s, everything and all
inextricably mixed--till Polly herself seemed floating--away--away, fast
to the Fairyland of her dreams; now, Mr. King was handing her around,
like a precious parcel, from one to the other--now Jasper was bobbing
in and out everywhere, introducing her on all sides, and then Prince
was jumping up and trying to lick her face every minute--but best of all
was, when a lovely face looked down into hers, and Jasper's sister bent
to kiss her.

"I am very glad to have you here, little Polly." The words were simple,
but Polly, lifting up her clear brown eyes, looked straight into the
heart of the speaker, and from that moment never ceased to love her.

"It was a good inspiraton," thought Mrs. Whitney to herself; "this
little girl is going to be a comfort, I know." And then she set herself
to conduct successfully her three boys into friendliness and good
fellowship with Polly, for each of them was following his own sweet will
in the capacity of host, and besides staring at her with all his might,
was determined to do the whole of the entertaining, a state of things
which might become unpleasant. However, Polly stood it like a veteran.

"This little girl must be very tired," said Mrs. Whitney, at last with a
bright smile. "Besides I am going to have her to myself now."

"Oh, no, no," cried little Dick in alarm; "why, she's just come; we want
to see her."

"For shame, Dick!" said Percy, the eldest, a boy of ten years, who took
every opportunity to reprove Dick in public; "she's come a great ways,
so she ought to rest, you know."

"You wanted her to come out to the greenhouse yourself, you know you
did," put in Van, the next to Percy, who never would be reproved or
patronized, "only she wouldn't go."

"You'll come down to dinner," said Percy, politely, ignoring Van. "Then
you won't be tired, perhaps."

"Oh, I'm not very tired now," said Polly, brightly, with a merry little
laugh, "only I've never been in the cars before, and--"

"Never been in the cars before!" exclaimed Van, crowding up, while Percy
made a big round O with his mouth, and little Dick's eyes stretched to
their widest extent.

"No," said Polly simply, "never in all my life."

"Come, dear," said sister Marian, rising quickly, and taking Polly's
hand; while Jasper, showing unmistakable symptoms of pitching into all
the three boys, followed with the bag.

Up the broad oak staircase they went, Polly holding by Mrs. Whitney's
soft hand,