Ben came in and hung his cap up on its peg¹ behind the door. Polly didn't see his face, for she was tying on Phronsie's eating apron², and Mother Pepper was in the pantry, else some one would have discovered that he was strangely excited.  
"Come," said Polly, "we can't wait any longer for those boys. Can we, Mamsie?" she called.
 
"No, we better sit down," said Mrs. Pepper, coming out with a plate in her hand. "I'm sorry they're late, for I've got a surprise for you all to-night." She set the plate on the table, and her black eyes sparkled. "Now, then, see that!"
 
"Ooh!" cried Polly, her brown eyes very wide, while Phronsie stopped climbing into her chair to precipitate³ herself into the midst of the group. "See, Ben! See!" exclaimed Polly, "it's white cake with real frosting on top. Oh, Mammy, where did you get it?"
 
Ben looked at the six big slices lying across the plate, but he didn't seem to see them. However, Polly didn't notice, for she was dancing around the table with Phronsie, to see which side the cake looked the best.
 
"White on top--real white on top!" sang Phronsie, beating her little hands together.
 
"I know it," cried Polly, almost as much excited. "Oh, how I wish those two boys were here! Mamsie, where did you get it? from dear Mrs. Henderson, I s'pose."
 
"No, guess again," said Mrs. Pepper, cheerily. Then she looked at Ben steadily⁴ out of her black eyes. "I was going past Miss Barber's, and she knocked on the window, and when I stopped she ran out, and gave it to me all done up. 'I've been watching for you,' she said, 'for I knew you were helping⁵ at Deacon Brown's to-day. We had comp'ny last night, and I want you to have some of sister's cake. She's had real good luck.' So that's all the story about the cake, Polly." Mother Pepper still looked at Ben, though she spoke⁶ as cheerily as ever.
 
"I'm so glad Miss Barber did have company last night," said Polly, her mouth watering for the taste of "sister's cake."
 
"I want a piece," said Phronsie, stopping her dance suddenly, to hold out both hands.
 
"Oh, no, Phronsie," said Polly, with a little laugh, "you must eat your bread first. Folks don't ever eat cake first."
 
"Don't they?" asked Phronsie.
 
"No, indeed; there, hop⁷ up into your chair." Polly flew into her own. "Why don't those boys come?" she cried in a vexed⁸ little way.
 
"It won't make them come any quicker to fret⁹ over it," observed Mother Pepper, composedly, and getting into her chair. "Come, Ben, sit down, and we'll begin."
 
So the grace was said, and the bread was passed. "Oh, Ben!" exclaimed Polly, in dismay, "you didn't wash your hands!" as he was going to take a piece.
 
"I forgot it," said Ben, looking down at them. Then he got out of his chair and went out into the woodshed, where a tin basin and a towel and soap were always ready, for Mother Pepper said they might be poor, and that they couldn't help, but they could keep clean and nice.
 
Polly nibbled¹⁰ at her dry bread, but she couldn't keep her eyes off the cake, and Phronsie bit little pieces all around the edge of her slice. Then she laid it down. "Now I'm ready for the cake," she said, holding out both hands again. "Please give it to me, Mammy."
 
"Oh, no, Phronsie," said Mrs. Pepper, shaking her head, "Mother can't give it to you till you've eaten all your slice. Besides, you must wait till Polly is through, and I will pass it to her first."
 
"I don't want any more bread, Mammy dear," said Phronsie, gravely.
 
"You must eat it," said Mrs. Pepper, firmly.
 
"See, Phronsie, mine's going fast," cried Polly, with another bite that rapidly diminished her slice. "Oh, you can't think how soon it will be gone, if you begin to eat." And Polly munched¹² away determinedly¹³, but she kept looking at the cake. Ben came in, and slid into his chair, and took a piece of bread.
 
"Why don't those boys--" began Polly. "Oh, I forgot, Mamsie," with a little laugh, and the door opened, and in burst Joel and David with very red faces, and talking at once.
 
"Oh, it's comin'!"
 
"Over at Hillsbury--"
 
"Horses and--"
 
"Monkeys--"
 
"And a big elephant and--"
 
"A band--" this from Joel, who screamed it above Davie's faint treble.
 
"And a bear, and a hippi--hoppi--"
 
Polly dropped her bread-slice in astonishment¹⁴, and Mrs. Pepper sat quite straight in her chair. Phronsie had just concluded to try again and do like Polly, so she sat quite still and stared, with her bread halfway¹⁵ to her mouth. Ben's head drooped¹⁶ over his plate, and he pushed his bread in rapidly, nearly choking himself.
 
"Boys," said Mrs. Pepper, "don't both talk together. Joel, you may begin, because you are the oldest." But it was impossible to stop them, as they rushed up to her and threw their arms around her.
 
"Oh, Mammy," cried little Davie, his cheeks aflame, "you can't think--there's monkeys!"
 
At that Phronsie gave a little squeal¹⁷, and before Polly could stop her, she slipped out of her chair and plunged¹⁸ over to her mother. "Oh, Mammy, I want a monkey, I do."
 
"And bears--and horses," shouted Joel, winding¹⁹ both arms around Mother Pepper's neck.
 
"Whatever in all this world!" exclaimed Mrs. Pepper, looking over their heads. Then her eyes fell on Ben. "Do you know anything of all this?" she asked.
 
"Yes'm," said Ben, his head dropping lower yet, while Joel and David howled on, and Phronsie screamed to be taken up in her mother's lap, and that she wanted a monkey too. Polly sat as if paralyzed.
 
"What is it?" asked Mrs. Pepper.
 
"The circus," said Ben, slowly, "coming over to Hillsbury."
 
