“Polly was just lovely in those days,” said Davie, coming across the room to lay a cool cheek against her rosy one.  “I liked the rainy days best when we all could stay in the house, and hear her sing and tell stories while she was working.”

“She was cross sometimes,” cried Joel, determined not to let reminiscences become too comfortable; “she used to scold me just awfully, I know.”

Polly broke into a merry laugh; yet she exclaimed, “You poor Joey, I suppose I was dreadful!”

“You didn’t catch one half as bad scoldings as belonged to you,” put in Ben, thrusting another stick in the stove.  “You were a bad lot, Joe, in those days.”

“And not over good in these,” cried old Mr. King, ensconced in the snuggest corner in the seat of honor, the high-backed rocker that comforted Phronsie after her little toe was hurt.  “There, now, my boy, how’s that?” with a grim smile.

“Do you remember when the old stove used to plague you, Polly?” cried Joel, suddenly changing the conversation.  “And how Ben’s putty was everlastingly tumbling out?  Hoh—­hoh!”

“And you two boys were always stuffing up the holes for me, when Ben was away,” cried Polly, with affectionate glances at Davie and Joel.

“I didn’t so much,” said Joel honestly, “Dave was always giving boot-tops and such things.”

“Boot-tops!” repeated Mr. King in astonishment.  “Bless me, I didn’t know that they had anything in common with stoves.”

“Oh! that was before we knew you,” said Joel, ready in advance of any one else with the explanation; “it wasn’t this stove.  Dr. Fisher gave Polly this one after she had the measles; but it was a lumbering old affair that was full of holes that had to be stopped up with anything we could get.  And leather was the best; and Davie saved all the old boot-heels and tops he could find, you know.”

“Oh!” said the old gentleman, wondering if other revelations would come to light about the early days of the Peppers.

“Isn’t Dr. Fisher lovely?” cried Polly, with sparkling eyes, “just the same as ever.  Mamsie, I ought to do something for him.

“He is as good as gold,” assented Mrs. Pepper heartily.  “You’ve done something, I’m sure, Polly.  The medical books you bought out of your pocket money, and sent him, pleased him more than anything you could give him.”

“But I want to do something now,” said Polly.  “Oh! just think how good he was to us.”

“May we never forget it!” exclaimed Mrs. Pepper, wiping her eyes.

“But he’s very unwise,” said Mr. King a trifle testily, “not to take up with my offer to establish him in the town.  A man like him could easily hold a good practice, because the fellow’s got ability.”

“Oh!  Dr. Fisher wouldn’t leave Badgertown,” cried all the Peppers in a bunch.  “And what would the poor people here do without him?” finished Polly.

“Well, well, never mind, he won’t come to town, and that’s enough,” said the old gentleman quickly.  “Aside from that, he’s a sensible chap, and one quite to my liking.”