CHAPTER XI
THE WINTER NEST COUNCIL
Before eight o’clock that night the Blue Birds and their mothers were assembled in the living-room ready for a council. The children had not seen the den for a few days and stared in delight as they filed into the room. Mrs. Talmage had purposely had all meet together before mentioning that they might as well spend the evening in the Winter Nest.
“Why, Mother Wings, when did you fix this up?” asked Ruth, as much surprised as the others.
Mrs. Talmage smiled, but said nothing.
The guests looked about and admired the unique charm of the Blue Bird quarters for the winter, and Betty ventured the question: “What has become of our other chairs?”
The room had all been renovated. The windows were hung with snow-flake madras, and the floor covered with heavy knotted white rag carpet that looked like snow freshly packed. The walls had been repapered with a sparkling white paper which glistened like ice in the electric light. From the wainscoting to the picture rail branches of dark green spruce and pine were fastened and upon these green needles were caught flakes of make-believe snow—made of white cotton-batting with diamond dust powdered on it. The furniture of the summer Nest had been brought in late that afternoon and the slip covers, which had been made for it, were slipped over until the thick white covers hid the familiar chairs under the novelty cloth that looked like snow-drifts. The whole effect was so beautiful that the children danced about with joy.
“Well, we must get at our work,” reminded Aunt Selina, after enough chairs had been brought in for all.
“I walked over with Mr. Wells and he was quite surprised to find I was coming to the house,” said Mrs. Wells, laughingly.
“I never said a word to Mr. Talmage or his brother,” confided Mrs. Talmage, smiling at the secret.