"Yes, I know," said Joel, beginning to smile through his tears;
"wasn't it fun, Polly?"

"I guess 'twas," laughed Polly back again, pleased at the return of
sunshine. "Well, Jasper'll be just as pleased as you were, 'cause we
love him and want to do somethin' for him, he was so good to
Phronsie."

"I will, Polly, I will," cried Joel, completely won over; "do let's
make 'em for him; and put 'em in thick; oh! thick as you can;" and
determined to do nothing by halves, Joel ran generously for the
precious howl of raisins, and after setting it on the table, began to
help Polly in all needful preparations.

Mrs. Pepper smiled away to herself to see happiness restored to the
little group. And soon a pleasant hum and bustle went on around
the baking table, the centre of attraction.

"Now," said Phronsie, coming up to the table and standing on
tip-toe to see Polly measure out the flour, "I'm a-goin' to bake
something for my sick man, lam."

"Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't," began Polly.

"Hey?" asked Joel, with a daub of flour on the tip of his chubby
nose, gained by too much peering into Polly's flour-bag. "What did
she say, Polly?" watching her shake the clouds of flour in the sieve.

"She said she was goin' to bake something for Jasper," said Polly.