tive, servant, or poor neighbor--will find himself neglected. And
I am inclined to think the gifts will be enjoyed even if we have no
tree."

"Oh, yes, mamma! and I'm glad to be the big fellow that I am, even if
it does make me have to give up some of the fun I had when I was
small," Ned remarked with an air of satisfaction.

"And to-night will be Christmas Eve, won't it, papa?" asked Elsie.

"Yes, daughter; and some of us will be going this afternoon to trim
the tree in the schoolhouse. Do you, Elsie and Ned, want to be of the
party?"

"Oh, yes, sir! yes, indeed!" was the joyous answering exclamation of
both. Then Elsie asked: "Are you going too, mamma? Sisters Lu and
Gracie too?" glancing inquiringly at them.

All three replied that they would like to go, but had some work to
finish at home.

A part of that work was the trimming of the tree, which was brought in
and set up after the departure of the captain, Elsie, and Ned for the
schoolhouse.

Violet's brothers, Harold and Herbert, came in and gave their
assistance as they had done some years before when Max, Lucilla, and
Grace had been the helpers of their father at the schoolhouse. The
young girls had enjoyed that, but this was even better, as those for
whom its fruits were intended were nearer and dearer. They had a
merry, happy time embellishing the tree with many ornaments, and
hanging here and there mysterious packages, each carefully wrapped and
labelled with the name of its intended recipient.

"There!" said Violet at length, stepping back a little and taking a
satisfied survey, "I think we have finished."

"Not quite," said Harold. "But you and the girls may please retire
while Herbert and I attend to some small commissions of our good
brother--the captain."

"Ah! I was not aware that he had given you any," laughed Violet. "But
come, girls, we will slip away and leave them to their own devices."

"I am entirely willing to do so," returned Lucilla gayly, following in
her wake as she left the room.

"I, too," said Grace, hastening after them, "for one never loses by
falling in with papa's plans."

"What is it, Harold?" asked Herbert. "The captain has not let me into
his secret."

"Only that his gifts to them--his wife and daughters--are in this
closet and to be taken out now and added to the fruits of this
wondrous tree," replied Harold, taking a key from his pocket and
unlocking a closet door.

"Ah! something sizable, I should say," laugh