come very near promising Polly speedy freedom from the hateful
bandage.

But the little Pepper household soon had something else to think of
more important even than Polly's eyes, for now the heartiest, the
jolliest of all the little group was down-- Joel. How he fell sick,
they scarcely knew, it all came so suddenly. The poor, bewildered
family had hardly time to think, before delirium and, perhaps,
death stared them in the face.

When Polly first heard it, by Phronsie's pattering downstairs and
screaming: "Oh, Polly, Joey's dre-ad-ful sick, he is!" she jumped
right up, and tore off the bandage.

"Now, I will help mother! I will, so there!" and in another minute
she would have been up in the sick room. But the first thing she
knew, a gentle but firm hand was laid upon hers; and she found
herself back again in the old rocking-chair, and listening to the
Doctor's words which were quite stern and decisive.

"Now, I tell you," he said, "you must not take off that bandage
again; do you know the consequences? You will be blind! and then
you will be a care to your mother all your life!"

"I shall be blind, anyway," said Polly, despairingly; "so 'twon't
make any difference."

"No; your eyes will come out of it all right, only I did hope"--and
the good doctor's face fell--"that the other two boys would escape;
but"--and he brightened up at sight of Polly's forlorn visage--"see