"Well, you needn't have refused in just such a way; so beg her pardon at once, like a man," said Ben, decidedly.
"And I'm sure I didn't suppose that Mr. King had brought home a snapping turtle," said Alexia, airily.
"There now, you see, Pip," said Ben, gravely, "how you will make trouble for all of us unless you behave."
Thereupon, Pip's thin lip trembling, he put out his hand to Alexia. "I'm sorry, and I never will tell you in all this world, never, never, never!"
"And I'm sure I don't care whether you do or not," said Alexia, as they all laughed, "only I'm not going to have my head eaten off, I can tell you that."
"Well, come on," said Polly, briskly, "and let's talk over Christmas. Oh, you can't think, Ben, what elegant things we are going to do!"
"Let's call all the others and get down on the library rug," proposed Ben.
"O dear me!" Polly's face fell. "Without Jasper?" she said.
"Now see here, Polly," said Ben, whirling around to get a good look at her face, "I promised Jasper I'd do my best to go on with everything the minute we got home, the same as if he were able to be in it all. I thought you'd help me, Polly, for I can't do anything without you." He looked so disapprovingly at her that she made haste to say, "Oh, I will, I will, Ben."
"Then run and get the others," said Ben, with a little pat on her back. "And you go, too, Alexia, that's a good girl."