PHRONSIE PAYS A DEBT OF GRATITUDE
"And now I tell you," said Polly, the next day, "let's make Jaspersomething; can't we, ma?"
"Oh, do! do!" cried all the other children, "let's; but what'll it be,Polly?"
"I don't know about this," interrupted Mrs. Pepper; "I don't see how youcould get anything to him if you could make it."
"Oh, we could, mamsie," said Polly, eagerly, running up to her; "for Benknows; and he says we can do it."
"Oh, well, if Ben and you have had your heads together, I suppose it'sall right," laughed Mrs. Pepper, "but I don't see how you can do it."
"Well, we can, mother, truly," put in Ben. "I'll tell you how, andyou'll say it'll be splendid. You see Deacon Blodgett's goin' over toHingham, to-morrow; I heard him tell Miss Blodgett so; and he goes rightpast the hotel; and we can do it up real nice--and it'll please Jasperso--do, mammy!"
"And it's real dull there, Jasper says," put in Polly, persuasively;"and just think, mammy, no brothers and sisters!" And Polly lookedaround on the others.
After that there was no need to say anything more; her mother would haveconsented to almost any plan then.
"Well, go on, children," she said; "you may do it; I don't see but whatyou can get 'em there well enough; but I'm sure I don't know what youcan make."
"Can't we," said Polly--and she knelt down by her mother's side and puther face in between the sewing in Mrs. Pepper's lap, and the eyes bentkindly down on her--"make some little cakes, real cakes I mean? nowdon't say no, mammy!" she said, alarmed, for she saw a "no" slowlycoming in the eyes above her, as Mrs. Pepper began to shake her head.
"But we haven't any white flour, Polly," began her mother. "I know,"said Polly; "but we'll make 'em of brown, it'll do, if you'll give ussome raisins--you know there's some in the bowl, mammy."
"I was saving them for a nest egg," said Mrs. Pepper; meaning at somefuture time to indulge in another plum-pudding that the children soloved.
"Well, do give 'em to us," cried Polly; "do, ma!"
"I want 'em for a plum-pudding sometime," said Mrs. Pepper.
"Ow!--" and Joel with a howl sprung up from the floor where he had beentrying to make a cart for "Baby" out of an old box, and joined Mrs.Pepper and Polly. "No, don't give 'em away, ma!" he screamed; "let'shave our plum-pudding--now, Polly Pepper, you're a-goin' to bake up allour raisins in nasty little cakes--and--"
"Joey!" commanded Mrs. Pepper, "hush! what word did you say!"
"Well," blubbered Joel, wiping his tears away with his grimy littlehand, "Polly's--a-goin'--to give--"
"I should rather you'd never have a plum-pudding than to say suchwords," said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, taking up her work again. "Andbesides, do you think what Jasper has done for you?" and her face grewvery white around the lips.
"Well, he can have plum-puddings," said Joel, whimpering, "forever an'ever, if he wants them--and--and--"
"Well, Joey," said Polly, "there, don't feel bad," and she put her armsaround him, and tried to wipe away the tears that still rolled down hischeeks. "We won't give 'em if you don't want us to; but Jasper's sick,and there isn't anything for him to do, and--" here she whispered slylyup into his ear, "don't you remember how you liked folks to send youthings when you had the measles?"
"Yes, I know," said Joel, beginning to smile through his tears; "wasn'tit fun, Polly?"
"I guess 'twas," laughed Polly back again, pleased at the return ofsunshine. "Well, Jasper'll be just as pleased as you were, 'cause welove him and want to do somethin' for him, he was so good to Phronsie."
"I will, Polly, I will," cried Joel, completely won over; "do let's make'em for him; and put 'em in thick; oh! thick as you can;" and determinedto do nothing by halves, Joel ran generously for the precious howl ofraisins, and after setting it on the table, began to help Polly in allneedful preparations.
Mrs. Pepper smiled away to herself to see happiness restored to thelittle group. And soon a pleasant hum and bustle went on around thebaking table, the centre of attraction.
"Now," said Phronsie, coming up to the table and standing on tip-toe tosee Polly measure out the flour, "I'm a-goin' to bake something for mysick man, I am."
"Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't," began Polly.
"Hey?" asked Joel, with a daub of flour on the tip of his chubby nose,gained by too much peering into Polly's flour-bag. "What did she say,Polly?" watching her shake the clouds of flour in the sieve.
"She said she was goin' to bake something for Jasper," said Polly."There," as she whisked in the flour, "now that's done."
"No, I didn't say Jasper," said Phronsie; "I didn't say Jasper," sherepeated, emphatically.
"Why, what did you say, Pet?" asked Polly, astonished, while littleDavie repeated, "What did you say, Phronsie?"
"I said my sick man," said Phronsie, shaking her yellow head; "poor sickman."
"Who does she mean?" said Polly in despair, stopping a moment herviolent stirring that threatened to overturn the whole cake-bowl.
"I guess she means Prince," said Joel. "Can't I stir, Polly?"
"Oh, no," said Polly; "only one person must stir cake."
"Why?" asked Joel; "why, Polly?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Polly, "cause 'tis so; never mind now, Joel. Doyou mean Prince, Phronsie?"
"No, I don't mean Princey," said the child decisively; "I mean my sickman."
"It's Jasper's father, I guess she means," said Mrs. Pepper over in thecorner; "but what in the world!"
"Yes, yes," cried Phronsie, perfectly delighted at being at lastunderstood, and hopping on one toe; "my sick man."
"I shall give up!" said Polly, tumbling over in a chair, with the cakespoon in her hand, from which a small sticky lump fell on her apron,which Joel immediately pounced upon and devoured. "What do you want tobake, Phronsie?" she gasped, holding the spoon sticking up straight, andstaring at the child.
"A gingerbread boy," said the child, promptly; "he'd like that best;poor, sick man!" and she commenced to climb up to active preparations.