"Yes," said Joel, "I am, Polly;" then he looked up from her arms that she had thrown around his neck. "You've lost your berries, Polly Pepper, and the tin pail. Now what will Mamsie say?"
"I guess she won't say anything," said Polly, with a little shiver. "Come, children, we must run, now, as fast as we can, for it is going to rain like everything."
"Joey," said Polly, when they paused a moment to take breath, "you must give Phronsie some of your berries when we get home; that's a good boy, for I promised her some of mine. Hers got spilt, and now I haven't any."
"Well, mine shook out of the pail," said Joel, dismally, "when I swung it at that old bull's face."
"I'll give her mine," declared Davie. "You shall have 'em all, Phronsie."
Phronsie, at that, could not express her delight, but she clasped her hands, and gave a great sigh of satisfaction.
When they all reached home, there was Mamsie watching for them anxiously. And they all scampered in out of the rain like so many rabbits.
"Children, I've got such a surprise for you," said Mother Pepper, as soon as she could take off the wet clothes from Phronsie, and get her into something dry. "Now, you all better get your things off, and hang 'em to dry by the stove, and get on some clean clothes."
"I ain't wet, and we haven't got any berries, 'cept Dave, an' he gave 'em to Phronsie," said Joel. "They all got shook out of the pails, Polly's and mine did, when the bull chased us."
"When the bull chased you!" repeated Mrs. Pepper, while her black eyes roved from one to the other.