"I know it's a week," she said, "since dinnertime! If Ben were only well, to talk to me.""Oh, I say, Polly," screamed Joel at that moment running in, "Ben's a-comin' down the stairs!""Stop, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper; "you shouldn't have told; he wanted to surprise Polly.""Oh, is he!" cried Polly, clasping her hands in rapture; "mainmy, can't! take off this horrid bandage, and see him?""Dear me, no!" said Mrs. Pepper, springing forward; "not for the world, Polly! Dr. Fisher'd have our ears off!""Well, I can hear, any way," said Polly, resigning herself to the remaining comfort; "here he is! oh, Ben!""There," said Ben, grasping Polly, bandage and all; "now we're all right; and! say, Polly, you're a brick!""Mammy told me not to say that the other day," said Joel, with a very virtuous air.
"Can't help it," said Ben, who was a little wild over Polly, and besides, he had been sick himself, and had borne a good deal too.
"Now," said Mrs. Pepper, after the first excitement was over, "you're so comfortable together, and Phronsie don't want me now, I'll go to the store; I must get some more work if Mr. Atkins'll give it to me.""I'll be all right now, mammy, that Ben's here," cried Polly, settling back into her chair, with Phronsie on the stool at her feet.
"I'm goin' to tell her stories, ma," cried Ben, "so you needn't worry about us.""Isn't it funny, Ben," said Polly, as the gate clicked after the mother, "to be sitting still, and telling stories in the daytime?""Rather funny!" replied Ben.
"Well, do go on," said Joel, as usual, rolling on the floor, in a dreadful hurry for the story to begin. Little David looked up quietly, as he sat on Ben's other side, his hands clasped tight together, just as eager, though he said nothing.
"Well; once upon a time," began Ben delightfully, and launched into one of the stories that the children thought perfectly lovely.
"Oh, Bensie," cried Polly, entranced, as they listened with bated breath, "however do you think of such nice things!""I've had time enough to think, the last week," said Ben, laughing, "to last a life-time!""Do go on," put in Joel, impatient at the delay.
"Don't hurry him so," said Polly, reprovingly; "he isn't strong.""Ben," said David, drawing a long breath, his eyes very big--."did he really see a bear?""No," said Ben; "oh! where was I?"
"Why, you said Tommy heard a noise," said Polly, "and he thought it was a bear.""Oh, yes," said Ben; "I remember; 'twasn't a--""Oh, make it a bear, Ben!" cried Joel, terribly disappointed; "don't let it be not a bear.""Why, I can't," said Ben; "twouldn't sound true.""Never mind, make it sound true," insisted Joel; "you can make anything true.""Very well," said Ben, laughing; "I suppose I must.""Make it two bears, Ben," begged little Phronsie.
"Oh, no, Phronsie, that's too much," cried Joel; "that'll spoil it; but make it a big bear, do Ben, and have him bite him somewhere, and most kill him.""Oh, Joel!" cried Polly, while David's eyes got bigger than ever.
So Ben drew upon his powers as story-teller, to suit his exacting audience, and was making his bear work havoc upon poor Tommy in a way captivating to all, even Joel, when---- "Well, I declare,"sounded Mrs. Pepper's cheery voice coming in upon them, "if this isn't comfortable!""Oh, mammy!" cried Phronsie, jumping out of Polly's arms, whither she had taken refuge during the thrilling tale, and running to her mother who gathered her baby up, "we've had a bear! a real, live bear, we have! Ben made him!""Have you!" said Mrs. Pepper, taking off her shawl, and laying her parcel of work down on the table, "now, that's nice!""Oh, mammy!" cried Polly, "it does seem so good to be all together again!""And I thank the Lord!" said Mrs. Pepper, looking down on her happy little group; and the tears were in her eyes-- "and children, we ought to be very good and please Him, for He's been so good to us."
