"You be still," said Jasper, with a nudge. "Polly will tell it all right if you will only let her alone."
"She doesn't seem to be getting on very well," grumbled Ben.
"Well, and then, Polly, what next?" Jasper leaned forward to catch every word.
"Why, there were boys in the mountains, you know, the poor washerwoman's home, so Madam Van Ruypen wanted Ben to pick out some things for them."
"What things?" demanded Jasper, intensely interested.
"Oh, overcoats and tippets and gloves and jackets and—"
"Oh, hurrah!" exclaimed Jasper, breaking into the list. Then he whirled around and bestowed a resounding rap on Ben's back.
"Whew!" exclaimed Ben. "Well, you don't need to get your strength back," he added ruefully.
"Don't I though?" said Jasper, with shining eyes, and lifting up his hand. "Now, here's another—to think she chose you to do that, Ben!"
"No, you don't," said Ben, moving back so hastily that he rolled off his hassock in a heap on the floor.