approval in Bob's patient silence.

"Well, I hope you have a good time," he said, finally. "But what you
want to leave this place for to go South is more than I can see. It's
just like girls. They'd cross the country to dance. I think it's a crazy
idea, if you ask me," he added with vehemence.

"But I didn't, Bobby," Polly answered sweetly. "Oh, there's a wonderful
tree! It's just the right size and it's bushy," she exclaimed suddenly.
"Do let's get it."

[Illustration: They cut it down, dragged it to the sleigh and bore it
home in triumph.]

Bob pulled Banker in, and fumbled under the seat for the ax. But when
they got out Polly found she had lost sight of the tree and they had to
wade around in the snow up to their knees for fully ten minutes before
they found another that suited them. They cut it down, dragged it to the
sleigh and bore it home in triumph. It was dark long before they reached
the house, and they found everybody dressed for dinner and waiting for
them in the library.

"Oh, we've had a glorious ride!" Polly said brightly. Her cheeks were
whipped red from the wind and her eyes sparkled.

"Is the tree bushy enough for you, Lo?" Bob asked.

"Yes, it's a beauty," Lois said, examining it.

"You two should have been with us," Polly said, speaking to Jim, "just
to have seen Bobby work."

"While Polly told me how to do it," Bob said, teasingly. "You'd think,
to hear her talk, she'd cut down trees all her life. When she found that
I wasn't paying any attention to her, she got back in the sleigh and
recited 'Woodman Spare That Tree' from the depths of the nice warm robes
while I froze."

"Bob," said Polly, indignantly, "if you'll let me pass, I'd like to go
upstairs and dress for dinner."

That evening, they decorated the tree, that is, Lois and Jim did most of
it while Polly and Bob rested in two big chairs before the fire, with
Sandy between them, and made suggestions.

"Jim, that tinsel would look much better going around the tree instead
of up and down," Bob said critically.

Jim, who was upon a stepladder, went on trimming, while Lois came to his
defense.

"Bob, do you know what tinsel is supposed to represent," she asked.

"Isn't supposed to represent anything," Bob said calmly.

Lois looked at Jim in sympathetic understanding. "You see, he doesn't
know," she said. "Tinsel, dear brother, is supposed to represent the
silver rays of the stars," she explained.

"Oh, get out," Bob objected