illy, while the twins pranced with delight,
and the small boys roared:

"Hooray for Pa! Hooray for Thanksgivin'!"

The cheer was answered heartily, and in came Father, Mother, Baby, aunts
and cousins, all in great spirits, and all much surprised to find such a
festive welcome awaiting them.

"Ain't Gran'ma dead at all?" asked Sol, in the midst of the kissing and
hand-shaking.

"Bless your heart, no! It was all a mistake of old Mr. Chadwick's. He's
as deaf as an adder, and when Mrs. Brooks told him Mother was mendin'
fast, and she wanted me to come down to-day, certain sure, he got the
message all wrong, and give it to the fust person passin' in such a way
as to scare me 'most to death, and send us down in a hurry. Mother was
sittin' up as chirk as you please, and dreadful sorry you didn't all
come."

"So, to keep the house quiet for her, and give you a taste of the fun,
your Pa fetched us all up to spend the evenin', and we are goin' to have
a jolly time on't, to jedge by the looks of things," said Aunt Cinthy,
briskly finishing the tale when Mrs. Bassett paused for want of breath.

"What in the world put it into your head we was comin', and set you to
gettin' up such a supper?" asked Mr. Bassett, looking about him, well
pleased and much surprised at the plentiful table.

Tilly modestly began to tell, but the others broke in and sang her
praises in a sort of chorus, in which bears, pigs, pies, and oranges
were oddly mixed. Great satisfaction was expressed by all, and Tilly and
Prue were so elated by the commendation of Ma and the aunts, that they
set forth their dinner, sure everything was perfect.

But when the eating began, which it did the moment wraps were off, then
their pride got a fall; for the first person who tasted the stuffing (it
was big Cousin Mose, and that made it harder to bear) nearly choked over
the bitter morsel.

"Tilly Bassett, whatever made you put wormwood and catnip in your
stuffin'?" demanded Ma, trying not to be severe, for all the rest were
laughing, and Tilly looked ready to cry.

"I did it," said Prue, nobly taking all the blame, which caused Pa to
kiss her on the spot, and declare that it didn't do a might of harm, for
the turkey was all right.

"I never see onions cooked better. All the vegetables is well done, and
the dinner a credit to you, my dears," declared Aunt Cinthy, with her
mouth full of the fragrant vegetable she praised.

The pudding was an utter failure, in spit