Dorothy poked her chestnut into the ashes. "I wish I might spend the whole year up here with you," she said; and when the nut popped right into her lap the other children joined hands and danced around her in a circle.
Then it was Rachel's turn, and she wished for higher marks in school than she ever had before; but the chestnut jumped into the fire and blazed up merrily.
"That's because your marks are good enough anyway," her brother told her. "What is your wish, Lawrence?"
"I wish that I might go to London in an airship," Lawrence replied.
"And I wish that I might go to the biggest circus in the world," added Leland, poking his chestnut in beside his cousin's.
One of the nuts popped into the farthest corner of the hearth, and the other burned to a little black cinder; but the boys couldn't decide whose chestnut it was that flew away, so they couldn't tell which one was to have his wish.
"I'll tell you something that is just as good as flying," said Leland. "Let's get out our bob-sled and go coasting. There's a moon to-night, and it is almost as light as day."
"I don't think we ought to leave the house," objected Rachel. "Father and Mother are both away, you know, and they told us to be careful."
"Oh, don't be a goose!" her brother replied. "The house can take care of itself."
"We ought to put out all the lamps then, and cover the fire with ashes," said thoughtful Rachel.