vitation to come
in, "it's nothing--only I thought I'd just tell you a word or two about
what I've decided to do."

"Do you mean what you wanted to see me about this afternoon?" asked Mrs.
Whitney, who hadn't thought of it since. "Do come in, father."

"It's no consequence," said the old gentleman; "no consequence at all,"
he repeated, waving his hand emphatically, "because I've made up my mind
and arranged all my plans--it's only about the Peppers--"

"The Peppers?" repeated Mrs. Whitney.

"Yes. Well, the fact of it is, I'm going to have them here for a
visit--the whole of them, you understand; that's all there is to it.
And I shall go down to see about all the arrangements--Jasper and I--day
after to-morrow," said the old gentleman, as if he owned the whole
Pepper family inclusive, and was the only responsible person to be
consulted about their movements.

"Will they come?" asked Mrs. Whitney, doubtfully.

"Come? of course," said Mr. King, sharply, "there isn't any other way;
or else Mrs. Pepper will be sending for her children--and of course you
know, Marian, we couldn't allow that--well, that's all; so good night,"
and the door closed on his retreating footsteps.

And so Polly and Phronsie soon knew that mamsie and the boys were to
be invited! And then the grand house, big as it was, didn't seem large
enough to contain them.

"I declare," said Jasper, next day, when they had been laughing and
planning till they were all as merry as grigs, "if this old dungeon
don't begin to seem a little like 'the little brown house,' Polly."

"Twon't," answered Polly, hopping around on one toe, followed by
Phronsie, "till mamsie and the boys get here, Jasper King!"

"Well, they'll be here soon," said Jappy, pleased at Polly's exultation
over it, "for we're going to-morrow to do the inviting."

"And Polly's to write a note to slip into Marian's," said Mr. King,
putting his head in at the door. "And if you want your mother to come,
child, why, you'd better mention it as strong as you can."

"I'm going to write," said Phronsie, pulling up after a prolonged skip,
all out of breath. "I'm going to write, and beg mamsie dear. Then she'll
come, I guess."

"I guess she will," said Mr. King, looking at her. "You go on, Phronsie,
and write; and that letter shall go straight in my coat pocket alone by
itself."

"Shall it?" asked Phronsie, coming up to him, "and nobody will take it
out till you give it to mamsie?"

"No, nobod