e snuffles."

When the boys came back with their purchases they were put in a row
upon their mother's bed to be out of the way while the supper was being
prepared, all except wee Bugsey, who went, from choice, down to the
tracks to see the cars getting loaded--the sizzle of the turkey in the
oven made the tears come.

Two hours later the Watson family sat down to supper, not in sections,
but the whole family. The table had long since been inadequate to the
family's needs, but two boards, with a flour-sack on them, from the end
of it to the washing machine overcame the difficulty.

Was there ever such a turkey as that one? Mrs. Watson carved it herself
on the back of the stove.

"Sure yer poor father can't be bothered with it, and it's a thing he
ain't handy at, mirover, no more'n meself; but the atin' is on it,
praise God, and we'll git at it someway."

Ten plates were heaped full of potatoes and turnips, turkey, brown
gravy, and "stuffin"; and still that mammoth turkey had layers of meat
upon his giant sides. What did it matter if there were not enough
plates to go around, and Tommy had to eat his supper out of the
saucepan; and even if there were no cups for the boys, was not the pail
with the dipper in it just behind them on the old high-chair.

When the plates had all been cleaned the second time, and the turkey
began to look as if something had happened to it, Mary brought in the
surprise of the evening--it was the jelly Mrs. Evans had sent them when
she let Mary come home early in the afternoon, a present from Algernon,
she said, and the whipped cream that Camilla had given Jimmy when he
ran over to tell her and Mrs. Francis that Pearlie had really come.
Then everyone saw the advantage of having their plates licked clean,
and not having more turkey than they knew what to do with. Danny was
inarticulate with happiness.

"Lift me down, Pearlie," he murmured sleepily as he poked down the last
spoonful, "and do not jiggle me."

When Patsey and Bugsey and Tommy and Danny had gone to bed, and Mary
and Mrs. Watson were washing the dishes (Pearlie was not allowed to
help, being the guest of honour), John Watson sat silently smoking his
pipe, listening with delight while Pearl related her experiences of the
last three months.

She was telling about the night that she had watched for the doctor.
Not a word did she tell about, her friend, the doctor's agitation, nor
what had caused it on that occasion, and she was