I should have liked
to send you such a gift, my purse wasn't quite good for it," flushed
the captain.

"And what wonder, with all you've spent this day," returned his sister
quickly. "Then we'll count you out. But where could it have come from?"

"We don't need to leave it in the hall until we find out, do we,
Mother?" Mary ventured mischievously.

"No, I suppose we don't," was the retort. "Timmie, you and Carl drag it
indoors. Don't try to lift it, for you'll only be straining yourselves
and maybe drop it. Let's get it into the kitchen. There may be some
clue when we have a better light."

But examine it as they would, no hint as to the mysterious sender could
be found.

"I guess he believes with Carl that the sport of giving a present is to
keep the other person guessing," Tim remarked wickedly.

A general laugh at Carl's expense greeted the observation.

"Hush!" cautioned Mrs. McGregor. "There's somebody in the hall."

"He won't get away this time," Carl cried, springing up and throwing
open the door.

"Good heavens, man! You nearly knocked me down!" cried Hal Harling,
amazed by the suddenness of his welcome. "What's the matter with you?
Trying to trap a burglar?" Then, glancing at the object about which the
household were clustering, he added, "Jove! Have you got one, too?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why, just now somebody left a basket exactly like this at our flat. I
thought maybe you folks had something to do with it and came straight
over here to see. But you seem to be favored by a similar gift. They
are alike as two peas. Who sent them?"

"That is precisely what we want to know," Carl replied.

"You've no idea?"

"Not the most remote."

"Hasn't Captain Dillingham?"

"I'm not guilty, if that is what you mean," the sea captain answered.

"Straight goods?" Hal insisted.

"Hang, die, and choke to death!" laughed the little old man.

"But--but--somebody sent the thing!" blustered Hal. "Why, there is
everything on earth in it. Food enough to last a week. And ours has a
shawl for my mother and some felt slippers for my grandfather in the
bottom. And there are gloves for Louise and me. It came from somebody
who knew all about us. It was no haphazard present."

"Can you beat it!" murmured Carl. "Whoever do you suppose----"

"I can't suppose. We thought it was you," announced Hal. "There's a
knock at the door. Shall I go?"

Leaping forward he turned the knob, and in came Mrs. O'Dowd.

"I've ha