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There was a sign of another outbreak, but something in Mamsie's eyes stopped it halfway. "In the first place, it's five miles to Hillsbury," said Mrs. Pepper, slowly, as if trying to put off the final decision as long as possible; "and you younger children couldn't walk it." "I could, Mamsie," declared Joel, springing up again. "Sit down, Joel; well, Davie couldn't.
"It's got pictures of all the horses," interrupted Joel, springing up from his seat, his black eyes dancing, "and " "Joel, sit down," said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, "and don't interrupt. Go on, Ben." Joel dropped, as if shot, back into his chair. "And it's comin' to Hillsbury next week Wednesday," went on Ben, unwillingly, "and that's all, Mamsie. Only Joe and David shouldn't a-told."
"Tisn't all," declared Polly, defiantly, with very red cheeks; "we must go! We've never seen a circus, and now it's goin' to be in Hillsbury, we must go!" She seemed unable to stop herself. Ben stared at her in amazement. "Must is a hard word to use, Polly," said Mother Pepper, dryly. "I mean you'll let us, I 'most know," mumbled Polly, her cheeks turning scarlet, and twisting her hands together.
And Polly munched away determinedly, but she kept looking at the cake. Ben came in, and slid into his chair, and took a piece of bread. "Why don't those boys " began Polly. "Oh, I forgot, Mamsie," with a little laugh, and the door opened, and in burst Joel and David with very red faces, and talking at once. "Oh, it's comin'!" "Over at Hillsbury " "Horses and " "Monkeys " "And a big elephant and "
"Oh, I can't stop, sir!" she wailed, clasping her hands, "for Joel's dead, I guess." "Now you just git in here," commanded Mr. Tisbett, getting down to the ground; and without waiting for Polly to obey, he picked her up and set her on the seat. "I take it you're goin' after th' doctor. Now he ain't to home, for this is his day for Hillsbury, ye know.
Tisbett never caught him till he'd chased him over into Hillsbury; and how once, when the pole broke going down a hill, Black Bill had held Jerry from kicking and plunging loose, and brought 'em all down in safety to the bottom. "I tell you, sir," declared Mr. Tisbett, bringing his big fist down on his knee, "that's a horse for you, ef ever there was one.
And the little play went on from first to last perfectly splendidly, and Mrs. Pepper, feeling very strange indeed to be sitting there in the middle of the afternoon with nothing in her hands to work over, clapped them together and applauded enough for a big audience. And there never was such a good time in all this world no, not even under the big white circus tent over in Hillsbury!
"Do you know anything of all this?" she asked. "Yes'm," said Ben, his head dropping lower yet, while Joel and David howled on, and Phronsie screamed to be taken up in her mother's lap, and that she wanted a monkey too. Polly sat as if paralyzed. "What is it?" asked Mrs. Pepper. "The circus," said Ben, slowly, "coming over to Hillsbury."
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