I shall tell," said David, running to his mother at last;
"oh, mammy, I don't dare stay near Polly, I do want to tell so bad."

"Oh, no, you won't, David," said his mother encouragingly, "when you
know mother don't want you to; and besides, think how Polly'll look when
she sees it."

"I know," cried David in the greatest rapture, "I wouldn't tell for all
the world! I guess she'll look nice, don't you mother?" and he laughed
in glee at the thought.

"Poor child! I guess she will!" and then Mrs. Pepper laughed too, till
the little old kitchen rang with delight at the accustomed sound.

The children all had to play "clap in and clap out" in the bedroom while
it came; and "stage coach," too--"anything to make a noise," Ben said.
And then after they got nicely started in the game, he would be missing
to help about the mysterious thing in the kitchen, which was safe since
Polly couldn't see him go on account of her bandage. So she didn't
suspect in the least. And although the rest were almost dying to be
out in the kitchen, they conscientiously stuck to their bargain to keep
Polly occupied. Only Joel would open the door and peep once; and then
Phronsie behind him began. "Oh, I see the sto----" but David swooped
down on her in a twinkling, and smothered the rest by tickling her.

Once they came very near having the whole thing pop out. "Whatever is
that noise in the kitchen?" asked Polly, as they all stopped to
take breath after the scuffle of "stage coach." "It sounds just like
grating."

"I'll go and see," cried Joel, promptly; and then he flew out where his
mother and Ben and two men were at work on a big, black thing in the
corner. The old stove, strange to say, was nowhere to be seen! Something
else stood in its place, a shiny, black affair, with a generous supply
of oven doors, and altogether such a comfortable, home-like look about
it, as if it would say--"I'm going to make sunshine in this house!"

"Oh, Joel," cried his mother, turning around on him with very black
hands, "you haven't told!"

"No," said Joel, "but she's hearin' the noise, Polly is."

"Hush!" said Ben, to one of the men.

"We can't put it up without some noise," the man replied, "but we'll be
as still as we can."

"Isn't it a big one, ma?" asked Joel, in the loudest of stage whispers,
that Polly on the other side of the door couldn't have failed to hear if
Phronsie hadn't laughed just then.

"Go back, Joe, do," said Ben, "play tag--anythin