And then they all took hold of hands and danced around it like
wild little things; while Dr. Fisher stole out silently-- and Mrs.
Pepper laughed till she wiped her eyes to see them ' go.

"We aren't ever goin' to have any more burnt bread," sang Polly, all
out of breath.

"Nor your back isn't goin' to break any more," panted Ben, with a
very red face.

"Hooray!" screamed Joel and David, to fill any pause that might
occur, while Phronsie gurgled and laughed at everything just as it
came along. And then they all danced and capered again; all but
Polly, who was down before the precious stove examining and
exploring into ovens and everything that belonged to it.

"Oh, ma," she announced, coming up to Mrs. Pepper, who had
been obliged to fly to her sewing again, and exhibiting a very
crocky face and a pair of extremely smutty hands, "it's most all
ovens, and it's just splendid!"

"I know it," answered her mother, delighted in the joy of her child.
"My! how black you are, Polly!"

"Oh, I wish," cried Polly, as the thought struck her, "that Dr. Fisher
could see it! Where did he go to, ma?"

"I guess Dr. Fisher has seen it before," said Mrs. Pepper, and then
she began to laugh. "You haven't ever asked where the stove came