“Ah, I did not understand! Yes, my pet, you may; the gifts are to be from you as much as from your brother and sister; so no one has a better right to a voice in the matter of distribution.”
He was rewarded by a very bright, glad look and smile as she held up her arms to be taken.
He held her while giving his order to a servant whom he had summoned, then carried her up, settled her comfortably in an easy chair, and wheeled it up beside a table whereon the day’s purchases were presently piled.
Zoe and Lulu had followed. The captain politely placed a chair for each, then seated himself, and the work began; he writing the labels and they affixing them.
It was all done very harmoniously; there seemed to be but little difference of opinion, and Lulu behaved as well as could have been desired, gracefully yielding her wishes now and again to those of Zoe or her little sister.
That pleased her father very much, and she felt amply rewarded by his smile of approval.
“There, that job is done!” announced Zoe at length.
“Why,” exclaimed Grace, in a tone of mingled surprise and dismay, “there’s nothing for papa! No, nor for you, Aunt Zoe; nor Lu either!”
“Oh, that is all right, little girlie!” laughed Zoe, “for of course if we provided our own gifts we should miss the surprise, which is more than half the fun.”
“Oh, yes!” she said, “I forgot that.”