mrs. Pepper, while herblack eyes roved from one to the other.

  "Oh, Joel, don't tell Mamsie this way," said Polly, pulling hisjacket. "Besides, Phronsie doesn't know what we ran for."

  "David," said Mrs. Pepper, "take Phronsie into the bedroom andshut the door. Now then, Polly and Joel, tell me all about it,every word."

  So they did, not sparing themselves a bit of the account, Joelcutting in when he thought Polly didn't tell enough what she did.

  "But oh, Mamsie, you can't think how splendid Joe was!" criedPolly, with shining eyes; "he couldn't have done better if he'dhad a sword and gun." Then she told it all over--his part--dilatingat great length upon it, until Joel got down on the floor androlled and kicked in dismay, because he couldn't stop her.

  "Make her stop, Mamsie," he howled.

  "And oh, when Ben comes home, won't I have a splendid story totell him!" finished Polly. "How I wish he'd come now," and thequeerest thing was, the door opened, and in he walked.

  "I got through earlier than I expected," he said. "Why, whatmakes you all look so queer?"

  "We've had enough to make us look queer," answered Mrs. Pepper.Her eyes shone too! "Polly will tell you," she added.

  So Polly, glad enough to tell the story, went over it all, bitby bit. When she came to Joel's part, Ben seized him from offthe floor. "See here, I'll give you a ride, Joe, in honor ofit," and setting him on his shoulder, Ben pranced around andaround the old kitchen, till Joel screamed with delight.

  "I tell you what, that was fine!" declared Ben, and his eyesshone too. Then Phronsie drummed on the bedroom door, and beggedto be let out, in spite of all that Davie could do to stop her.

  "Do run and let her out, and Davie, too," said Mrs. Pepper,quite as excited as either Polly or Ben.

  "I'll go," said Joel, flying off with alacrity. So Phronsie andDavid came running in, well pleased to be once more in the midstof things; and then it was time for supper, and all the whileshe was laying the cloth and getting out the dishes, Polly waslooking at Joel, and her brown head went up proudly, and everyonce in a while she would run over and drop a kiss on his stubbyhair.

  And when Davie went up to the loft back of him that night, asthey were going to bed, Joel turned around on the upper stair."We'll play bull to-morrow, Dave," he said.

  "No, I don't want to," said little Davie, with a shiver.

  "Pooh! I do; it's splendid! You may be the bull, if you wantto," said Joel, generously.

  "I don't want to," protested Davie, fretfully, and hurrying offhis clothes, to tuck into bed, where he huddled down.

  "Well, you've got to," said Joel, determinedly, giving hisjacket a fling to the corner, "'cause if you don't, I'll be thebull, and chase you just awful. So there now, Dave Pepper!"

  But Davie was spared that tribulation, for when the next daycame, Mrs. Pepper had so much work for them all to do, that thechase dropped entirely out of Joel's mind, even if he had amoment in which to accomplish it. The great surprise that Mrs.Pepper had told them of, now came out, everybody being so fullof the adventure with the bull, that it completely crowded outeverything else.

  "Now you can't guess," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling at them all,when she had repeated, "such a surprise, children," "so I mightas well tell you. It was--"

  "Oh, Mammy, let us guess," howled Joel. "I know--it is a horse!Somebody's given you one."

  A perfect shout greeted this, but Joel was in no wise dashed. "Idon't care," he said, "that would be a surprise."

  "Yes, I think it would be," laughed Ben. "Guess again, Joe, anddon't give such a wild one."

  "Then I guess it's some candy," said Joel, coming down with along jump to a possibility; "and do give us some right away."

  "No, it isn't candy," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling at him.

  "Then I don't care what it is," declared Joel, turning offindifferently; "and say, Polly, what have you got for breakfast?"

  "The same as ever," said Polly, with only half an ear for him,her mind being intent on the splendid surprise; "you know, Joel;what makes you ask?"

  "Mean old breakfast!" said Joel, with a grimace. "Polly, whydon't we ever have anything but mush?"

