away determinedly, but she kept looking at the cake. Ben came in,
and slid into his chair, and took a piece of bread.

"Why don't those boys--" began Polly. "Oh, I forgot, Mamsie,"
with a little laugh, and the door opened, and in burst Joel and
David with very red faces, and talking at once.

"Oh, it's comin'!"

"Over at Hillsbury--"

"Horses and--"

"Monkeys--"

"And a big elephant and--"

"A band--" this from Joel, who screamed it above Davie's faint
treble.

"And a bear, and a hippi--hoppi--"

Polly dropped her bread-slice in astonishment, and Mrs. Pepper
sat quite straight in her chair. Phronsie had just concluded to
try again and do like Polly, so she sat quite still and stared,
with her bread halfway to her mouth. Ben's head drooped over his
plate, and he pushed his bread in rapidly, nearly choking
himself.

"Boys," said Mrs. Pepper, "don't both talk together. Joel, you