?"

"In bed with a headache."

"She _always_ has a headache when there are errands to be done."

"Peace!"

"Those houses are the furthest apart in town. Dr. Bainbridge lives at
one end of the street and the Judge at the other."

"I am sorry, but eggs mean money, you know, and Christmas is coming."

"Well, I s'pose we must," sighed Cherry.

Peace's face brightened suddenly. "I'll tell you--let's each take a
basket and see which can get there first. Then we'll meet at the church
and go to the woods from there."

"All right," agreed Cherry. "You take the Judge's and I'll take the
Doctor's."

So they snatched up their burdens and hurried merrily away, much to
gentle Gail's relief, for she found it hard to disappoint these small
sisters in their gala days.

As far as the church the two went the way together, but here their paths
divided, and they parted, calling back warnings to each other.

"Be sure you wait at the church until I get there."

"Be sure you hurry, for there isn't much time before dark, and the women
have to finish dec'rating tonight."

Then how they scampered down the snowy street, regardless of the frailty
of the loads they bore!

Peace's errand was soon done, and she was back at the little church in a
surprisingly short time, but no Cherry was in sight anywhere; so she sat
down on the steps to await her coming. It was snowing quite hard now,
and the wind grew cold as the afternoon waned.

"Seems 's if I should freeze sitting here," said the shivering child to
herself after stamping her feet and flapping her arms like a Dutch
windmill, in her efforts to get warm. "What can be keeping Cherry? She's
an awfully long time tonight. I s'pose Mrs. Bainbridge has got a gabbing
streak on and will keep her there the rest of the day listening to her.
Cherry never can get away when folks begin talking to her. I ought to
have gone there myself. Bet it wouldn't have taken me this long. My, but
it's growing cold! I wonder if I can't get inside someway. I thought
sure the ladies would be here before now, but I don't see anyone about."

She jumped to her feet and tried the door. It was locked fast.

"Maybe Mr. Strong is in his study and will let me stay there awhile."
But the study door was also secure. "Well, the basement window ain't
fastened, I know, 'cause 'twas only yesterday that Hec Abbott broke it
with a snowball. I can crawl through that and go upstairs into the
church."

Scurrying around the