try to go down the stairs quietly.
Don't forget there are other people on earth besides yourselves. A
Merry Christmas, everybody!"

"And three cheers for Mr. X!" Hal added boyishly.

"Hal Harling, don't you dare set this brood of mine cheering in the
hallway! They'll raise the roof," ejaculated Mrs. McGregor, putting up
a warning finger. "Not but what I'd gladly cheer the person who sent
those dinners; but we mustn't do it here."

"Well, it was a jim-dandy dinner, anyway," chuckled Hal. "We'll be
eating that turkey for days. It was big as an ostrich!"

"Maybe you drew an ostrich by mistake," grinned Carl. "Who knows?"

Oh, it would have taken hearts less merry than these to be dampened by
the storm! Home plodded the McGregors, shouting gaily amid the piling
drifts.

"My, it is going to be a real blizzard!" Mrs. McGregor predicted.
"Every tree and bush is laden already."

"The little shrubs in the park look like cotton bushes," replied Uncle
Frederick over his shoulder. "Look, youngsters! You were asking about
cotton when it is ripe. That is much the way it looks." He motioned
toward the vista of bending foliage.

"How pretty it is!" said Mary.

"And in reality cotton is prettier by far, for there is always the blue
of the sky, the gold of the sunshine, and the green of the country. It
is as if one had a snowstorm in summer."

There was little opportunity for further talk for the trodden snow
narrowed into a ribbon and the walkers were obliged to thread the
drifts single file. At last, however, Mulberry Court came into view and
with a stamping of feet and a brushing of caps and coats the family
were within its welcoming portals. Then James Frederick was dug out of
his carriage, shaken, and borne crowing and rosy up the stairs.

The flat proved to be warm and comfortable and while Mary lighted the
lamps her mother poked up the fire and sprinkled on more coal.

"Now let's sit down everybody and have a nice, jolly evening," said she
when the outer garments were all stowed away. "Come, Carl, draw up the
rocker for Uncle Frederick. And, Timmie, there's room for you here
beside me. What's the matter, laddie?"

For answer Tim glanced at the steely blue hands of the clock now
pointing to six.

"Aren't we going to have any supper?" questioned he in an aggrieved
tone.

"Supper!" exploded his mother. "Surely you are not looking for anything
more to eat to-day. You yourself declared only a little while ago that