'twill hurt
her." But Phronsie fell into a delicious sleep after that, and didn't
want any more, luckily.

"Here, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, the next morning, "take this coat up to
Mr. Peterses; and be sure you get the money for it."

"How'll I get it?" asked Joe, who didn't relish the long, hot walk.

"Why, tell 'em we're sick--Ben's sick," added Mrs. Pepper, as the most
decisive thing; "and we must have it; and then wait for it."

"Tisn't pleasant up at the Peterses," grumbled Joel, taking the parcel
and moving slowly off.

"No, no, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, "you needn't do that," seeing
Polly take up some sewing after doing up the room and finishing the
semi-weekly bake; "you're all beat out with that tussle over the stove;
that sack'll have to go till next week."

"It can't, mammy," said Polly, snipping off a basting thread; "we've got
to have the money; how much'll he give you for it?"

"Thirty cents," replied Mrs. Pepper.

"Well," said Polly, "we've got to get all the thirty centses we can,
mammy dear; and I know I can do it, truly--try me once," she implored.

"Well." Mrs. Pepper relented, slowly.

"Don't feel bad, mammy dear," comforted Polly, sewing away briskly;
"Ben'll get well pretty soon, and then we'll be all right."

"Maybe," said Mrs. Pepper; and went back to Phronsie, who could scarcely
let her out of her sight.

Polly stitched away bravely. "Now if I do this good, mammy'll let me do
it other times," she said to herself.

Davie, too, worked patiently out of doors, trying to do Ben's chores.
The little fellow blundered over things that Ben would have accomplished
in half the time, and he had to sit down often on the steps of the
little old shed where the tools were kept, to wipe his hot face and
rest.

"Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, "hadn't you better stop a little? Dear me!
how fast you sew, child!"

Polly gave a delighted little hum at her mother's evident approval.

"I'm going to do 'em all next week, mammy," she said; "then Mr. Atkins
won't take 'em away from us, I guess."

Mr. Atkins kept the store, and gave out coats and sacks of coarse linen
and homespun to Mrs. Pepper to make; and it was the fear of losing the
work that had made the mother's heart sink.

"I don't believe anybody's got such children as I have," she said; and
she gave Polly a motherly little pat that the little daughter felt clear
to the tips of her toes with a thrill of delight.

About half-past two, long after d