"Oh, we are to come to tea, are we?" he said, cheerily, and he actually carried Moppet all the way to the breakfast-room, almost at the other end of the rambling old house, and planted her in a chair by his side at the tea-table. She nestled up close beside him.
"You like us now, don't you? she asked.
"I like you."
"And you'll like her," pointing to her sister with a small distinct finger, "and him," pointing to her brother, "to-morrow morning. You'll know us all to-morrow morning."
"To-morrow will be Christmas," said Laddie, as if giving a piece of useful information to the company in general.
"Christmas!" cried Danby; "so it will. I mustn't forget to hang up my stocking."
This provoked a burst of mirth. Uncle Tom's stocking! Uncle Tom hoping to get anything from Santa Claus!
"You needn't laugh," said Mr. Danby, seriously. "I mean to hang up one of my big Inverness stockings. It will hold a lot."
"What do you expect to get?" asked Laddie, intensely amused. "Toys?"
"No: chocolates, butter-scotch, hardbake, alecompane."