ner by the side of the cupboard, "I'm afraid I'll miss the stage,
and then father never'll let me come again. Come, Prince."

"Oh, don't go," cried Phronsie, wailing. "Let doggie stay! Oh, make him
stay, mammy!"

"I can't, Phronsie," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling, "if he thinks he ought
to go."

"I'll come again," said Jasper, eagerly, "if I may, ma'am."

He looked up at Mrs. Pepper as he stood cap in hand, waiting for the
answer.

"I'm sure we should be glad if your father'll be willing," she added;
thinking, proudly, "My children are an honor to anybody, I'm sure," as
she glanced around on the bright little group she could call her own.
"But be sure, Jasper," and she laid her hand on his arm as she looked
down into his eyes, "that you father is willing, that's all."

"Oh, yes, ma'am," said the boy; "but he will be, I guess, if he feels
well."

"Then come on Thursday," said Polly; "and can't we bake something then,
mammy?"

"I'm sure I don't care," laughed Mrs. Pepper; "but you won't find much
but brown flour and meal to bake with."

"Well, we can pretend," said Polly; "and we can cut the cakes with the
heart-shape, and they'll do for anything.

"Oh, I'll come," laughed Jasper, ready for such lovely fun in the old
kitchen; "look out for me on Thursday, Ben!"

So Jasper and Prince took their leave, all the children accompanying
them to the gate; and then after seeing him fairly started on a smart
run to catch the stage, Prince scampering at his heels, they all began
to sing his praises and to wish for Thursday to come.

But Jasper didn't come! Thursday came and went; a beautiful, bright,
sunny day, but with no signs of the merry boy whom all had begun to
love, nor of the big black dog. The children had made all the needful
preparations with much ostentation and bustle, and were in a state of
excited happiness, ready for any gale. But the last hope had to be given
up, as the old clock ticked away hour after hour. And at last Polly
had to put Phronsie to bed, who wouldn't stop crying enough to eat her
supper at the dreadful disappointment.

"He couldn't come, I know," said both Ben and Polly, standing staunchly
up for their new friend; but Joel and David felt that he had broken his
word.

"He promised," said Joel, vindictively.

"I don't believe his father'd let him," said Polly, wiping away a sly
tear; "I know Jasper'd come, if he could."

Mrs. Pepper wisely kept her own counsel, simply giving them a kin