“How big?” demanded Joel.
“Oh, my goodness—I can’t ever tell how big he was,” said Polly.
“I want to know how big he was,” grumbled Joel. “So big?” he spread his arms wide.
“O dear me!” cried Polly, with a little laugh. “Why, that isn’t anywhere near as big, Joey Pepper, and he splashed into the water, and—”
“Where did he splash into the water?” cried Joel; “say, Polly, where did he?”
“Why, there was a pond next to the circus tent,” said Polly, going on wildly, her gaze on the window to see when Ben came around the corner of the little brown house.
“As big as the pond over at Cherryville?” demanded Joel.
“Yes, just as big as that,” said Polly, willing to make it any size.
“Dave,” cried Joel, poking his face over David’s shoulder, “it was just like that great big pond over at Cherryville. Only Mr. Tisbett wouldn’t let us go near it,” he said resentfully; “he wouldn’t, Polly, when he took us over on the stage. Well, go on,” and he threw himself back against Polly once more. “Make him splash, and splash, that great big thing. What was his name, Polly?”
“Rho-do-rho-do-den-dron,” said Polly, wishing she never had seen the picture in the animal book on Mrs. Blodgett’s center-table. “Well, now, it’s time for you and Davie to change places, Joel. Why!”