Five Little Peppers And How They Grew [4]
some in the wood-shed."
"There isn't either," said little Davie, quickly; "Joel and I took it to make kites with."
"Oh dear," groaned Polly; "I don't know what we shall do; unless," as a bright thought struck her, "you let me have the kites, boys."
"Can't," said Joel; "they're all flew away; and torn up."
"Well, now, children," said Polly, turning round impressively upon them, the effect of which was heightened by the extremely crocky appearance she had gained in her explorations, "we must have some paper, or something to stop up that old hole with--some way, there!"
"I know," said little Davie, "where we'll get it; it's upstairs;" and without another word he flew out of the room, and in another minute he put into Polly's hand an old leather boottop, one of his most treasured possessions. "You can chip it," he said, "real fine, and then 'twill go in."
"So we can," said Polly; "and you're a real good boy, Davie, to give it; that's a splendid present to help celebrate for mamsic!"
"I'd a-given a boot-top," said Joel, looking grimly at the precious bit of leather which Polly was rapidly stripping into little bits, "if I'd a-hed it; I don't have anything!"
"I know you would, Joey," said Polly, kindly; "there now, you'll stay, I guess!" as with the united efforts of the two boys, cheered on by Phronsie's enthusiastic little crow of delight, the leather was crowded into place, and the fire began to burn.
"Now, boys," said Polly, getting up, and drawing a long breath, "I'm going over to Grandma Bascom's to get her to tell me how to make the cake; and you must stay and keep house."
"I'm going to nail," said Joel; "I've got lots to do."
"All right," said Polly, tying on her hood; "Phronsie'll love to watch you; I won't be gone long," and she was off.
"Grandma Bascom," wasn't really the children's grandmother; only everybody in the village called her so by courtesy. Her cottage was over across the lane, and just a bit around the corner; and Polly flew along and up to the door, fully knowing that now she would be helped out of her difliculty. She didn't stop to knock, as the old lady was so deaf she knew she wouldn't hear her, but opened the door and walked in. Grandma was sweeping up the floor, already as neat as a pin; when she saw Polly coming, she stopped, and leaned on her broom.
"How's your ma?" she asked, when Polly had said "good morning," and then hesitated.
"Oh, mammy's pretty well," shouted Polly into the old lady's ear; "and to-morrow's her birthday!"
"To-morrow'll be a bad day!" said grandma. "Oh, don't never say that. You mustn't borrow trouble, child."
"I didn't," said Polly; "I mean--it's her birthday, grandma!" this last so loud that grandma's cap-border vibrated perceptibly.
"The land's sakes 'tis!" cried Mrs. Bascom, delightedly; "you don't say so!"
"Yes," said Polly, skipping around the old lady, and giving her a small hug; "and we're going to give her a surprise."
"What is the matter with her eyes?" asked grandma, sharply, turning around and facing her; "she's been a-sewin' too stiddy, hain't she?"
"A surprise!" shouted Polly, standing upon tiptoe, to bring her mouth on a level with the old lady's ear; "a cake, grandma, a big one!"
"A cake!" exclaimed grandma, dropping the broom to settle her cap, which Polly in her extreme endeavors to carry on the conversation, had knocked slightly awry; "well, that'll be fine."
"Yes," said Polly, picking up the broom, and ffinging off her hood at the same time; "and, oh! won't you please tell me how to make it, grandma!"
"To be sure; to be sure;" cried the old lady, delighted beyond measure to give advice; "I've got splendid receets; I'll go get 'em right off," and she ambled to the door of the pantry.
"And I'll finish sweeping up," said Polly, which grandma didn't hear; so she took up the broom, and sent it energetically, and merrily flying away to the tune of her own happy thoughts.
"Yes, they're right in here," said grandma, waddling back with an old tin teapot in her hand;--"goodness, child! what
"There isn't either," said little Davie, quickly; "Joel and I took it to make kites with."
"Oh dear," groaned Polly; "I don't know what we shall do; unless," as a bright thought struck her, "you let me have the kites, boys."
"Can't," said Joel; "they're all flew away; and torn up."
"Well, now, children," said Polly, turning round impressively upon them, the effect of which was heightened by the extremely crocky appearance she had gained in her explorations, "we must have some paper, or something to stop up that old hole with--some way, there!"
"I know," said little Davie, "where we'll get it; it's upstairs;" and without another word he flew out of the room, and in another minute he put into Polly's hand an old leather boottop, one of his most treasured possessions. "You can chip it," he said, "real fine, and then 'twill go in."
"So we can," said Polly; "and you're a real good boy, Davie, to give it; that's a splendid present to help celebrate for mamsic!"
"I'd a-given a boot-top," said Joel, looking grimly at the precious bit of leather which Polly was rapidly stripping into little bits, "if I'd a-hed it; I don't have anything!"
"I know you would, Joey," said Polly, kindly; "there now, you'll stay, I guess!" as with the united efforts of the two boys, cheered on by Phronsie's enthusiastic little crow of delight, the leather was crowded into place, and the fire began to burn.
"Now, boys," said Polly, getting up, and drawing a long breath, "I'm going over to Grandma Bascom's to get her to tell me how to make the cake; and you must stay and keep house."
"I'm going to nail," said Joel; "I've got lots to do."
"All right," said Polly, tying on her hood; "Phronsie'll love to watch you; I won't be gone long," and she was off.
"Grandma Bascom," wasn't really the children's grandmother; only everybody in the village called her so by courtesy. Her cottage was over across the lane, and just a bit around the corner; and Polly flew along and up to the door, fully knowing that now she would be helped out of her difliculty. She didn't stop to knock, as the old lady was so deaf she knew she wouldn't hear her, but opened the door and walked in. Grandma was sweeping up the floor, already as neat as a pin; when she saw Polly coming, she stopped, and leaned on her broom.
"How's your ma?" she asked, when Polly had said "good morning," and then hesitated.
"Oh, mammy's pretty well," shouted Polly into the old lady's ear; "and to-morrow's her birthday!"
"To-morrow'll be a bad day!" said grandma. "Oh, don't never say that. You mustn't borrow trouble, child."
"I didn't," said Polly; "I mean--it's her birthday, grandma!" this last so loud that grandma's cap-border vibrated perceptibly.
"The land's sakes 'tis!" cried Mrs. Bascom, delightedly; "you don't say so!"
"Yes," said Polly, skipping around the old lady, and giving her a small hug; "and we're going to give her a surprise."
"What is the matter with her eyes?" asked grandma, sharply, turning around and facing her; "she's been a-sewin' too stiddy, hain't she?"
"A surprise!" shouted Polly, standing upon tiptoe, to bring her mouth on a level with the old lady's ear; "a cake, grandma, a big one!"
"A cake!" exclaimed grandma, dropping the broom to settle her cap, which Polly in her extreme endeavors to carry on the conversation, had knocked slightly awry; "well, that'll be fine."
"Yes," said Polly, picking up the broom, and ffinging off her hood at the same time; "and, oh! won't you please tell me how to make it, grandma!"
"To be sure; to be sure;" cried the old lady, delighted beyond measure to give advice; "I've got splendid receets; I'll go get 'em right off," and she ambled to the door of the pantry.
"And I'll finish sweeping up," said Polly, which grandma didn't hear; so she took up the broom, and sent it energetically, and merrily flying away to the tune of her own happy thoughts.
"Yes, they're right in here," said grandma, waddling back with an old tin teapot in her hand;--"goodness, child! what