Ruth sat at a window that overlooked a part of the island.  Once she saw the men who had crossed from the mainland climbing the hill toward the lone pine.

“I hope they won’t find a trace of him!” she murmured as she popped into bed.

Ruth slept as soundly as any of her mates.  A clanging bell at six o’clock aroused the whole household.  The sun was not yet up, but there was a streak of gold across the eastern sky.  It was Christmas morning.

Ruth ran again to the west window.  A pillar of smoke rose straight from a hollow on the higher part of the island.  The searching party was still there.

There was no time now to think of Jerry Sheming and his affairs.  The girls raced to see who should dress first.  Downstairs there were “loads” of presents waiting for them, so Belle declared.

“Come on!” cried Heavy, leading the way.  “Ready all?  March!”

The nine girls started through the hall and down the broad stairway in single file.  Heavy began to cheer and the others chimed in: 

    “’S.B.—­Ah-h-h! 
      S.B.—­Ah-h-h! 
      Sound our battle-cry
      Near and far! 
      S.B.—­All! 
      Briarwood Hall! 
      Sweetbriars, do or die—­
      This be our battle-cry—­
      Briarwood Hall!
      That’s All!’”

So sounding the Sweetbriars’ challenge, they met the grinning boys at the foot of the flight, before the huge, sparkling tree.

“Gee!” exclaimed Tom.  “I’m mighty glad I suggested that name for your secret society, Ruth.  ’Sweetbriars’—­it just fits you.”

CHAPTER XVIII

FUN ON THE ICE

Of course, the girls had prepared one another’s presents long before.  Each had been tied in a queer bundle so, in trimming the tree, the nature of the contents could not be guessed.

The oddest shaped things hung from the branches of the Christmas tree, and the boys had excelled in making up these “surprise packages.”  Mrs. Tingley handed the presents out, while the boys lifted them down for her.  A long, tightly rolled parcel, which looked as though it ought to contain an umbrella, and was marked “To Helen from Tom,” finally proved to contain a jeweler’s box, in which nestled a pretty ring, which delighted his twin.

A large, flat package, big enough to hold a large kite, was carefully opened by Belle, who finally found in it, among the many tissue wrappings, a pretty set of hair combs set with stones.  In a roughly-done-up parcel was a most disreputable old shoe addressed to Lluella.  She was going to throw it out, but the boys advised her so strongly not to that she finally burrowed to the toe and found, to her amazement, a gold bracelet.

There was a good-sized box for Ann Hicks—­just as it had come from the express office at Lumberton a week before.  Having been addressed in Mrs. Tellingham’s care, the western girl had known nothing about it.