Five Little Peppers Midway

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
By MARGARET SIDNEY
To MY LITTLE MARGARET Who Is Phronsie Pepper to All Who Know Her This Book Is Lovingly Inscribed
1 Phronsie's Pie 2 Cousin Eunice Chatterton 3 The Rehearsal 4 Welcome Home! 5 After the Play 6 The Little Brown House 7 Old Times Again 8 Some Badgertown Calls 9 A Sudden Blow 10 The Party Separates 11 Poor Polly! 12 New Work for Polly 13 A Piece of News 14 Mamsie's Wedding 15 Mrs. Chatterton Has a New Plan 16 Where Is Phronsie? 17 Phronsie Is Found 18 The Girls Have Polly Again 19 Phronsie Is Well Again 20 The Secret 21 The Whitneys' Little Plan 22 Joel 23 Of Many Things 24 Away
Jefferson, said Phronsie, with a grave uplifting of her eyebrows, I think I will go down into the kitchen and bake a pie; a very little pie, Jefferson.
Bless you, Miss, replied the cook, showing his white teeth in glee, it is the making of the kitchen when you come it.
Yes, Jefferson, said Phronsie slowly, I think I will go down make one. It must be very, very full of plums, you know, looking up at him anxiously, for Polly dearly loves plums.
It shall be that plummy, said Jefferson convincingly, that you'd think you never saw such a one for richness. Oh, my! what a pie that shall be! exclaimed the cook, shutting up one eye to look through the other in a spasm of delight at an imaginary pie; so it's for Miss Mary, is it?
Yes, said Phronsie, it is. Oh, Jefferson, I'm so glad you like to have me make one, she clasped her hands in silent rapture, and sat down on the lowest stair to think it over a bit, Jefferson looking at her, forgetful that the under cook was fuming in the deserted domains over his delay to return. At last he said, bowing respectfully, If you please, Miss, it's about time to begin. Such a pie ain't done without a deal of care, and we'd best have it a-baking as soon as may be.
Yes, said Phronsie, getting off from her stair, and surrendering her hand to his big black palm, we ought to go right this very minute. But I must get my apron on; she stopped and looked down at her red dress.