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headache to show that Polly fills a long…felt want in this camp。 You
think of her as a modest spoke in the wheel till she disappears； and
then you find she was the hub。'
'Yes；' said Margery； 'I think every one round this fire is simply
angelic； unless I except Jack； but the fact is that Polly iswell；
she isPolly； and I dare any one to contradict me。'
'The judgment of the court is confirmed；' said Philip。
'And the shark said； 〃If you
Don't believe it is true；
Just look at my wisdom tooth！〃'
sang Geoffrey。
'And if any one ever tells me again that she has red hair and hasn't
good features； I should just like to show them a picture of her as
she was to…day at the dinner…table！' exclaimed Bell。
'As if anybody needed features with those dimples；' added Elsie； 'or
would mind red hair when it was such pretty hair！'
'I think a report of this conversation would go far towards curing
Polly；' said Dr。 Winship； with a smile。
'And you say we can't go in there before we go to bed； mamacita？'
whispered Bell in her mother's ear； as the boys said good…nightand
went towards their tent。
'My dear；' she answered decidedly； with a fond kiss for each of the
girls； 'Polly herself asked me to keep everybody away。'
Polly herself wanted to be alone！ Would wonders never cease？
Meanwhile Dicky； who had disappeared for a moment； came back to the
fire； his bosom heaving with grief and rage。
'I went to my play…tent；' he sobbed； 'and putted my hand underneath
the curtain and gave Polly a piece of my supper cake I saved for her…
…not the frosted part； but the burnt part I couldn't eatand she
liked it and kissed my handand then I fought she was lonesome； and
would like to see my littlest frog； and I told her to put out her
hand again for a s'prise； and I squeezed him into it tight； so 't he
wouldn't jumpand she fought it was more cake； and when she found it
wasn't she frew my littlest frog clear away； and it got losted！'
This brought a howl of mirth from everybody； and Dicky was
instructed； while being put to bed； not to squeeze little frogs into
people's hands in the dark； as it sometimes affected them
unpleasantly。
All this time Polly was lying in the tent； quite exhausted with
crying； and made more wretched by every sound of voices wafted
towards her。 Presently Gin appeared with her night…wrapper and
various things for comfort sent her by the girls； and as she wearily
undressed herself and prepared for the night； she found three little
messages of comfort pinned on the neck and sleeves of her flannel
gown； written in such colossal letters that she could easily read
them by the moonlight。
On the right sleeve：…
Cheer up！ 'I will never desert Mr。 Micawber！' BELL
On the left sleeve：…
Darling Polly；Get well soon； or we shall all be sick in order to
stay with you。 Lovingly； MEG。
PS。Jack said you were the LIFE OF THE CAMP！ What do you think of
that？？ M。
On the neck：…
Dearest；You have always called me the Fairy Godmother； and
pretended I could see things that other people couldn't。
The boys （great stupids！） think you have the headache。 We girls can
all see that you are in trouble； but only the Fairy Godmother KNOWS
WHY； and though she can't make a beautiful gold coach out of this
pumpkin； because there's something wrong about the pumpkin； yet she
will do her best for Cinderella； and pull her out of the ashes
somehow。
ELSIE。
Polly's tears fell fast on the dear little notes； which she kissed
again and again； and tucked under her pillow to bring her sleep。
'Elsie knows something；' she thought； 'but how？ she knows that I'm in
trouble and that I've done wrong； or she wouldn't have said that
about not being able to turn a bad pumpkin into a beautiful gold
coach； but perhaps she can get Aunt Truth to forgive me and try me
again。 Unless she can do it； it will never come to pass； for I
haven't the courage to ask her。 I would rather run away early in the
morning and go home than have her look at me again as she did to…day。
Oh！ what shall I do？' and Polly went down on her knees beside the
rough couch； and sobbed her heart out in a childish prayer for help
and comfort。 It was just the prayer of a little child telling a
sorrowful story； because it is when we are alone and in trouble that
the unknown and mysterious God seems to us most like a Father； and we
throw ourselves into the arms of His love like helpless children； and
tell Him our secret thoughts and griefs。
'Dear Father in heaven；' she sobbed； 'don't forgive me if I ought not
