Five Little Peppers And How They Grew [73]
threw herself down on the floor, to watch the little sleeping figure. Her hand was gathered up, into the kind one that held Phronsie's; and there they watched and watched and waited.
"Oh, dear," said Phronsie, suddenly, turning over with a little sigh, and bobbing up her head to look at Polly; "I'm so hungry! I haven't had anything to eat in over an' ever so long, Polly!" and she gazed at her with a very injured countenance.
"So you must be," said Mrs. Whitney, kissing the flushed little face. "Polly must ring the bell for Jane to bring this little bird some crumbs.
"Can I have a great many?" asked Phronsie, lifting her eyes, with the dewy look of sleep hill lingering in them, "as many as two birdies?"
"Yes, dear," said Mrs. Whitney, laughing; "I think as many as three little birdies could eat, Phronsie."
"Oh," said Phronsie, and leaned back satisfied, while Polly gave the order, which was presently followed by Jane with a well-filled tray.
"Now," said Jappy, when he heard the account of the adventure, "I say that letter ought to go to your mother, Polly."
"Oh," said Polly, "it would scare mamsie most to death, Jappy!"
"Don't tell her the whole," said Jasper, quickly, "I didn't mean that--about the horses and all that--but only enough to let her see how Phronsie tried to get it to her."
"And I'm going to write to your brother Joel," said Van, drawing up to the library table; "I'll scare him, Polly, I guess; he won't tell your mother."
"Your crow-tracks'II scare him enough without anything else," said Percy, pleasantly, who really could write very nicely, while Polly broke out in an agony:
"Oh, no, Van, you mustn't! you mustn't!"
"If Van does," said Jasper, decidedly, "it'll be the last time he'll write to the 'browii house,' I can tell him; and besides, he'll go to Coventry." This had the desired effect.
"Let's all write," said Polly.
So a space on the table was cleared, and the children gathered around it, when there was great scratching of pens, and clearing of ideas; which presently resulted in a respectable budget of letters, into which Phronsie's was lovingly tucked in the centre; and then they all filed out to put it into the letterbox in the hall, for Thomas to mail with the rest in the morning.
GETTING READY FOR MAMSIE AND THE BOYS
"And I'll tell you, Marian, what I am going to do."
Mr. King's voice was pitched on a higher key than usual; and extreme determination was expressed in every line of his face. He had met Mrs. Whitney at the foot of the staircase, dressed for paying visits. "Oh, are you going out?" he said, glancing impatiently at her attire. "And I'd just started to speak to you on a matter of great importance! Of the greatest importance indeed!" he repeated irritably, as he stood with one gloved hand resting on the balustrade.
"Oh, it's no matter, father," she replied pleasantly; "if it's really important, I can postpone going for another day, and--"
"Really important!" repeated the old gentleman irascibly. "Haven't I just told you it's of the greatest importance? There's no time to be lost; and with my state of health too, it's of the utmost consequence that I shouldn't be troubled. It's very bad for me; I should think you would realize that, Marian."
"I'll tell Thomas to take the carriage directly back," said Mrs. Whitney stepping to the door. "Or stay, father; I'll just run up and send the children out for a little drive. The horses ought to be used too, you know," she said lightly, preparing to run up to carry out the changed plan.
"Never mind that now," said Mr. King abruptly. "I want you to give me your attention directly." And walking towards the library door, getting a fresh accession of impatience with every step, he beckoned her to follow.
But his progress was somewhat impeded by little Dick--or rather, little Dick and Prince, who were standing at the top of the stairs to see Mrs. Whitney off. When he saw his mother retrace her steps, supposing her yielding to the urgent entreaties that he was sending after her to stay at home,
"Oh, dear," said Phronsie, suddenly, turning over with a little sigh, and bobbing up her head to look at Polly; "I'm so hungry! I haven't had anything to eat in over an' ever so long, Polly!" and she gazed at her with a very injured countenance.
"So you must be," said Mrs. Whitney, kissing the flushed little face. "Polly must ring the bell for Jane to bring this little bird some crumbs.
"Can I have a great many?" asked Phronsie, lifting her eyes, with the dewy look of sleep hill lingering in them, "as many as two birdies?"
"Yes, dear," said Mrs. Whitney, laughing; "I think as many as three little birdies could eat, Phronsie."
"Oh," said Phronsie, and leaned back satisfied, while Polly gave the order, which was presently followed by Jane with a well-filled tray.
"Now," said Jappy, when he heard the account of the adventure, "I say that letter ought to go to your mother, Polly."
"Oh," said Polly, "it would scare mamsie most to death, Jappy!"
"Don't tell her the whole," said Jasper, quickly, "I didn't mean that--about the horses and all that--but only enough to let her see how Phronsie tried to get it to her."
"And I'm going to write to your brother Joel," said Van, drawing up to the library table; "I'll scare him, Polly, I guess; he won't tell your mother."
"Your crow-tracks'II scare him enough without anything else," said Percy, pleasantly, who really could write very nicely, while Polly broke out in an agony:
"Oh, no, Van, you mustn't! you mustn't!"
"If Van does," said Jasper, decidedly, "it'll be the last time he'll write to the 'browii house,' I can tell him; and besides, he'll go to Coventry." This had the desired effect.
"Let's all write," said Polly.
So a space on the table was cleared, and the children gathered around it, when there was great scratching of pens, and clearing of ideas; which presently resulted in a respectable budget of letters, into which Phronsie's was lovingly tucked in the centre; and then they all filed out to put it into the letterbox in the hall, for Thomas to mail with the rest in the morning.
GETTING READY FOR MAMSIE AND THE BOYS
"And I'll tell you, Marian, what I am going to do."
Mr. King's voice was pitched on a higher key than usual; and extreme determination was expressed in every line of his face. He had met Mrs. Whitney at the foot of the staircase, dressed for paying visits. "Oh, are you going out?" he said, glancing impatiently at her attire. "And I'd just started to speak to you on a matter of great importance! Of the greatest importance indeed!" he repeated irritably, as he stood with one gloved hand resting on the balustrade.
"Oh, it's no matter, father," she replied pleasantly; "if it's really important, I can postpone going for another day, and--"
"Really important!" repeated the old gentleman irascibly. "Haven't I just told you it's of the greatest importance? There's no time to be lost; and with my state of health too, it's of the utmost consequence that I shouldn't be troubled. It's very bad for me; I should think you would realize that, Marian."
"I'll tell Thomas to take the carriage directly back," said Mrs. Whitney stepping to the door. "Or stay, father; I'll just run up and send the children out for a little drive. The horses ought to be used too, you know," she said lightly, preparing to run up to carry out the changed plan.
"Never mind that now," said Mr. King abruptly. "I want you to give me your attention directly." And walking towards the library door, getting a fresh accession of impatience with every step, he beckoned her to follow.
But his progress was somewhat impeded by little Dick--or rather, little Dick and Prince, who were standing at the top of the stairs to see Mrs. Whitney off. When he saw his mother retrace her steps, supposing her yielding to the urgent entreaties that he was sending after her to stay at home,