“Oh, Ben,” Joel gave a loud howl. Then he flew over to Mrs. Pepper’s chair. “Ben’s going to melt the jelly you gave us—” he cried wrathfully. “Make him stop, Mamsie,” he implored.
“Oh, I don’t think he is, Joel,” said Mrs. Pepper, soothingly.
“He is—he is,” declared Joel, wildly; “he said so. Do stop him, Mamsie.”
Meanwhile Polly’s voice came pealing across the kitchen. Joel pricked up his ears. “How perfectly elegant!” she was exclaiming. So Joel flew back again, for things couldn’t be as bad as he feared with Polly so joyful.
“And just think, Joey,” she cried, as he came bounding up, “we’re going to have the jelly melted and—”
“No, no, no!” roared Joel, interrupting.
“And we’re going to pour it into the mugs and cups and drink it, and it will be just as sweet and beautiful as can be! And Ben thought this all out,” added Polly, proudly.
“Will it be sweet?” asked Joel.
“As sweet as can be,” declared Polly, decidedly.
“I’d rather have the jelly to eat on top of the little biscuits,” said Joel, grudgingly, yet he thought longingly of the beautiful mugful to drink.