Davie at once joining him. Polly got out of her seat and hurried
over to them on unsteady feet. "Boys," she said in a broken
little voice, "don't cry so. You make Mamsie feel badly. Look at
her face." But they didn't hear her.

"Boys,"--she got down close to them and put her mouth to Joel's
ear,--"you are making Mamsie sick," she said; "just look at her
face." At the word "sick," Joel stopped screaming, and bobbed up
his head to take a good look at Mrs. Pepper. "Mamsie, don't be
sick," he screamed, now thoroughly frightened. And jumping up,
he ran to throw his arms around her, and hug her tightly.

"Mother won't be sick as long as she's got such good children as
she has," cried Mother Pepper, putting her arms around Joel, to
draw him close to her. But her lips were very white.

"Now, boys," said Ben, "I sh'd think you were two big babies,
you act so. Joel's most a man, he's so big."

"I'm big, too, Ben," said David, getting up from the floor and
wiping off the tears with the back of a grimy hand. "I'm most as
tall as Joel is," and he stood very straight.

"Hoh! he isn't either," contradicted Joel, turning his round
face, all tear-stained and streaky. "Now just look here, Ben,"
and he sprang out from Mother Pepper's arms and rushed up to
David's side. "There, sir!"

"Well, you are both of you big enough to act better," said Ben,
coolly. "Come on, now, to supper."