Part 35 (2/2)

”Hoh, hoh!” laughed Ben, busily at work over the washboard, ”there's your rhododendron, Polly I thought Joel wouldn't forget to have one in his circus”

”Go on, Joel,” said Polly, with a cold shoulder for Ben ”Now I know your circus is going to be perfectly elegant,” she cried enthusiastically, running over to their corner ”Do tell us about it, Joel”

Joel, vastly complian lustily to set it forth, and little Davie piped in whenever there was a chance for a word, which wasn't often And finally Ben said, ”I guess I'll move my washboard and the 'paper carpet' up there with you all,” and Polly said, ”Oh, do, Ben”

And presently they were all so very jolly, Ben deciding not to say anything more of Polly's rhododendron, that none of theht you didn't knoas fiveto the clock

XIX

CIRCUS PLANS

Joel practised the part of so many animals in the next week that the little brown house people beca they erie were let loose Only Mamsie forbade that such noise should be alloithin doors And every once in a while Joel would rush into the kitchen, with ”Polly, how does an elephant screaaroo cry this way?” until Polly was quite worn out

”I guess you'll be glad when that circus of Joe's is over with,”

said Ben ”I pity you, Polly I'd enough sight rather chop wood for Mr Blodgett”

”Well, you needn't,” cried Polly, ”pity ett! O dear, it's too bad his barn's all burnt up”

”And the horse and the cow,” said Ben, very soberly

”Hush!+” warned Polly, looking around to see if Phronsie heard

Luckily, she was in the bedroo down by the lower bureau drahich was open, and trying on her red-topped shoes, getting every button into the wrong button-hole ”Oh, Ben,” Polly rushed up to whisper in his ear, ”I do think that was too dreadful for anything”

”Yes,” said Ben; ”it was Mrs Blodgett sent you word she was sorry she hadn't any ett!” exclaimed Polly, with the tears in her brown eyes ”Oh, I do e had sohed too Because, as he had been working at Deacon Blodgett's pretty steadily the last feeeks since the fire, he had noticed how the neighbors and friends had been sending in things to sho sorry they were for the Blodgett farieved him dreadfully that the Peppers seemed to be about the only ones left out So now he preserved a gloomy silence

”Well, co her mother's advice, to think first before she spoke the words that htened up ”P'r'aps soett that we are sorry for 'es”

”P'r'aps,” said Ben But he still looked glooht; ”but I' to do that, anyway, so I don't see what other chance there'll be”

”Who to invite to see your circus, Joel?” asked Polly, a few nights later, when, as usual, after supper, Joel was haranguing loudly on the great show to take place, and even little David ound up to such a pitch of enthusias his red cheeks, felt a dozen times inclined to send him to bed ahead of the tily, and she argued to herself, ”I don't know but what 'twould hurt him quite as er Thank fortune, it's seven o'clock now!” So David was saved being sent off to bed, until it was tioin' to invite any one,” said Joel; ”no, sir-_ree!_ Everybody's got to pay to come into my show”

”How much do we pay?” asked Polly ”O dear et many people to see it”

”Pins, I s'pose,” said Ben