“Oh, goody! here comes Mr. Tisbett,” howled King.
“How funny!” laughed all three. “Oh, goody! here comes Mr. Tisbett,” howled King in a sudden rapture, lifting his head to see the top of the old stage through the window. “Why, he’s stopping here! He’s stopping here!” and, tumbling over the other two, King found his feet, and pranced off over the big flat doorstone, and down the path, Elyot and Barby flying after, to see Mr. Tisbett open the stage-door with a, “Here you be, ma’am, and the boy too.”
“Grandpapa,” cried Phronsie, taking one look out of the window, “it’s Mrs. Fargo and Johnny!”
“The mercy it is!” exclaimed the old gentleman ruefully. “Well, good-by, Phronsie, to any sort of peace, now that boy’s come!”
CHAPTER II.
A BADGERTOWN EVENING.
“BOOKS! I’ve a fine packet for you to-night, Polly.” Jasper’s eyes glowed. Polly ran up to meet him.
“O Mamsie! let me take the books—let me!” Elyot thrust in his small figure between them, and tugged at the parcel.
“You take yourself off, young man,” said his father. “Now, Polly, hold out your arms.”
“Oh, what richness!” sighed Polly ecstatically, “as Alexia would say;” and, clasping her parcel closely, she sank into a big chair, and examined her treasure. “O Jasper!” she cried, “isn’t it just magnificent to be a publisher’s wife!”