THE GAME (Pollyanna)

01Chapter 5 The Game For land's sake, Miss Pollyanna, what a scare you'd give me, panted Nancy, hurrying up to the big rock down which Pollyanna had just regretfully slid.

02Scare?

03Oh, I'm so sorry, but you mustn't really ever get scared about me, Nancy.

04Father and the ladies, eh?

05used to do it, too, till they found out I always came back all right.

06But I didn't even know you'd win out, cried Nancy, tucking the little girl's hand under her arm and hurrying her down the hill.

07I didn't see you go, and nobody didn't.

08I guess you flew right up through the roof.

09I do, I do?

10Pollyanna skipped gleefully.

11I did, most.

12Only I flew down instead of up.

13I came down the tree.

14Nancy stopped short.

15You did what?

16Came down the tree outside my window.

17My stars and stockings, gasped Nancy, hurrying on again.

18I'd like to know what your aunt would say to that.

19Would you?

20Well, I'll tell her, then, so you can find out," promised the little girl cheerfully.

21Mercy, gasped Nancy.

22No, no!

23Why, you don't mean she'd care, cried Pollyanna, plainly disturbed.

24No, uh, yes.

25Well, never mind.

26I—I ain't so very particular about knowin' what she'd say, truly," stammered Nancy, determined to keep one scolding from Pollyanna, if nothing more.

27But, say, we'd better hurry.

28I got to get them dishes done, you know.

29I'll help," promised Pollyanna promptly.

30Oh, Miss Pollyanna," demurred Nancy.

31For a moment there was silence.

32The sky was darkening fast.

33Pollyanna took a firmer hold on her friend's arm.

34I reckon I'm glad, after all, that you did get scared—a little.

35Cause then you came after me," she shivered.

36Poor little lamb, and you must be hungry, too.

37I—I'm afraid you'll have to have bread and milk in the kitchen with me.

38Your aunt didn't like it, because you didn't come down to supper, you know." But I couldn't.

39I was up here.

40Yes, but—she didn't know that, you see," observed Nancy dryly, stifling a chuckle.

41I'm sorry about the bread and milk.

42I am, I am.

43Oh, I'm not.

44I'm glad.

45Glad?

46Why?

47Why, I like bread and milk, and I'd like to eat with you.

48I don't see any trouble about being glad about that.

49You don't seem to see any trouble being glad about everything, retorted Nancy, choking a little over her remembrance of Pollyanna's brave attempts to like the bare little attic room.

50Pollyanna laughed softly.

51Well, that's the game, you know, anyway.

52The game?

53Yes, the just-being-glad game.

54Whatever in the world are you talking about?

55Why, it's a game.

56Father told it to me, and it's lovely," rejoined Pollyanna.

57We've played it always, ever since I was a little, little girl.

58I told the ladies eight, and they played it—some of them.

59What is it?

60I ain't much on games, though.

61Pollyanna laughed again, but she sighed, too, and in the gathering twilight her face looked thin and wistful.

62Why, we began it on some crutches that came in a missionary barrel.

63Crutches?

64Yes.

65You see, I'd wanted a doll, and Father had written them so.

66But when the barrel came, the lady wrote that they hadn't any dolls come in, but the little crutches had.

67So she sent them along, as they might come in handy for some child sometime.

68And that's when we began it.

69Well, I must say I can't see any game about that, about that," declared Nancy, almost irritably.

70Oh, yes.

71The game was to just find something about everything to be glad about, no matter what it was, rejoined Pollyanna earnestly.

72And we began right then, on the crutches.

73Well, goodness me, I can't see anything to be glad about—getting a pair of crutches when you wanted a doll.

74Pollyanna clapped her hands.

75There is, there is, she crowed.

76But I couldn't see it either, Nancy, at first, she added with quick honesty.

77Father had to tell it to me.

78Well, then suppose you tell me, almost snapped Nancy.

79Goodness!

80Why, just be glad, because you don't need them, exalted Pollyanna triumphantly.

81You see, it's just as easy, when you know how." Well, of all the queer doin's, breathed Nancy, regarding Pollyanna with almost fearful eyes.

82Oh, but it isn't queer.

