“Do you think your mother will come to the Christmas-tree, Alice?” Elsa asked. “Grandmother said particularly that I was to tell you she wants your mother to come.”
Ben answered for his sister: “She will come, I think, if Peggy and I ask her to. What a splendid grandmother you have, Elsa!” he cried, starting into a sort of war-dance around the room. “I’m going to make a Christmas present for her.”
“What is it?” asked Betty, curious instantly.
But Ben was heedless of the question. “Is she very rich?” he inquired, looking at Elsa.
“Yes, I think so,” replied Elsa.
“Then I’ll do it,” he exclaimed, ending his dance with a somersault upon the hearth-rug.
“What is it?” again asked Betty.
“That’s telling,” Ben answered.
“It will be something nice,” said Alice, out of her perfect faith in her brother.
Betty, not at all disturbed by Ben’s refusal to tell, went on blissfully: “Then our next meeting of the Club will be the Christmas-tree at Elsa’s, and we are all going out to the Convalescent Home with the presents Christmas morning! Don’t you think we could have just a little meeting here next Thursday afternoon, Miss Ruth, to talk things over?”