Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  VII THE SALISBURY GIRLS

  And then somebody rushed in, saying, "We've another locomotive; nowwe're going!" And everybody else who was outside hurried into the cars;the new propelling power was attached to the other end of the train, andafter a deal of switching, there they were at last--off on the way home!

  Polly gave a long breath of relief, and clasped Alexia's hand closely."Oh, by this time they know at home it's all right," she cried.

  The doctor came smilingly down the aisle. "Well," he nodded to Polly."Yes, it's all right," he said. "I must really call you Polly Peppernow, for I know your grandfather, and Dr. Fisher--well there! indeed Iknow him."

  "Do you?" cried Polly with blooming cheeks, well pleased to find afriend at such a time.

  "Yes, indeed. I'm fortunate enough to meet him in hospital work. Nowthen, how is our little friend here?" He leaned over, and touchedAlexia's arm lightly.

  "Oh, I'm all right," she said.

  "That's good," in a gratified tone. "Now keep plucky, and you'll get outof this finely." Then he sat down on the arm of the seat, and told sucha funny story that no one supposed it could be the home station when thetrain came to a standstill, and he was helping Alexia out.

  "There now--drop Polly's hand, if you please," the doctor was saying;"I'll assist you."

  "But I don't want to," said Alexia, hanging to it for dear life. "I wantPolly."

  "I presume so," laughed the doctor, "but I think it's best for me tohelp you." Miss Baker and all the girls crowded up in a bunch. "Easythere," he said. "Don't hurry so; there's plenty of time." And he gotbetween them and Alexia's lame arm.

  And there, down by the car steps--Polly could see him as he waited forthe stream of passengers to get out--was Jasper, his eyes eagerlysearching every face, with an impatience scarcely to be controlled. Andback of him were Dr. Fisher's big glasses, shining as the little doctorpranced back and forth, unable to keep still.

  "There they are--there they are!" Polly exclaimed. "Oh, if we couldhurry and let them know we're all right!" But they were wedged in so,there was nothing to do but to take their turn and let the passengers infront descend.

  "Jasper--oh, Papa Fisher!" At last Polly was out on the platform whereshe stood on her tiptoes and waved her hand.

  "Are you all right?" asked Jasper eagerly, craning his neck to see forhimself.

  "Yes--yes!" cried Polly. And then presently they had her on either hand!"Oh, help Alexia," she cried, turning back.

  Dr. Fisher took one look through his big glasses. "Well, well, Pennell,"he exclaimed, "you here?" and he skipped over to them.

  "I really believe so," laughed Dr. Pennell.

  "Dear me!" Little Dr. Fisher glanced at Alexia quickly.

  "Nothing but sprained," the other doctor said quickly. "Still, it needscareful attention."

  And then it came out that Alexia's aunt had heard a chance word droppedabout the accident, and had run down to Mr. King's in her distress, soshe was there awaiting them; and the fathers and brothers of the rest ofthe "Salisbury girls" took off their charges, much to the relief of thegoverness. So presently Jasper had his party all settled in thecarriage, Dr. Pennell saying, "Well, I resign my responsibility aboutthat arm to you, Dr. Fisher." He lifted his hat, and was off.

  "Oh, wait!" cried Polly in great distress as Thomas was just startingoff with a dash, "I must speak to him."

  "Polly--what is it?" cried Jasper. "Wait, Thomas!" So Thomas pulled up.

  "I must--I must," declared Polly. Her foot was on the step, and she wassoon out.

  "I'll go with you," said Jasper, as she sped down through the streams ofpeople pouring along the platform, to thread her way after the tallfigure, Jasper by her side. "Dr. Pennell--oh, please stop."

  "Hey?" The doctor pulled up in his brisk walk. "Oh dear me! what is it?"

  "Will you please tell me--do you know who the poor man was who waskilled?" she gasped.

  "Oh Polly," cried Jasper, "was there some one killed?"

  "Yes, he was a brakeman, Polly," said Dr. Pennell.

  "Oh, I know--but where did he live?" cried Polly, "and had he anychildren?" all in one breath.

