years ago, when the birdlings were not fairly
feathered out; but a tree of some size. Set it up in the garret, if
necessary, and then we can cut a hole in the roof if the tree
chances to be too high for the room.

Tell Bridget to begin to fatten a turkey. Tell her that by the
twentieth of December that turkey must not be able to stand on its
legs for fat, and then on the next three days she must allow it to
recline easily on its side, and stuff it to bursting. (One ounce of
stuffing beforehand is worth a pound afterwards.)

The pudding must be unusually huge, and darkly, deeply,
lugubriously blue in color. It must be stuck so full of plums that
the pudding itself will ooze out into the pan and not be brought on
to the table at all. I expect to be there by the twentieth, to
manage these little things myself,--remembering it is the early
Bird that catches the worm,--but give you the instructions in case
I should be delayed.

And Carol must decide on the size of the tree--she knows best, she
was a Christmas child; and she must plead for the snow-storm--the
"clerk of the weather" may pay some attention to her; and she must
look up the boy with the dimple for me--she's likelier to find him
than I am, this minute. She must advise about the turkey, and
Bridget must bring the pudding to her bedside and let her drop
every separate plum into it and stir it once for luck, or I'll not
eat a single slice--for Carol is the dearest part of Christmas to
Uncle Jack, and he'll have none of it without her. She is better
than all the turkeys and puddings and apples and spare-ribs and
wreaths and garlands and mistletoe and stockings and chimneys and
sleigh-bells in Christendom! She is the very sweetest Christmas
Carol that was ever written, said, sung, or chanted, and I am
coming as fast as ships and railway trains can carry me, to tell
her so.

Carol's joy knew no bounds. Mr. and Mrs. Bird laughed like children and
kissed each other for sheer delight, and when the boys heard it they
simply whooped like wild Indians; until the Ruggles family, whose back
yard joined their garden, gathered at the door and wondered what was
"up" in the big house.

[Illustration]

IV

"BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER"

Uncle Jack did really come on the twentieth. He was not detained by
busines