Part 57

"Vexed?" cried Pickering. "I should rather say not! Polly, I'm lazy and selfish, and good for nothing; but I couldn't be vexed, for 'twas awfully hard for you to do."

"I guess it was," said Polly. Then she gave a little laugh, for it was all bright and jolly again, and she knew that Pickering would keep his word.

And that evening, after Jasper and she had a dance--they were so happy, they couldn't keep still--in the wide hall, Jasper burst out suddenly with a fresh idea.

"Polly," he said, drawing her off to rest on one of the high, carved chairs, "there's one more thing."

"Oh, what is it Jasper?" she cried gaily, with flushed cheeks. "Oh, wasn't that spin just delicious?"

"Wasn't it?" cried Jasper heartily. "Well, now, Polly," flinging himself down on the next chair, "it's just this. Do you know, I don't believe we ought to have our play."

"Not have our play?" Polly peered around to look closely into his face. "What do you mean, Jasper?"

"You see, Polly, Pick was to take a prominent part, and he ought not to, you know; it will take him from his lessons to rehearse and all that. And he's so backward there's a whole lot for him to make up."

"Well, but Pickering will have to give up his part, then," said Polly decidedly, "for we've simply got to have that play, to get the money to help that poor brakeman's family."

Jasper winced. "I know; we must earn it somehow," he said.

"We must earn it by the play," said Polly. "And besides, Jasper, we voted at the club meeting to have it. So there, now," she brought up triumphantly.

"We could vote to rescind that vote," said Jasper.

"Well, we don't want to. Why, Jasper, how that would look on our two record books!" said Polly in surprise, for Jasper was so proud of his club and its records.

"Yes, of course; as our two clubs united that evening, it must go down in both books," said Jasper slowly.

"Yes, of course," assented Polly happily. "Well, now, you see, Jasper, that we really can't give it up, for we've gone too far. Pickering will have to let some one else take the part of the chief brigand." For the little play was almost all written by Polly's fingers, Jasper filling out certain parts when implored to give advice: and brigands, and highway robberies, and buried treasures, and rescued maidens, and gallant knights, figured generously, in a style to give immense satisfaction.

"And the play is so very splendid!" cried Jasper. "Oh dear me! what ought we to do, Polly?" He buried his face in his hands a moment.

"Pickering must give up his part," said Polly again.

"But, Polly, you know he has been in all our plays," said Jasper. "And he'll feel so badly, and now he's got all this trouble about his lessons on his mind," and Jasper's face fell.

Polly twisted uncomfortably on her chair. "Oh dear me!" she began, "I suppose we must give it up."

"And if we gave it up, not altogether, but put it off till he catches up on his studies," suggested Jasper, "why, he wouldn't be dropped out."

"But the poor brakeman's family, Jasper," said Polly, puzzled that Jasper should forget the object of the play.

"Oh, I didn't mean that we should put off earning the money, Polly," cried Jasper, quite horrified at such a thought. "We must do something else, so that we can sell just as many tickets."

"But what will it be?" asked Polly, trying not to feel crushed, and sighing at the disappearance of the beautiful play, for a time at least.

"Well, we could have recitations, for one thing," said Jasper, feeling dreadfully to see Polly's disappointment, and concealing his own, for he had set his heart on the play too.

"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, wrinkling up her face in disdain. "Jasper, do you know, I am so tired of recitations!"

"So am I," Jasper bobbed his head in sympathy, "but we boys have some new ones, learned for last exhibition, so Pick won't have to take a moment from his lessons. And then we can have music, and you will play, Polly."

"Oh Jasper, I've played so much," said Polly, "they're all tired of hearing me."

"They never would be tired of hearing you, Polly," said Jasper simply. "Every one of us thinks you play beautifully."