Poor Mrs. Pepper sank back in her chair, with the four little
Peppers swarming all around her, and all pleading together, till
the kitchen seemed fairly to ring with the noise.

"We can't, Polly," said Ben, hoarsely. "You know we can't. And
Joel and David ought not to have told."

Polly turned a deaf ear, and kept on, "Oh, Mamsie, we've never
seen one, 'cept the pictures. We must go!" On hearing this from
Polly, Joel and David made as much worse clamor as was possible,
drowning Phronsie's voice.

"Aren't you ashamed, Polly!" cried Ben over at her. "You know we
can't go, so what's the use?"

"We can go," cried Polly, passionately, back at him, "if
Mamsie'll only say so. We've never seen one, and we _must_
go."

"Now, children," said Mother Pepper, in a firm voice that rose
above the din, "stop, every one of you, at once, and go and sit
down."

When Mamsie spoke like that, the five little Peppers always knew
that she meant to be obeyed, so they drew off from her and
tumbled into their chairs; all but Phronsie. "I'll take you into
my lap," said Mother Pepper, so Phronsie snuggled, well-contented,
in her usual nest, and folded her small hands.