rs. Polly and Jasper
flew away from the doorway to let Dr. Pennell, his little case in his
hand, come in.

"Well, well!" he exclaimed cheerily, "so now it's Phronsie; I'm coming
to her this time," for he had often dropped in to call or to dine since
the railway accident.

"Yes," said Phronsie, with a little laugh of delight, for she very much
liked Dr. Pennell. He always took her on his lap, and told her stories;
and he had a way of tucking certain little articles in his pockets to
have her hunt for them. So they had gotten on amazingly well.

"Why, where--" Phronsie began in a puzzled way.

"Is Dr. Fisher?" Dr. Pennell finished it for her, rapidly going on with
his work. "Well, he'll be here soon, I think. And you know he always
likes me to do things when he isn't on hand. So I've come."

"And I like you very much," said Phronsie, wriggling her toes in
satisfaction.

"I know that; we are famous friends, Phronsie," said the doctor, with
one of those pleasant smiles of his that showed his white teeth.

"What's famous?" asked Phronsie, keeping her grave eyes on his face.

"Oh, fine; it means first-rate. We are fine friends, aren't we,
Phronsie?"

"Yes, we are," declared Phronsie, bending forward to see his work the
better, and taking her eyes from his face.

"There, there, you must sit quite straight. That's a nice child,
Phronsie. And see here! I must take you sometime in my carriage when I
go on my calls. Will you go, Phronsie?" and Dr. Pennell smiled again.

"Yes, I will." Phronsie nodded her yellow head, while she fastened her
eyes on his face. "I used to go with Papa Fisher when I was at the
little brown house, and I liked it; I did."

"Well, and now you will go with me," laughed Dr. Pennell. "Now,
Phronsie, I think you are fixed up quite nicely," slipping the various
articles he had used, deftly into his little bag, and snapping it to.

"Not a very bad affair," he said, whirling around to old Mr. King, drawn
deeply within a big chair, having already telegraphed the same to Mother
Fisher over Phronsie's head.

"Thank the Lord!" exclaimed the old gentleman.

"Well, now I'm going to send every one out of the room," announced Dr.
Pennell, authoritatively. "Hurry now!" he clapped his hands and laughed.

Old Mr. King sat quite still, fully determined not to obey. But the
doctor, looking over him fixedly, seemed to expect him to leave; and
although he still had that pleasant smile, he didn't exactly give