Five Little Peppers Midway | Page 7

compact having been observed with
great gravity, Phronsie drew a long breath, and now felt that the "poor
lady" might come down at any time to find all things prepared for her.
"Now tell our plan," cried Jasper to Polly, "and put this disagreeable
business out of our heads. It's a fine one," he added to his father.
"Of course it is," cried the old gentleman.
"Well, you know Joel and Davie and Van and Percy are coming home
from school next week for the Christmas holidays," began Polly, trying
to still the wild beating of her heart.
"Bless me! so they are," said Mr. King. "How time flies, to be sure!
Well, go on, Polly."
"And we ought to do something to celebrate," said Polly, "at least don't
you think so?" she asked anxiously, looking up in his face.
"To be sure I do," cried the old gentleman heartily. "Well, what would
you do, Polly child, to show the youngsters we're proud of them, and
glad to get them back--hey?"
"We want to get up a little play," said Polly, "Jasper and I, and act it."
"And have music," cried Jasper. "Polly shall play on the piano. The
boys will be so delighted to see how she has improved."
"And Jasper will play too," cried Polly eagerly. "Oh, Jasper! will you
play that concerto, the one you played when Mary Gibbs was here at
tea last week? Do, Jasper, do."
"That nearly floored me," said Jasper.
"No; you said it was Mary's watching you like a lynx--you know you
did," said Polly, laughing merrily.
"Never mind," said the old gentleman. "What next, Polly? The play is
all right."
"I should think it was," cried Jasper. "It's the Three Dragons, and the
Princess Clotilde."

"Oh, my goodness," exclaimed Mr. King, "What a play for Christmas
Eve!"
"Well, you'll say it's a splendid hit!" cried Jasper, "when you see it from
the private box we are going to give you."
"So you are intending to honor me, are you?" cried his father, vastly
pleased to find himself as ever, the central figure in their plans. "Well,
well, I dare say it will all be as fine as can be to welcome these young
scapegraces home. What next, Polly?"
"It must be kept a perfect surprise," cried Polly, clasping her hands
while the color flew over her face. "No one must even whisper it to
each other, the day before Christmas when the boys get here, for Joel is
so very dreadful whenever there is a secret."
"His capacity certainly is good," said Mr. King dryly. "We will all be
very careful."
"And Phronsie is to be Princess Clotilde," cried Jasper, seizing her
suddenly, to prance around the room, just like old times.
"Oh, Jasper! I'm eight years old," she cried, struggling to free herself.
"Nonsense! What of it--you are the baby of this household. "But he set
her on her feet nevertheless, one hand still patting the soft yellow
waves over her brow. "Go on, Polly, do, and lay the whole
magnificence before father. He will be quite overcome."
"That would be disastrous," said Mr. King; "better save your effects till
the grand affair comes off."
"Jasper is to be one of the dragons," announced Polly, quite in her
element, "that is, the head dragon; Ben is to be another, and we haven't
quite decided whether to ask Archy Hurd or Clare to take the third
one."
"Clare has the most 'go' in him," said Jasper critically.
"Then I think we'll decide now to ask him," said Polly, "don't you,
Jasper?"
"A dragon without 'go' in him would be most undesirable, I should
fancy. Well, what next do you propose to do, Polly?" asked Mr. King.
"Now that we know that you will allow us to have it," cried Polly in a
rapture, "why, we can think up splendid things. We've only the play
written so far, sir."
"Polly wrote the most," said Jasper.
"Oh, no, Jasper! I only put in the bits," said Polly. "He planned it?-

every single bit, Jasper did."
"Well, she thought up the dragons, and the cave, and"?-
"Oh! that was easy enough," said Polly, guilty of interrupting, "because
you see something has to carry off the Princess Clotilde."
"Oh, now! you are not going to frighten my little girl," cried Mr. King.
"I protest against the whole thing if you do," and he put out his hand.
"Come, Phronsie," when, as of old, she hurried to his side obediently.
"Oh! we are going to show her the boys, and how we dress them up just
like dragons," cried Polly, "and while they are prancing around and
slashing their tails at rehearsal, I'm going to keep saying, 'That's
nothing but Jasper and Ben and Clare, you know, Phronsie,'