we used to have such a
number.'

'There is your old favourite drake just stopping under the gate,'
replied Mrs. Mortimer: 'and we will follow him into the field, for it
is rather cold standing still.'

They then went into the field, and after that came round to the
green-house, where the gardener was very busily employed in gathering
some beautiful grapes.

'How nice and warm it is here,' said several of the children, on
entering the house. The gardener then approached to ask the young
gentlemen how they did, and to tell them how much they were grown, and
to say that he hoped they would like the grapes. John and Frederick
answered all the old man's questions with kindness and civility; and
as the young party were leaving the green-house, he asked them
whether they should not want some flowers and evergreens against
their little dance?

'Oh yes, if you please, gardener,' was the ready and quick
answer:--'we may, mamma, may we not?' said Harriet, looking up at her
mother before she gave her reply.

'The gardener may give you what he can spare,' replied Mrs. Mortimer.
'And gardener,' added she, looking back towards the green-house,
'desire your grandson to go into the copses, and bring home a little
cart of holly, that we may have the kitchen well ornamented, when the
tenantry come to their dinner.'

'He shall be sure to do it, ma'am,' replied the gardener. 'I look we
shall have a merry Christmas, and I do like to see the room well
dressed up.'

As Tom, the gardener's grandson, was a steady, well-behaved lad, Mrs.
Mortimer allowed John and Frederick to accompany him to the copses, in
search of the holly. Harriet and Elizabeth would, no doubt, very much
have liked to belong to the party also, but they were easily convinced
of the propriety of their not doing so, and were therefore satisfied
to see their brothers drive off with Tom Harding, and return in two or
three hours afterwards, walking by the side of the little vehicle,
which then appeared a moving shrub of red-berried holly.

On Christmas-day the expected party met round the hospitable
dinner-table of Mr. Mortimer, having all of them arrived on the
preceding day at the grove, excepting the other branch of the Mortimer
family, who attended their own parish church in the morning, and did
not arrive till the hour of dinner.

The children of the village school, all in their new clothes, and with
a sprig of holly in their bosoms and button holes, walked from