"No, not exactly to bid him good-night," she said slowly. "I was afraid
he was sick; I heard him coughing, so I went down."

"He is quite well, isn't he?" asked Mrs. Pepper. "Here, give me your
hand, child; we must get up to bed."

"Oh, yes! he is quite really and truly all well," declared Phronsie,
breaking into another glad little laugh. "He said he never had such a
beautiful time in his life, and he is just as well as he can be. Oh,
Polly!" as she picked up her Princess gown and prepared to ascend the
stairs, "how funny you look sitting there!"

"Funny?" said Polly grimly. "I dare say, and I feel funny too,
Phronsie."




VI

THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE


They were all sitting around the library fire; Polly under the pretext of
holding Phronsie's head in her lap, was sitting on the rug beside her,
the boys on either hand; old Mr. King was marching up and down the long
room, and looking at them. The merriest of stories had been told, Polly
urging on all the school records of jolly times, and those not so
enjoyable; songs had been sung, and all sorts of nonsense aired. At last