Polly sprang from her chair, upsetting it, and plunged over to Mrs. Pepper. "Oh, Mamsie!" she screamed, as loud as the others, "the circus! the circus! Oh, oh! Can't we go? We must!"
 
Poor Mrs. Pepper sank back in her chair, with the four little Peppers swarming²⁰ all around her, and all pleading together, till the kitchen seemed fairly to ring with the noise.
 
"We can't, Polly," said Ben, hoarsely²¹. "You know we can't. And Joel and David ought not to have told."
 
Polly turned a deaf ear, and kept on, "Oh, Mamsie, we've never seen one, 'cept the pictures. We must go!" On hearing this from Polly, Joel and David made as much worse clamor as was possible, drowning Phronsie's voice.
 
"Aren't you ashamed, Polly!" cried Ben over at her. "You know we can't go, so what's the use?"
 
"We can go," cried Polly, passionately²², back at him, "if Mamsie'll only say so. We've never seen one, and we must go."
 
"Now, children," said Mother Pepper, in a firm voice that rose above the din¹¹, "stop, every one of you, at once, and go and sit down."
 
When Mamsie spoke like that, the five little Peppers always knew that she meant to be obeyed, so they drew off from her and tumbled into their chairs; all but Phronsie. "I'll take you into my lap," said Mother Pepper, so Phronsie snuggled, well-contented, in her usual nest, and folded her small hands.
 
"Now, then," said Mrs. Pepper, "as it is quiet enough so I can think, I'll hear the story. Ben, you may begin."
 
"Oh, let me--let me, Mamsie," begged Joel. "You said I might, 'cause I'm the oldest."
 
"That was because it was between you and David to tell it, and you didn't take the chance," said Mother Pepper, coolly. "Now Ben must do it."
 
"Why, there's a big yellow paper down to the store," began Ben, slowly, and trying to make it as short as possible, "and--"
 
"It's got pictures of all the horses," interrupted Joel, springing up from his seat, his black eyes dancing, "and--"
 
"Joel, sit down," said Mrs. Pepper, sternly, "and don't interrupt. Go on, Ben."
 
Joel dropped, as if shot, back into his chair.
 
"And it's comin' to Hillsbury next week Wednesday," went on Ben, unwillingly²³, "and that's all, Mamsie. Only Joe and David shouldn't a-told."
 
"Tisn't all," declared Polly, defiantly²⁴, with very red cheeks; "we must go! We've never seen a circus, and now it's goin' to be in Hillsbury, we must go!" She seemed unable to stop herself. Ben stared at her in amazement²⁵.
 
"Must is a hard word to use, Polly," said Mother Pepper, dryly.
 
"I mean you'll let us, I 'most know," mumbled²⁶ Polly, her cheeks turning scarlet²⁷, and twisting her hands together. "Won't you, Mamsie?"
 
"Won't you, Mamsie?" piped Phronsie, poking²⁸ her head up like a little bird out of her nest, to look into Mother Pepper's face.
 
"How much does it cost, Ben?" asked Mrs. Pepper, smiling down at her baby, but not answering.
 
"Fifteen cents for any one over twelve, and ten cents for boys and girls under twelve," said Ben.
 
"Um, that would be one fifteen cents for you, and ten cents for Polly and Joel, and--"
 
"Why, you must go, Mamsie," cried Polly; "we shouldn't any of us want to go without you, should we, Ben?"
 
"No, indeed," said Ben. "But we ain't any of us going, Polly," he finished.
 
At this there was another howl, breaking out from the two boys. Polly turned quite pale, but said nothing.
 
"Be quiet, Joel and David," said Mrs. Pepper, turning her black eyes on them. "No, children, if I could let you go at all, I should trust you with such a boy as Ben, and such a girl as Polly, to look after you." Polly raised her head, that had drooped at her mother's reproof²⁹, and Ben sat quite straight in his chair. "But I don't see as it's right for me to let you go." There was a sign of another outbreak, but something in Mamsie's eyes stopped it halfway.
 
"In the first place, it's five miles to Hillsbury," said Mrs. Pepper, slowly, as if trying to put off the final decision as long as possible; "and you younger children couldn't walk it."
 
"I could, Mamsie," declared Joel, springing up again.
 
"Sit down, Joel; well, Davie couldn't. I shouldn't be willing for him to try, and walk clear back. And Phronsie--" Mrs. Pepper looked down at Phronsie's yellow head, and smiled. It wasn't necessary for her to say a word. "Mr. Tisbett'll be goin' over," said little Davie, hopefully, "an' he can take us."
 
"And that would cost money," said Mrs. Pepper.
 
"Somebody will let us sit in behind," said Joel, confidently; "there'll be lots of wagons³⁰ goin'."
 
"And ever so many people going in them," added Mrs. Pepper. "No, my children shan't ever be a burden to other folks," and she lifted her head proudly. "Polly, run into the bedroom and get the stocking-leg." The stocking-leg, in the upper drawer of the big bureau that belonged to Father Pepper's mother, always held the stray quarters and half dollars laid up for a nest-egg against a rainy day. Polly jumped out of her chair, glad to have something to do, and ran into the bedroom.
 
"I sh'd have screamed if I'd sat there another minute longer," she said, leaning up against the bureau. "O dear me! We must--I mean, what shall we do if we can't go? I guess Mamsie will let us go." And she pulled open the upper drawer, took out the stocking-leg, and ran back to put it in Mrs. Pepper's hand.
 
Mrs. Pepper slowly untied³¹ the red flannel³² string and shook out the contents on the table, the eyes of all five little Peppers riveted³³ on them. There were six silver quarters, t............