"Yes, yes," said Pickering, "I know."
"Well, I want to tell you something," began Polly radiantly, thinking it better to cheer him up a bit with her news before getting at the root of his trouble. "Do you know that Grandpapa is going to take us all to-morrow to see Jasper? It's to be a surprise party."
"Ah," said Pickering, all his gladness gone.
"Yes; and Grandpapa wants you to go with us, Pickering," Polly went on.
"Oh, dear me—I can't—can't possibly!" exclaimed Pickering, in a tone of horror. "Don't ask me, Polly. Anything but that."
"O, yes, you can," laughed Polly, determined to get him out of his strange mood. "Why, Pickering, we don't want to go without you. It would spoil all our fun."
"Well, I can't go," cried Pickering, in an agony at being misunderstood.
"I'd do anything in the world you ask, Polly, but that."
"Why not, you ridiculous boy?" asked Polly, quite as if it were Joel who was before her.
"Because Jasper and I don't speak to each other," Pickering bolted out; "we had a fight."
[Illustration: "WHAT DO YOU SAY?" CRIED POLLY.]