Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. POLLY OF PEBBLY PIT BY LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY Author of Polly and Eleanor, Polly in New York, Polly and Her Friends Abroad, Polly's Business Venture. Illustrated 1922 TO MY DEAR FRIENDS, SARAH J. BATTEY, M.D., AND BRYAN M. BATTEY. CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE FARM IN PEBBLY PIT II A MOMENTOUS LETTER III PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWN IV THE "SERVANT PROBLEM" SOLVED V UNPLEASANT SURPRISES VI THE HARROWING DETAILS VII A LITTLE SCHEME THAT WORKED VIII ACCLIMATING THE CITY GIRLS IX SEVERAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS X THE DANCE AT BEAR FORKS XI IN THE WILDERNESS XII THE BLIZZARD ON GRIZZLY SLIDE XIII A NIGHT IN THE CAVE XIV OLD MONTRESOR'S LEGACY XV MONTRESOR'S CLAIM is JUSTIFIED XVI A YOUNG STRANGER IN OAK CREEK XVII SARY'S AMBITIONS CHAPTER I THE FARM IN PEBBLY PIT "Polly! Poll-ee!" sounded musically from the direction of the kitchen doorway in a ranch-house, and reached Polly Brewster as she knelt beside her pet in the barn. "Run outside and see what Maw wants, Poll," said Mr. Brewster, who was working faithfully over the object of Polly's solicitous devotion. Obediently, Polly ran out and shaded her eyes as she gazed across the great depression of the volcanic crater which had made such a wonderful farm for the Brewsters. At the door of the long, squat homestead, stood Mrs. Brewster, waiting for an answer. The moment she saw Polly, she called: "Din-ner-r's ready!" "All right!" shouted the girl, waving her sun-bonnet to signify she had heard the message. Mrs. Brewster returned to the kitchen and Polly went back to her father's side. He glanced up as she entered the barn, and Polly replied to his questioning look. "Maw said dinner's ready." "Well, Ah reckon Noddy's all right now, Poll," said the rancher, as he stood up to stretch his tired muscles. "I felt sure she would be, Paw," returned Polly, positively. "If only Jeb was about, now, Ah could leave him with Noddy, with directions about the medicine, till we-all get back from dinner," mused Mr. Brewster, standing in the doorway to look about for Jeb. "Why, Daddy! Do you suppose I'd leave Noddy with Jeb for a single moment? And just as we saved her life, too! I reckon not! I'll stop here myself and watch her," declared Polly with finality, as she assumed the post vacated by her father, and held the little burro's fuzzy head upon her knees. Sam Brewster smiled as he watched Polly bend over her pet and whisper affectionately in the long, sensitive ear. "Poll, Jeb will shore say you used witchcraft on the burro; he said Noddy was done for--being buried under that slide the way she was."