Ben Pepper Part 46

"Alexia," called Ben, "come right straight back here."

"Well, Polly doesn't want them," grumbled Alexia, yet she came back.

"Never mind if they do come in," said Ben, laying a soothing hand on Polly's shoulder. "What harm will they do, Polly?"

"They'll spoil every bit of our fun," said Polly, with flas.h.i.+ng brown eyes--"every single bit; you know they will, Ben, and that Elvira--oh, they _can't_ come in!"

"There, you see," said Alexia, beginning to wring her hands. "You'd much better let me shut the door and keep them out, Ben Pepper."

"Polly," said Ben, and he turned her off to a quiet corner, "perhaps they have never seen a Christmas tree. Why, what am I talking about?--we _know_ they haven't."

"Well, they are coming to it to-night," said Polly, the flash dying down a bit, "and that's enough, I'm sure," she added obstinately.

"But the fun of getting ready! Oh, Polly, supposing--supposing somebody had come into the little brown house and asked us to come to help get a tree ready. Just think, Polly!"

Polly dug the toe of her shoe into a heap of greens, then she suddenly threw her arms around Ben's neck. "Oh, I'm a selfish pig, Ben," she cried. "Do let them come in."

Ben gave her an approving pat. "Now you're fine!" he said. "Come on, we'll call them in," taking her hand.

"Oh, now you've gone and made Polly let those dreadful children in,"

cried Alexia, nervously, envious that she was not to go too, as they ran by her.

"Jasper," said Ben, as they pa.s.sed his chair, "it's the mountain children; they're waiting outside now. We're going to have them in to help us."

"Whew!" whistled Jasper. Then he added in delight, "The very thing I wanted most of all was to see those mountain children. Do hurry and fetch them."

Which urging was not in the least necessary as soon appeared--Elvira, in her smart blue gown, clear in advance of either Polly or Ben. She pushed her straight locks out of her eyes and gazed around, wholly unabashed.

"Hulloa, Viry!" called Joel, in delight, from the other end of the room.

But she paid no attention to him, as she had not completed her gaze to suit her.

"I'm awful glad you've come," said Joel, springing off the chair on which he was standing, holding a festoon for Pickering to nail in place.

"Here, come back, you beggar," cried Pickering.

"We're having awful fun," announced Joel, coming up to her and sticking out a grimy little paw, all resin and pitch from the branches of pine he had been breaking. His face was smeared as well.

"You're awful dirty," said Elvira, picking the blue gown away as if she feared contamination.

"Well, it's fun, I tell you," said Joel, not a whit nonplussed. "Come on with me," attempting to draw her off to Pickering and the deserted chair.

"I ain't a-goin'," said Elvira, twitching off. "An' I'll slap you if you don't go 'way."

Meantime Ben had charge of the two boys. Matthew wore his overcoat and beloved red tippet (which Madam Van Ruypen had hard work to make him discard in the house) wound around his head and ears. "Now, Jasper," and Ben led them up to the big easy-chair, "this is Matthew and this is Mark Hansell."

"Oh, how do you do?" said Jasper, sociably. "I'm glad to see you."

Matthew bobbed his head, bound up in the red tippet, solemnly, but Mark was too far gone in amazement at the scene before him to do anything but stare.

"Now, Elvira," said Polly, going up to her, where she stood glaring at Joel, who still persisted in his sociable advances, "you come with me,"

and she put out her hand.

"I ain't a-goin' to," declared Elvira, stubbornly, and putting her hands back of her.

"Oh, you bad, wicked, awful girl!" cried Alexia, hovering near.

"Elvira," said Polly, and there was a little white line coming around her mouth, "you will come with me, or else you must go home."

"Not to stay with that great big lady," said Elvira, in dismay, her hands falling to her side and her face filling with terror.

"Yes, you surely must," said Polly, decidedly, "go right back and stay with Madam Van Ruypen, unless you do as I say."

"Oh, then I'll go with you." Elvira slipped her hand into Polly's, made a final grimace at Joel, who, dreadfully disappointed, went back alone to Pickering.

"So this is Elvira," said Jasper, looking at her kindly. She didn't seem to see the hand he put forth.

"What you sittin' there for?" she demanded abruptly.

"Oh--well--they make me," said Jasper, with a little laugh.

"He's been sick, Elvira," Polly made haste to say. "Now come, child, you can help me."

"I don't want to. I'm goin' to stay here," said Elvira, laying a hand on Jasper's chair.

"Elvira!" Polly got no further, but it really wasn't necessary, for she went without further words.

"Polly, make her come over and help me," called Joel, from his chair.

"No, she is going to stay with me," said Polly, but she gave a sigh.

Pip, who had raised his head at entrance of the visitors, ducked it behind the pile of greens at sight of Elvira. And now he s.h.i.+vered as her thin, high voice piped out, "Where's that other boy?"

"The boys are all here," said Polly, absently, as indeed they were, even little d.i.c.k, who was happy with Phronsie in a quiet corner, tying little wreaths for one of her doll houses.

"Oh, I don't mean these boys," said Elvira, waving her thin arms scornfully around the roomful. "They're no good. Where's that other boy that was at supper last night?" she craned her neck to catch the sight she desired.

"She means Pip," said Alexia. Pip, at hearing his name, unguardedly raised his head.

"There he is! There he is!" exclaimed Elvira, joyfully. And, deserting Polly, she rushed over to the pile of greens. "I'm goin' to play with you," she said.

But Pip slipped nimbly out and was over by the step-ladder and scrambling up.

"Take her away," he howled, burrowing up to Ben. "Ow! Take her away!"

Polly rushed over to the pile of greens.

"He ran away," cried Elvira, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes, "an' I had come to play with him."

"Elvira," said Polly, getting down on her knees to look into the angry eyes, "what did I tell you? Either you will mind what I say or Ben will take you right over to Madam Van Ruypen's. Which shall it be?"