Part 11 (1/2)

”Hey?” said the old lady; so Mrs. Pepper had to go all over it again, till at last she made her understand that Polly's eyes were taken care of, and they must wait for time to do the rest.

”You come along of me,” whispered grandma, when at last her call was done, to Joel who stood by the door. ”I've got some peppermints to home; I forgot to bring 'em.”

”Yes'm,” said Joel, brightening up.

”Where you going, Joe?” asked Mrs. Pepper, seeing him move off with Mrs.

Bascom; ”I may want you.”

”Oh, I've got to go over to grandma's,” said Joel briskly; ”she wants me.”

”Well, don't be gone long then,” replied his mother.

”There,” said grandma, going into her ”keeping-room” to an old-fas.h.i.+oned chest of drawers; opening one, she took therefrom a paper, from which she shook out before Joe's delighted eyes some red and white peppermint drops. ”There now, you take these home; you may have some, but be sure you give the most to the sick ones; and Polly--let Polly have the biggest.”

”She won't take 'em,” said Joel, wis.h.i.+ng he had the measles. ”Well, you try her,” said grandma; ”run along now.” But it was useless to tell Joel that, for he was half-way home already. He carried out grandma's wishes, and distributed conscientiously the precious drops. But when he came to Polly, she didn't answer; and looking at her in surprise he saw two big tears rolling out under the bandage and wetting the pillow.

”I don't want 'em, Joe,” said Polly, when he made her understand that ”twas peppermints, real peppermints;” ”you may have 'em.”

”Try one, Polly; they're real good,” said Joel, who had an undefined wish to comfort; ”there, open your mouth.”

So Polly opened her mouth, and Joel put one in with satisfaction.

”Isn't it good?” he asked, watching her crunch it.

”Yes,” said Polly, ”real good; where'd you get 'em?”

”Over to Grandma Bascom's,” said Joel; ”she gave me lots for all of us; have another, Polly?”

”No,” said Polly, ”not yet; you put two on my pillow where I can reach 'em; and then you keep the rest, Joel.”

”I'll put three,” said Joel, counting out one red and two white ones, and laying them on the pillow; ”there!”

”And I want another, Joey, I do,” said Phronsie from the other side of the bed.

”Well, you may have one,” said Joel; ”a red one, Phronsie; yes, you may have two. Now come on, Dave; we'll have the rest out by the wood-pile.”

How they ever got through that day, I don't know. But late in the afternoon carriage wheels were heard; and then they stopped right at the Peppers' little brown gate.

”Polly,” said Mrs. Pepper, running to the bedroom door, ”it's Mrs.

Henderson!”

”Is it?” said Polly, from the darkened room, ”oh! I'm so glad! is Miss Jerushy with her?” she asked, fearfully.

”No,” said Mrs. Pepper, going back to ascertain; ”why, it's the parson himself! Deary! how we look!”

”Never mind, mammy,” called back Polly, longing to spring out of bed and fix up a bit.

”I'm sorry to hear the children are sick,” said Mrs. Henderson, coming in, in her sweet, gentle way.

”We didn't know it,” said the minister, ”until this morning--can we see them?”