little
thing--and yours is Polly, is it not?" he asked, turning around suddenly
on her.

"Yes," said Polly; "no, not truly Polly; it's Mary, my real name is--but
I've always been Polly."

"I like Polly best, too," declared Jasper, "it sounds so nice."

"And his name is Ben," said Polly.

"Ebenezer, you mean," said Ben, correcting her.

"Well, we call him Ben," said Polly; "it don't ever seem as if there was
any Ebenezer about it."

"I should think not," laughed Jasper.

"Well, I must get Phronsie," again said Polly, running back into the
bedroom, where that small damsel was busily engaged in washing "Baby"
in the basin of water that she had with extreme difficulty succeeded in
getting down on the floor. She had then, by means of a handful of soft
soap, taken from Polly's soap-bowl during the dish-washing, and a bit of
old cotton, plastered both herself and "Baby" to a comfortable degree of
stickiness.

"Phronsie," said Polly--"dear me! what you doing? the big dog's out
there, you know, that scared the naughty organ-man; and the boy--" but
before the words were half out, Phronsie had slipped from under her
hands, and to Polly's extreme dismay, clattered out into the kitchen.

"Here she is!" cried Jasper, meeting her at the door. The little soapy
hands were grasped, and kissing her--"Ugh!" he said, as the soft soap
plentifully spread on her face met his mouth.

"Oh, Phronsie! you shouldn't," cried Polly, and then they all burst out
into a peal of laughter at Jasper's funny grimaces.

"She's been washing 'Baby," explained Polly, wiping her eyes, and
looking at Phronsie who was hanging over Prince in extreme affection.
Evidently Prince still regarded her as his especial property.

"Have you got a baby?" asked Jasper. "I thought she was the baby,"
pointing to Phronsie.

"Oh, I mean her littlest dolly; she always calls her 'Baby," said Polly.
"Come, Phronsie, and have your face washed, and a clean apron on."

When Phronsie could be fairly persuaded that Prince would not run
away during her absence, she allowed herself to be taken off; and soon
re-appeared, her own, dainty little self. Ben, in the meantime, had
been initiating Jasper into the mysteries of cutting the wood, the
tool-house, and all the surroundings of the "little brown house." They
had received a re-inforcement in the advent of Joel and David, who
stared delightedly at Phronsie's protector, made friends with the dog,
and altogether had had such