“We will take them all in order, Joey. If the bears are at the beginning of the line, why we will see them first.”
“The monkeys,” cried Phronsie, pulling at her mother’s hand. “Oh, I want to see the dear sweet little monkeys, Mamsie!”
“We are going to see the monkeys, Phronsie, and all the rest of them,” said Mrs. Pepper in a happy voice.
Polly couldn’t help jumping up and down and clapping her hands in joy, her two brown braids flying out.
“I think we ought to visit your rhododendron, Polly,” said Ben, catching hold of her to stop her and say it over her shoulder. But Polly pretending not to hear, the words were lost in the babel of delight that ensued. And Mrs. Pepper was asking the little old woman if she would like to go with them to see the animals.
“Indeed I would,” cried Miss Susannah. “My! I was wonderin’ how in th’ world I’d ever get around amongst those animiles an’ reptiles. Say, do you Peppers family always go about th’ world lookin’ out for other folks?”
“We don’t go about the world,” said Mrs. Pepper, with a little laugh. “Well, now, we must start.”
As it happened the bears were first in the line, so Joel had his wish, and he crowded up plastering his face close to their cage, in which the beasts had been put on their return from the parade in the ring.
“That boy will get his nose clawed off,” said a man in the crowd. Mrs. Pepper turned, “Joel!” she cried, just in time! Out came old Father Bear’s paw with its five cruel claws as sharp as knives,—and a sudden scratch went sizz on the iron bars just where Joel’s face had been.
“He didn’t get me,” said Joel vindictively, staring into the wicked little eyes of the bear snapping angrily at him.