from its mitten and one slender leg
after the other emerged from the knitted trousers.

"She isn't what you'd call really fat yet, is she?" he commented.

"She's a porpoise compared with what she was at the beginning," insisted
Ethel Blue stoutly. "Miss Merriam can tell you how many ounces she has
gained."

"She's gained in happiness, any way," smiled the young physician as the
baby murmured "Gertrude" and patted Gertrude's flushing cheek.

There was a full meeting of the United Service Club when Helen called it
to order at a quarter of three and informed the members that it was high
time for them to discuss what they were going to do as a club for
Christmas.

"To tell the truth, I was awfully ashamed about our forgetting to do
anything for anybody on Thanksgiving. It all came out right, because our
'show' for the Home went off well and the old ladies were pleased, but
we didn't originate the idea and I feel as if we ought to make up for
our forgetfulness by doing something extra at Christmas. Now who has any
suggestions?"

"I'd like to know first," asked James, the treasurer, "just how we stand
with regard to Elisabeth. I know we can't afford to pay Miss Merriam's
salary; I am afraid we've got to call on the grownups for that--but we
can do something and we must, and we ought to find out about it
exactly."

"Mrs. Emerson is paying half Miss Merriam's salary," explained Dorothy.

"And Aunt Louise the other half," added Ethel Brown.

"I wrote to Father about Elisabeth," said Ethel Blue, "and he said he'd
send us a hundred dollars a year for her. We could put it in the bank
for her, he said, if we didn't need to use it for doctors' bills or
anything else."

"Here's my pay from the Misses Clark; they forked over this morning,"
said Roger elegantly, as he in turn "forked over" a bill to James.
"Madam President, may the treasurer report, please?"

"The treasurer will kindly tell us what there is at the Club's
disposal," directed Helen.

"The treasurer is obliged to confess that there isn't very much,"
admitted James. "The Christmas Ship just about cleaned us out, and the
cost of some of the material for costumes for 'Miles Standish' nearly
used up what was left. This greenback of Roger's is the best looking
thing I've seen for some days."

"I haven't paid my dues for December," confessed Ethel Blue. "Here they
are."

It proved that one or two of the others were also delinquent, but even
after all had paid