Part 70

So she ran back to the table and tore off two more strips, one short and the other long, and fixed them in between her hands.

"You didn't see?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Not a wink," said Jasper, laughing.

So Polly ran back, and Jasper drew the short one. "There; you have it, Polly!" he cried gleefully. "Oh, that's good!"

"Oh, I do hope I shall draw the right one, Jasper," she said, standing on tiptoe, her fingers trembling over the bowl.

"They are all of them good," said Jasper encouragingly. So Polly suddenly picked out one; and together they read, "Tom."

"Fine!" they shouted.

"Oh, isn't that perfectly splendid?" cried Polly, "because, you see, Phronsie did so very much wish to hear Tom sing," just as if she hadn't mentioned that fact before. "Now, Jasper."

"I'm in much the same predicament as you were," said Jasper, pausing, his hand over the bowl. "If I shouldn't choose the right one, Polly!"

"They are all of them good," said Polly, laughing at his face.

"Oh, I know, but it is a fearful responsibility," said Jasper, wrinkling his brows worse yet. "Well, here goes!"

He plunged his fingers in, and out they came with the strip, "Percy."

"Now, Jasper, you couldn't possibly have chosen better," declared Polly, hopping up and down, "for Phronsie did so want to hear Percy speak. And it will please Percy so. Oh, I'm so glad!"

"Well, I'm thankful I haven't to draw again," declared Jasper, "for we can't have but three pieces beside the overture, you know. So it's your turn now, Polly."

"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, the color dying down in her cheek, "if I shouldn't draw the right one, Jasper King; and it's the last chance."

She stood so long with her hand poised over the Chinese bowl, that Jasper finally laughed out. "Oh, Polly, aren't your tiptoes tired?"

"Not half so tired as I am," said Polly grimly. "Jasper, I'm going to run across the room, and then run back and draw suddenly without stopping to think."

"Do," cried Jasper.

So Polly ran into the further corner, and came flying up, to get on her tiptoes, thrust in her fingers, and bring out the third and last strip.

"The deed is done!" exclaimed Jasper. "Now, Polly, let's see who it is."

"Pick!" he shouted.

And "Pickering!" screamed Polly. And they took hold of hands and spun round and round the den.

"Oh, dear, we're knocking off your beautiful program," cried Polly, pausing in dismay.

"It hasn't hurt it any--our mad whirl hasn't," said Jasper, picking up the long program where it had slipped off the table to the floor. "Polly, you can't think how I wanted Pick to be chosen. It will do him so much good."

"And only think, if I hadn't chosen him out of that bowl!" cried Polly, in dismay at the very thought.

"Well, you did, Polly, so it's all right," said Jasper. "Now everything is fixed, and it's going to be the finest affair that ever was," he added enthusiastically; "and the best of it is--I can't help it, Polly--that Mrs. Chatterton isn't to come back till next week," he brought up in great satisfaction.

Mrs. Chatterton had gone to New York for some weeks, but was to return to finish her visit at "Cousin Horatio's."

"And I am so glad too," confessed Polly, but feeling as if she oughtn't to say it. "And isn't everything just beautiful, Jasper!"