Five Little Peppers Abroad

left, as he paraded the deck, his old arm within the younger one. And the little, sharp black eyes snapped proudly and the whi

in your country a bit, and the boy's mother went home first with the other ch

ith a supercilious glance for his plain, unprepossessing appearance. "Yes, Madam, and

over the sea, b

r, but turned her face away in dis

n emphatically. "Well, Old England is our home, and not

own in cold silence. Old Mr. Selwyn, not appearing to notice,

, in the steamer chair next to Polly, thrusting her face

ly, warningly, "

ible; he is rattling

a's

e-dark and wrathful-over at the two girls, and star

in distress, dropping her book

stretching out in her steamer chair comfortably;

after the two, Tom still propelling the old gentleman a

d," reiterated Fanny, "and Mamma has been frightf

she had paused in her constitutional when addres

umped lightly out of her own chair. "There, that's nice," as Mrs. Vanderburgh sank gracefully down,

s. Vanderburgh laughed in a very high-bre

would have told you all his family history if he had st

d uneasily u

e he can take that seat," she said; "still, Fanny, I think it would be well for you to change into it, for that old man ma

doesn't. And yet I did so want to sit next to Polly Pepper," she mourned, ensconcin

in your chair unless Miss Polly will take that place, only I don't

on't you see, then, that old bore would put himself into Pol

ut that you are right," she said, and leaned back

nd did you ever see such a clumsy thing as that dreadful boy, and such big hands and feet?" She held up her

f reproof. "Nothing spoils the hands so much as a trip at sea. They won't get over it all su

wn. "Polly Pepper doesn't wear them," she cried triumpha

flect against the Peppers-manners, or customs, or bringing up generally.

e said, in gentle surprise, quite as if the

," said Polly, "at least not o

in a pleased way; "you'll stop teasi

ghter; but she didn't smile, and Fanny thoug

n people, aren't they,

h, "quite commonplace, and exceedingly tire

asked me something this morning, as I was coming out of the dining room, after breakf

he subject and talk of something else much more important. Polly, my dear." She turned aga

randpapa expects to stay

ell; "I regret it exceedingly, for I should be glad

mean I am in school, you know, Mrs. Vanderburgh, but I thank you, and it is so good of yo

y you are to remain abroad over the winter, for your Grandfather would be persuaded,

rdon, Mrs. Vanderburgh, but I never leave school for a

lidays," said Mrs. Vanderburgh, with ladylike ob

Mrs. Vanderburgh. Why, we have the most beautiful times, and we are all together-the boys come home from school-and it's

into the radiant face, without speaking; Polly was looking

f we once had her with us, wouldn't we, Mamma?" s

ut Polly's brown eyes were fastened on the d

ing the silence; "so you must remember, Polly dear, that you

said Polly, bringing her eyes back with a

Mr. King were very intimate. Perhaps you don't know, Polly,"-and Fanny's mamma drew herself up to her extreme height; it was impossible for her to loll back in her chair when talki

te straight and gaze with importance at Polly's face. But

d; our set is so exclusive, you could not possibly meet any one but the very best people. Oh, here is your mother." She smiled enchantingly up at Mrs. Fisher,

r smiled, but she didn't offer to take th

" said Polly, tumbling out of h

egret, "don't take Polly away, I do implore y

, her hand now in Polly's, and before any m

nging to the dear hand, "I am so

d you; he thinks you could cheer old Mr. Selwyn up a bit, perhaps

Polly, in dismay. And

as they walked slowly up and down the deck, "does your

imes and seasons-of that dreadful scrap of paper that Cousin Eunice had imposed upon him at the last minute before they sailed,

decidedly, "I wish you would let me r

I was thinking of something unpleasant, Phronsie, and then, to tell you the truth, t

" asked Phronsi

isn't nice," said M

that boy nice to tha

ed look coming in

we must take things as we find them, and do what we can to help matters along; but it seems a hope

that boy means to be bad to that poor old man, I don't r

show it, if he means to be go

they turned a corner to find thems

-don't think hard things of me-it's not my fault this time; Grandfather heard it as well as I-a

. "As I don't know in the least what you are trying to tell me, my boy,

d by the time that it was all out, Mr. K

young face. "You take my arm, or I'll take yours, Master Tom,-there, that's better,-and we'll do a bit of a turn on the deck

sed them, all sweet smiles for him and f