83It's lovely, maintained Pollyanna enthusiastically.

84And we've played it ever since.

85And the harder tis, the more fun tis to get em out.

86Only—only sometimes it's almost too hard.

87Like when your father goes to heaven, and there isn't anybody but a lady's aide left." Yes, or when you're put in a snippy little room way at the top of the house with nothing in it, growled Nancy.

88Pollyanna sighed.

89That was a hard one at first, she admitted, especially when I was so kind of lonesome.

90I just didn't feel like playing the game, anyway.

91And I had been wanting pretty things so.

92Then I happened to think how I hated to see my freckles in the looking-glass.

93And I saw that lovely picture out the window, too.

94So then I knew I'd found the things to be glad about.

95You see, when you're hunting for the glad things, you sort of forget the other kind.

96Like the doll you wanted, you know?" Hmph!

97choked Nancy, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

98"'Most generally it doesn't take so long,' sighed Pollyanna.

99"'And lots of times now I just think of them without thinking, you know.

100I've got so used to playing it.

101It's a lovely game.

102F-father and I used to like it so much.' She faltered.

103"'I suppose, though, it'll be a little harder now.

104As long as I haven't anybody to play it with—' "'Maybe Aunt Polly will play it, though,' she added, as an afterthought.

105"'My stars and stockings, her!' breathed Nancy behind her teeth.

106Then, aloud, she said doggedly, "'See here, Miss Pollyanna, I ain't saying that I'll play it very well, and I ain't saying that I know how, anyway.

107But I'll play it with ye after a fashion I just will, I will.' "'Oh, Nancy!' exulted Pollyanna, giving her a rapturous hug.

108"'That'll be splendid.

109Won't we have fun?' "'Uh, maybe,' conceded Nancy in open doubt.

110"'But you mustn't count too much on me, you know.

111I never was no case for games.

112But I'm a-goin to make a most awful old try on this one.' "'You're goin to have some one to play it with anyhow,' she finished as they entered the kitchen together.

113Pollyanna ate her bread and milk with good appetite.

114Then, at Nancy's suggestion, she went into the sitting-room where her aunt sat reading.

115Miss Polly looked up coldly.

116"'Have you had your supper, Pollyanna?' "'Yes, Aunt Polly.' "'I'm very sorry, Pollyanna, to have been obliged so soon to send you into the kitchen to eat bread and milk.' "'But I was real glad you did it, Aunt Polly.

117I like bread and milk.

118And Nancy, too.

119You mustn't feel bad about that one bit.' Aunt Polly sat suddenly a little more erect in her chair.

120"'Pollyanna, it's quite time you were in bed.

121You have had a hard day, and tomorrow we must plan your hours, and go over your clothing to see what is necessary to get for you.

122Nancy will give you a candle.

123Be careful how you handle it.

124Breakfast will be at half-past seven.

125See to it that you are down to that.

126Good night.' Quite as a matter, of course, Pollyanna came straight to her aunt's side and gave her an affectionate hug.

127"'I've had such a beautiful time so far,' she sighed happily.

128"'I know I'm going to just love living with you, but then I knew I should before I came.

129Good night,' she called cheerfully as she ran from the room.

130"'Well, upon my soul!' ejaculated Miss Polly, half aloud.

131"'What a most extraordinary child!' Then she frowned.

132"'She's glad I punished her, and I mustn't feel bad one bit, and she's going to love to live with me.

133Well, upon my soul!' ejaculated Miss Polly again as she took up her book.

134Fifteen minutes later, in the attic room, a lonely little girl sobbed into the tightly clutched sheet.

135"'I know, Father among the angels, I'm not playing the game one bit now.

136Not one bit.

137But I don't believe even you could find anything to be glad about sleeping all alone, way off up here in the dark like this.

138If only I was near Nancy or Aunt Polly, or even a ladies' aider, it would be easier.' Downstairs, in the kitchen, Nancy, hurrying with her belated work, jabbed her dish mop into the milk pitcher and muttered jerkily, "'If playing a silly fool game about being glad you've got crutches when you want dolls is got to be my way of being that rock refuge, why, I'm going to play it.

139I am, I am.'" End of chapter 5