s so funny,"
explained Tilly, when she got her breath.

"I was so scared that when the first orange hit me, I thought it was a
bullet, and scrabbled into the cradle as fast as I could. It was real
mean to frighten the little ones so," laughed Prue, as Tilly gave a
growl.

Here a smart rap on the wall of the next room caused a sudden lull in
the fun, and Mrs. Bassett's voice was heard, saying warningly, "Girls,
go to sleep immediate, or you'll wake the baby."

"Yes'm," answered two meek voices, and after a few irrepressible
giggles, silence reigned, broken only by an occasional snore from the
boys, or the soft scurry of mice in the buttery, taking their part in
this old-fashioned Thanksgiving.

II.

HOW IT ALL HAPPENED.

It was a small room, with nothing in it but a bed, two chairs, and a big
chest. A few little gowns hung on the wall, and the only picture was the
wintry sky, sparkling with stars, framed by the uncurtained window. But
the moon, pausing to peep, saw something pretty and heard something
pleasant. Two heads in little round nightcaps lay on one pillow, two
pairs of wide-awake blue eyes stared up at the light, and two tongues
were going like mill clappers.

"I'm so glad we got our shirts done in time! It seemed as if we never
should, and I don't think six cents is half enough for a great red
flannel thing with four button-holes--do you?" said one little voice,
rather wearily.

"No; but then we each made four, and fifty cents is a good deal of
money. Are you sorry we didn't keep our quarters for ourselves?" asked
the other voice, with an under-tone of regret in it.

"Yes, I am, till I think how pleased the children will be with our tree,
for they don't expect anything, and will be so surprised. I wish we had
more toys to put on it, for it looks so small and mean with only three
or four things."

"It won't hold any more, so I wouldn't worry about it. The toys are very
red and yellow, and I guess the babies won't know how cheap they are,
but like them as much as if they cost heaps of money."

This was a cheery voice, and as it spoke the four blue eyes turned
toward the chest under the window, and the kind moon did her best to
light up the tiny tree standing there. A very pitiful little tree it
was--only a branch of hemlock in an old flower-pot, propped up with bits
of coal, and hung with a few penny toys earned by the patient fingers of
the elder sisters, that the little ones should not be