CHAPTER III. POLLY'S TROUBLES

ndI'mgoingtodoit,nowI'vegotachancesoclearthelul-la!”AndawaywentindependentPolly,withherhairblowinginthewind,andanexpressionofgenuineenjoyment,whichaveryrednosedidn'tdamageintheleast. “Goodforyou,Polly!”Andcastinghimselfuponhissled,withthemostrecklessdisregardforhisribs,offwhizzedTomafterher,andcamealongsidejustasshereinedup“GeneralGrant”onthebroadpathbelow.“Oh,won'tyougetitwhenwegohome?”criedtheyounggentleman,evenbeforehechangedhisgracefulattitude. “Ishan't,ifyoudon'tgoandtellbutofcourseyouwill,”addedPolly,sittingstill,whileananxiousexpressionbegantostealoverherhappyface. “Ijustwon't,then,”returnedTom,withthenaturalperversityofhistribe. “Iftheyaskme,Ishalltell,ofcourseiftheydon'task,Ithinkthere'snoharminkeepingstill.Ishouldn'thavedoneit,ifIhadn'tknownmymotherwaswillingbutIdon'twishtotroubleyourmotherbytellingofit.Doyouthinkitwasverydreadfulofme?”askedPolly,lookingathim. “IthinkitwasdownrightjollyandIwon'ttell,ifyoudon'twantmeto.Now,comeupandhaveanother,”saidTom,heartily. “Justonemorethelittlegirlswanttogo,thisistheirsled.” “Let'emtakeit,itisn'tgoodformuchandyoucomeonmine.Mazeppa'sastunneryouseeifheisn't.” SoPollytuckedherselfupinfront,Tomhungonbehindinsomemysteriousmanner,andMazeppaprovedthathefullymeritedhismaster'ssincereifinelegantpraise.Theygotoncapitallynow,forTomwasinhispropersphere,andshowedhisbestside,beingcivilandgayinthebluffboy-fashionthatwasnaturaltohimwhilePollyforgottobeshy,andlikedthissortof“toughening”muchbetterthantheother.Theylaughedandtalked,andkepttaking“justonemore,”tillthesunshinewasallgone,andtheclocksstruckdinner-time. “Weshallbelatelet'srun,”saidPolly,astheycameintothepathafterthelastcoast. “Youjustsitstill,andI'llgetyouhomeinajiffy”andbeforeshecouldunpackherself,Tomtrottedoffwithheratafinepace. “Here'sapairofcheeks!Iwishyou'dgetacolorlikethis,Fanny,”saidMr.Shaw,asPollycameintothedining-roomaftersmoothingherhair. “Yournoseisasredasthatcranberrysauce,”answeredFan,comingoutofthebigchairwhereshehadbeencurledupforanhourortwo,deepin“LadyAudley'sSecret.” “Soitis,”saidPolly,shuttingoneeyetolookattheoffendingfeature.“NevermindI'vehadagoodtime,anyway,”sheadded,givingalittlepranceinherchair. “Idon'tseemuchfuninthesecoldrunsyouaresofondoftaking,”saidFanny,withayawnandashiver. “Perhapsyouwouldifyoutriedit”andPollylaughedassheglancedatTom. “Didyougoalone,dear?”askedgrandma,pattingtherosycheekbesideher. “Yes'mbutImetTom,andwecamehometogether.”Polly'seyestwinkledwhenshesaidthat,andTomchokedinhissoup. “Thomas,leavethetable!”commandedMr.Shaw,ashisincorrigiblesongurgledandgaspedbehindhisnapkin. “Pleasedon'tsendhimaway,sir.Imadehimlaugh,”saidPolly,penitently. “What'sthejoke?”askedFanny,wakingupatlast. “Ishouldn'tthinkyou'dmakehimlaugh,whenhe'salwaysmakingyoucwy,”observedMaud,whohadjustcomein. “Whathaveyoubeendoingnow,sir?”demandedMr.Shaw,asTomemerged,redandsolemn,fromhisbriefobscurity. “Nothingbutcoast,”hesaid,gruffly,forpapawasalwayslecturinghim,andlettingthegirlsdojustastheyliked. “So'sPollyIsawher.MeandBlanchewerecominghomejustnow,andwesawherandTomwidingdownthehillonhissled,andthenhedwaggedhereversofar!”criedMaud,withhermouthfull. “Youdidn't?”andFannydroppedherforkwithascandalizedface. “Yes,Idid,andlikediteversomuch,”answeredPolly,lookinganxiousbutresolute. “Didanyoneseeyou?”criedFanny. “Onlysomelittlegirls,andTom.” “ItwashorridlyimproperandTomoughttohavetoldyouso,ifyoudidn'tknowanybetter.Ishouldbemortifiedtodeathifanyofmyfriendssawyou,”addedFan,muchdisturbed. “Now,don'tyouscold.It'snoharm,andPollyshallcoastifshewantstomayn'tshe,grandma?”criedTom,gallantlycomingtotherescue,andsecuringapowerfulally. “MymotherletsmeandifIdon'tgoamongtheboys,Ican'tseewhatharmthereisinit,”saidPolly,beforeMadamcouldspeak. “Peopledomanythingsinthecountrythatarenotproperhere,”beganMrs.Shaw,inherreprovingtone. “Let