Part 26 (2/2)
”Oh, Ben!” exclaimed Polly, with clasped hands, as they all stood in front of the little brown house, breathlessly watching, ”it must be Parson Henderson's”
”No,” said Ben, ”that isn't the right direction”
”It's nice Mrs Beebe's, I know,” said Joel, racing around excitedly ”And noill burn up all those boots and shoes,”
which, luckily, Phronsie didn't hear
”Nonsense!” exclaimed Ben, ”it isn't anywhere near Mr Beebe's shop It's ever so far off And a barn, I guess, 'cause it burns like hay”
”I hope there aren't any horses in it,” sighed Polly, with a shi+ver, sitting down on the doorstone, and holding Phronsie very closely in her aro and help, Ben,” said hisso myself, now I know 'tisn't near here, and I can leave you all,” said Ben, hurrying off
”I' off
”No--no, Joel,” said Mrs Pepper, ”you're too little to go to a fire”
”I'd pass buckets,” said Joel, ”and climb the ladders--and--”
”No,” said his mother, firmly
He was afraid to cry, lest she should send him in the house, so he ran out into the road and watched io to the fire Presently they all heard wagon wheels
”So back into the yard
”Oh, Maet out of the wagon; truly, I won't”
”No,” said Mrs Pepper, ”it's no use to ask it, Joel,” and he kneasn't ”It's hard enough to let Ben go, though that's his duty You can ask the people in the wagon if they knohere the fire is” And Joel, delighted that there was some part in the excitement for him, tore madly down to the roadside and demanded this of the people in the teaett's barn,” they screa a cloud of dust
”What did he say?” asked Mrs Pepper, as Joel raced back breathlessly
”It's Deacon Blodgett's barn,” screa his bonfire, ain't we, Mahastly in the red light, ”this is perfectly dreadful for poor Mrs Blodgett and the good deacon Oh, if we could only help the the red glare, and her hands usually so quiet ringing each other
”Ben's there by this ti was hopeless with Ben close by ”Think of that, Malad of that,” breathed Mrs Pepper, thankfully ”Now he'll have a chance to show his gratitude for what Deacon Blodgett's done for hi her head where she had hidden it on Polly's ar to burn up?” She clasped her fat hands as she brought out the question fearfully
”No, I hope not, Pet,” said Polly, soothingly ”Don't let's think of it,” but her heart ached, nevertheless How good Mrs
Blodgett had been to send down that sweet, rich milk, once in a while, for Phronsie
”See! Oh, ain't it a buster!” shouted Joel out in the road, hoping some other team would come by
”Joel,” called Mrs Pepper, even in her anxiety over good friends' trouble, unwilling to let the word pass, ”what did you say?”