all at once,
and even more loudly and more unpleasantly than before. It seemed that
their society was famous for its offering to Hindu missions, and several
said they should die of mortification if it should be less this year.
Some of what was said at this time Pollyanna again thought she could not
have understood, too, for it sounded almost as if they did not care at
all what the money DID, so long as the sum opposite the name of their
society in a certain "report" "headed the list"--and of course that
could not be what they meant at all! But it was all very confusing, and
not quite pleasant, so that Pollyanna was glad, indeed, when at last she
found herself outside in the hushed, sweet air--only she was very sorry,
too: for she knew it was not going to be easy, or anything but sad, to
tell Jimmy Bean to-morrow that the Ladies' Aid had decided that they
would rather send all their money to bring up the little India boys than
to save out enough to bring up one little boy in their own town, for
which they would not get "a bit of credit in the report," according to
the tall lady who wore spectacles.

"Not but that it's good, of course, to send money to the heathen, and I
shouldn't want 'em not to send SOME there," sighed Pollyanna to herself,
as she trudged sorrowfully along. "But they acted as if little boys HERE
weren't any account--only little boys 'way off. I should THINK, though,
they'd rather see Jimmy Bean grow--than just a report!"

CHAPTER XIII. IN PENDLETON WOODS

Pollyanna had not turned her steps toward home, when she left the
chapel. She had turned them, instead, toward Pendleton Hill. It had
been a hard day, for all it had been a "vacation one" (as she termed
the infrequent days when there was no sewing or cooking lesson), and
Pollyanna was sure that nothing would do her quite so much good as a
walk through the green quiet of Pendleton Woods. Up Pendleton Hill,
therefore, she climbed steadily, in spite of the warm sun on her back.

"I don't have to get home till half-past five, anyway," she was telling
herself; "and it'll be so much nicer to go around by the way of the
woods, even if I do have to climb to get there."

It was very beautiful in the Pendleton Woods, as Pollyanna knew by
experience. But to-day it seemed even more delightful than ever,
notwithstanding her disappointment over what she must tell Jimmy Bean
to-morrow.

"I wish they were up here--all those ladies who talked so loud," sighe