lowers, and she
knew the Pepper children were crazy about 'em, so she twisted 'em in
the string around the parcel, and there they stood up and looked fine, I
tell you, as they drove away.' So, Polly!"

"Bensie Pepper!" cried Polly, taking hold of his jacket, and spinning
him round, "I told you so! I told you so!"

"I know you did," said Ben, as she gave him a parting whirl, "an' I wish
you'd say so about other things, Polly, if you can get 'em so easy."

JOLLY DAYS

"Oh Ben," cried Jasper, overtaking him by a smart run as he was turning
in at the little brown gate one morning three days after, "do wait."

"Halloa!" cried Ben, turning around, and setting down his load--a bag of
salt and a basket of potatoes--and viewing Jasper and Prince with great
satisfaction.

"Yes, here I am," said Jasper. "And how I've run; that fellow on the
stage was awful slow in getting here--oh, you're so good," he said
and his eyes, brimful of gladness, beamed on Ben. "The cakes were just
prime, and 'twas great fun to get your letter."

"Did you like it?" asked Ben, the color up all over his brown
face--"Like it!" cried Jasper. "Why 'twas just splendid; and the cakes
were royal! Isn't Polly smart though, to bake like that!" he added
admiringly.

"I guess she is," said Ben, drawing himself up to his very tallest
dimensions. "She knows how to do everything, Jasper King!"

"I should think she did," responded the boy quickly. "I wish she was my
sister," he finished longingly.

"Well, I don't," quickly replied Ben, "for then she wouldn't be mine;
and I couldn't think of being without Polly! Was your father angry
about--about--'the gingerbread boy'?" he asked timidly, trembling for an
answer.

"Oh dear," cried Jasper, tumbling over on the grass, "don't, don't! I
shan't be good for anything if you make me laugh! oh! wasn't it funny;"
and he rolled over and over, shaking with glee.

"Yes," said Ben, immensely relieved to find that no offence had been
taken. "But she would send it; Polly tried not to have her, and she
most cried when Phronsie was so determined, cause she said your father
never'd let you come again--"

"Twas just lovely in Phronsie," said the boy, sitting up and wiping his
eyes, "but oh it was so funny! you ought to have seen my father, Ben
Pepper."

"Oh, then he was angry," cried Ben.

"No indeed he wasn't!" said Jasper; "don't you think it! do you know it
did him lots of good, for he'd been feeling real bad