said Polly, thoughtlessly. She was thinking of something
else besides cups and saucers just then; of how nice it would be to go
off for just one day, and do exactly as she had a mind to in everything.
She even envied Ben and the boys who were going to work hard at Deacon
Blodgett's woodpile.

"Well, I tell you," said Phronsie, confidentially, setting down a
cup that she had polished with great care, "I'm going to do 'em all
to-morrow, for you, Polly--I can truly; let me now, Polly, do."

"Nonsense!" said Polly, giving a great splash with her mop in the tub,
ashamed of her inward repinings. "Phronsie, you're no bigger than a
mouse!"

"Yes, I am," retorted Phronsie, very indignantly. Her face began to get
very red, and she straightened up so suddenly to show Polly just how
very big she was that her little head came up against the edge of the
tub--over it went! a pile of saucers followed.

"There now," cried Polly, "see what you've done!"

"Ow!" whimpered Phronsie, breaking into a subdued roar; "oh, Polly! it's
all running down my back."

"Is it?" said Polly, bursting out into a laugh; "never mind, Phronsie,
I'll dry you."

"Dear me, Polly!" said Mrs. Pepper, who had looked up in time to see the
tub racing along by itself towards the "Provision Room" door, a stream
of dish-water following in its wake, "she will be wet clear through; do
get off her things, quick."

"Yes'm," cried Polly, picking up the tub, and giving two or three quick
sops to the floor. "Here you are, Pussy," grasping Phronsie, crying as
she was, and carrying her into the bedroom.

"Oh, dear," wailed the child, still holding the wet dish towel; "I won't
ever do it again, if you'll only let me do 'em all to-morrow."

"When you're big and strong," said Polly, giving her a hug, "you shall
do 'em every day."

"May I really?" said little Phronsie, blinking through the tears, and
looking radiant.

"Yes, truly--every day."

"Then I'll grow right away, I will," said Phronsie, bursting out
merrily; and she sat down and pulled off the well-worn shoes, into which
a big pool of dish-water had run, while Polly went for dry stockings.

"So you shall," said Polly, coming back, a big piece of gingerbread in
her hand; "and this'll make you grow, Phronsie."

"O-o-h!" and Phronsie's little white teeth shut down quickly on the
comforting morsel. Gingerbread didn't come often enough into the Pepper
household to be lightly esteemed.

"Now," said Mrs. Peppe