ckets for?" he asked abruptly as a familiar hole
caught his attention.

"Because they're torn," said Mrs. Pepper cheerfully, "an' they won't
mend themselves."

"Why don't you let Jane?" he persisted. "She always does them."

"Jane's got enough to do," replied Mrs. Pepper, smiling away as hard
as she could, "and I haven't, so I'm going to look around and pick up
something to keep my hands out of mischief as much as I can, while I'm
here."

"Do you ever get into mischief?" asked little Dick, coming up and
looking into Mrs. Pepper's face wonderingly. "Why, you're a big woman!"

"Dear me, yes!" said Mrs. Pepper. "The bigger you are, the more mischief
you can get into. You'll find that out, Dickey."

"And then do you have to stand in a corner?" asked Dick, determined
to find out just what were the consequences, and reverting to his most
dreaded punishment.

"No," said Mrs. Pepper laughing. "Corners are for little folks; but
when people who know better, do wrong, there aren't any corners they can
creep into, or they'd get into them pretty quick!"

"I wish," said little Dick, "you'd let me get into your lap. That would
be a nice corner!"

"Do, mamsie," said Polly, coming up, "that's just the way I used to
feel; and I'll finish the mending."

So Mrs. Pepper put down her work, and moved the big basket for little
Dick to clamber up, when he laid his head contentedly back in her
motherly arms with a sigh of happiness. Phronsie regarded him with a
very grave expression. At last she drew near: "I'm tired; do, mamsie,
take me!"

"So mamsie will," said Mrs. Pepper, opening her arms, when Phronsie
immediately crawled up into their protecting shelter, with a happy
little crow.

"Oh, now, tell us a story, Mrs. Pepper," cried Van; "please, please do!"

"No, no;" exclaimed Percy, scuttling out of his chair, and coming up,
"let's talk of the little brown house. Do tell us what you used to do
there--that's best."

"So 'tis!" cried Van; "ALL the nice times you used to have in it! Wait
just a minute, do." And he ran back for a cricket which he placed
at Mrs. Pepper's feet; and then sitting down on it, he leaned on her
comfortable lap, in order to hear better.

"Wait for me too, till I get a chair," called Percy, starting. "Don't
begin till I get there."

"Here, let me, Percy," said Ben; and he drew forward a big easy-chair
that the boy was tugging at with all his might.

"Now I'm ready, too," said Polly, setting small fi