“Isn't Jappy—our—cousin? I—want—Jappy!”
“Goodness!” exclaimed the old gentleman, in the greatest alarm, “what is the matter with the boy! Do somebody stop him!”
“Joel,” said Jasper, leaning over him, and trying to help Polly lift him up. “I'll tell you how we'll fix it! I'll be your brother. That's best of all—brother to Polly, and Ben and the whole of you—then we'll see!”
Joel bolted up at that, and began to smile through the tears running down the rosy face.
“Will you, really?” he said, “just like Ben—and everything?”
“I can't be as good as Ben,” said Jappy, laughing, “but I'll be a real brother like him.”
“Phoo—phoo! Then I don't care!” cried Joel wiping off the last tear on the back of his chubby hand. “Now I guess we're better'n you,” he exclaimed with a triumphant glance over at the little Whitneys, as he began to make the new shoes skip at a lively pace up and down the long room.
“Oh, dear!” they both cried in great distress.
“Now, papa, Jappy's going to be Joey's brother—and he isn't anything but our old uncle! Make him be ours more, papa, do!”
And then Polly sprang up.