Part 53 (1/2)
”Joel Pepper!” exclaimed a voice, suddenly, that made all the boys skip, while little Davie shook inin the public road! Well, I never heard anything so dreadful!”
Joel whirled around, his fists still ready ”I ain't fighting,”
he denied stoutly It was Miss Jerusha, Parson Henderson's sister
”And it's bad enough to fight, without telling a lie about it,”
said Miss Jerusha, holding up her black gloves in horror ”I ain't fighting And I didn't tell a lie,” declared Joel ”And youeyes
Miss Jerusha retreated ”You're a very bad boy,” she said tartly, ”and I shall have no more to say to you”
”You must say I don't tell a lie,” insisted Joel with unpleasant fir, if you're not fighting?” began Miss Jerusha, loudly; ”pray tell”
Joel was just going to say, ”They were going to hurt Davie,”
when, before he could get the words out, Polly was seen running down the road toward the back on her shoulders
”Oh, Joel, what _do_ you think--” she began, when she saw the two boys, and, worst of all, Miss Jerusha; then she came to a dead stop
”Where are yourto scold soirl I was pretty spoken, when I met people”
”How do you do, Miss Jerusha?” asked Polly Then she couldn't help regarding the two boys ide-eyed astonish the toes of their shoes in the snow, and wouldn't look at her
”She says I told her a lie,” blurted Joel, not taking his blazing eyes from Miss Jerusha's face
”O dear reatest distress ”Joel couldn't tell a lie, Marher, but he didn't take his eyes from Miss Jerusha's face
”I'm sure I don't know nor care whether he did or not,” retorted Miss Jerusha, shrilly ”And you're very pert, Polly Pepper, to set yourself up against your elders When I was a little girl I never contradicted folks Never in all the world! What is youryou up in this way?” And she held up her black gloves again
”Polly,” called little Davie, where he had been crouching tio home?”
”Yes,” said Polly, hoarsely ”Joel, come home with me this minute; don't say another word, Mamsie wouldn't like it,” she co his eyes with the greatest difficulty frorasped it, too, and the little Peppers went as swiftly as they could go, back ho the other three in the asped Polly, as they ran on Then, ”Joel, if we can only get to Maht at the very thought
In front of the little brown house stood a big coh it had once been very handsome, it was now faded and ancient Awith the sleigh and the other belongings of his mistress, sat primly upon the front seat He expressed as , as his stoical countenance would allow, but he didn't ure At any other ti Miss Parrott's h And it wouldn't have been a h, and on that front seat, besieging that stiff figure to let hi the rope, and rushed into the house, and Polly was left to drag David to the door, and call to Mamsie to help lift him off But she stopped to say to Miss Parrott's man, ”I must stop to speak to Mamsie, first, if you please”
Miss Parrott's e of his years that he rubbed his eyes as Polly turned away, and then he turned and continued to gaze at her as long as she was to be seen For he really could not believe that it was the sa eyes and rosy cheeks, and he even glanced nervously around, the ht about it
”Ma himself into Mother Pepper's ar with happiness at the realization that Miss Parrott's sleigh actually aiting at the door to take her little ones for a sleigh-ride, ”Mamsie! Miss Jerusha says I told a lie Did I, Mammy?” and Joel clutched her and broke into a torrent of tears
And then Polly got there, and Davie was lifted off the sled and carried into the house, and a all three of them the story was out
And there was Miss Parrott's h, only his head was turned, and his eyes were staring like all possessed at the little brown house
”Now, Polly,” said Mrs Pepper, when there was no azed at her in aet yourself ready, as soon as ever you can
Wash your face good, and your eyes, and I'll spring to, and help Joey and Davie Phronsie's all ready” Indeed, she was, and sitting patiently on her little cricket all this time, her small mittened hands folded in her lap To Phronsie, every bit of the fuss of getting ready for a trip was always as ht as the expedition itself, and was enjoyed with grave pleasure