Everybody turned and stared, and a nervous woman down in the front said, “Gracious! somebody’s sick—get th’ doctor.” And one of the funny men in a white coat with red spots all over it, and a hat with holes where his eyes came, looked up as he was walking down beneath the seats saying things to make people laugh.
“Toss me that boy,” he roared, snapping a little whip he carried under his arm, “and I’ll eat him up.”
And at that, Joel screamed, “You sha’n’t eat my brother—I’ll smash you!” And everything was in a commotion. And a man in a red coat, with a good many brass buttons on it, rushed up and said: “You’re disturbing the show—I’ll put you out if you make any more trouble.”
And Mrs. Pepper leaned over past the little old woman. Polly caught one glimpse of Mamsie’s distressed face, and she swept Phronsie over into Ben’s lap.
“Oh, Davie—what is it?” she cried, huddling him up against her, as he buried his face in her neck.
“The bears! Joel has always wanted to see some—they’re coming!”
Joel, with no heart for bears or anything else, was still shaking his little brown fists and declaring that he wouldn’t let any one eat up his brother, while Big Bruin and Mrs. Bruin and two small Bruins were doing their best down in the ring to make the parade lively.
“Oh, Davie!” cried Polly, so mortified that she forgot herself, “you shouldn’t have screamed. We’re so ashamed!” While Mother Pepper said, quietly, “Joel,” and down went his little fists, and he stopped right in the middle of a word.
David was so still that Polly bent her hot cheek over him. “Why, Davie, are you sick?” she cried in sudden fright.
Davie tried to say “No,” but the word wouldn’t come. And before he had time to begin again, Mrs. Pepper had quietly worked her way past the little old woman and Joel, and there he was in her lap.