oss the road. The
tramp must have taken directly to the woods. We'll simply have to do
without our Christmas dinner."

"By no means," said Josie quickly, with a little red spot on either
cheek. "Our dinner is all ready--turkey, pudding and all. Let us lend
it to you. Don't say a word to your uncle about the accident."

Alexina flushed and hesitated. "It's very kind of you," she stammered,
"but I'm afraid--it would be too much--"

"Not a bit of it," Josie interrupted warmly. "Didn't Duncan and I have
Christmas dinner at your house last year? Just come and help us carry
it over."

"If you lend us your dinner you and Duncan must come and help us eat
it," said Alexina, resolutely.

"I'll come of course," said Josie, "and I think that Duncan will too
if--if--" She looked at Stephen, the scarlet spots deepening. Stephen
coloured too.

"Duncan must come," he said quietly. "I'll go and ask him."

Two minutes later a peculiar procession marched out of the Tracy
kitchen door, across the two yards, and into the Falsom house. Josie
headed it, carrying a turkey on a platter. Alexina came next with a
plum pudding. Stephen and Duncan followed with a hot mince pie apiece.
And in a few more minutes Alexina gravely announced to Uncle James
that dinner was ready.

The dinner was a pronounced success, marked by much suppressed
hilarity among the younger members of the party. Uncle James ate very
heartily and seemed to enjoy everything, especially the mince pie.

"This is the best mince pie I have ever sampled," he told Alexina. "I
am glad to know that I have a niece who can make such a mince pie."
Alexina cast an agonized look at Josie, and was on the point of
explaining that she wasn't the maker of the pie. But Josie frowned her
into silence.

"I felt so guilty to sit there and take the credit--_your_ credit,"
she told Josie afterwards, as they washed up the dishes.

"Nonsense," said Josie. "It wasn't as if you couldn't make mince pies.
Your mince pies are better than mine, if it comes to that. It might
have spoiled everything if you'd said a word. I must go home now.
Won't you and Stephen come over after your uncle goes, and spend the
evening with us? We'll have a candy pull."

When Josie and Duncan had gone, Uncle James called his nephew and
niece into the parlour, and sat down before them with approving eyes.
"I want to have a little talk with you two. I'm sorry I've let so many
years go by without making your acquainta