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seat where Dicky was wont to take his afternoon nap。 There； in grief
and despair； she sobbed the afternoon through； dreading to be
disturbed and dreading to be questioned。
'My beautiful birthday spoiled；' she moaned； 'and all my own fault！
I was so happy this morning； but now was ever anybody so miserable as
I？ And even if I tell Aunt Truth what Laura said； she will think it
no excuse； and it isn't！'
As it neared supper…time she made an opening in the back of the tent；
and after long watching caught sight of Gin on his way to the brook
for water； signalled him； and gave him this despairing little note
for Mrs。 Winship：…
Dear Aunt Truth；I don't ask you to forgive meI don't deserve to
be forgivenbut I ask you to do me just one more of your dear little
kindnesses。 Let me stay alone in Dicky's tent till morning； and
please don't let any one come near me。 You can tell everybody the
whole story to…night； if you think best； though I should be glad if
only Dr。 Paul and Bell need know； but I do not mind anything after
displeasing younothing can be so bad as that。 Perhaps you think I
ought to come out and confess it to them myself； as a punishment； but
oh； Aunt Truth； I am punishing myself in here alone worse than any
one else can do it。 I will go back to Santa Barbara any time that
you can send me to the stage station； and I will never ask you to
love me again until I have learned how to control my temper。 Your
wretched； wretched
POLLY。
P。S。I remember that it is my birthday； and all that you have done
for me； to…day and all the other days。 It looks as if I were
ungrateful； but in spite of what I did I am not。 The words just
blazed out； and I never knew that they were going to be said till I
heard them falling from my mouth。 It seems to me that if I ever
atone for this I will have a slate and pencil hanging to my belt； and
only write what I have to say。 POLLY。
The moisture came to Mrs。 Winship's eyes as she read this tear…
stained little note。 'There's something here I don't quite
understand；' she thought； 'and yet Polly confessed that Laura told
the truth。 Poor child！but she has got to learn patience and self…
control through suffering。 However； I'll keep the matter a secret
from everybody at present； and stand between her and my inquisitive
brood of youngsters；' and she slipped the note into her pocket。
At six o'clock the members of the family came into camp from various
directions； and gathered about the supper…table。 All were surprised
at Laura's sudden departure； but no one seemed especially grief…
stricken。 Dicky announced confidentially to Philip that Laura was a
'norful 'fraid…cat of frogs；' and Jack ventured the opinion that Miss
Laura hadn't 'boy' enough in her for camp…life。
'But where is Polly？' asked Bell； looking round the table； as she
pinned up her riding…skirt and sat down in her usual seat。
'She has a bad headache； and is lying down；' said Mrs。 Winship；
quietly； 'she'll be all right in the morning。'
'Headache！' ejaculated four or five people at once； dropping their
napkins and looking at each other in dismay。
'I'll go and rub her head with Cologne；' said Margery。
'Let me go and sit with her；' said Elsie。
'Have you been teasing her； Jack？' asked Mrs。 Howard。
'Too much birthday？' asked Dr。 Paul。 'Tell her we can spare almost
anybody else better。'
'Bless the child； she wants me if she is sick。 Go on with your
suppers； I'll see to her；' and Bell rose from the table。
'No； my dear； I want you all to leave her alone at present；' said
Mrs。 Winship； decidedly。 'I've put her to bed in Dicky's play…tent；
and I want her to be quiet。 Gin has taken her some supper； and she
needs rest。'
Polly Oliver in need of rest！ What an incomprehensible statement！
Nobody was satisfied； but there was nothing more to be said； though
Bell and Philip exchanged glances as much as to say； 'Something is
wrong。'
Supper ended； and they gathered round the camp…fire； but nothing was
quite as usual。 It was all very well to crack jokes； but where was a
certain merry laugh that was wont to ring out； at the smallest
provocation； in such an infectious way that everybody else followed
suit？ And who was there； when Polly had the headache； to make a
saucy speech and look down into the fire innocently； while her
dimples did everything that was required in order to point the shaft？
And pray what was the use of singing when there was no alto to Bell's
treble； or of giving conundrums； since it was always Polly who
thought of nonsensical answers better than the real ones？ And as for
Jack； why； it was folly to shoot arrows of wit into the air when
there was no target。 He simply stretched himself out beside Elsie；
who was particularly quiet and snoozed peacefully； without taking any
part in the conversation； avowing his intention to 'turn in' early。
'Turn in' early； forsooth！ What was the matter with the boy？
'It's no use；' said Bell； plaintively； 'we can't be anything but
happy； now that we have Elsie here； but it needs only one small
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