"What is it, Harold?" asked Herbert. "The captain has not let me into his secret."
"Only that his gifts to them—his wife and daughters—are in this closet and to be taken out now and added to the fruits of this wondrous tree," replied Harold, taking a key from his pocket and unlocking a closet door.
"Ah! something sizable, I should say," laughed Herbert, as four large pasteboard boxes came into view.
"Yes; what do you suppose they contain?" returned his brother, as they drew them out. "Ah, this top one—somewhat smaller than the others—bears little Elsie's name, I see, and the other three must be for Vi, Lu, and Grace. Probably they are new cloaks or some sort of wraps."
"Altogether likely," assented Herbert. "Well, when they are opened in
the course of the evening, we shall see how good a guess we have made.
And here," taking a little package from his pocket, "is something
Chester committed to my care as his Christmas gift to his betrothed."
"Ah! do you know what it is?"
"Not I," laughed Herbert, "but though a great deal smaller than her father's present, it may be worth more as regards moneyed value."
"Yes; and possibly more as regards the giver; though Lu is evidently exceedingly fond of her father."
"Yes, indeed! as all his children are and have abundant reason to be."
Herbert hung the small package on a high branch, then said: "These large boxes we will pile at the foot of the tree; Vi's at the bottom, Elsie's at the top, the other two in between."