his palate.

"There's real milk in my mug now," cried Phronsie, with long, deep
draughts. "Polly, did I ever have anything but make-believe in the
little brown house; ever, Polly?"

Polly was saved from answering by a stamping of snowy boots on the flat
doorstone.

"Hurrah, there!" cried Van, rushing in, followed by Jasper. "Hoh, you
slow people in the little brown house, come on for the double ripper!"




IX

A SUDDEN BLOW


"Mamsie," cried Polly, suddenly, and resting her hands on her knees as
she sat on the floor before the stove, "do you suppose there is any one
poor enough in Badgertown to need the little brown house when we lock it
up to-morrow?" "Not a soul," replied Mrs. Pepper, quickly; "no more than
there was when we first locked it up five years ago, Polly. I've been
all over that with the parson last evening; and he says there isn't a
new family in the place, and all the old ones have their homes, the same
as ever. So we can turn the key and leave it with a clear conscience."

Polly drew a long breath of delight, and gazed long at the face of the