"I'm going to tell, Adoniram," said Mother Fisher, proudly, "the whole
story; they ought to know."

"Indeed we had; and so you shall," commanded Mr. King, from the head of
the table.

"I can't help it! I really must!" exclaimed Polly, hopping out of her
chair,--there were no other people in the breakfast room beside their
party, so really it wasn't so very dreadful after all,--and she ran
back of her mother's chair, and threw her arms around the little
doctor's neck. "Oh, Papa Fisher," she cried, setting ever so many
kisses on his cheeks under the big spectacles, "you've saved all our
lives."

"There--there, Polly," cried the little doctor, quite overcome.

"And ours, too," said little Mrs. Gray, in a shaking voice.




XI

THE TWO BIRTHDAYS IN OLD HOLLAND


And Polly never knew about a certain shelf in Grandpapa's closet, nor
how full it was getting, when Jasper ran every now and then to add the
gifts as fast as the different members of the party picked up pretty
things in the shops for the coming birthday--now very near. And she