"Oh, dear," wailed the child, still holding the wet dish towel; "I
won't ever do it again, if you'll only let me do 'em all to-morrow."

"When you're big and strong," said Polly, giving her a hug, "you
shall do 'em every day."

"May I really?" said little Phronsie, blinking through the tears, and
looking radiant.

"Yes, truly--every day."

"Then I'll grow right away, I will," said Phronsie, bursting out
merrily; and she sat down and pulled off the well-worn shoes, into
which a big pool of dish-water had run, while Polly went for dry
stockings.

"So you shall," said Polly, coming back, a big piece of gingerbread
in her hand; "and this'll make you grow, Phronsie."

"O-o-h!" and Phronsie's little white teeth shut down quickly on the
comforting morsel. Gingerbread didn't come often enough into the
Pepper household to be lightly esteemed.

"Now," said Mrs. Pepper, when order was restored, the floor
washed up brightly, and every cup and platter in place, hobnobbing
away to themselves on the shelves of the old corner cupboard, and
Polly had come as usual with needle and thread to help mother--
Polly was getting so that she could do the plain parts on the coats
and jackets, which filled her with pride at the very thought--"now,"