Part 26 (1/2)

”I don't think so,” said Ben, decidedly, shaking his head in disapproval of Polly; ”he's been as good as gold to uilty of interrupting

”And he's been bothered to death to get the right time to work on that old bonfire, and today the ot off, 'cause two of 'eround ready for planting So all of a sudden Mr

Blodgett comes over to the southto set to on that bonfire!' And then I begged him to let me just run home and tell you all, and he couldn't, and that's all,” said Ben, cal the account

”I don't see how you could help it, Ben,” said his ett either, for that matter”

Polly stood quite still, the waves of color spreading over her face Then she took a step forward, and threw her arms around Ben's neck

”Oh, Ben!” she cried convulsively, ”I'ht, Polly,” said Ben, reassuringly, and patting her cheek, ”and I guess next tis”

”I surely will,” proett bonfire, after all, except Peletiah Henderson, as going past that farht But Ben comforted the everything he said

”Now, children, I'll watch; there'll be other bonfires, I expect

Maybe before long; so I shouldn't wonder if we got another chance to see a big fire” It came sooner than they expected, but it wasn't a bonfire

It was one night about a week after The little brown house was as still as a mouse, everybody abed and asleep Suddenly Phronsie woke up with a fretful little cry ”I want a drink of water,” she wailed, sitting straight in the trundle bed

”Oh, no, you don't,” said Polly, sleepily ”Hush, Phronsie, and lie down again You'll wake Mamsie”

Phronsie's little lips quivered In the darkness Polly couldn't see the sain on her pillow ”Go to sleep, like a good girl,” she said, almost asleep

”I can't, Polly,” said Phronsie, almost ready to cry out, ”and I am truly thirsty Please, Polly, a drink of water” She put out her little hand to feel for Polly's, but in atold her that Polly had fallen asleep So Phronsie sat still in the middle of the trundle bed, and choked back the tears

But her little throat was parched and dry, and at last the tears rolled over the round cheeks

”I won't wake poor Polly up,” she said; ”I can get itso over the side, and ht there, at which Phronsie stared wonderingly, as there was no candle lighted, so she easily found her way to the pail of water which Ben always got the last thing at night and set on the bench by the

”I can reach the dipper,” said Phronsie, standing on tiptoes, and seizing it, she thrust it into the pail How it happened, she didn't know, and there was no one else there to see, but over with a great clatter came the pail and the dipper to the floor

Polly started up in bed Mamsie, as very tired, still slept on ”Phronsie,” cried Polly, reet it for you,” and she put out her hand to pat the little figure in the trundle bed There was no Phronsie there!

Polly hopped wildly out into the kitchen, to hear Phronsie gurgling out her distress, as she stood in her little white nightie, her hands stuck straight out, and the water dripping fro away at their oills across the old kitchen floor And over all shone a great light as bright as day, only it was tinged with red

”Phronsie Pepper!” exclaiht?” all in the sa Phronsie up in her arht, red and glaring, shot across the sky, and lighted up the whole heavens

”Oh, we're burning up! So's afire! Grandma Bascom!”

screamed Polly ”Ben--Ben--wake up! Ma out of bed, and Mrs Pepper was in the kitchen in adownstairs at Ben's heels, and they all threw on their clothes and rushed out of doors But it wasn't Grande stood peaceful and quiet, with only the dreadful red light playing over it

”I can't think where it is,” said Ben ”It seems so near, and we know it isn't, 'cause Grandma's is the only house forinto the sky, and when it cleared there was that dreadful red light glare again