"You are ready now," he returned, and taking her hand in his led her out into the hall.
"I want you for a little while," was all he said, as they went downstairs together.
Poly was a bit surprised when she found that their destination was the great room where the "Board" was in session, but she could not be afraid with Dr. Dudley; so she smiled to all the gentlemen, and answered their questions in her soft, sweet voice, and behaved quite like the little lady that the physician had pictured to them.
Presently Dr. Dudley left her, while he talked in low tones with the white-haired man at the head of the long table. When he came back, he asked:—
"Polly, how should you like to stay here at the hospital all summer, and help Miss Lucy and me to take care of your little friends?"
The light that flashed into Polly's brown eyes gave them the gleam of a sunny brook. She clasped her small hands ecstatically, crying, "O—o—h! it would be—super-bon-donjical!"
The gentlemen laughed, the tall, white-haired one until his shoulders shook. Then he rapped on the table, and said something about "Miss Polly May," to which the little girl did n't pay much attention, and there was a big chorus of ayes. After that Polly bade them all good-bye, and went upstairs with Dr. Dudley.
"Children, I have something to tell you," the physician announced.
Everybody was at once alert. A solemn hush fell on the ward.
"What do you think?" he went on;—"Polly May is a full-fledged member of the hospital staff!"