  "A big family, I understand," said the doctor gravely.

  "Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly with a sorry droop to the bright head, andclasping her hands, "could you, Dr. Pennell, tell me anything more?"

  "That's all I know about the poor fellow," said the doctor. "Theconductor told me that."

  "I'll find out for you to-morrow, Polly," said Jasper quickly; "I'll rundown to the railroad office, and get all the news I can."

  "And I'll go with you," said Polly, "for I most know Grandpapa will letme. He was so very good to us all--that poor man was," she mourned.

  "Yes, Polly, there's no doubt of that," Dr. Pennell said abruptly. "Youand I maybe wouldn't be standing here if it were not for him."

  Jasper shivered, and laid hold of Polly's arm. "Well now, run along andget home," finished the doctor cheerily, "and look out for that pluckylittle friend of yours, and I'll try and find out, too, about thatbrakeman, and we'll talk the thing over." So Polly and Jasper raced backagain down over the platform, clambered into the carriage, and away theywent home to Grandpapa and Mamsie!

  And Alexia and her aunt staid all night. And after the whole story hadbeen gone over and over, and Grandpapa had held Polly on his knee, allthe time she was not in Mamsie's lap, and Alexia had had her poor armtaken care of, and all bandaged up, Dr. Fisher praising her for being socool and patient, why then it was nearly eleven o'clock.

  "Dear me! Polly," cried Mother Fisher in dismay, looking over at theclock--they were all in the library, and all visitors had beendenied--"the very idea! you children must get to bed."

  "Yes--or you won't be cool and patient to-morrow," said Dr. Fisherdecidedly, and patting Alexia's bandages. "Now run off, little girl, andwe'll see you bright as a button in the morning."

  "I'm not cool and patient," declared Alexia, abruptly pulling down, withher well hand, the little doctor till she could whisper in his ear. "Oh,aunt does fuss so--you can't think; I'm a raging wild animal."

  "Well, you haven't been raging to-night, Alexia," said the littledoctor, bursting out into a laugh.

  "Oh, hush, do," implored Alexia, who wasn't in the slightest degreeafraid to speak her mind, least of all to Dr. Fisher, whom she likedimmensely; "they'll all hear us," she brought up in terror.

  "What is it, Alexia?" cried her aunt from the sofa, where Dr. Fisher hadasked her to be seated, as it was well across the room. "Oh, is sheworse?" she exclaimed, hurrying over nervously.

  "There, now, you see," cried Alexia tragically, and sinking back in herchair; "everything's just as bad as can be now."

  "Not in the least, Miss Rhys," the little doctor said in his cheeriesttones, "only Alexia and I had a little joke all by ourselves." And as hewaited coolly for the maiden lady to return to her seat, she soon foundherself back there. Then he went over to Mamsie, and said something in alow tone.

  "Yes, Adoniram." Mother Fisher nodded over Polly's brown head. "Sheought to have a good night's sleep."

  "Polly," said Dr. Fisher, leaning over her, "it's just this: that auntof Alexia's--she's a good enough sort of a woman, I suppose," wrinklinghis brows in perplexity to find the right words, "but she certainly doespossess the faculty to rile folks up remarkably well. She sets my teethon edge; she does really, wife." He brought out this confessionhonestly, although he hated professionally to say it. "And Alexia--well,you know, Polly, she ought to be kept quiet to-night. So your mother andI--we do, don't we, dear?" taking Mamsie's hand.

  "We certainly do," said Mrs. Fisher, not waiting for the whole story tobe told, "think it's best for you to have Alexia with you to-night."

  "Oh, goody!" exclaimed Polly, sitting quite straight in Mamsie's lap.

  "You are not to talk, Polly, you know," said Dr. Fisher decidedly.

  "Oh, we won't--we won't," promised Polly faithfully.

  "You can have the red room, Polly," sa
id Mamsie, "because of the twobeds. And now, child, you must both hop off and get into them as soon asyou can, or you'll be sick to-morrow."

