en I
think of it. Father feels confident, however, that the squire will not
be hard upon us, but will renew the mortgage."

Henry Morton looked very thoughtful, but said nothing.

They had now reached the farmhouse.

Dinner was already on the table. In the center, on a large dish, was
the turkey, done to a turn. It was flanked by the chickens on a smaller
dish. These were supported by various vegetables, such as the season
supplied. A dish of cranberry sauce stood at one end of the table, and
at the opposite end a dish of apple sauce.

"Do you think you can carve the turkey, Mr. Morton?" asked Mrs. Frost.

"I will at least make the attempt."

"I want the wish-bone, Mr. Morton," said Maggie.

"No, I want it," said Charlie.

"You shall both have one," said the mother. "Luckily each of the
chickens is provided with one."

"I know what I am going to wish," said Charlie, nodding his head with
decision.

"Well, Charlie, what is it?" asked Frank.

"I shall wish that papa may come home safe."

"And so will I," said Maggie.

"I wish he might sit down with us to-day," said Mrs. Frost, with a
little sigh. "He has never before been absent from us on Thanksgiving
day."

"Was he well when you last heard from him?"

"Yes, but hourly expecting orders to march to join the army in Maryland.
I am afraid he won't get as good a Thanksgiving dinner as this."

"Two years ago," said Mr. Morton, "I ate my Thanksgiving dinner in
Amsterdam."

"Do they have Thanksgiving there, Mr. Morton?" inquired Alice.

"No, they know nothing of our good New England festival. I was obliged
to order a special dinner for myself. I don't think you would have
recognized plum pudding under the name which they gave it."

"What was it?" asked Frank curiously.

"Blom buden was the name given on the bill."

"I can spell better than that," said Charlie.

"We shall have to send you out among the Dutchmen as a schoolmaster
plenipotentiary," said Frank, laughing. "I hope the 'blom buden' was
good in spite of the way it was spelt."

"Yes, it was very good."

"I don't believe it beat mother's," said Charlie.

"At your present rate of progress, Charlie, you won't leave room for
any," said Frank.

"I wish I had two stomachs," said Charlie, looking regretfully at the
inviting delicacies which tempted him with what the French call the
embarrassment of riches.

"Well done, Charlie!" laughed his mother.

Dinner was at length over. Havoc and des