"I guess," said Jem, trying to get his fingers underneath it to lift it up. But he had to find another way, for the package resisted his efforts by sticking close to the bottom of the hamper as if it were glued.
"It's mighty heavy," he said. And then they found that the strings had been so placed as to allow of its being easily lifted out by them.
"A clock!" said Mrs. Seymour, delighted. "Oh, Jem, how I did want to get you a clock, but I could not manage it anyhow."
He put his broad hand on hers gratefully.
"I know, mother," he answered. "Don't ye think as I've eyes to see as all these things wasn't here when I left here last evening?"
A sweet smile came over the worn face, and with almost an arch look she answered,
"There's a certain bag in my drawer that used to be pretty heavy once, that I kept to buy things for 'Jem's wife.' It's empty now though."
"For me?" asked Meg; and then she blushed so much that she had to help Jem very industriously to undo the knots in the strings.
"For you," answered her mother-in-law.
And when Jem lifted out the present, they found it was a very nice clock, which would strike the hours.