etched lazily before the huge fire in the

! And I declare, Bo

Bob!" sa

ped Ted, and all r

them all. Bob sto

was so dreary-I just ran over

to see you," wel

d Dorothy, "how did y

d the blankness by stuffing a large chocolate cream r

ed, helping Bob take off his great ulster, at whi

at yarn about the

the stockings," chimed in Ned, "he hu

nonsense! I own some pretty decent-looking socks, as you've noticed-I hung 'e

hastily, "he thought one pair would not hold enough, and so stru

s eyes. Nat, with sudden suspicion, grabbed Ted's leg, and there, sure enough, was on

ting, they stopped, and demurely Tavia, for all the world like a prim little girl in Sunday School, sank

find," said Bob, "so that all could take a dr

n't want an old fellow like

against her father's arm affectionately. "We s

was never known to stay at home when she could go on a trip.

y, just as if things burning in one's home was

e boys and girls

nces, Tavia had joined in the rough and tumble fight with the boys, and, exhausted, had rested too near the grate. A flying spark had ignited the dress, which smouldered, and only the quick work of the bo

he carefully tucked blankets about the girls, "you can't entirely take ca

o masterful! She yearned to slap him, but cons

side, and Ted curled up on the floor. Nat took care of Aun

wind sharply cutting their faces, until a

e girls?" asked Dorot

stmas cards,"

hat. Cologne wrote a f

worth printing, as it

the letter there. I'm still wondering. Her departure at such an opportune moment was a ble

ntedly responded Tavia. "By the way, Maddie

g up the horses, "that will save us climbing the hill, you know,

that meant adventure, and as they all chorused their ass

came a smash! The steeds ran into a drift, dumped over the sleigh; a

Tavia, "out of the

righted the overturned sleig

for New York to-morrow, T

with a sigh, "a little pleas

y, closely scrutinizing

ly matters," Tavia turned with Bob, and deliberately start

t!" scol

y ear! Now, quit it!" Nat stopped working lo

y mere words; Bob made the snow balls for Tavia to t

bit of business mixed with our New York trip. I'm having some trouble. It's the agent who ha

en for the Winter?" quest

ound, it's too chilly to stand still like this. How unfortunate we are! The sun w

ying you, Aunt Winnie? I've noticed it since I came h

trust the agent, but he had the rent collecting before I took the place, so I allowed him to continue u

Wait until we reach New York-we'll solve it,

cunning to deal with any real estate person, I guess; and most of all a New York agent.

re in for it! Aunt Winnie has a mystery on her hands! In New

akes me dizzy just to think of the whirling mass of rushing people and the autos and 'buses, and shops an

, "if you'll promise me to keep out of