ize him,
being very much taken with his obliging ways.

At last Joel took to moping, and Ben found him thus in a corner.

"See here, old fellow, that's a nice way,--to come home on a holiday,
and have such a face. I don't wonder you want to sneak in here."

"It's pretty hard," said Joel, trying not to sniffle, "to have a fellow
you bring home from school turn his back on you."

"Well, he couldn't turn his back on you," said Ben, wanting very much to
laugh, but he restrained himself, "if you went with him."

"I can't follow him about," said Joel, in a loud tone of disgust. "He's
twanging his old banjo all the time, and Polly's got him to sing, and
he's practising up. I wish 'twas smashed."

"What?" said Ben, only half comprehending.

"Why, his old banjo. I didn't think he'd play it all the time," said
Joel, who was secretly very proud of his friend's accomplishments; and
he displayed a very injured countenance.

"See here, now, Joe," said Ben, laying a very decided hand on Joel's
jacket, "do you just drop all this, and come out of your hole. Aren't
you ashamed, Joe! Run along, and find Beresford, and pitch into whatever
he's doing."

"I can't do anything for that old concert," said Joel, who obeyed enough
to come "out of the old hole," but stood glancing at Ben with sharp
black eyes.

"I don't know about that," said Ben, "you can at least help to get the
tickets ready."

"Did Polly say so?" demanded Joel, all in a glow. "Say, Ben, did she?"
advancing on him.

"No, but I do; for Polly asked me to do them; and you know, Joe, how
busy I am all day."

He didn't say "how tired" also, but Joel knew how Ben was working at
Cabot and Van Meter's, hoping to get into business life the sooner, to
begin to pay Grandpapa back for all his kindness.

"Ben, if I can help you with those tickets I'll do it." Every trace of
Joel's grumpiness had flown to the four winds. "Let me, will you?" he
begged eagerly.

"All right." Ben had no need to haul him along, as Joel raced on ahead
up to Ben's room to get the paraphernalia.

"I can't think what's become of Joel," said Polly, flying down the long
hall in great perplexity, "we want him dreadfully. Have you seen him,
Phronsie?"

"No," said Phronsie, "I haven't, Polly," and a look of distress came
into her face.

"Never mind, Pet," said Polly, her brow clearing, "I'll find him soon."

But Phronsie watched Polly fly off, with a troubled face. Then she said
to herself, "I o