Five Little Peppers and their Friends

morsefully, trying to recover the collection o

mourned Candace, twisting her hands

ipitating the whole collection unceremoniously at her

"Oh, my soul and body!" she m

onging to comfort, and forgetting i

she sat right down on the grass and began to pick at the dolls discon

ried Joel, pointing a brown finger at them. "Oh, dear me

distress, "but I dunno's they'll want 'em now, dey'v

ed away, stopped, and rushed back tumultuously. "Oh, Candace, I'm so sorry!" He flung himself down on the grass by her side.

d over Joel as she had been about the dolls, "dey ain't

you sure?" he excl

my turban, an' it's my spick an' span comp'ny one Mr. King give me for this yere berry occasion," and she put up both black

dace," he reported,

?" she asked

cing up in front of her. "I like you, C

efully on the grass, and put out both of her black

d of them, he tugged, very red in the face, till finally

ushe

"You've got to give me your bag. Folks can't get thei

ed on him

ng to have my b

id Van, delighted to find some chance to get the best of Joel,

ts at once, and whirling around in an endeavor to keep the bag at his

bag." She seized him by the jacket collar with such a grip that he dismissed a

iolently. "I don't want the ma

party of ladies and gentlemen, who turned to follow the p

the face at this, and trying to duck b

uch distressed; "he won't touch the

ed Van wildly. "I don't want t

'twarn't none 'o his fault dat he stopped kerryin' de letters." But Van was off from under her

hem up in her clean, checked apron. She sent a satisfied glance aft

ht, he might be supposed to be the one wanted; but Joel by this time was frantic to get to the post office, and with his mind

Joel to himself, "so I mu

d, hot and red-faced, p

Then he saw to his di

rrounded by friends wh

?" she exclaimed arrogantly. "Don't

k eyes fixed on her face. One or two of

said it between her teeth, furious at the

houlders. By this time he forgot all about the mail bag.

erself and smiled sweetly. She leaned back in her gard

our denying it. Well, you get us some ices and be quick about it." She dis

l did n

e whole group with his black eye

ed, whirling around to bring a very sharp pai

s, and turning around on him sharply, "that this isn't very friendly in you, Mr. Vande

r her chair, Mr. Vandeusen turning calmly on his heel to survey the distant lawns through his monocle, "a b

ung lady hotly. Then she turned to Joel and laid

silent." Mrs. Chatterton turned on her with venom. "What do you know

esor decidedly, not turning her

Joel. Then the gent

ies, made so much worse by this delay, now surged over him. He

" exclaimed Miss

ady, seizing Miss Tresor's arm, "the old c

d Emily carelessly, "she knows how to handle her

ed Elinor, as th

other young ladies and gentlemen whom they drilled into the service, shut themselves up in the library and wrote as fast as ever they could make their pens fly over the paper, till little white piles appeared on the table. And Perc

"I've exhausted everything I can think

everybody who still had money, was anxious to spend it before going home; so it

n nearer to the center of the big lawn, making the gay little groups all move back,

bout that all the guests were expected to follow, there they found seats and little tables and a bevy of waiters to serve a delicious supper. And h

after all they have worked," observed the old gentleman, leaning back

e, "my old feet are actually twit

, "let me lead you down, and will you give me the ho

for the young people. But it carries me back to my youth

hed, to begin it all over once more. At last, even the lingering ones were obliged to say good-bye. The evening had shut in and the brilliant garden party was a t

top step, her head in Grandpapa's lap, who was ensconced in a big chair with Phronsie's tired lit

d such a good time in all my life, Polly Pepper," she declared. "Th

her toes, which now began to ache dreadfully; "just think how

ds. He poked up his head

d a poor child to go into the coun

elped," observed Ben, "t

think so many coul

ed pulling P

" he cried, in h

t big bill, Jasper," shouted Joel

gs couldn't be heard the first time. So Joel shouted it again, glad to be allowed to sc

bout, Joe?" cried Jaspe

el was terribly in e

ah! Wasn't it fine!" Joel kicked up his heels and emitte

ed Jasper. "What on eart

o

ook long leaps across the piazza floo

you that Mr. Cabot sent to the p

r bill," said Jasper, all in a pu

t by you." Joe could o

see it," s