"Take a more comfortable chair," suggested Tom, pulling over a Morris chair nearer the fire.
Roger stirred up the flames and tossed on some pine cones.
"These cones remind me that our old people down by the bridge might like some. They have a funny open stove that they could use them in."
"What are they good for? Kindling?" asked Della.
"Ha! There speaks the city lady used only to steam! Certainly they are good for kindling on account of the pitch that's in them, but they're also great in an open fire to brighten it up when it is sinking somewhat and one or two at a time tossed on to a clear fire make a pretty sight."
"And a pretty snapping sound," added Dorothy, remembering the cones from the long leaf pines.
"Our old couple gets a bushel on Monday afternoon if it ever stops raining," promised Roger. "Dicky loves to pick them up, so he'll help."
"The honorary member of the United Service Club does his share of service work right nobly," declared James, who was a great friend of Dicky's.
"The thing for us to do first is to decide how we are to begin," said Helen.
"We might talk over the kinds of presents that the war orphans would like and then see which of them any of us can make," suggested Margaret wisely.