ment and consternation, exclaimed,
"Mercy on us!" With that she dragged the basket into her abode and
banged the door.

It was a brief drama but one entirely satisfying to the McGregors. Over
and over again did Carl and Mary enact the scene to the intense delight
of the family.

"Now mind, should Mrs. O'Dowd come up here with questions, you are to
be careful what you say," cautioned their mother. "There's to be no
hinting, winking, or smirking. Should Julie say anything, leave it to
your uncle or me to answer. All the fun would be spoiled if you gave
the secret away."

"Oh, yes," agreed Carl. "The sport is to keep folks guessing."

But no sooner were the words out of his mouth is than there was a
rapping at the hall door.

"Oh, Ma! I'll bet that is Mrs. O'Dowd now!" gasped Mary.

"It can't be! She'd not track us down so quick as this," replied Mrs.
McGregor, flustered and half rising.

"Most likely it's the Christmas tree, Mother," Tim suggested. "They
promised to send it early this afternoon."

Again came the knock.

"I'm half afraid to open the door lest it be Julie," faltered Mrs.
McGregor. "Be still a minute, all of you, till I think what I'll say to
her."

But when, amid a tense hush, the door was finally opened, neither Julie
O'Dowd nor the watched-for Christmas tree was on the threshold. Instead
they saw a holly-decked basket so exactly a replica of the one they had
given away that a cry of disappointment greeted it.

"She's sent it back!" cried Mary.

[Illustration: "But that isn't our basket, Mother," Carl said. "This
is much bigger." _Page_ 155.]

"She was offended and wouldn't take it!" murmured Mrs. McGregor. "I
feared as much."

"But that isn't our basket, Mother," Carl said. "This is much bigger.
Besides, we had no apples or candy bags in the one we sent."

Critically studying the gift, the family clustered around.

"It isn't our basket, Mother," Mary presently asserted. "See, this one
is red."

"There must be some mistake, then," Mrs. McGregor declared. "They've
left it at the wrong place."

"But our name is on it!" cried Tim.

"Where? Where?" What a bumping of heads there was as everybody bent to
read the card.

"Yes, our name is on it plain as day!" replied Mrs. McGregor with a
puzzled expression. Then, inspired by a solution of the mystery, she
wheeled round on her brother.

"How much do you know about this, Frederick?"

"Not a thing, Nellie--I give you my word! Dearly as