know some day."

"What'll you give me?" asked Joel, seeing a bargain, his foot on the
lowest stair leading to the loft, "say, Polly?"

"Oh, I haven't got much to give," she said, cheerily; "but I'll tell you
what, Joey--I'll tell you a story every day that you go to bed."

"Will you?" cried Joe, hopping back into the room. "Begin now, Polly,
begin now!"

"Why, you haven't been to bed yet," said Polly, "so I can't till
to-morrow."

"Yes, I have--you've made us go for three--no, I guess fourteen nights,"
said Joel, indignantly.

"Well, you were made to go," laughed Polly. "I said if you'd go good,
you know; so run along, Joe, and I'll tell you a nice one to-morrow."

"It's got to be long," shouted Joel, when he saw he could get no more,
making good time up to the loft.

To say that Polly, in the following days, was Master Joel's slave, was
stating the case lightly. However, she thought by her story-telling she
got off easily, as each evening saw the boys drag their unwilling
feet to-bedward, and leave Ben and herself in peace to plan and work
undisturbed. There they would sit by the little old table, around the
one tallow candle, while Mrs. Pepper sewed away busily, looking up to
smile or to give some bits of advice; keeping her own secret meanwhile,
which made her blood leap fast, as the happy thoughts nestled in her
heart of her little ones and their coming glee. And Polly made the
loveliest of paper dolls for Phronsie out of the rest of the bits of
bright paper; and Ben made windmills and whistles for the boys; and a
funny little carved basket with a handle, for Phronsie, out of a hickory
nut shell; and a new pink calico dress for Seraphina peered out from
the top drawer of the old bureau in the bedroom, whenever anyone opened
it--for Mrs. Pepper kindly let the children lock up their treasures
there as fast as completed.

"I'll make Seraphina a bonnet," said Mrs. Pepper, "for there's that old
bonnet-string in the bag, you know, Polly, that'll make it beautiful."

"Oh, do, mother," cried Polly, "she's been wanting a new one awfully."

"And I'm going to knit some mittens for Joel and David," continued Mrs.
Pepper; "cause I can get the yarn cheap now. I saw some down at the
store yesterday I could have at half price."

"I don't believe anybody'll have as good a Christmas as we shall," cried
Polly, pasting on a bit of trimming to the gayest doll's dress; "no, not
even Jappy."

An odd little smile played ar