mas?"

Tim colored, his brother's question bringing home to him uncomfortable
possibilities.

"We could have such fun doing it, Timmie," coaxed Mary. "Think how we
could trim up the basket, and what a surprise it would be! Why, it
would make no end of sport."

Tim's expression softened.

Instantly Mrs. McGregor, who was quick to interpret her children's
moods, saw the battle was won.

"We can plan together what shall go into the basket," said she briskly.
"Each of us might contribute the thing he likes best."

"The turkey shall be mine!" Uncle Frederick declared.

"I choose cranberry sauce!" Carl announced.

"Celery! Oh, could I put in celery, Mother?" Mary inquired. "The tops
are so pretty and I love it so!"

Her mother nodded.

"Somebody must give the plain things so I will donate potatoes, squash,
and onions," she said.

"Don't forget nuts! We must have nuts and raisins," Mary added.

"I'd like to give those," Tim whispered.

"You shall, son."

A friendly little glance passed between the boy and his mother.

"Pie! I want pie!" asserted Nell, who although too young to understand
what was going on, nevertheless grasped the notion that food was the
prevailing topic and plunged into the subject with enthusiasm.

"Bless your heart, dearie, you shall have pie!" laughed her mother.
"I'll make a couple of apple pies and they shall be your present."

"There ought to be candy. Please let me send candy! May I?" begged
Martin for whom the world held only two articles really worth
while--candy and ice cream.

There was general merriment at this suggestion.

"Precious little candy would ever get to anybody else if you had the
giving of it, Martie," teased Mary.

"Yes, Martin shall give the candy," Mrs. McGregor consented.

"We'll paste his mouth up before he goes to buy it," Carl drawled.

"Don't you s'pose I could keep from eating it if once I set out to?"
scowled Martin defiantly.

"No, I don't!"

"Well, I could, so now!" The boy drew himself up proudly.

"James Frederick ought to send something, Mother," reminded the
care-taking Mary. "We don't want him left out."

"Oh, we mustn't leave out the baby!" agreed Captain Dillingham. "He and
I will get together and talk the matter over. There are still several
things needed."

"Oh, it will be splendid!" cried Mary, clapping her hands. "Do get a
real big turkey, won't you, Uncle Frederick? And we'll trim it up with
a necklace of cranberries the way