Pollyanna: The First Glad Book. Pollyanna Grows Up: The Second Glad Book / Поллианна. Поллианна вырастает

“It’s an awful big house. Maybe, though,” she added a little anxiously, as they hurried on, “maybe you’ll have to sleep in the attic room. I did, at first. But there’s screens there now, so �twon’t be so hot, and the flies can’t get in, either, to bring in the germ-things on their feet. Did you know about that? It’s perfectly lovely! Maybe she’ll let you read the book if you’re good-I mean, if you’re bad. And you’ve got freckles, too,”-with a critical glance-“so you’ll be glad there isn’t any looking-glass; and the outdoor picture is nicer than any wall-one could be, so you won’t mind sleeping in that room at all, I’m sure,” panted Pollyanna, finding suddenly that she needed the rest of her breath for purposes other than talking.

“Gorry!” exclaimed Jimmy Bean tersely and uncomprehendingly, but admiringly. Then he added: “I shouldn’t think anybody who could talk like that, runnin’, would need ter ask no questions ter fill up time with!”

Pollyanna laughed.

“Well, anyhow, you can be glad of that,” she retorted; “for when I’m talking, YOU don’t have to!”

When the house was reached, Pollyanna unhesitatingly piloted her companion straight into the presence of her amazed aunt.

“Oh, Aunt Polly,” she triumphed, “just look a-here! I’ve got something ever so much nicer, even, than Fluffy and Buffy for you to bring up. It’s a real live boy. He won’t mind a bit sleeping in the attic, at first, you know, and he says he’ll work; but I shall need him the most of the time to play with, I reckon.

Miss Polly grew white, then very red. She did not quite understand; but she thought she understood enough.

“Pollyanna, what does this mean? Who is this dirty little boy? Where did you find him?” she demanded sharply.

The “dirty little boy” fell back a step and looked toward the door. Pollyanna laughed merrily.

“There, if I didn’t forget to tell you his name! I’m as bad as the Man. And he is dirty, too, isn’t he? – I mean, the boy is-just like Fluffy and Buffy were when you took them in.

“Well, what is he doing here?”

“Why, Aunt Polly, I just told you!” Pollyanna’s eyes were wide with surprise. “He’s for you. I brought him home-so he could live here, you know.