V

       "THE PRESENTS ALL GO FROM SANTA CLAUS"

       Table of Contents

      Joel protested up to the very last that he couldn't go to see the big lady in the black silk coat.

      "But maybe she won't have it on," said David, who had been anxiously hanging on Joel's every word, and surveying his round countenance in fear. Supposing Joel shouldn't really go! This would be worse than all, and David clasped and unclasped his hands nervously.

      "Of course she won't have it on!" exclaimed Polly, briskly. "Why, the very idea, she wouldn't wear that in the house!"

      "Now you see, Joel," cried David, much relieved, and his face brightening, "she won't, really, for Polly says so."

      "Well, you've got to go anyway," declared Ben, in a downright way there was no mistaking. "So say no more, Joe, but get your cap."

      The other Pepper children were all in a bunch in the wide hall revolving around Joel, who felt, as long as he postponed getting his coat and cap, he was surely safe from making the awful expedition. But now, seeing Ben's blue eyes upon him, he set out for the closet in the back hall where the boys' outer garments were kept, grumbling at every step.

      "O dear me! This is too dreadful for anything," sighed Polly, sinking down on the last step of the stairs. When Phronsie saw her do this, she hurried over, and snuggled up in her fur-trimmed coat as close as she could get to her side.

      "I wish Jasper was home," said Ben, with a long breath, and going across to stand in front of the two.

      "So we wish all the time," said Polly, "but then, he can't come till Friday, and that's just forever."

      Little David, left alone, thought the best thing he could do would be to run after Joel. So he precipitated himself upon that individual, who, just knocking down his cap from its hook, was beginning to prowl around the floor in the corner of the closet.

      "Can't find it," growled Joel, knocking off more things in his irritation.

      "Oh, let me!" cried David, delighted to help. "Let me, Joel; I'll get it!"

      "You keep off," cried Joel, lifting a hot, red face; "I'll get it myself. And I won't go to see that old woman!" he declared savagely.

      "Oh, yes, you must, Joe!" cried David, in alarm.

      "I won't, I won't, I won't!" declared Joel, feeling with each repetition of the word a happy independence.

      "Yes, indeed, the children have gone," a voice suddenly proclaimed above the stairs, as somebody opened the door and came out into the upper hall. "Yes, Mrs. Whitney, they have gone to Mrs. Van Ruypen's."

      "It's Mamsie," gasped David, clutching Joel's shoulders, who ducked back into his corner so suddenly that they both went down in a little heap.

      "Did she hear?" gasped Joel, holding his breath for the answer.

      "I don't believe so," said David, when he could extricate himself from Joel sufficiently, who now grasped him by both hands in a way very uncomfortable for conversation. "No, I don't really believe she did, Joel, 'cause she said we'd gone."

      "She'll hear us now, anyway," said Joel, thrust into the depths of gloom, his independence completely deserting him; "what'll we do?"

      Little David found his feet and tiptoed out to listen under the stairs. "She's going into her room," he announced in a whisper, coming back to the closet. "Come, Joey, do hurry."

      So Joel picked up his cap and crammed it on his head, and stepped out of the closet, but he had a very gloomy air when the two boys presented themselves in the front hall.

      "O there! now you see," said Polly to Ben, quite in despair, "just how very dreadful it's all going to be, when Joel goes with such a face."

      "Well, come on," said Ben, setting his lips tightly together. So Polly and Phronsie got off from the stair, and if the expedition was not begun in hilarity, it was at least started.

      But when they reached the big house of Mrs. Van Ruypen, that loomed up across the square like a heavy, dark brown fortress, the situation was much worse.

      "I'm not going in," declared Joel, all his terrors returning, and he planted his feet firmly on the pavement, determined not to go up the first step. How it was done, he never knew, but the next moment he was at the top of the flight under Ben's hands, who released him enough to ring the bell, and the butler answering the summons, Joel was really the first person to enter, which he did with a bound, as if extremely eager to get in.

      And then, it was all like a dream! They were ushered into a reception room, high and dark and gloomy, and told to take off their things, for madam would receive them upstairs. In the excitement of it all, Polly, while undoing Phronsie's coat and taking off her bonnet, forgot all about Joel, and it wasn't really until after they had mounted the long stairs that she had the first thought about him. And then, O dear me! there stood Madam Van Ruypen, with a long white hand, fairly blazing with rings, outstretched to welcome them.

      "Where's the other boy?" she demanded, looking over the group.

      "He came," said Polly, faintly, growing quite scarlet at such dreadful manners in one of her family, for which she felt responsible. "He really did, ma'am."

      "Impossible!" exclaimed Madam Van Ruypen; "you can see for yourself he's not here," and her face fell.

      Ben said never a word, but dashed down the long flight. There was Joel, the picture of gloom, on one of the big chairs in the reception room. He had run back, after Ben supposed that he was at his heels, and found the only refuge he could think of.

      "You're a nice boy," said Ben, picking him off from his chair. "Now march, Joe," and he kept him well in front of him; and at last, there he was, and Madam Van Ruypen had taken his hand. But he didn't look at her.

      "Well, at last you are all here," she was saying; "now I'm going to tell you what I wanted you for."

      No one of the five little Peppers appeared to breathe, except Phronsie, who chirped out, "Oh, we've come all this way to see you!"

      "Yes, yes, I know," said Madam Van Ruypen, who was vastly pleased at that, and she nodded her head, that had a ponderous affair of lace and jet upon it, down toward Phronsie; "but there was something I especially wanted of you, and I'll tell it in one word. You must choose the toys I'm going to send to some poor children." Without another word, she turned and swung the door wide to another room, and there, before their entranced eyes, was toyland!

      Joel took one look, and howled out, "Oh, I will; let me; let me!" bounding in.

      "So you shall," said Madam Van Ruypen, laughing heartily. "There, get in there, all of you, and set to work."

      There was no need to tell them this, and they were soon running about, not pausing long in any spot, for the attractions overflowed on tables and chairs, and even the carpet appeared to be covered with the best specimens of toys from all the shops in town. But Phronsie went directly over and sat down in front of a big doll, and gazed at her without a word.

      "Oh, it's just like Gallagher's," cried Polly, flying about with sparkling eyes, and she clasped her hands. "Oh, what richness!"

      "Hoh, it's better than Gallagher's," retorted Joel, in scorn, who had always thought that shop was the very finest place imaginable. "Dave, here's the steam-engine, the very one!" he cried, spying it in a corner.

      Madam