It was while waiting for their father to take them to the school-house that they had this talk, and it was brought to a conclusion by his voice summoning them to get into the carriage.

“There is no time to lose, my darlings,” he said, “for it is likely to take about all the morning to trim the two rooms and two trees.”

CHAPTER V.

Grandma Elsie’s college boys, Harold and Herbert Travilla, had come home for the holidays, arriving the latter part of the previous week.  This morning they had come over to Woodburn, very soon after breakfast, “to have a chat with Vi while they could catch her alone,” they said, “for with all the company that was to be entertained at Ion they might not have so good a chance again.”

They stood with her at the window watching the carriage as it drove away with the captain and his children.  It had hardly reached the gate leading into the high road when Harold turned to his sister with the remark,

“Well, Vi, we’ve had quite a satisfactory talk; and now for action.  As I overheard the captain say to the children, ‘there’s no time to lose.’”

“No; we will begin at once,” returned Violet, leading the way to the large room where the Christmas tree had been set up last year.

A couple of negro men were carrying in its counterpart at one door, as Violet and her brother entered at the other.

“Ah that’s a fine tree, Jack!” she said addressing one of them; “the captain selected it, I suppose?”

“Yes, Miss Wi’let, de cap’n done say dis hyar one was for de Woodburn chillen; an’ we’s to watch an’ fotch ’em in soon’s dey’s clar gone out ob sight.”

“Yes,” she said, “we want to give them a pleasant surprise.  I think they are doubtful as to whether their father intends that they shall have a tree this year,” she added, aside to her brothers.

“Then the surprise will be the greater,” Harold returned; “and it is half the fun.  I supposed they were pretty certain of the tree, and would be surprised only by the nature of the gifts.”

“They will have a goodly supply of those,” Violet said, with a pleased look, glancing in the direction of a table heaped with packages of various sizes and shapes.  “Do you know, boys, when Christmas times come round I always feel glad I married a man with children; it’s such a dear delight to lay plans for their enjoyment and to carry them out.”

“Just like you, Vi,” said Herbert, “and I like to hear you talk in that way; but you have your own two.”

“Yes; but even Elsie is hardly old enough yet to care very much for such things.”

The tree was now in place and the work of trimming it began.

“It’s very good in you boys to come here and help me instead of joining in the fun they are doubtless having at the school-house,” remarked Violet, as she handed a glittering fairy to Harold who was mounted upon a step-ladder alongside of the tree.  “There, I think that will look well perched on that topmost bough.”