es new. Would you like to be seein' 'em, now?" he
added, turning to the great box with a look of pride.

"Sure, I'd like to see 'em," said Tom.

With careful, almost reverent touch, Harvey untied the string and
opened the large box, disclosing three smaller boxes, one above the
other. Opening the first box, he revealed a really handsome doll in a
blue silk dress, with large dark eyes that opened and shut and dark,
curling locks of "real hair."

"This is the Lady Jane," he said, smoothing her gay frock with gentle
fingers. "We're goin' to give her to Kitty. Kitty's hair is pretty and
curly, but she hates it, 'cause it's red; and she thinks black hair is
the prettiest kind in the world. Ain't it funny how all of us will be
wantin' what we don't have ourselves?"

Tom did not reply to this bit of philosophy; but he laid a repentant
hand on the "Jolly Ramblers" as if he knew he had wronged them in his
heart. "That's as handsome a doll as ever I saw and no mistake," he
said.

Pleased with this praise, Harvey opened the second box and disclosed
the Lady Matilda with fair golden curls and a dress of "shimmerin'
white." "The Lady Matilda goes to Josephine," said Harvey. "Josephine
has black hair, straight as a string, and won't she laugh, though, to
see them fetchin' yellow curls?"

"She surely ought to be glad," said Tom.

The Lady Clarabel was another fair-haired lady in a gown of the
brightest pink. "This here beauty's for the baby," said Harvey, his
eyes glowing. "She don't care if the hair's black or yellow, but won't
that stunnin' dress make her eyes pop out?"

"They'll surely believe in Santy when they see those beauties," said
Tom.

"That's just what I was sayin' to mom this morning," said Harvey.
"Kitty's had some doubts, (she's almost nine), but when she sees those
fine ladies she'll be dead sure mom and I didn't buy 'em. If I had a
Santy Claus suit, I'd dress up and hand 'em out myself."

Tom's face lighted with a bright idea. "My brother Bob's got a Santa
Claus suit that he used in a show last Christmas," he said. "Say, let
me dress up and play Santa for you. The girls would never guess who I
was!"

"Wouldn't they stare, though!" said Harvey, delightedly. "But do you
think you'd want to take time," he asked apologetically, "and you with
a new pair of skates and the ice like this?"

"Of course, I want to if you'll let me," said Tom. "I'll skate down
the river and meet you anywhere you say."

"Out in