  So Polly ran off to bid Grandpapa good night. And then as he held her inhis arms, he said, "Well, now, Polly, you and Jasper and I will takethat trip down to the railroad station to-morrow."

  "Oh, Grandpapa!" cried Polly, clasping her hands, while her cheeksturned rosy red, "I am so very glad. We can go right after school, can'twe?"

  "School? Oh, you won't go to school to-morrow," said old Mr. Kingdecidedly. "Yes, yes, Mrs. Fisher, in just a minute--Polly shall go tobed in a minute. No, no, Polly, after such an excitement, school isn'tto be thought of for a day or two."

  "Perhaps she'll be all right in the morning, father," Jasper hurried tosay, at sight of Polly's face.

  "Oh, I shall--I shall." Polly flashed a bright glance at him."_Please_, Grandpapa, let me go. I haven't been absent this year."

  "And it's so awfully hard to make up lessons," said Jasper.

  "Make up lessons? Well, you needn't make them up. Bless me! Such ascholar as you are, Polly, I guess you'll stand well enough at the endof the year, without any such trouble. Quite well enough," he added withdecision.

  Polly's brown head drooped, despite her efforts to look bravely up intohis face. "Good night, Grandpapa," she said sadly, and was turningaway.

  "Oh bless me!" exclaimed old Mr. King hastily, "Polly, see here, mychild, well--well, in the morning perhaps--dear me!--we can tell thenwhether it's best for you to go to school or not. Come, kiss me goodnight, again."

  So Polly ran back and gave him two or three kisses, and then raced off,Jasper having time to whisper at the door: "I most know, Polly,father'll let you go; I really and truly believe he will."

  "I believe so too," cried Polly happily.

  And sure enough, he did. For the next morning Polly ran down tobreakfast as merry as a bee, brown eyes dancing, as if accidents werenever to be thought of; and Grandpapa pinched her rosy cheek, and said:"Well, Polly, you've won! Off with you to school." And Polly tucked herbooks under her arm, and raced off with Jasper, who always went toschool with her as far as their paths went, turning off at the cornerwhere she hurried off to Miss Salisbury's select school, to go to hisown.

  "Oh, here comes Polly Pepper!" The girls, some of them waiting for herat the big iron gate, raced down to meet her. "Oh Polly--Polly." At thata group of girls on the steps turned, and came flying up, too. "Oh,tell us all about the awful accident," they screamed. "Tell, Polly, do."They swarmed all over her.

  "Give me the books," and one girl seized them. "I'll carry them for you,Polly."

  "And, Polly, not one of the other girls that went out to Silvia Horne'sis here this morning."

  "They may come yet," said Polly; "it's not late."

  "Oh, I know; we came early to meet you; well, Silvia isn't here either."

  "Oh, she can't come, because of her cousin," said Polly, "and----"

  "Well, I don't care whether she ever comes," declared Leslie Fyle. "Ican't abide that Silvia Horne."

  "Nor I," said another girl, "she's so full of her airs and graces, andalways talking about her fine place at Edgewood. Oh dear me! I'm sick ofEdgewood!"

  A little disagreeable laugh went around.

  "Oh, I'll tell you of the accident," said Polly; "come, let's sit downon the steps; we've ten minutes yet."

  "Yes, do, do," cried the girls. So they huddled up together on the bigstone steps, Polly in the middle, and she told them the whole story asfast as she could. Meantime other girls hurrying to school, saw themfrom a distance, and broke into a run to get there in time.

  And Polly gave Alexia's love all round, as she had been commissioned todo.

  "We'll go up to your house to see her," cried Leslie, "perhaps thisafternoon."

  "Oh, no, you mustn't," said Polly. "I'm dreadfully sorry, girls, butPapa Fisher says no one must come yet, till he sends word by me."

  "I thought you said Alexia was all right."

  "And if her arm isn't broken I should think we might see her," said abig girl on the edge of the circle discontentedly. She had privatereasons for wishing the interview as soon as possible, as she and Alexiahad quarrelled the day before, and now it was quite best to ignore alldifferences, and make it up.

