"The wood is in the fire-place," Betty answered, "and Mollie has the matches, I think."
With this the boys set to work energetically, while the girls and Mrs. Irving stood about them in a semi-circle.
"It's so different from building a fire in the open," Amy commented. "I always love them. Can't we toast marshmallows? That's the most fun of all."
"We could if we had any," Grace replied dryly. "I have some chocolates but you can't roast them, and nobody had the sense to think to buy marshmallows to-day."
At this last remark, Frank sat back upon his heels and favored Mollie with a sly wink—while that young lady smiled mysteriously.
"Thereby hangs a tale of which you shall hear later," he said, and, in spite of all their urging, he could not be made to say another word.
However, their curiosity was forgotten a moment later—forgotten in the excitement caused by a strange and curious happening.
Suddenly the smoke which had been rolling in clouds up the chimney, refused to roll farther. There being no other exit except into the room, the girls and boys suddenly found themselves suffocating. They choked, and the boys stumbled to their feet and followed the fleeing girls into the dining room.
There was a chorus of sneezes and smothered cries of "I'm choking! Open the window, some one, quick!"
"The windows are open and the doors, too," gasped Frank, in answer to this last request.