“If you’ll take me in your lap as much as ever,” said Phronsie deliberately, and patting the other hand, “why I shall be really and truly glad, Mamsie.”

“Bless your dear heart!” cried Mother Pepper, clasping her tightly, “and you children, all of you,” and she drew them all within her arms.  “Now I want you to understand, once for all, that it isn’t to be unless you all wish it.  You are sure Mr. King hasn’t persuaded you to like it?”

“Look at us,” cried Ben, throwing back his head to see her eyes.  “Do we act as if we had been talked over?”

At that, Polly burst into a merry laugh; and the others joining, Mother Pepper laughing as heartily as the rest, the big room became the jolliest place imaginable.

“No, I don’t really think you do,” said Mrs. Pepper, wiping her eyes.

“Dear me!” cried Jasper, putting his head in the doorway, “what good fun is going on?  I’m not going to be left out.”

“Come in, Jasper,” they all called.

“And we’ve a piece of news that will make your hair stand on end,” said Joel gaily.

“Joe, don’t announce it so,” cried Polly in dismay, who dearly enjoyed being elegant.  “Ben must tell it; he is the oldest.”

“No, no; let Polly,” protested Ben.

“Polly shall,” said Jasper, hurrying in to stand the picture of patience before the group.  “Hurry, do, for I must say my curiosity is hard to keep within bounds.”

So Polly was gently pushed into the center of the circle.  “Go on,” said Joel, “and hurry up, or I shall tell myself.”

“Jasper,” said Polly, her breath coming fast, “oh! you can’t think; we are so glad”—­But she got no further, for Phronsie, rushing out of Mother Pepper’s arms, piped out suddenly: 

“Dr. Fisher is coming here to live always and forever, and I’m going to ride in his gig, and Mamsie likes him, and I’m going to call him father; now, Jasper, I told you!”

“I should think you did,” exclaimed Ben.

“Whew!” cried Jasper, “that is a piece of news all in one breath.  Well, Mrs. Pepper, I’m glad of it, too.  I congratulate you.”  With that, he marched up to her, Phronsie hanging to his arm, and shook her hand heartily.

And in two days everybody in the King set knew that the mother of the five little Peppers was going to be married.

“I should think you’d want to be condoled with, Ben,” said Pickering Dodge, clapping him on the shoulder as he rushed down the aisle of the store occupied by Cabot & Van Meter.

“Halloo!” said Ben, “can’t stop,” rushing past.

“I suppose not,” said Pickering carelessly, and striding after, “so I’ll whisper my gentle congratulations in your ear ‘on the wing.’  But I’m awfully sorry for you, Ben,” he added, as he came up to him.

“You needn’t be,” said Ben brightly, “we are all as glad as can be.”

“Sweet innocent, you don’t know a stepfather,” said Pickering lugubriously.