at the unexpected honour.

"Oh, come; that's not fair," began Charlie. But Rose cut him short by
saying, as she made him a fine courtesy,

"You said 'Old Mac,' and though it was very disrespectful, I did it.
That was your last chance, sir, and you've lost it."

He certainly had, for, as he spoke, Rose pulled down the mistletoe and
threw it into the fire, while the boys jeered at the crestfallen Prince,
and exalted quick-witted Rose to the skies.

"What's the joke?" asked young Mac, waked out of a brown study by the
laughter, in which the elders joined.

But there was a regular shout when, the matter having been explained to
him, Mac took a meditative stare at Rose through his goggles, and said
in a philosophical tone, "Well, I don't think I should have minded much
if she had done it."

That tickled the lads immensely, and nothing but the appearance of a
slight refection would have induced them to stop chaffing the poor Worm,
who could not see anything funny in the beautiful resignation he had
shown on this trying occasion.

Soon after this, the discovery of Jamie curled up in the sofa corner, as
sound asleep as a dormouse, suggested the propriety of going home, and a
general move was made.

They were all standing about the hall lingering over the good-nights,
when the sound of a voice softly singing "Sweet Home," made them pause
and listen. It was Phebe, poor little Phebe, who never had a home, never
knew the love of father or mother, brother or sister; who stood all
alone in the wide world, yet was not sad nor afraid, but took her bits
of happiness gratefully, and sung over her work without a thought of
discontent.

I fancy the happy family standing there together remembered this and
felt the beauty of it, for when the solitary voice came to the burden of
its song, other voices took it up and finished it so sweetly, that the
old house seemed to echo the word "Home" in the ears of both the orphan
girls, who had just spent their first Christmas under its hospitable
roof.

Chapter 21--A Scare

"Brother Alec, you surely don't mean to allow that child to go out such
a bitter cold day as this," said Mrs. Myra, looking into the study,
where the Doctor sat reading his paper, one February morning.

"Why not? If a delicate invalid like yourself can bear it, surely
my hearty girl can, especially as she is dressed for cold weather,"
answered Dr. Alec with provoking confidence.

"But you have no idea how shar