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"We'd give that up, Mamsie," cried Polly, though Joel made a wry face as he agreed to it, "but the others want it so much." "But that wouldn't be a very good way: to make other people suffer for your faults," Mrs. Pepper had replied. So the work over the little play went on, as if nothing sad had happened.
Polly sprang from her chair, upsetting it, and plunged over to Mrs. Pepper. "Oh, Mamsie!" she screamed, as loud as the others, "the circus! the circus! Oh, oh! Can't we go? We must!" Poor Mrs. Pepper sank back in her chair, with the four little Peppers swarming all around her, and all pleading together, till the kitchen seemed fairly to ring with the noise. "We can't, Polly," said Ben, hoarsely.
And Joel, who didn't mind anything, now that he had Mamsie, watched every movement out of attentive black eyes. "Has he cut it bad? O dear me!" shouted and groaned Grandma from the bed. "No," screamed Joel, "'tain't hurt at all." "Oh, Joey!" reproved Mrs. Pepper, tying up the poor hand in a bit of old cloth. "Now run in and show Grandma, and I'll ask her if she has got any court plaster."
"Oh, no no no," cried Joel, in alarm, "I'm going to be the snake myself, and slash around like everything. Dave can't be the snake." "Well, something else that's as easy as the snake, then," said Polly, laughing. "You mustn't tire him all out, Joel, for then Mamsie will have to stop the circus, and that would be perfectly dreadful, you know."
"Eating!" said Polly, "oh mamsie, he hasn't had anything." And she pointed with shame and remorse to the seed-cup with only a few dried husks in the very bottom. "Oh, Polly," began Mrs. Pepper; but seeing the look on her face, she changed her tone for one more cheerful. "Well, hurry and get him some now; he'll be all right, poor little thing, in a minute.
Polly clasped her hands tightly together, and looked at her mother. Mrs. Fisher quietly put her sewing into the big basket and got out of her chair. "Oh! what is the matter with Joey?" cried Phronsie, standing quite still by the deserted hearth-rug. "Mamsie, do you suppose his head aches?" "I think it must," said Mrs. Fisher gravely.
"Oh!" said the old gentleman, wondering if other revelations would come to light about the early days of the Peppers. "Isn't Dr. Fisher lovely?" cried Polly, with sparkling eyes, "just the same as ever. Mamsie, I ought to do something for him. "He is as good as gold," assented Mrs. Pepper heartily. "You've done something, I'm sure, Polly.
"Yes, and Mamsie and Papa-Doctor," finished Polly, ready for any nonsense, she was just bubbling over so with joy at thought of the morrow and what it would bring. "Well, it is good the cloud is big," squinting up at the radiant sky. "And, Tom, you are coming on that cloud-boat." Jasper pulled him forward with a merry laugh, giving him a clap on the back at the same time.
"Polly sat right down on the floor, saying, 'Oh!" cried Joel, taking the words out of her mouth. "I couldn't help it, I was so surprised," said Polly, with shining eyes. "There was a most beautiful Tree, full of just everything; and there was Mamsie, almost crying, she was so happy; and there was Cherry singing away in his cage, and the corner of the room was all a-bloom with flowers, and"
"Well now, Davie, Mother is sorry to send you to bed before the time it's ten minutes yet to half-past seven; but she thinks it best." "Do you, Mamsie?" said Davie. "Yes, I do," said Mrs. Pepper, firmly. "I really think it's best. You're all tired out, and to-morrow I guess you'll wake up as bright as a cricket."
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