Certainly the boys had reason to be satisfied at the praise their work received.
"I know you did not sew on the silk," said Dora, examining one closely.
"Oh, well, Aunt Zélie and Cousin Helen did the sewing, of course, but we did all the rest," said Carl.
"And what do you mean to do with them?" asked Elsie.
"Sell them and give the money to the harp man."
They were so pretty there proved to be no trouble in disposing of them. Aunt Marcia, who was superintending a Christmas bazaar, offered to put them on one of her tables, where they sold the first evening for a dollar and a half apiece.
After this the meetings of the G.N. club had to give way to rehearsals for what Cousin Helen called "The Harp Man's Benefit," which was to occur on New Year's eve. In the meantime Uncle William had interested himself in the matter, and, through a friend who was a music dealer, a harp was lent to Mr. Finnelli till his own could be repaired.
"So we feel more comfortable about it now," said Louise, "and we think we'll make at least ten dollars at our entertainment."
Late in the afternoon of the day before Christmas Aunt Zélie sat alone in the library taking a moment's rest.
The sound of happy voices came through the open door. It was a custom in the family to decorate the hall on Christmas eve, and the children had been making wreaths and festoons of cedar, and having any amount of fun. They were now having a merry time over Ikey's suggestion to hang a holly wreath above the Big Front Door. From the top of the ladder Carl began: