"What is it you and Bessie are doing, Maggie?"
"Making such lovely Christmas presents for mamma," answered Maggie.
"What! already?" said Carrie.
"Yes," said Maggie, "because it will take us so long to work it, and we have lots besides to do. And then some dreadful accident might happen to us to prevent our finishing it, you know, like Sir Percy nearly putting out Lily Norris' eye; so it's best to take time by the forelock at once, even if it is only July."
"What are you making?" asked Nellie.
"A pair of brackets, the loveliest things," answered Maggie, with emphasis. "Bessie is filling up one, and I the other."
"And we are going to have them made up ourselves, quite ourselves, out of our own money," said Bessie. "Nellie, why wouldn't you like to make something for your mamma of your own work? You can do worsted work so very nicely."
"I would like to very much," said Nellie. "And I have some money of my own that I could use."
"I shall do it too," said Carrie.
"If you would like to do the same thing that we are doing," said Maggie, "Mrs. Finkenstadt has another pair of brackets nearly like ours, and at the same price. They are very pretty."