"Did he come? is there something in 'em?" whispered Grace, as Lulu came back to the bedside.

"Yes, yes, indeed! they're just as full as they can be! I've brought 'em; here's yours," putting it into Gracie's hands and getting into bed again. "Let's pull the things out and feel what they are, though we can't see much till it gets lighter."

"Yes, let's," said Grace; "I couldn't bear to wait."

They thought they were keeping very quiet, but Lu's "Oh!" had wakened her father and Violet and they were lying quietly listening and laughing softly to themselves.

There was a rustle of paper, then Gracie's voice in a loud whisper, "Oh another dolly for me! and I just know it's lovely! I can feel its hair, and its dress; it's all dressed!"

Then Lulu's, "A potato! just a horrid, raw Irish potato! What do I want with that?"

"And I've got one too!" from Grace. "Oh well, I s'pose that was to fill up, and maybe there's something nice lower down."

"A sweet potato or a parsnip or something of that kind in mine," said Lulu, some slight vexation in her tone. "Oh well, I've had so many nice things, and this is only for fun."

"And here are some candies in mine," said Grace. "Haven't you got some?"

"Yes, oh yes! and nuts and raisins. I'd like to taste them; but I think we'd better leave them till after breakfast. I'm pretty sure papa would say so."

"Yes, 'course he would; so we'll wait."

"Good obedient children; aren't they?" the captain said in a gratified whisper to Violet.

"Very; I'm proud of them," she responded.

It was growing light and Lulu, taking up the despised potato, examined it more critically. Presently she uttered an exclamation,

"O Gracie, see! It opens and there's something inside!"

The captain and Violet listened intently for what might come next.

"More candies and--something wrapped up in soft paper. O Gracie! it's a lovely little breastpin!"

"Oh, oh, how pretty!" cried Grace. "I wonder if I have one too!" In their excitement they were forgetting the danger of disturbing others and talking quite loud.

"Yes, mine opens," Grace went on, "and--oh yes, I've got candies and something with paper round it and--oh yes, yes, it is a pin! Not quite like yours, but just every bit as pretty!"

"I think they are having a merry Christmas," said the captain, a happy light in his eyes, "and, my love, I wish you the same."

Violet returned the wish; but the children were talking again and they kept quiet to hearken.

"Oh this sweet potato opens too," Lulu was saying, "and there's something that feels like a stick. O Gracie, Gracie, look! it's a gold pencil, a lovely little gold pencil! Have you one?"

"No; but you haven't a doll."

"Well, I think Santa Claus has been very generous and kind to us."

"Just as good and kind as if he was our own papa," Gracie said, with a sweet silvery laugh.

"The dear, grateful darlings!" exclaimed the captain, his tone half tremulous with feeling. "I sometimes fear I am almost too indulgent; but it is such a dear delight to give them pleasure."

"And I don't believe it does them the least harm, so long as you do not indulge them in any wrong doing," said Violet. "Love never hurts anybody."

"Merry Christmas, my darlings," he called to them. "Did Santa Claus fill your stockings?"

"Oh merry, merry Christmas, papa!" they answered. "Yes, sir, Santa Claus or somebody did, and gave us lovely things. We're very much obliged to him."

As they spoke the door into their little sitting-room opened and Max put in his head, crying in his turn, "Merry Christmas to you all--papa and Mamma Vi, Lulu and Gracie."

A chorus of merry Christmases answered him; then Lulu asked, "What did Santa Claus put in your stocking, Maxie?"

"A good deal: about as much as could be crammed into it; some handsome neckties, candies and nuts and a gold pencil."

"Very nice," commented Lulu, and she and Grace, both talking at once, gave a gleeful account of their discoveries in searching their stockings.

They had hardly finished their narrative when a glad shout from the nursery interrupted them.

"There! little Elsie has found her stocking, I do believe," said Lulu, starting up to a sitting posture that she might look through the open door into the next room. As she did so a tiny toddling figure clothed in a white night dress, and with a well filled stocking in its arms emerged from the nursery door and ran across the room to the bedside, crying gleefully, "See mamma, papa, Elsie got."

"What have you got pet?" asked her father, picking her up and setting her in the bed. "There, pull out the things and let papa and mamma see what they are."

"Mayn't we come and see too?" asked the other children.

"Yes," he said, "you can come and peep in at the door, but first put on your warm slippers and dressing gowns, that you may not take cold."

Baby Elsie was a merry, demonstrative little thing, and it was great fun for them all to watch her and hear her shouts of delight as she came upon one treasure after another;--tiny, gaily dressed dolls of both s.e.xes, and other toys suited to her years.

It did not take her very long to empty the stocking, and then the captain said to the older ones, "Now you may close the door, my dears, and get yourselves dressed and ready for the duties and pleasures of the day. I shall be in presently for our usual chat before breakfast."

They made haste with their dressing, and were quite ready for their father when he came in some half hour later. They were very light-hearted and gay and full of grat.i.tude for all they had received.

"Dear papa, you are so good to us," they said, twining their arms about his neck, as they sat one upon each knee.

"I want to be," he said, caressing them in turn, "I have no greater pleasure than I find in making my children happy. And your grateful appreciation of my efforts makes me very happy."

"But, papa, I--" began Lulu, then paused hesitatingly.

"Well, daughter, don't be afraid to let me know the thought in your mind," he said kindly.

"I was just wondering why it's right for me to have so many other things, and would be wrong for me to have that ring I wanted so badly.

But please, papa," she added quickly and with a vivid blush, "don't think I mean to be naughty about it, or want you to spend any more money on me."

"No, dear child, I could not think so ill of you. I did not think it right or wise to buy you the ring, because it would have been spending a great deal for something quite useless, and very unsuitable for my little girl. The things I have given you I considered it right to buy because they will all be useful to you in one way or another."

"The games and storybooks, papa?" asked Grace with a look of surprise.

"Yes, daughter; people--and especially little folks like Max and Lulu and you--need amus.e.m.e.nt as a change and rest from work; we can do all the more work in the end if we take time for needed rest and recreation."

"So it won't be time wasted to have our Christmas holidays?" remarked Lulu, half inquiringly.