"There's a rattle, too, in there."
"Burglars?"
"Pooh! No; it's Christmas."
"Oh, boys, is Santa Claus really in there? Has he got here?"
"Is that you, Petish? And Molly too? Keep still. I'm just going to open the door a little mite of a crack, but you can all peek in."
Aunt Sally's ears must have been good ones, for, carefully as Don opened that door, and faint as was the squeak it made, she sprang suddenly toward it.
"Is that you, Maria? Hush! Don't make a sound. Not a loud noise for anything!"
"We won't, Aunt Sally. Hush-sh-sh!"
Even Petish did just as she was told for once, for she was a little scared when the great blaze of light came shining through the door as Aunt Sally pushed it wide open.
It was shut again the moment they were all in the room, and then it was all Aunt Sally and Uncle Frank could do to keep up any kind of silence in that merry assembly. They could not have done it at all if Aunt Sally had not told them all: "It's a great secret. You must help us give papa and mamma a big surprise. Now let's get breakfast for them."