Ruth, who had not been let into the secret of the final arrangements, felt a thrill of delight when she saw the pretty table.  A tiny Christmas tree hung with glittering ornaments, and dotted with twinkling candies was the centerpiece, while a border of delicate green vine brightened with sprigs of holly ran all around the table.  At the foot of the little tree were heaped mysterious parcels wrapped in white tissue-paper and tied with gold cord.  Now Ruth knew what Arthur had been so busy over all the afternoon, for the place cards were small and very funny snapshots of the guests themselves, neatly mounted, and with the date in gold lettering.

“The mental effort of playing guessing games gives me almost an appetite,” said Joe pensively, as he watched with hungry eyes a platter of chicken coming his way.  There was a general shout at this, for Joe was always eating, and never hesitated to proclaim that he considered the serving of the refreshments the nicest part of a party.

“You have a fairly good appetite for a boy,” remarked Ruth, “or for a white-haired lady either,” she added demurely.

Every one laughed and Joe groaned.  He had tried to keep it a dead secret that his grandmother had been highly indignant because he had borrowed her best gown without leave, and had cut off his allowance for several weeks, but it had leaked out, and the girls didn’t mean he should hear the last of it.

“Never mind, old boy,” said Arthur.  “There’s more food in sight and still more in the kitchen, so pitch in.”

It was a delicious supper of chicken and creamed potatoes, crisp rolls and foamy chocolate, and Ellen’s unrivaled ice-cream and cake to top off with.  As they were finishing the ice-cream, Katie appeared with a tray on which reposed six pound boxes and an equal number of half pound boxes.  All eyes were upon her as she gave a large box to each girl and a small box to each boy.

“Wow!” said the irrepressible Joe, lifting his box and letting it fly into the air, so great was his astonishment at finding it empty.

“Oh, here’s richness!” cried Dorothy, taking off the cover of hers to disclose row upon row of tempting chocolates.

The boys with one accord uncovered their boxes, only to find them empty, and a low groan went around the table.

“I say, Betty, I always did like you,” said Frank, gazing covetously at the sweets so near at hand.

“Tell them about it, Ruth,” laughed Mrs. Hamilton.

Ruth tried to look very solemn as she gazed around the table.  “This, boys,” she said impressively, “is intended for an object-lesson, to show you how nice and kind and generous, and—­and everything else that’s good, girls can be when they have the slightest chance.  My Uncle Jerry, who hopes soon to know you all, has sent this candy to the girls, and now it’s their turn to do the next thing.”

“Give me your box then, and let me fill it at once before I am tempted to keep it ail myself,” groaned Charlotte, reaching for Joe’s box.  “And ‘think shame to yourself’ for your greediness in the past.”