u want done, Polly; anything
else?" he asked, quickly, as Mr. King, impatient to be off, showed
unmistakable symptoms of hurrying up Thomas.

"Oh, no," said Polly, "only do look at the little brown house, Jasper,
as much as you can," and Polly left the rest unfinished. Jasper seemed
to understand, however, for he smiled brightly as he said, looking into
the brown eyes, "I'll do it all, Polly; every single thing." And then
they were off.

Mamsie and the boys! could Polly ever wait till the next afternoon that
would bring the decision?

Long before it was possibly time for the carriage to come back from the
depot, Polly, with Phronsie and the three boys, who, improving Jasper's
absence, had waited upon her with the grace and persistence of cavaliers
of the olden time, were drawn up at the old stone gateway.

"Oh, dear," said Van with an impatient fling; "they never will come!"

"Won't they, Polly?" asked Phronsie, anxiously, and standing quite
still.

"Dear me, yes," said Polly, with a little laugh, "Van only means they'll
be a good while, Phronsie. They're sure to come some time."

"Oh!" said Phronsie, quite relieved; and she commenced her capering
again in extreme enjoyment.

"I'm going," said little Dick, "to run down and meet them." Accordingly
off he went, and was immediately followed by Percy, who started with the
laudable desire of bringing him back; but finding it so very enjoyable,
he stayed himself and frolicked with Dick, till the others, hearing the
fun, all took hold of hands and flew off to join them.

"Now," said Polly, when they recovered their breath a little, "let's all
turn our backs to the road; and the minute we hear the carriage we must
whirl round; and the one who sees 'em first can ask first 'Is mamsie
coming?"

"All right," cried the boys.

"Turn round, Dick," said Percy, with a little shove, for Dick was
staring with all his might right down the road. And so they all flew
around till they looked like five statues set up to grace the sidewalk.

"Suppose a big dog should come," suggested Van, pleasantly, "and snap at
our backs!"

At this little Dick gave a small howl, and turned around in a fright.

"There isn't any dog coming," said Polly. "What does make you say such
awful things, Van?"

"I hear a noise," said Phronsie; and so they all whirled around in
expectation. But it proved to be only a market wagon coming at a furious
pace down the road, with somebody's belated dinner. S