'em."

"How do you do, an' you're glad to see 'em--"

"Land sakes alive!" cried his mother, with a shake; "hain't you
no more manners'n that? Do say it right."

"You told me to say it so," said Ab'm, doggedly.

"No, I didn't," retorted his mother with another shake. The
little bunch of Peppers turned quite pale, and scarcely breathed.

"Did anybody ever see sech a boy, an' he that's had no pains
spared 'n his bringin' up? Well, he's ten to-day, thank fortune,
an' he'll soon be a-takin' care o' himself."

Phronsie crept closer to Polly. "Take me home," she said. "I
want my Mammy."

"O dear me," thought Polly, "whatever shall I do! It will make
dear Mr. and Mrs. Beebe feel so badly if I don't stop her. Phronsie,"
and she drew her off one side of the shop, old Mrs. Beebe having
gone into the inner room, "you know Mamsie told us all to be good."

"Yes," said Phronsie, her lips quivering, and the tears
beginning to come in her blue eyes.

"Well, it would just about make dear Mrs. Beebe and dear Mr.
Beebe sick to have you feel badly and go home."