s. "What in
creation do you suppose they were doing here?"

As if in answer to his question, the brown eyes of the child he was just
lifting fluttered slowly open, and Peace drowsily drawled, "We fed the
Swede birds for Gussie, and got French forgiveness from grandpa for
doing so, and had a German Christmas tree, and lots of Hung'ry company,
and 'Merican stockings and a 'Merican Santa Claus, but we didn't hear
the Irish horses talk, and I b'lieve it's all a joke."

In spite of their anxiety, Faith and the President gave a boisterous
shout, and Peace heard as in a dream her sister's voice saying, "It is
Christmas Eve that the animals are supposed to talk. Poor Peace!"

CHAPTER IV

A ZEALOUS LITTLE MISSIONARY

Strange as it may seem, neither child felt any ill effects from that
midnight escapade, but the next morning they awoke as chipper and gay as
if there were no such thing as after-Christmas feelings. They even
forgot the lonely vigil in the stable in their dismay at the discovery
that Lorene had slept all night with Cherry instead of returning to
their room as she had promised to do. An after-breakfast summons to the
President's study brought their pranks vividly to mind again, however,
and with considerable trepidation they saw the heavy door close behind
them, shutting them in alone with the grave-eyed man, for they stood
much in awe of the learned Doctor when that stern look replaced the
usual bluff kindliness of his face.

The conference was exceedingly brief and to the point, judging from the
sober, wilted little culprits who pattered up the stairway a few minutes
later and silently sought the flag room. Henderson and the girls were
consumed with curiosity to know the result of the interview, and their
amazement knew no bounds when the disgraced duet vanished within their
quiet retreat and turned the key in the lock. After waiting in vain
fifteen minutes for them to reappear Lorene crossed the hall and knocked
timidly at the closed door. There was no answer. She tried again, this
time with more vim, but with no better success. Then she called, but not
a sound from within greeted her straining ear. Cherry and Hope each took
a turn, and Henderson pounded his fists sore without receiving a single
word of reply from the prisoners.

"I believe they have climbed out of the window," he cried at last in
exasperation.

"No, they promised grandpa not to. I guess maybe they've been sent to
bed," said Cher