," she exclaimed, distressed, "I've lost one of my brown
gloves. I wish you'd look for it for me first thing in the morning--it
must be near the gate somewhere. And it's time for you to go to bed now.
I guess your mother didn't hear you come in or she would have called
you."

"Bet I beat you up in the morning," teased Ernest as they started
upstairs.

"Bet you don't. Say, Ernest, please wake me up when you do. I'm awful
tired and maybe I won't wake up early. I want to help fix the presents."

"All right, Sis, I will." Ernest gave her a little pat. He was very fond
of this only sister but didn't care to show it in public.

But Ernest proved as sound a sleeper as Jane in the morning. Alice had
breakfast almost ready and the family table bulged with numerous brown
and white paper packages--this was before the epidemic of tissue paper
and baby ribbon--when Dr. Morton's cheery "Merry Christmas,
Sleepy-heads!" routed them out.

A chorus of "Merry Christmases" responded. Ernest's was vigorous and
Chicken Little's sleepy, but Frank and Marian, just coming in the side
door, called lustily, and Mrs. Morton chimed in with one for each
individual member of the family.

Chicken Little flew down the stairs in her nightgown to have a peep at
the fascinating table. She entirely forgot her stocking, which was
perhaps just as well, for when she did investigate it after breakfast,
she found only a piece of kindling neatly wrapped inside.

"I told you Mother thought we were too old!" reminded Ernest.

But the table was all that could be desired. Chicken Little began
cautiously feeling the packages at her place till her mother discovered
her and sent her upstairs to dress.

"Oh, Ernest, there was one funny little flat box just like the one
Katy's bracelet came in. You don't s'pose--do you?" And she gave one
ecstatic jump in anticipation of the glorious possibility.

Chicken Little's hair went back with a sweep under the round rubber
comb, tangles and all. She really couldn't take time to comb it--and her
plaid dress had every other button carefully unfastened. Brother Frank
remarked that the front elevation was more attractive than the rear, and
Marian rushed her off upstairs to make her tidy.

Chicken Little's own contributions to the pile of gifts were made
triumphantly after she had driven every other member of the family out
of the dining room. She tucked her packages clear down at the bottom of
each pile with the exception