stone's throw apart. Rather different, isn't it, old fellow, from the
time when I used to race over from Hingham with Prince at my heels?"

Dr. Fisher's little thin, wiry figure was now seen advancing upon the
central group, and everybody fell away to let him have his chance to
welcome the Peppers.

"I couldn't get here before," he cried, his eyes glowing behind his
spectacles. "I've left a very sick patient. This is good," he took them
all in with a loving glance, but his hand held to Polly. "Now I'm going
to drive you down in my gig," he said to her at last. "Will you come?"

"Yes, indeed," cried Polly in delight, as her mother smiled approval,
and she ran off to let him help her in. "It's only yesterday since you
took me to drive, Dr. Fisher, and you gave me my stove--is it?" And so
she rambled on, the little doctor quite charmed to hear it all.

But Mr. Tisbett had a truly dreadful time placing his party in the old
stage, as the townsfolk, fearful that so good a chance for seeing the
Peppers would not happen during the three days' stay, insisted on
crowding up close to the ancient vehicle, and getting in everybody's
way, thereby calling forth some exclamations from Mr. King that could
not be regarded as exactly complimentary. And quite sure that he was a
frightful tyrant, they fell back with many a pitying glance at the
Pepper family whom he was endeavoring to assist into their places.

At last it was all accomplished in some way, and Mr. Tisbett cracked his
whip, Mrs. Pepper and Phronsie leaned out of the window to bow right and
left into smiling faces, Ben and Davie did the same over their heads.