stmas?"

The dead silence that followed was broken at last by Philip. "We like
you all right," he said; "but, by grab, a fellow's got to see some fun!"

It is rumored that Killis's uncles still carry on the business in which
his father perished; so I suppose there will be no doubt about the
"good-and-plenty" to drink at his house.

_Sunday, mid-December._

Two birthdays this past week, Philip's thirteenth, Wednesday, and
Nucky's twelfth yesterday, and the excitement of having gorgeous
birthday cakes at our table, and passing around candles for birthday
wishes.

At bed-time last night, Hen came up from the wash-house looking
extremely clean as to head and feet. When he was passing into the
bedroom however, I called him back. "What is that dark band just below
your nightgown?" I asked.

He made no reply, but stooped so that his gown should fall lower. I
lifted the hem to his knees, revealing the fact that the cleanness
stopped half-way, and that above that line his legs were more than
dingy. "Didn't you wash all over?" I inquired.

"Not quite all."

"How much did you wash?"

"Down to my neck and very near up to my knees. That dag-gone ole gown
done shrunk up two inches sence the last time."

"But didn't I tell you you must wash all over every single bath?"

"That was before cold weather sot in. Philip he said down to your neck
and up to your knees was a-plenty in cold weather, and all _he_ was
aiming to do; and it's all any of us boys been a-doing sence November
started in."

"You haint never washed as far up as your knees, son," corrected Keats,
from superior heights; "you allus stop where your nightgown comes to. I
told you she'd ketch you if you done that!"

Summoning all my family, I found the shocking fact to be true that for
six weeks not one had bathed any farther than "down to my neck and up to
my knees,"--they rather gloried in it, especially Philip, and complained
bitterly when made to lose several days' play time, in addition to
taking a complete bath instantly, every one, though it was already past
bed-time.

Truly my Thanksgiving pride in their beautiful manners and aristocratic
appearance has received a severe shock!

XIX

CHRISTMAS AND DANGER

_Wednesday Afternoon,
Christmas Day._

No time to catch one's breath for ten days. Now the festivities are
over. First came the tree last night. It was an exciting time as all of
us, teachers, children, and parents fr