a prettier, daintier basket no one could wish
to possess. As soon as it was finished there arose the great
question of how, and when, and where the gift should be made.

"I want it to seem as if it comes from a brownie," Huldah insisted,
eagerly. "I couldn't make it at night, as the brownies would have
done, but couldn't I leave it, as they left their gifts, just where
it is sure to be found? It would be much nicer, wouldn't it?
Miss Rose would laugh, and be so pleased. I am sure she would like
to have it that way."

At last, after a great deal of thought, and a great many plans had
been made and set aside as not quite suitable, it was decided that
Huldah should get up early in the morning and walk to the vicarage,
then creeping softly into the stable, she would tie the parcel on to
Rob's back, or to his manger, where he could not reach it.
Miss Carew always went out early, to feed her hens, and to take Rob
some bread and sugar, so she would be sure to see it.

Another plan was for Huldah to creep into Miss Rose's sitting-room
when the maid's back was turned, and leave the parcel on the table;
but they did not like this plan very well, for one thing, Huldah
did not like creeping stealthily in and out of the house, and
for another, Miss Rose might not find the basket for hours.
She was always so busy about the garden and Rob and the hen-houses
that she might not go to her room till quite late in the day.

No; Rob, they decided, must be the medium, and Huldah thrilled with
excitement.

When she went to bed that night, she was so full of fears that she
would not wake in good time in the morning that she tried to keep
awake all night. But, after a while the time seemed so long, the
night so endless, and the morning so far off, she longed to be able
to go to sleep, to bring it nearer more quickly, and while she was
wondering if the kitchen clock had really struck ten, or was it
really six, and time to get up, she fell asleep, and the next thing
she was conscious of was Mrs. Perry calling her, and the old clock in
the kitchen striking six as hard as it could strike.

"You dress and get ready, and I will light the fire," she said; and
when Huldah presently went downstairs, the kitchen was bright with
lamp and firelight, the kettle was singing gaily, and Mrs. Perry was
already warming the tea-pot.

By the time they had had their tea and Huldah was ready to start, it
was already growing light out of doors. The nigh