il; Seasonable at Any Time."

"Oh, you NICE donkeys!" said the recipient of these varied gifts, lying
back and investigating the chocolates. A sound at the window made her
look up, and Jim's laughing face peeped round the curtain.

"Like 'em?"

"They're lovely," said Norah, fervently. "Come in, Jimmy, you old
duffer. Merry Christmas!"

Jim came in, immensely tall and lean in his pyjamas, and sat down on
the bed.

"Merry Christmas, old kid!" he said, and kissed her. "Taken your oil?"

"Pudding first--and chocolates," said Norah, solemnly, indicating the
box. "Take lots, Jim, they're beauties. How did you get that thing into
my room?"

"Waited until I could hear your cheerful snores, and then sneaked in by
the window," said her brother, dodging a chocolate. "My best stocking;
I think I was jolly good to lend it to you--you'll kindly notice that
the frog's box tore a hole in it, and take steps accordingly! It's a
ripping morning--but it's going to be hot. Do you know what time it is?"

"I don't," said Norah.

"Five o'clock," said Jim; "isn't it ridiculous!--and you wide awake and
playing with pigs and frogs! I'm off to bed again for a bit--besides,
young Wally's bursting to know how you liked your sock. Go to sleep
again, old chap."

"I'll try," said Norah, obediently, snuggling down, "Take some
chocolates to Wally--and the castor oil!"

At the moment Norah was quite convinced that sleep was the last thing
possible for her, and merely laid down to please Jim, just as she would
cheerfully have endeavoured to jump over the moon had he expressed any
wish in that direction. Thus she was considerably surprised on waking
up two hours later to hear the dressing gong pealing through the house.
Further off came the cheerful voices of Jim and Wally on their way to
the lagoon. Cecil preferred the bath in the house, saying that he
considered it cleaner, which remark had incensed Norah at the time. But
they were learning not to worry about Cecil's remarks, but to regard
him with a kind of mild toleration, as one who "could not help it."

Norah tore in haste to the bath, and returning made a speedy toilet;
breakfast was to be half an hour later than usual, but still there was
much to do. Her gifts to the men's quarters had gone over the night
before, in charge of Mrs. Willis; still there were parcels for the
girls in the house, together with the envelopes containing cheques for
them, which Mr. Linton always gave into Nora