besides, he had been sick himself, and had borne a good deal too.

"Now," said Mrs. Pepper, after the first excitement was over,
"you're so comfortable together, and Phronsie don't want me now,
I'll go to the store; I must get some more work if Mr. Atkins'll give
it to me."

"I'll be all right now, mammy, that Ben's here," cried Polly, settling
back into her chair, with Phronsie on the stool at her feet.

"I'm goin' to tell her stories, ma," cried Ben, "so you needn't worry
about us."

"Isn't it funny, Ben," said Polly, as the gate clicked after the
mother, "to be sitting still, and telling stories in the daytime?"

"Rather funny!" replied Ben.

"Well, do go on," said Joel, as usual, rolling on the floor, in a
dreadful hurry for the story to begin. Little David looked up
quietly, as he sat on Ben's other side, his hands clasped tight
together, just as eager, though he said nothing.

"Well; once upon a time," began Ben delightfully, and launched
into one of the stories that the children thought perfectly lovely.

"Oh, Bensie," cried Polly, entranced, as they listened with bated
breath, "however do you think of such nice things!"

"I've had time enough to think, the last week," said Ben, laughing,