"Not so good as that," said Polly, sorrowfully. "Well, it can't be
helped." So she was just going to get up from her log, when the girls,
thinking from her attitude that she had given up the idea of taking a
picture of them, turned back to their work. As quick as a flash Polly
focussed again, and was just touching the button, when a hand came in
front of her kodak, and she saw the grinning face of a Marken girl
under its pot-hook of hair and with the long, dangling curl on one
side, close to her own.

"Too late!" exclaimed Polly. "And don't you ever do that again." And
the hand was withdrawn, and the girl clattered off as fast as she could
run in her wooden shoes.

"I got them," said Polly, running back in triumph to Jasper.

"Yes, and I took a picture of the saucy girl while she was trying to
stop yours," said Jasper. "So she didn't do much harm, after all. Oh,
here is a splendid group! See them standing by that old tumble-down
house, Polly," he added excitedly.

"I thought you had taken your last picture, Jasper," said Polly,
bursting into a laugh.

"Well, I had then, but I've begun again," said Jasper, recklessly. He
walked up to the group and held out his hand, then pointed to his
kodak. They smiled and nodded, showing all their teeth, and the mother
took the littlest baby, for there seemed to be a very generous number
of the smaller members of the family, and sat down with it in her lap
on the rickety step. Then they all drew up stiff as sticks, and didn't
even wink.