"Are you sure, madam, that you are not hurt?" the young physician pushed up. "Such an accident as yours should be attended to."
"When I require your services I can inform you," said the old lady, turning on him with so much vigor that he fell back involuntarily. "I shall call my own physician when I reach home. That's right, girl, help me to my carriage," and clinging to Polly's hand she went down the drug-shop steps, Carson ejaculating "O Lord!" in great relief at seeing her, and nervously slapping his knee, though it had been all her own fault that she was in such a plight.
"Um!" She wouldn't groan, but it was perilously near it as she got into the carriage with Polly's and Ben's help and settled back on the cushions with a grimace.
"Oh, you are hurt!" cried Polly, the color dying from her cheek, and looking in the window in great concern.
"Nonsense!" said the old woman, in her sharpest tone. Then she drew her breath hard. "Your name, girl, and your brother?" She looked inquiringly at Ben.
"Yes," said Polly, with a glad little smile up at him; "he's Ben."
"What's the last name?"
"Pepper." Ben and Polly said it together, and the three others crowded up to the carriage door, crying out, "We're all Peppers."
"Um!" said the old woman, looking them all over, but her gaze rested the longest on Joel.
"I'm sorry you got hurt," he blurted out with a very red face, and wishing he had remained in the background.