w what Ralph is going to give me for a birthday present,
Grandmother?" Brother asked, dropping flat on his stomach to play
jungle with the tigerskin that lay before the fireplace. "He says if
I'm not tall enough I can't have it. But he's bought it all ready--he
said so."

Brother, you see, would be six years old in a few days. He couldn't
help thinking a great deal about his birthday.

Grandmother and Brother had no secrets from each other, though
sometimes they planned surprises for the other members of the family.

"No, I don't know what Ralph plans to give you," admitted Grandmother.
"Don't try to find out, dearie. It is much nicer to be surprised. Why,
you know you wouldn't have a bit of fun next Wednesday if you knew what
your presents were to be."

Brother was willing to be surprised, because Wednesday wasn't so long
to wait. Still he thought he would like to know what Ralph's present
was. Ralph was his dearest brother, and he had a happy knack of always
giving Brother and Sister exactly what they wanted. Louise and Grace
were apt to make them presents which were useful, like pretty socks and
hair-ribbons for Sister, and gloves and handkerchiefs for Brother, but
Ralph never did anything like that.

"I've dropped a stitch in my knitting," said Grandmother suddenly.
"Brother, I wonder if you could run upstairs and bring me my glasses? I
think they are on the bureau in my room."

Brother ran upstairs and went into Grandmother's pretty bedroom. There
were white and silver things on her bureau and a little gold jewel box
and several bottles of different colors. But, though Brother looked
carefully, he could not find the glasses.

He went out into the hall.

"Oh, Grandma!" he called. "Your glasses aren't on the bureau."

"Dear, dear," sighed Grandmother. "'Let me see, where can they be? Do
you know, Brother, I'm afraid I have left them in my black silk bag on
the closet shelf. Can you get it, or shall I come up?"

"I can get it," answered Brother confidently. "You wait, Grandma."

The closet shelf was pretty high, but Brother carried a chair to the
closet door and by standing on it he was able to reach the shelf.
Goodness, what was more, he could see the things on the shelf.

And they were bundles!

One--two--three--Brother counted three mysterious paper bundles, tied
with brown string.

Now you know if you had a birthday due most any minute and your head
was full of the presents you hoped to receive, a