Chapter 6 Polly's Surprise.
Once Joel was all better, things got almost back to normal in the little brown house.
Oh, I wish Dr Fisher would hurry and get here so he can take off these bandages once for all.
Polly said
He'll be here tomorrow, Polly, Mrs. Pepper reminded her.
I can't wait either, Davy blurted out.
Then he clapped his hand over his mouth and buried his head in Mrs Pepper's lap.
Other little Peppers could barely contain their excitement.
They all knew a very important secret that was going to happen that day.
Everyone except Polly knew.
That is because the secret was about her.
I'm afraid I'll tell her, Davy whispered.
No, you won't, Miss Pepper assured him.
But we must all do our best to keep Polly busy and out of the kitchen today.
Play a game, Ben suggested.
Play in the other room and let me get busy in the kitchen, Mamsie added.
Ben led Polly and the other children into the living room.
Then Ben sneaked back into the kitchen.
Polly, Franzi, Davy, and Joel clapped and stamped and shouted.
They could hardly hear the scraping and grating noises coming from the kitchen.
Oh, look, I see the... Franzi sang out.
Davy swooped in and tickled her before she could spoil the surprise.
"'What is that scraping noise?'
Polly finally asked.
"'I'll go see,' Joel said and flew into the kitchen.
There Joel saw his mother and Ben and two men at work on a big black thing in the corner.
The old stove was nowhere to be seen.
In its place was a shiny new one with lots of doors and burners.'
I bet Polly will be able to make me a beautiful birthday cake in that someday, Joel said.
You haven't told her, have you, Joel?
Mrs. Pepper asked.
No, but Polly can hear all the noise.
She wants to know what it is.
What will I do? he asked.
Play tag, sing a song, do anything.
We're almost done, Ben said.
Luckily, when Joel got back to the bedroom, Polly was busy nursing Francie's newly hurt finger.
Polly had forgotten all about the noise in the kitchen.
The next morning, it seemed as if the little brown house would turn inside out with joy.
Dr. Fisher untied the bandage around Polly's eyes.
Her eyelids fluttered a bit in the darkened room.
Then she opened her eyes wide.
The first thing Polly saw was her mother's smiling face.
Oh Mamsie, Polly cried, jumping into her mother's arms.
My eyes are new.
It's as if I just got them.
Do they look different?
Polly asked, running to the cracked mirror to see for herself.
They look like the same merry brown eyes you always had, Ben said with a big grin.
Well, Polly said, hugging each of her brothers and sisters in turn.
Everybody looks different through them anyway.
Let's go into the kitchen, Polly, Joel said.
It's so much nicer out there.
The other children led Polly into the kitchen.
She was ready to roll up her sleeves and start her work in the kitchen when she stopped and turned as pale as snow.
She looked like she was going to tumble right over.
Mrs. Pepper grabbed Polly to steady her.
What is it?
Polly asked, pointing to the corner.
It's a stove.
Don't you know that, Polly?
Francie said.
Polly raced across the kitchen and flung her arms around the big, black, shiny stove.
She was laughing and crying all at the same time.
All the children were so excited they began to speak at once.
They joined hands and danced around like wild things.
Mrs. Pepper laughed until she cried.
From the doorway, Dr. Fisher smiled at the happy scene.
Then he quietly left the little brown house for what he hoped would be the last time.
We're never going to have any more burnt bread, Polly sang, all out of breath.
And no big cracks to stuff with paper, Bidden shouted.
Hooray, screamed Joel and Davy.
Francie gurgled and giggled through it all.
Oh, I wish Dr. Fisher had seen it.
Where did it go?
Polly asked, looking around.
I think Dr. Fisher has seen it before, Mrs. Pepper said with a smile.
Wouldn't you like to know where the stove came from, Polly?
She asked.
Polly had been so overcome by the surprise she hadn't even thought to wonder.
Did Dr. Fisher bring it?
Polly asked.
He didn't actually put it in the kitchen, but he had a great deal to do with picking it out and sending it over.
Mrs Pepper replied.