  "But she's had a great strain, and Papa-Doctor says it isn't best,"repeated Polly very distinctly, "so we can't even think of it, Sarah."

  "Polly? is that Polly Pepper?" exclaimed a voice in the hall.

  AND SHE TOLD THEM THE WHOLE STORY AS FAST AS SHECOULD.]

  "Oh, yes, Miss Anstice," cried Polly, hopping up so quickly she nearlyoverthrew some of the bunch of girls.

  Yes, she had on the black silk gown, and Polly fancied she could hear itcrackle, it was so stiff, as Miss Anstice advanced primly.

  "I hear that there was an accident, Polly Pepper, last night, which youand some of the other girls were in. Now, why did you not come and tellme or sister at once about it?"

  "Oh dear me! do forgive me," cried poor Polly, now seeing that she haddone a very wrong thing not to have acquainted Miss Salisbury first withall the particulars. "I do hope you will forgive me, Miss Anstice," shebegged over again.

  "I find it very difficult to overlook it, Polly," said Miss Anstice, whowas much disturbed by the note she held in her hand, just delivered, bywhich Professor Mills informed her he should be unable to deliver hisaddress that morning before her art class. So she added with asperity,"It would have been quite the proper thing, and something that wouldnaturally, I should suppose, suggest itself to a girl brought up as youhave been, Polly, to come at once to the head of the school with theinformation."

  Polly, feeling that all this reflected on Mamsie and her home training,had yet nothing to do but to stand pale and quiet on the steps.

  "She couldn't help it." The big girl pushed her way into the innercircle. "We girls all just made her stop. My! Miss Anstice, it was justa mob here when we saw Polly coming."

  "Sarah Miller, you have nothing to say until I address you." A littlered spot was coming on either cheek as Miss Anstice turned angrily tothe big girl. "And I shall at once report you to sister, for improperbehavior."

  "Oh dear, dear! Well, I wish 'sister' would fire old black silk,"exclaimed a girl on the edge of the circle under her breath. "Look ather now. Isn't she a terror!" and then the big bell rang, and they allfiled in.

  "Now she won't let us have our picnic; she'll go against it every wayshe can," cried a girl who was out of dangerous earshot. And the terrorof this spread as they all scampered down the hall.

  "Oh dear, dear! to think this should have happened on her black silkday!"

  "No, we won't get it now, you may depend," cried ever so many. And poorPolly, with all this added woe, to make her feel responsible for thehorrible beginning of the day, sank into her seat and leaned her head onher desk.

  The picnic, celebrated as an annual holiday, was given by Miss Salisburyto the girls, if all had gone well in the school, and no transgressionsof rules, or any misdemeanor, marred the term. Miss Anstice never hadlooked with favor on the institution, and the girls always felt that shewent out of her way to spy possible insubordination among the scholars.So they strove not to get out of her good graces, observing special carewhen the "black silk days" came around.

  On this unlucky day, everything seemed against them; and as Miss Ansticestalked off to sit upon the platform by "sister" for the openingexercises, the girls felt it was all up with them, and a general gloomfell upon the long schoolroom.

  Miss Salisbury's gentle face was turned in surprise upon them as shescanned the faces. And then, the general exercises being over, theclasses were called, and she and "sister" were left on the platformalone.

  "Oh, now she's getting the whole thing!" groaned Leslie, looking backfrom the hall, to peer in. "Old black silk is giving it to her. Oh, Ijust hate Miss Anstice!"

  "Sarah, why couldn't you have kept still?" cried another girl. "If youhadn't spoken, Miss Anstic
e would have gotten over it."

  "Well, I wasn't going to have Polly Pepper blamed," said Sarah sturdily."If you were willing to, I wasn't going to stand still and hear it, whenit was our fault she told us first."

  "Oh, no, Sarah," said Polly, "it surely was my own self that was toblame. I ought to have run in and told Miss Salisbury first. Well, now,girls, what shall I do? I've lost that picnic for you all, for I don'tbelieve she will let us have it now."

  "No, she won't," cried Leslie tragically; "of that you may be sure,Polly Pepper."