he gifts.

"We will take your lists in turn, beginning with Max's and ending with
Gracie's," the captain said.

That part of the work required no little consultation between the three
children; papa's advice was asked in every instance, and almost always
decided the question; but, glancing over the lists when completed, "I
think, my dears, you have laid out too much work for yourselves," he
said.

"But I thought you always liked us to be industrious, papa," said Lulu.

"Yes, daughter, but not overworked; I can not have that; nor can I allow
you to neglect your studies, omit needed exercise, or go without
sufficient sleep to keep you in health."

"Papa, you always make taking good care of us the first thing," she
said gratefully, nestling closer to him.

"Don't you know that's what fathers are for?" he said, smiling down on
her. "My children were given me to be taken care of, provided for, loved
and trained up aright. A precious charge!" he added, looking from one to
another with glistening eyes.

"Yes, sir, I know," she said, laying her head on his shoulder and
slipping a hand into his, "and oh but I'm glad and thankful that God
gave me to you instead of to somebody else!"

"And Gracie and I are just as glad to belong to papa as you are," said
Max, Grace adding, "Yes, indeed!" as she held up her face for a kiss,
which her father gave very heartily.

"But, papa, what are we to do about the presents if we mustn't take time
to make them?" asked Lulu.

"Make fewer and buy more."

"But maybe the money won't hold out."

"You will have to make it hold out by choosing less expensive articles,
or giving fewer gifts."

"We'll have to try hard to earn the quarter for good behavior every day,
Lu," said Max.

"Yes, I mean to; but that won't help with Christmas gifts; it's only for
benevolence, you know."

"But what you give to the poor, simply because they are poor and needy,
may be considered benevolence, I think," said their father.

"Oh may it?" she exclaimed. "I'm glad of that! Papa, I--haven't liked
Dick very much since he chopped up the cradle I'd carved for Gracie's
dolls, but I believe I want to give him a Christmas present; it will
help me to forgive him and like him better. But I don't know what would
please him best."

"Something to make a noise with," suggested Max; "a drum or trumpet for
instance."

"He'd make too much racket," she objected.

"How would a hatchet do?" asked Max, with waggish lo