  "You know that too, Joe," said Polly, with a cold shoulder forhim. "Do let me be, I want to guess Mamsie's surprise. O dear me!whatever can it be?" She wrinkled up her brows, and lost herselfin a brown study.

  "I guess I know," said Ben, slowly, after a good look at Mrs.Pepper's face.

  "What?" roared Joel, interested again, since Ben had guessed it.

  "It's blackberries," answered Ben, with a shrewd nod of his head."Isn't it, Mamsie?"

  "Yes, it is," said Mrs. Pepper; "you've guessed it, sure enough,Bensie."

  "Hoh--old blackberries!" cried Joel, dreadfully disappointed,and falling back to the other corner.

  "The blackberries aren't to be ours," said Mrs. Pepper; "thatis--"

  "Not to be ours," repeated the children together, while even Benlooked surprised.

  "No." Mrs. Pepper laughed outright to see their faces. "Youcan't guess," she said again, "so I'll tell you. Mrs. Brown issick, and I'm to make her blackberry jell over here; and she'sgiven me some sugar, besides the pay she'll give me, so now wecan have our pie."

  There was a perfect babel at this, the five little Peppershaving always before them the hope of some day hearing theirmother say they should have a blackberry pie--to make up for notbeing able to accomplish the chicken pie that Polly and all theothers had so longed for--and which was quite beyond theirexpectations. Now the blackberry pie was really coming!

  "Make it now. Make it now, Mamsie, do," begged Joel, his mouthwatering.

  "Goodness me!" exclaimed Polly; "why, it's before breakfast, Joe.The idea of teasing Mamsie to do it now."

  "And I can't do it just after breakfast, either," said Mrs.Pepper, "for I must begin as soon as I can on the jell, and youmust all help me. There is ever so much you can all be useful in,about making jell. All but Ben, he's got to go to work, youknow."

  "When will you make the pie, then?" cried Joel, trying tosmother his disappointment, and finding it hard work to do so.

  "Just as soon as ever this jell is done and out of the way,"said Mother Pepper, in her cheeriest tones. "So, Polly, fly atgetting the breakfast ready, and when that's eaten, we'll all,except Ben, tackle the jell."

  When the dishes were all cleared off, and Polly was washing them,Mrs. Pepper turned to Joel. "Run over to Mrs. Brown's
now, Joe,and get her kettle."

  "What kettle?" asked Joe, who didn't relish being turned outof the kitchen in all the bustle of getting ready for the jelly-making.

  "The preserve-kettle," answered Mrs. Pepper. "She'll tell youwhere 'tis. I told her I'd send you over for it. And be realstill, Joe, and don't ask her questions, 'cause she's miserable,and is in for a long sick spell if she doesn't look out."

  So Joel went off, wishing there weren't any such things in theworld as preserve-kettles, and presently, back he came, draggingit after him "bump-bump."

  "Oh, Joe," cried Mrs. Pepper, in dismay, "how could you!"

  "I don't b'lieve he's hurt it, Mamsie," said Polly, running upto examine the kettle closely; "he couldn't, could he? it's alliron."

  "No, I don't suppose he could really hurt it any," said Mrs.Pepper, "but he oughtn't to drag it along and bump it. Thingsthat don't belong to us should be handled extra carefully. Wellnow, Joe, set down the kettle, and go and wash your hands, youand Davie, and then come back and pick over these blackberries,and Polly'll take hold as soon as she gets through with thework."

  "O dear, I don't want to pick over old blackberries," whinedJoel.

  "Then I suppose you don't care for any of the pie when it'sbaked," said his mother, coolly; "folks who can't help along inthe work, shouldn't have any of the good things when they'repassed around."

  "Oh, yes, I do want some pie," declared Joel, vehemently. "Daveand me both want some; don't we, Dave?"

  "Yes, I do," said little Davie, "very much indeed, Mamsie."

  "And I want some pie," echoed Phronsie, hearing the last words,and smoothing down her pink apron.

  "So you shall have, Phronsie," promised Mrs. Pepper, "and soshall every one of you who's glad to work, and be useful."

  "We'll be useful and work," cried Joel, tumbling out into thewoodshed to wash up. "Come on, Dave; then we'll get our pie whenit's baked."