Well, the next day, what a Christmas it was to be sure! Jasper was to come down in the morning to see all the fun of the last preparations, go upstairs after luncheon to be a prisoner in his room and rest for the grand dinner and tree in the evening!
All the boys in his set crowded in, pretty soon after breakfast, to the big library.
"O me!" cried Alexia, running in and raising her long hands, "what did make you come so early—the very idea!"
"Well, it seems you are here, Alexia," said Pickering, coolly, lounging in one of the big easy-chairs.
"Oh, that's quite different," said Alexia, nowise abashed, "and you know it, Pickering. Why, Polly needs me!"
"Does she?" said Pickering.
"Yes, of course; so I had to come."
Whereat Clare laughed, and one or two of the other boys joining in, Alexia turned on them. "You've no idea how much work girls have to do. Now, you boys don't lift a finger at any such a time as this."
"Don't we?" exclaimed Pickering. "Well, that's a fine thing to say."
"When we've been over here, at least Pick has, every day for a week, and the rest of us ever so many times, helping Polly," cried Clare, in a dudgeon.