“‘Merry Christmas, Sue!’ said Roswald, gaily.
“‘O Roswald, do you know what this is?”
“‘It is very like a barrel of flour,’ said Roswald. ‘I should be surprised if it was anything else!’
“‘But, Roswald, who sent it?’
“‘Why, Sue!—Santa Claus, to be sure. Don’t you know what day it is?’
“‘It didn’t come down chimney,’ said Sue; ‘that I know. Dear Roswald, don’t you know who sent it?’
“‘If Santa Clans had taken me into his confidence, you know, Sue, it would not be an honest thing to betray. I wonder what you can do with a barrel of flour, now you have got it.’
“‘Do?’ said Sue;—but just then there was another knock at the door. Roswald opened it. In came a boy with a long string of fine black and blue fish, which Mrs. Binch had sent to Sue.
“‘Beachhead is waking up,’ said Roswald.
“‘O Roswald!’ said Sue, beginning to get into the spirit of the thing,—‘did you ever see anything like those fish? O tell Mrs. Binch I thank her a great many times, please,—a great many times; I am very much obliged to her, and so is father.—O Roswald!—do see!—’