. He buys lots of things for him, and sends them over by Dr.
Brownlee."

"Good for Charlie Mac! That's just like him," said Ned enthusiastically.
"Where is he, anyhow?"

"We supposed he was over at your house with Grant," answered Howard from
the corner where he sat, industriously whittling at a set of small
wooden pegs.

"It must be nice to have money, and do all sorts of things like that,"
sighed Marjorie. "I can't afford to buy books and fruit, for I'm always
short on my allowance; and mamma won't let me give up my lessons, even
for one day, so I can't do what Miss Lou does."

"Poor Marj! It's a hard case; for time's money, and you haven't any of
either," remarked Howard.

"Wait a minute!" she answered, starting from her chair, and pacing up
and down the room, as was her habit when much absorbed. "I'm getting
hold of an idea."

"Hold on, then, and don't let it go," advised Ned, dodging the sofa
pillow that Marjorie hurled at him.

"Listen!" she commanded imperatively. "It's really and truly a good
plan. You know we haven't any too much money, for we all of us spend our
allowances faster than we get them; but let's begin to save, and put it
all together, till by and by we can send him something."

"Good, Marjorie! What a splendid idea!" exclaimed Allie, fired with zeal
at the thought.

"But, I say," remonstrated Howard; "how long are you going to keep up
the scheme? I can save like a house afire, for a little while; but
Christmas is coming, and I've promised to give Allie a rubber doll, and
charity begins at home, you know. I'm willing to help on your lad for a
month or so; but let's put a limit to it."

"I didn't think you'd be so stingy, Howard," said Marjorie, turning on
him a gaze of virtuous sorrow.

"'T isn't stingy," retorted Howard; "it's common sense. I 'm as sorry
for him as you are; but I think we'd better go easy on it a little, and
see how we come out."

"Let's try it for a month," interposed Allie hastily, for she saw that
Marjorie was growing indignant. "If we save all we can, we shall have a
good deal by that time. What shall we get him?"

"A whole set of Henty's books," suggested Ned promptly.

"No; I think he'd like a tool-chest better," said Howard, eyeing with
disfavor the shabby knife in his hand.

"What an idea, Howard! He couldn't use a tool-chest, even if he had
one," said Allie, laughing disrespectfully at her brother's suggestion.
"We want to get him something he could hav