"Now," said Aunt Emma, with a sigh, as she rose, "who is going to help me with the dishes?"
Bella looked at Tom, and Tom at Bella. "Well," said the latter, at last, "I want to help you, but—but Tom and I have a big secret that we want to—to arrange, and we want to be here by ourselves,—except father, of course,—for a bit."
"Is it a nice secret? a real one?" asked Charlie, "a s'prise?"
"Yes, a very nice one."
"We'll help Aunt Emma; come along, Margy."
"I wish I knew what it was," said Margery, still lingering and looking anxiously at Bella. "Shall I know by an' by?"
"Yes, yes," said Bella impatiently; "if you run away you will. If you don't, you see, we shan't be able to attend to it——"
"Oh!" gasped Margery, and the next moment she had disappeared, and was in the scullery.
Then, for nearly an hour Tom and Bella found so much to do, they scarcely knew what to do first. Their father had to be told all about the secrets, all the treasures had to be brought down from upstairs, the candles fixed in the candlesticks, and the presents arranged on the tree or around it. They never could have been ready in time, had not their father helped them; and, as it was, darkness had fallen before they had done, and they had to light the lamp. At last everything was really fixed and ready, all but the lighting of the Christmas candles.
"Now," said Bella, "we will put out the lamp, and stir up the fire to make it blaze, for there mustn't be any other light but that and the candles. Tom, you go out, and see if Aunt Emma and the others are ready. If they are, they must wait till we call, and then we will light the candles at once."