er understand that Polly's eyes were taken care
of, and they must wait for time to do the rest.

"You come along of me," whispered grandma, when at last her call was
done, to Joel who stood by the door. "I've got some peppermints to home;
I forgot to bring 'em."

"Yes'm," said Joel, brightening up.

"Where you going, Joe?" asked Mrs. Pepper, seeing him move off with Mrs.
Bascom; "I may want you."

"Oh, I've got to go over to grandma's," said Joel briskly; "she wants
me."

"Well, don't be gone long then," replied his mother.

"There," said grandma, going into her "keeping-room" to an old-fashioned
chest of drawers; opening one, she took therefrom a paper, from which
she shook out before Joe's delighted eyes some red and white peppermint
drops. "There now, you take these home; you may have some, but be
sure you give the most to the sick ones; and Polly--let Polly have the
biggest."

"She won't take 'em," said Joel, wishing he had the measles. "Well, you
try her," said grandma; "run along now." But it was useless to tell Joel
that, for he was half-way home already. He carried out grandma's wishes,
and distributed conscientiously the precious drops. But when he came to
Polly, she didn't answer; and looking at her in surprise he saw two big
tears rolling out under the bandage and wetting the pillow.

"I don't want 'em, Joe," said Polly, when he made her understand that
"twas peppermints, real peppermints;" "you may have 'em."

"Try one, Polly; they're real good," said Joel, who had an undefined
wish to comfort; "there, open your mouth."

So Polly opened her mouth, and Joel put one in with satisfaction.

"Isn't it good?" he asked, watching her crunch it.

"Yes," said Polly, "real good; where'd you get 'em?"

"Over to Grandma Bascom's," said Joel; "she gave me lots for all of us;
have another, Polly?"

"No," said Polly, "not yet; you put two on my pillow where I can reach
'em; and then you keep the rest, Joel."

"I'll put three," said Joel, counting out one red and two white ones,
and laying them on the pillow; "there!"

"And I want another, Joey, I do," said Phronsie from the other side of
the bed.

"Well, you may have one," said Joel; "a red one, Phronsie; yes, you may
have two. Now come on, Dave; we'll have the rest out by the wood-pile."

How they ever got through that day, I don't know. But late in the
afternoon carriage wheels were heard; and then they stopped right at the
Peppers' little brown gat