beautiful time," declared Polly, as they dragged their chairs
around the table again, and Mamsie got out her big mending
basket, "did you, Ben Pepper?"

"No, I never did, Polly," said Ben, happy in seeing her face
bright and rosy once more, with the little smiles running all
over it.

"Now begin," cried Joel, drumming impatiently on the table;
"what's the play to be, Polly? I'm going to be a bear," he
announced.

"Oh, Joel, you were a bear last time," said Polly, with a
little frown between her eyebrows.

"I don't care, I'm going to be a bear," repeated Joel,
obstinately.

"See here, now, Polly makes this play, and you've got to be just
what she says," said Ben.

"I'm so tired making plays with bears in 'em," said Polly,
pushing off the little rings of brown hair with an impatient
hand. Then she caught her mother's eye. "Never mind, Joey," she
said with a gay little laugh, "I'll make the bear."

"Yes, you must be tired," declared Ben. "Joe, you oughtn't to
tease Polly so. It's bad enough to have to make the plays, I
think."