Pollyanna steered Jimmy Bean straight into Aunt Polly's sitting room.
"Oh, Aunt Polly! I have something even nicer than Fluffy and Buffy for you to bring up. A real live boy!" Pollyanna smiled broadly. "He won't mind sleeping in the attic at first, and he says he'll work. But I'll need him most of the time to play with me."
"Pollyanna!" Aunt Polly's face turned white with shock and then red with anger. "Who is this dirty little boy? Where did you find him?"
Jimmy hesitated and looked toward the door, but Pollyanna pressed on. "He is dirty, but I'm sure he'll improve with a bath. Just like Fluffy and Buffy did! He's an orphan, and his name is Jimmy Bean."
"But what is he doing here?"
"I just explained why he's here," Pollyanna said patiently. "Jimmy wants a home and a family. I told him how good you were to Buffy and Fluffy and me. And that you'd take him in too."
Aunt Polly sat down and raised a shaking hand to her throat. The familiar helplessness was threatening to overcome her again. But she suddenly sat up straight.
"Pollyanna, this is the most absurd thing you've done yet," Aunt Polly said. "As if mangy dogs and cats weren't bad enough, you bring home a ragged little beggar who—"
Jimmy's eyes flashed with anger as he confronted Aunt Polly. "I'm not a beggar, and I don't want anything from you!" He stood right in front of her with his hands on his hips. "I'm willing to work, but I wouldn't have come to your old house if this girl hadn't made me. She said you were so good and kind—the nicest lady in the world. She also said you would be glad to have me live here."
As Pollyanna watched helplessly, Jimmy stormed from the room.
"Oh, Aunt Polly, I thought you would be glad to have Jimmy—"
Aunt Polly raised her hand to silence Pollyanna. She felt herself wavering as she remembered Jimmy calling her "good and kind." But then she rallied.
"Pollyanna, please stop using that word glad. All I hear is glad, glad, glad until I can't take it anymore!"
Pollyanna's jaw dropped in amazement. "Why, Aunt Polly, I'd think you'd be glad to have me feel gl—oh!" She broke off suddenly and ran from the room.
Before Jimmy reached the end of the driveway, Pollyanna overtook him. "Wait! I'm so sorry!" Pollyanna was panting as she held out her hand to him. "Please don't blame Aunt Polly—she really is good and kind. It's my fault because I didn't do a good job of introducing you."
"I'm not blaming you." Jimmy shrugged and turned away. "I guess I can find my own place to live. But I'm no beggar!"
"I do wish I could find someplace for you, though." Pollyanna was looking at Jimmy thoughtfully when she suddenly got a bright idea.
"I know what I'll do! The Ladies' Aid meets this afternoon at Aunt Polly's church. I'll tell them all about you." Pollyanna was excited about her plan. "That's what Father always did whenever he wanted anything for his church."
"Oh, no!" Jimmy backed away from Pollyanna. "It's bad enough having one lady call me a beggar. I'm not standing around and listening to a whole room full of ladies call me that."
"But you wouldn't be there. I'd go by myself, and I'd tell your story better this time." Pollyanna kept talking as she sensed Jimmy changing his mind. "I'm sure someone there would be glad to give you a home."
"I'm willing to work," Jimmy reminded her. "Don't forget to say that."
"Of course not. Then tomorrow I'll tell you what happened. I'll meet you on the road where I found you this morning."
Jimmy promised to be there and said he'd decided to return to the Orphans' Home for the night. "Even though I don't think they'd miss me," he added. "They aren't like a family, you know."
"I do know," Pollyanna said sympathetically.
Meanwhile Aunt Polly was watching the children from her sitting room window. She kept remembering Jimmy saying scornfully that she was so good and kind. And Aunt Polly felt sad, as if she'd lost something.