"Yes, yes, Phronsie," said Polly, "we will--why, tell him how we
wish he could have come, and that we baked him some cakes, and
that we do so want him to come just as soon as he can."

"All right!" said Ben; so he went to work laboriously; only his hard
breathing showing what a hard task it was, as the stiff old pen
scratched up and down the paper.

"There, that's done," he cried at length in great satisfaction,
holding it up for inspection.

"Oh, I do wish," cried Polly in intense admiration, "I could write so
nice and so fast as you can, Ben."

"Read it, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, in pride.

So Polly began: "Dear Mister Jasper we were all dreadfully sorry
that you didn't come and so we baked you some cakes.'--You didn't
say anything about his being sick, Ben."

"I forgot it," said Ben, "but I put it in farther down--you'll see if
you read on."

"Baked you some cakes--that is, Polly did, for this is Ben that's
writing."

"You needn't said that, Ben," said Polly, dissatisfied; "we all baked
'em, I'm sure. 'And just as soon as you get well we do want you to
come over and have the baking. We're real sorry you're