after
the cantata. They peeped out at the sea of faces in front of the brown
calico curtains separating the stage and dressing rooms from the
audience.

"My, I just know I'll be scared," said Gertie with a little shiver.

"I sha'n't," declared Chicken Little stoutly. "Katy said I would and I
won't! I'm going to pretend we're just playing ring-round-a-rosy on the
school grounds and then I sha'n't mind the people."

The fairies had to circle round the despairing heroine while their queen
promised her good gifts because she had been an astonishingly good
little girl.

Sherm was to appear later when the good gifts began to arrive in visible
packages borne by human messenger boys. The heroine and her Sunday
School teacher, and her aged mother were supposed to weep for joy while
the presents poured in, and ended by singing a hymn in which the
messenger boys joined. Sherm came in and deposited his bundles with
great eclat. Unfortunately he dropped one on the heroine's toe startling
her so that she said "Oh!" quite audibly. Sherm's voice was a little
weak on the hymn till the last Halleluyah, when it came out strong and
a little off the key.

It was ten-thirty P. M. before Ernest and Jane got home and settled
themselves before the grate fire to munch candy and talk it over.

"I wish we could do it all again," said Chicken Little regretfully.
"Mrs. Dart said we made beautiful fairies and I guess Katy thought so
too. She said she never thought I could look so nice." She gave a little
simper of satisfaction.

"You kids were all right, but I didn't care for all that singing. I wish
they'd have something lively like fencing. Carol said he saw a man over
at Mattoon, the time he went with his father, who was a wonder. Wish I
could learn."

"I don't believe Father would let you, but I'll help tease if you want
me to."

"Frank knows how a little--he showed me."

"Frank and Marian are coming over for breakfast in the morning, so we
can have our presents all together. Say, let's hang our stockings up."

"Pshaw, we're too old for that--we never get anything in them but candy
or oranges--and I don't think Mother wants us to any more."

"I don't care--it's fun. Come on!"

Jane got one of Ernest's socks and her own longest stocking. They were
busy fastening them to the ends of the marble mantel when Alice came in.

Alice had not returned with the others, Dick Harding having undertaken
to see her safely home.

"Oh, children