"What'll I do?" said Joel, at his wits' end, running back, "do you
want some water?"

"Oh, no," gasped Polly; "doctor wouldn't let me; oh! I wish
mammy'd come!"

"I'll go and look for her," suggested Joel, feeling as if he must do
something; and he'd rather be out at the gate, than to see Polly
suffer.

"That won't bring her," said Polly; trying to keep still; "I'll try to
wait."

"Here she is now!" cried Joel, peeping out of the window; "oh!
goody!"

JOEL'S TURN

"Well"--Mrs. Pepper's tone was unusually blithe as she stepped
into the kitchen--"you've had a nice time, I suppose--what in the
world!" and she stopped at the bedroom door.

"Oh, mammy, if you'd been here!" said Joel, while Polly sat still,
only holding on to her eyes as if they were going to fly out; "there's
been a big woman here; she came right in--and she talked awfully!
and Polly's been a-cryin', and her eyes ache dreadfully--and"--
"Been crying!" repeated Mrs. Pepper, coming up to poor

Polly. "Polly been crying!" she still repeated.