spoon that Polly had given the boys to dig worms with; and very
soon he had a good quantity wriggling and squirming away, and he
came shouting, flushed and happy, by the window where she sat
sewing.

"I'm goin' fishin', Polly," he said, slinging his birch pole
over his shoulder.

"All right," said Polly, nodding and smiling away at him. "Sh,
Joel, don't make such a noise. You'll wake up Davie."

"Then he could go with me," declared Joel, on the edge of
another whoop.

"No, indeed, Mister Joel," said Polly, with a decisive nod of
her brown head, "you needn't think it. Davie's legs aren't so
strong as yours, and he's all tired out."

"My legs are dreadful strong, Polly," said Joel, well pleased at
Polly's words. And he set down his pail of angleworms, and the
pole carefully beside it. "See, Polly," and he flopped over
suddenly, turning two or three somersaults, to stand still on
his head.

"Oh, Joel--Joel!" cried Polly, forgetting all about David, and
dropping her work to her lap "don't. You mustn't do that. Stop
it!"

"Pooh! that's nothing," said Joel, wiggling his legs far apart,
and peering at her out of his sharp black eyes.