aid, when she knew by the noise in the
kitchen that everybody was out there; so nobody heard, except a fat, old
black spider in the corner, and he didn't tell anyone!

"I know it's a week," she said, "since dinnertime! If Ben were only
well, to talk to me."

"Oh, I say, Polly," screamed Joel at that moment running in, "Ben's
a-comin' down the stairs!"

"Stop, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper; "you shouldn't have told; he wanted to
surprise Polly."

"Oh, is he!" cried Polly, clasping her hands in rapture; "mammy, can't I
take off this horrid bandage, and see him?"

"Dear me, no!" said Mrs. Pepper, springing forward; "not for the world,
Polly! Dr. Fisher'd have our ears off!"

"Well, I can hear, any way," said Polly, resigning herself to the
remaining comfort; "here he is! oh, Ben!"

"There," said Ben, grasping Polly, bandage and all; "now we're all
right; and say, Polly, you're a brick!"

"Mammy told me not to say that the other day," said Joel, with a very
virtuous air.

"Can't help it," said Ben, who was a little wild over Polly, and
besides, he had been sick himself, and had borne a good deal too.

"Now," said Mrs. Pepper, after the first excitement was over, "you're
so comfortable together, and Phronsie don't want me now, I'll go to the
store; I must get some more work if Mr. Atkins'll give it to me."

"I'll be all right now, mammy, that Ben's here," cried Polly, settling
back into her chair, with Phronsie on the stool at her feet.

"I'm goin' to tell her stories, ma," cried Ben, "so you needn't worry
about us."

"Isn't it funny, Ben," said Polly, as the gate clicked after the mother,
"to be sitting still, and telling stories in the daytime?"

"Rather funny!" replied Ben.

"Well, do go on," said Joel, as usual, rolling on the floor, in a
dreadful hurry for the story to begin. Little David looked up quietly,
as he sat on Ben's other side, his hands clasped tight together, just as
eager, though he said nothing.

"Well; once upon a time," began Ben delightfully, and launched into one
of the stories that the children thought perfectly lovely.

"Oh, Bensie," cried Polly, entranced, as they listened with bated
breath, "however do you think of such nice things!"

"I've had time enough to think, the last week," said Ben, laughing, "to
last a life-time!"

"Do go on," put in Joel, impatient at the delay.

"Don't hurry him so," said Polly, reprovingly; "he isn't strong."

"Ben," said David, drawing a long breat