to Polly's elbow, unmistakably
Joel's.

"Oh, Joel Pepper!" she cried, whirling around, "is that really you!"

"Yes," cried that individual, confidently, "it's I; oh, I say, Polly,
I've had fun up-stairs, I tell you what!"

"Poor boy!" said Polly, compassionately.

"I wasn't a poor boy," cried Joel, indignantly; "I had splendid things
to eat; oh, my!" and he closed one eye and smacked his lips in the
delightful memory.

"I know it," said Polly, "and I'm so glad, Joel."

"I don't suppose I'll ever get so many again," observed Joel,
reflectively, after a minute's pause, as one and another of the wondrous
delicacies rose before his mind's eye; "not unless I have the measles
again--say, Polly, can't I have 'em again?"

"Mercy, no!" cried Polly, in intense alarm, "I hope not."

"Well, I don't," said Joel, "I wish I could have 'em sixty--no--two
hundred times, so there!"

"Well, mammy couldn't take care of you," said Ben; "you don't know what
you're sayin', Joe."

"Well, then, I wish I could have the things without the measles," said
Joel, willing to accommodate; "only folks won't send 'em," he added, in
an injured tone.

"Polly's had the hardest time of all," said her mother, affectionately
patting the bandage.

"I think so too," put in Ben; "if my eyes were hurt I'd give up."

"So would I," said David; and Joel, to be in the fashion, cried also, "I
know I would;" while little Phronsie squeezed up to Polly's side, "And
I, too."

"Would what, Puss?" asked Ben, tossing her up high. "Have good things,"
cried the child, in delight at understanding the others, "I would
really, Ben," she cried, gravely, when they all screamed.

"Well, I hope so," said Ben, tossing her higher yet. "Don't laugh at
her, boys," put in Polly; "we're all going to have good times now,
Phronsie, now we've got well."

"Yes," laughed the child from her high perch; "we aren't ever goin' to
be sick again, ever--any more," she added impressively.

The good times were coming for Polly--coming pretty near, and she
didn't know it! All the children were in the secret; for as Mrs. Pepper
declared, "They'd have to know it; and if they were let into the secret
they'd keep it better."

So they had individually and collectively been intrusted with the
precious secret, and charged with the extreme importance of "never
letting any one know," and they had been nearly bursting ever since with
the wild desire to impart their knowledge.

"I'm afraid