About half-past two, long after dinner, Joe came walking in,
hungry as a beaver, but flushed and triumphant.

"Why, where have you been all this time?" asked his mother.

"Oh, Joe, you didn't stop to play?" asked Polly, from her perch
where she sat sewing, giving him a reproachful glance.

"Stop to play!" retorted Joe, indignantly; "no, I guess I didn't! I've
been to Old Peterses."

"Not all this time!" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper.

"Yes, I have too," replied Joel, sturdily marching up to her. "And
there's your money, mother;" and he counted out a quarter of a
dollar in silver pieces and pennies, which he took from a dingy
wad of paper, stowed away in the depths of his pocket.

"Oh, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, sinking back in her chair and looking
at him; "what do you mean?"

Polly put her work in her lap, and waited to hear.

"Where's my dinner, Polly?" asked Joel; "I hope it's a big one.

"Yes, 'tis," said Polly; "you've got lots to-day, it's in the corner of
the cupboard, covered up with the plate--so tell on, Joe."

"That's elegant!" said Joel, coming back with the well-filled plate,