“Awfully good of you, Mrs. Kenerley,” said Philip. “I wanted to flatter myself that I brought it with me, but it seems not. Have you a hill anywhere near? Perhaps we can go coasting to-morrow.”
“Plenty of hills; but I don’t believe there’s a sled about the place—is there, Jim?”
“We’ll find some, somehow, if there’s any coasting. We may have to put one of the motor cars on runners and try that.”
“They had sleds at the country store. I saw them this morning,” said Patty. “And that reminds me I have a little work to do on a Christmas secret, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll run away.”
Patty ran away to the nursery, where Fräulein, the baby’s governess, was working away at the materials Patty had brought home that morning.
“Yes, that’s right,” said Patty, as she closed the door behind her. “You’ve caught my idea exactly, Fräulein. Now, I’ll try on mine, and then, afterward, we’ll call up Mr. Ferris to try on his.”
At five o’clock the sounding of a Chinese gong called everybody to come to the Christmas tree.
The grown people arrived first, as the principal part of the fun was to see the surprise and delight of baby May when she should see the tree.
“Let me sit by you, Patty,” said Philip Van Reypen, as they found a place on one of the fireside benches. “I’ve missed you awfully since you left New York.”