nally grew
indignant.

"There isn't any answer."

"Give it up?"

"Yes," cried the voices in unison.

"Why, one--if the basket is big enough."

"There couldn't be a basket made as large as that. You might as well ask
how many drops of water there are in the sea, and then say only one
because they all run together."

The girls applauded that, and, before anyone had thought of another,
Miranda,--tall, black, imposing, with a gay turban wound round her
head,--announced:

"De little misses were all disquested to walk out to de Christmas
supper."

Grandmamma did not know how to leave her guests, and she was in the
middle of a game of loo, but she had promised to sit at the head of the
table, so Mrs. Chapman took her place. No one felt troubled because
there were no boys at the party: the only boy of the house had gone out
skating with some other boys.

It was quite a royal feast. There were thin bread and butter, dainty
biscuits not much larger than the penny of that day, cold turkey and
cold ham, and cake of every kind, it would seem, ranged around the iced
Christmas cake that was surmounted by a wreath of some odd golden
flowers that people dried and kept all winter for ornamental purposes.

They puzzled grandmamma with the two riddles, but she thought that about
the sea the better one. And she said no one would ever have an
opportunity to measure Copp's Hill, but for all that they did, if they
had cared to.

The grown-up people had some tea and chocolate in the dining room, and
seemed to be having as merry a time as the children. There was something
infectious in the air or the house. Doris thought it very delightful.
Her cheeks began to bloom in a wild-rose tint, and her eyes had a
luminous look, as if happiness was shining through them.

Afterward grandmamma played on the spinet and they danced several pretty
simple figures, ending with the minuet. When the clock struck seven
someone came in a sleigh for four of the girls who lived quite near
together. Pompey, the Royalls' servant, was to escort the others, and
Betty March lived just across in Winter Street. When children went out
the hours were kept pretty strictly. Seven o'clock meant seven truly,
and not eight or nine.

Each child had a pretty paper box of candy, tied with a bright ribbon.
Bonbons we should call them now. And they all expressed their thanks and
made a courtesy as they reached the hall door.

"Have you had a good time?" asked Madam