to be forgiven； but please make Aunt Truth feel how sorry I am； and
show me whether I ought to tell what made me so angry； though it's no
excuse。 Bless and keep my darling patient little mother； and help me
to grow more like her； and braver and stronger too； so that I can
take care of her soon； and she needn't work hard any longer。 Please
forgive me for hating some things in my life as much as I do； and I
will try and like them better； but I thinkyes； I knowthat I am
full of wicked pride； and oh； it seems as if I could never； never get
over wanting to live in a pretty house； and wear pretty dresses； and
have my mother live like Bell's and Margery's。 And oh； if Thou canst
only forgive me for hating boarders so dreadfully； and being ashamed
of them every minute； I will try and like them better and tell
everybody that we take themI will indeed； and if I can only once
make Aunt Truth love and trust me again； I will make the boarders'
beds and dust their rooms for ever without grumbling。 Please； dear
Father in heaven； remember that I haven't any father to love me or to
teach me to be good； and though mamma does her best； please help her
to make something out of me if it can be done。 Amen。'
'Truth；' said Mrs。 Howard； when all was quiet about the camp； 'Elsie
wants to see you a moment before she goes to sleep。 Will you go to
her tent； while I play a game of cribbage with Dr。 Paul？'
Elsie looked like a blossom in all the beautiful greenness of her
tent； with her yellow head coming out from above the greens and
browns of the cretonne bed…cover for all the world like a daffodil
pushing its way up through the mould towards the spring sunshine。
'Aunt Truth；' she said softly； as Mrs。 Winship sat down beside her；
'you remember that Dr。 Paul hung my hammock in a new place to…day；
just behind the girls' sleeping…tent。 Now I know that Polly is in
trouble； and that you are displeased with her。 What I want to ask；
if I may； is； how much you know； for I overheard a great deal myself…
…enough to feel that Polly deserves a hearing。'
'I overheard nothing；' replied Mrs。 Winship。 'All that I know Polly
herself confessed in Laura's presence。 Polly told Laura； just as she
was going away； that everybody would be glad to see the last of her；
and that she had made everybody miserable from the beginning of her
visit。 It was quite inexcusable； you know； dear； for one of my
guests to waylay another； just as she was leaving； and make such a
cruel speech。 I would rather anything else had happened。 I know how
impetuous Polly is； and I can forgive the child almost anything； her
heart is so full of love and generosity； but I cannot overlook such a
breach of propriety as that。 Of course I have seen that Laura is not
a favourite with any of you。 I confess she is not a very lovable
person； and I think she has led a very unwholesome life lately and is
sadly spoiled by it； still that is no excuse for Polly's conduct。'
'No； of course it isn't；' sighed Elsie； with a little quiver of the
lip。 'I thought I could plead a better case for Polly； but I see
exactly how thoughtless and impolite she was； yet； if you knew
everything； auntie； dear； you would feel a little different。 Do you
think it was nice of Laura to repeat what Polly said right before
her； and just as she was going away； when she knew it would make you
uncomfortable and that you were not to blame for it？'
'No； hardly。 It didn't show much tact； but girls of fifteen or
sixteen are not always remarkable for social tact。 I excused her
partly because she was half…sick and nervous。'
'Well；' Elsie went on； 'I didn't hear the whole quarrel； so that I do
not know how long it lasted nor who began it。 I can't help thinking
it was Laura； though； for she's been trying her best to provoke Polly
for the last fortnight； and until to…day she has never really
succeeded。 I was half asleep； and heard at first only the faint
murmur of voices； but when I was fully awake； Laura was telling Polly
that she doted on you simply because you had money and position；
while she had not； that you were all so partial to her that she had
lost sight of her own deficiencies。 Then she called her bold and
affected； and I don't know what else； and finally wound up by saying
that nobody but the Winships would be likely to make a pet of the
daughter of a boarding…house keeper。'
'Elsie！' ejaculated Mrs。 Winship； 'this grows worse and worse！ Is it
possible that Laura Burton could be guilty of such a thought？'
'I can't be mistaken。 I was too excited not to hear very clearly；
and the moment the words were spoken I knew my poor