Davie getting in the way, with trembling fingers, while Phronsie
stood still and screamed.

"He's got all our bread!" shouted Joel. "Oh, Mamsie!" Phronsie
turned and saw Mrs. Pepper, and ran to her with outstretched
arms.

"Whatever in all this world," exclaimed Mother Pepper, grasping
her baby tightly. "There--there--Phronsie, don't cry, Mammy's
here."

"Oh, Mamsie--Mamsie!" mourned Polly, tugging at the knots in the
clothes-line. Davie scuttled over to Mother Pepper and tried to
get within her arms, too.

"Our bread!" screamed Joel, in a rage, and kicking at the knots.
"Let me up! I'm going after him. He's got it all out of the
cupboard, I tell you!"

"Joel," said Mrs. Pepper, kneeling down by him, with Phronsie by
her side, and putting both arms around his struggling figure,
"Mother doesn't care about the bread; she's got you safe."

Joel snuggled up close to her. "I couldn't help his gettin' it,"
he sniffled, "Mamsie, I couldn't." Then he broke out into a loud
sob.

"Mother knows you couldn't," said Mrs. Pepper, and she shivered
as she thought of what might have been. "You're my brave boy.
But you mustn't go after him, nor out of the house."