CHRISTMAS Day dawned bright and clear. After breakfast they shut up the Cottage and all went to church. Dinner was to be late that day, for Aunt Alice was determined not to miss church in the morning.
"We'll have a snack of cold lunch," she said; "and then we'll have a proper Christmas dinner at six o'clock."
The church was very full. Sir George and Lady Melville had their boys home and a party of visitors as well. Charlie was there with his father and mother, but just before the service began, there was a great surprise for the little girls. The Pirate appeared and walked up the aisle, taking a seat on the opposite side to where they sat. Faith nudged her Aunt, and Aunt Alice smiled with a little flush on her cheeks. When they came out of church, greetings took place in the churchyard. Sir George and Lady Melville both thanked Faith very much for her presents, and then Charlie rushed up in great excitement.
"You are a brick!" he said. "You should have heard me yell when I saw my cycle! How did you think of it?"
"We all thought of it," said Faith; "Charity and Hope helped me with everything. Hope said she knew you wanted one."
"It's simply stunning! And I say, I'm going to have a party with fireworks on New Year's Eve, and you're all to come!"
"How jolly!" cried the little girls. "Of course we will."
Then the Pirate, who had been talking to Granny and Aunt Alice, came up, and they all seized hold of him.
"We thought you were in France!" "When did you come back?" "Are you going to stay?"
He laughed.