Dr. Fisher bought us a stove, and he saved my eyes, Polly said.
Oh, Mamsie, Dr. Fisher is the most wonderful doctor in the world.
I'm going to bake him the most beautiful cake right here in our brand new stove.
True to her word, Polly set to work at once.
It made Mamsie's heart sing to see Polly happy and busy once more.
A few weeks later, Polly was busy in the kitchen.
Francie was playing in the garden.
Suddenly, they both heard the sweet sound of music coming from down the lane.
Oh, look, Francie, come quick, Polly called.
Through the window, Polly saw an organ grinder playing music with all his might.
Beside him, on a long rope, was a lively little monkey in a bright red coat and a straw hat.
Franzi and Polly hurried over to the organ grinder and his monkey.
As they got close, the little monkey pulled off his hat and with one long jump he landed in front of Franzi and bowed like a gentleman before her.
Franzi wasn't a bit frightened.
She held out her hand and gently said, Poor little monkey, come here.
Organ Man pulled the monkey's rope, struck up another tune and in a minute the monkey spun around and around doing strange little dances to the music.
He made Polly and Francie laugh and laugh.
When he was done, the organ grinder took off his cap and held it out, waiting for coins.
Oh, I can't pay you, Polly said.
She thought for a moment.
But I can give you something to eat.
Polly ran into the house and returned with brown bread and two potatoes.
Is that all you've got? the organ man asked angrily.
He threw the bread to the ground, which the monkey gratefully snapped up.
Then he turned and roughly pulled the monkey down the dusty road, away from the little brown house.
Polly went back to her work in the kitchen.
Franzi went back to the garden.
At least that's what Polly thought.
"'Francie, it's lunchtime,' Polly called as she walked through the garden to find Francie.
Instead, all she found was Francie's baby doll on the ground.
Francie was gone.
Polly and Ben searched everywhere.
So did the rest of the family.
In the course of an hour, the whole town knew that Francie had disappeared.
All the good people of Badgertown were searching the dusty roads for her, but she was nowhere to be found'.
She must have followed the organ man and his monkey, Polly said tearfully.
Or the organ man just took her, Ben said grimly.
What will we do?
Polly cried.
I'll take Deacon Brown's horse and search the road to the next town, Ben decided.
He must have been headed that way.
In a flash, Ben raced down the road in Deacon Brown's horse and cart.
He traveled ten miles, peering into every bush along the road.
There wasn't a trace of Francie anywhere.
The hot sun poured down on poor Ben's face.
Deacon Brown's horse grew tired.
"'Come on, boy,' Ben cried.
"'We can't go home without her.'
Suddenly the horse stopped and Ben tumbled out of the cart.
On the side of the road was a boy who was slightly bigger than Ben with a big black dog by his side.
The dog was protecting a pink bundle.
That pink bundle was Francie.
Who are you? the bigger boy asked Ben.
The black dog's ears stood straight up at attention.
I'm Ben Pepper, Ben replied, and that's my sister Francie.
The bigger boy held out his hand.
''I'm Jasper, and this is Prince.
Why do you have my sister?''
Prince and I saw that nasty organ grinder and his monkey walking down the road with Francie.
She was crying and when she saw Prince and me she ran right up to us and said ''I want Polly''.
Jasper told Ben.
The organ man grabbed her to pull her along, and then we went for him, Prince and I.
Jasper scratched Prince between the ears.
Prince just kept after them until they both ran clear off down the road.
They won't be back, Jasper said with a laugh.
If you hadn't come long when you did, I was going to pick her up and take her home with me, Jasper said.
Then Father and I would have figured out what to do next.
Together, Ben and Jasper put Franzi into Deacon Brown's cart without waking her.
Thank you, Jasper.
And Prince, Ben said, shaking Jasper's hand once again and patting Prince on the head.
Come visit us at the little brown house sometime.
I know Mother and Polly would love you two, Ben added.
I will.
Jasper said waving goodbye as Ben drove the horse and cart back home with his bundle safely tucked into the back.
