Minnie looked at the things, while a deep sigh escaped her, "I wish we could do more," she said, "but we have so little money."

"We must remember," said Agnes, "that G.o.d accepts, not according to what we have _not_, but according to what we have."

"Yes," said Hugh; "and if we were to sit down to do nothing because we have no money to spend, quite thirty little children would go without what will give them a good many hours' pleasure."

"So they would," answered Minnie, looking more cheerful; "so now I will set about making the best of what I have."

It took a good many days before all the things were really completed; and sometimes they were tempted to get tired and give up; but one or other of them would remember for whom they had agreed to work, and this nerved them to make a fresh endeavour.

At last all was done. A box was found to send the things in, and the pleasant task of actually packing it was begun.

Agnes told them to let her know when everything was ready, and now came in, bearing a little tray-full of tiny bags of net, filled with sugar-plums.

She proceeded to tie one on each toy or doll, and placed one in a sly corner in the various toy boxes.

"Oh, Agnes, how kind of you!" they all exclaimed.

So the packing went on with great zest.

They all clubbed together to pay the carriage of the box by the Parcels Delivery Company, and with great pride Alice wrote the label, and pasted it on. Then Hugh and John carried the package into the hall, and when they came up again they all looked at each other with happy faces.

"I thought it would never get done," said Minnie.

"Did you?" asked Alice; "there is nothing like perseverance to get things finished."

"It is bringing forth fruit with _patience_," said Agnes.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER XII.

_JOHN'S PROMISE._

Thus the few days before Christmas pa.s.sed busily on, while Agnes began to feel less anxiety as to her charge during their parents' absence.

The nearness of her grandmother and aunt were an untold comfort, but her mother had said to her before she left, "Do not run in to them with every little t.i.ttle-tattle, but remember there is a nearer Friend always close. Should any great emergency arise, be thankful that He has so placed you that you can ask advice of them."

The whole family, according to the usual custom, were to spend Christmas-day at Mrs. Headley's, next door, to which pleasure the young people looked forward in their different ways.

On Christmas-eve, while John, Hugh, and Alice were making and putting up the ivy and holly wreaths, Agnes and Minnie set forth on their errand of carrying the Christmas parcels to the poor people for whom they had prepared them; and when they came in, wet and cold, the others gathered round to know what they had done, and how the parcels had been received.

"It is bitterly cold to-night," said Agnes, coming forward to the fire; "you will let us get warm first, before we say a word, the wind blows through you."

"You should have let us go," said John. "I knew it was more fit for Hugh and me than for that little sc.r.a.p of humanity!"

"But Minnie was promised," answered Agnes, "and I am _very_ glad I went--very glad."

"So am I," answered Minnie earnestly.

"Why?" asked Hugh.

"I must tell you another day; to-night I feel as if I could only thank G.o.d for all our mercies."

She sat down by the fire and looked into it abstractedly, while Minnie stood near her very soberly too.

"Were they so pleased?" asked Alice.

Agnes looked round on the warm room, with its comfortable curtains, clean wall-paper, tidy carpet, all lighted up with the glow of the log of wood which Alice had put on the fire to welcome her.

"If you could have seen!" she said, "how thankful you would all feel for _our_ blessings."

At six o'clock the next morning the Christmas bells of joy rang out on the still morning air. They woke Alice, and she started up in bed and called to Minnie, who, after sundry groans and sighs, came to herself, and asked, "What is the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter, only don't you want to hear the Christmas bells?"

"Not very much," answered Minnie sleepily.

"You are a goose!" said broad-awake Alice. "But all the same, I wish you a happy Christmas."

"So do I," answered Minnie, trying to be polite; "but when I really wake up to-morrow morning I'll say it better."

"Why it _is_ to-morrow morning," laughed Alice.

After breakfast, just as they were going to open a package on which they had ventured many conjectures, a ring at the front door interrupted them.

"Perhaps it's another parcel," said Minnie, running to the window, while Agnes exclaimed:

"Oh, Minnie, don't expect things, pray. I should not like to be counting on presents--it is horrid!"

Minnie looked round astonished. "I didn't know----" she said, confused.

But the ring was quickly explained.

"Please, Master Hugh," said the housemaid, "there's a young gentleman in the hall, and he wants to know if you'll go out for a walk with him?"

"Who is it?" asked Hugh, vexed. "Did he say his name?"

"I'll enquire, Master Hugh."

"It's Master Tom Radnor," she said, returning.

Hugh threw down the string he was untying, and followed the maid into the hall.