etc."

"Miss Pierson is duly honored by Miss Harlowe's prompt acceptance,"
laughed Anne. "Do the boys know about bringing their presents here?"

"Oh, yes," returned Grace. "There goes the door bell!" She hurried to
the door, flinging it wide open to admit three stalwart young men whose
clean-cut, boyish faces shone with good humor.

"Hurrah for old Kris Kringle!" cried Hippy, who was in the lead, as he
skipped nimbly into the living-room, and set down the heavy suit case he
carried with a flourish. Then backing into David Nesbit, who stood
directly behind him, he said apologetically: "I beg your pardon, David,
but if you will insist in taking up so much space you must expect to
have your toes trampled upon."

"I don't take up one half as much space as you do," flung back David.

"True; I hadn't looked at the matter in that light," Hippy agreed
hastily. "Let us change the subject. I am so pleased, Grace, to know
that you are giving this little affair in my honor. I really didn't
expect to----"

"Be put out of the house," finished Reddy with a menacing step toward
Hippy.

"Exactly," agreed Hippy. "No, I don't mean that at all. I was about to
say that I really didn't expect to be obliged to put Reddy Brooks out of
the house for threatened assault. It seems too bad to mar the gentle
peace of Christmas by such deeds of violence." Hippy sighed loudly, then
with a gesture of finality warily sidled toward Reddy, an expression of
deadly determination on his round face. The sound of a ringing laugh
from the doorway caused him to forget his grievance and make for the
door as fast as his legs would carry him. "Reddy, you are saved," he
announced, leading Nora O'Malley into the room. "Thank your gentle
preserver, Miss O'Malley."

"You mean you are saved," corrected Reddy with a derisive grin.

"All the same, all the same," retorted Hippy airily. "I am saved because
you are saved, and you are saved because I am saved. We are both saved
this time, aren't we, Grace?"

"Yes, I forbid either one of you to usher the other out," laughed Grace.

"There, Reddy, you heard!" exclaimed Hippy. "Now heed."

"Have you seen Jessica this morning, Nora?" asked Reddy, answering
Hippy's admonition with a withering look.

"She will be here later," replied Nora. "She has gone shopping with
Mabel, who is going to Hawk's Nest for Christmas Eve."

"We are all booked for Christmas Day with our families," smiled David.

"Thank goodness we h