CHAPTER V. SCRAPES

ttheidea. “Allthemorefun.Fanhasn'ttreatedyouwell,anditwillserveherrightifyouintroducemeasyourdearfriend,MissShaw.Comeon,itwillbeajollylark.” “Iwouldn'tfortheworlditwouldbesomean.Take'emoff,Tom,andI'llplayanythingelseyoulike.” “Iain'tgoingtodressupfornothingIlooksolovely,someonemustadmireme.Takemedown,Polly,andseeiftheydon'tcallme'asweetcreature.'” Tomlookedsounutterablyridiculousashetossedhiscurlsandpranced,thatPollywentoffintoanothergaleofmerrimentbutevenwhileshelaughed,sheresolvednottolethimmortifyhissister. “Now,then,getoutofthewayifyouwon'tcomeI'mgoingdown,”saidTom. “No,you'renot.” “Howwillyouhelpit,MissPrim?” “So.”AndPollylockedthedoor,putthekeyinherpocket,andnoddedathimdefiantly. Tomwasapepper-potastotemper,andanythinglikeoppositionalwayshadabadeffect.Forgettinghiscostume,hestrodeuptoPolly,saying,withathreateningwagofthehead,“Noneofthat.Iwon'tstandit.” “PromisenottoplagueFan,andI'llletyouout.” “Won'tpromiseanything.Givemethatkey,orI'llmakeyou.” “Now,Tom,don'tbesavage.Ionlywanttokeepyououtofascrape,forFanwillberagingifyougo.Takeoffherthings,andI'llgiveup.” Tomvouchsafednoreply,butmarchedtotheotherdoor,whichwasfast,asPollyknew,lookedoutofthethree-storywindow,andfindingnoescapepossible,camebackwithawrathfulface.“Willyougivemethatkey?” “No,Iwon't,”saidPolly,valiantly. “I'mstrongerthanyouaresoyou'dbetterhandover.” “Iknowyouarebutit'scowardlyforagreatboylikeyoutorobagirl.” “Idon'twanttohurtyoubut,byGeorge!Iwon'tstandthis!” TompausedasPollyspoke,evidentlyashamedofhimselfbuthistemperwasup,andhewouldn'tgivein.IfPollyhadcriedalittlejusthere,hewouldhaveyieldedunfortunatelyshegiggled,forTom'sfierceattitudewassuchafunnycontrasttohisdressthatshecouldn'thelpit.Thatsettledthematter.Nogirlthateverlivedshouldgiggleathim,muchlesslockhimuplikeasmallchild.Withoutaword,hemadeagrabatPolly'sarm,forthehandholdingthekeywasstillinher,pocket.Withherotherhandsheclutchedherfrock,andforaminuteheldonstoutly.ButTom'sstrongfingerswereirresistibleripwentthepocket,outcamethehand,andwithacryofpainfromPolly,thekeyfellonthefloor. “It'syourownfaultifyou'rehurt.Ididn'tmeanto,”mutteredTom,ashehastilydeparted,leavingPollytogroanoverhersprainedwrist.Hewentdown,butnotintotheparlor,forsomehowthejokeseemedtohavelostitsrelishsohemadethegirlsinthekitchenlaugh,andthencreptupthebackway,hopingtomakeitallrightwithPolly.Butshehadgonetograndma'sroom,for,thoughtheoldladywasout,itseemedarefuge.Hehadjusttimetogetthingsinorder,whenFannycameup,crosserthaneverforTrixhadbeentellingherofallsortsoffuninwhichshemighthavehadashare,ifPollyhadheldhertongue. “Whereisshe?”askedFan,wishingtoventhervexationonherfriend. “Mopinginherroom,Isuppose,”repliedTom,whowasdiscoveredreadingstudiously. Now,whilethishadbeenhappening,Maudhadbeengettingintohotwateralsoforwhenhermaidlefther,toseeafriendbelow,MissMaudparadedintoPolly'sroom,andsolacedherselfwithmischief.InanevilhourPollyhadletherplayboatinherbigtrunk,whichstoodempty.SincethenPollyhadstoredsomeofhermostprivatetreasuresintheuppertray,sothatshemightfeelsuretheyweresafefromalleyes.Shehadforgottentolockthetrunk,andwhenMaudraisedthelidtobeginhervoyage,severalobjectsofinterestmethereyes.ShewasdeepinherresearcheswhenFancameinandlookedoverhershoulder,feelingtoocrosswithPollytochideMaud. AsPollyhadnomoneyforpresents,shehadexertedheringenuitytodeviseallsortsofgifts,hopingbyquantitytoatoneforanyshortcomingsinquality.Someofherattemptsweresuccessful,otherswerefailuresbutshekeptthemall,fineorfunny,knowingthechildrenathomewouldenjoyanythingnew.SomeofMaud'scast-offtoyshadbeenneatlymendedforKittysomeofFan'soldribbonsandlaceswereconvertedintodolls'fineryandTom'slittlefigures,whittledoutofwoodinidleminutes,werelaidawaytoshowWillwhatcouldbedonewithaknife. “Whatrubbish!”saidFanny. “Queergirl,isn'tshe?”addedTom,whohadfollowedtoseewhatwasgoingon. “Don'tyoulaughatPolly'sthings.Shemakesnicerdollsthanyou,FanandshecanwiteanddwareversomuchbetterthanTom,”criedMaud.“Howdoyouknow?Ineversawherdraw,”saidTom. “Here'sabookwithlotsofpicturesinit.Ican'tweadthewitingbutthepicturesaresofunny.” Eagertodisplayherfriend'saccomplishments,Maudpulledoutafatlittlebook,marked“Polly'sJournal,”andspreaditinherlap. “Onlythepicturesnoharmintakingalookat'em,”saidTom. “Justonepeep,”answeredFannyandthenextminutebothwerelaughingatadrollsketchofTominthegutter,withthebigdogho