particular reason, except that it
sounded well.

"But you have dogs?" asked Patty, as they rolled up the driveway.

"Yes, but we didn't exactly name it after them. Hello, here are the
girls!"

Adele and Daisy appeared in the doorway, and greeted the visitors in
truly feminine fashion, which included much laughter and exclamation.

"Where do I come in?" said a laughing voice, and a big, laughing man
left his seat by the fireplace and came toward them.

"This is my brother," said Adele, "by name, Mr. Harold Ferris,--but
commonly called Chub."

The name was not inapt, for Mr. Ferris showed a round, chubby face,
with big, dancing black eyes and ringlets of dark hair clustered on
his brow. Only his enormous size prevented his appearance being
positively infantile, and his round, dimpled face was as good-natured
as that of a laughing baby.

"And so you're the two girls who are to spend Christmas with us," he
said, beaming down on them from his great height. "Well, you'll do!"

He looked approvingly from Patty's flower face to Mona's glowing
beauty, and truly it would have been hard to find two more attractive
looking girls. The sudden transition from the cold out-of-doors to the
warmth of the blazing fire had flushed their cheeks and brightened
their eyes, and the hearty welcome they received brought smiles of
delight to their faces.

"Now, come away with me," said Adele, "and get off your furs and
wraps, and make yourselves pretty for tea."

"Oh, I know what you'll do," said Chub, in an aggrieved tone. "You'll
just go upstairs and hob-nob and talk and gossip and chatter and
babble, and never get down here again! I know girls! Why, first thing
I know, you'll be having your tea sent up there!"

"Great idea!" exclaimed Patty, twinkling her eyes at him. "Let's do
that, Adele; kimono party, you know. We'll see you at dinner time,
Mr. Ferris."

"Dinner time, nothing! If you're not back here in fifteen minutes, the
whole crowd of you, I'll--I'll----"

"Well, what will you do?" laughed Mona.

"Never you mind,--you'll find out all too soon. Now, skip, and
remember, tea will be served in just fifteen minutes."

The girls had really no intention of not returning, and it was not
much more than the allotted time before Patty and Mona were arrayed in
soft, pretty house-dresses and reappeared in the great hall, where tea
was already being placed for them.

The big fireplace had cosy seats on either side, and the crackl