"What a wicked story! I heard you snore. Merry Christmas, Peg, and a Happy New Year! And don't you go for to do it again never no more! It's a jolly morning. I'll take you out for a toddle in the garden when we come home from church, if you are a good girl. Will you have your present now, or wait till you get it? It begins with a B. I love my love with a B, because she's a--" "Oh, Arthur!" interrupted Peggy regretfully. "I haven't half such a nice present for you as I expected. You see I couldn't work anything, and I couldn't get out to the shops, and I hadn't nearly as much money as I expected either. If Rob and I had won that prize, I should have had ten pounds; but the stupid editors have put off announcing the result week after week. They say there were so many competitors; but that's no consolation, for it makes our chance less. I do hope it may be out next week. But, at any rate, I didn't get my ten pounds in time, and there I was, you see, with little money and practically no hands-- a--er--a most painful contingency, which I hope it may never be your lot to experience. You must take the will for the deed." "Oh, I will!" agreed Arthur promptly. "I'll take the will now, and you can follow up with the deed as soon as you get the cash. But no more journeys up to London, my dear, if you love me, and don't use such big words before seven o'clock in the morning, or you'll choke. It's bad for little girls to exert themselves so much. Now I'm going to skate about in the bath for a bit, and tumble into my clothes, and then I'll come back and give you a lift downstairs. You are coming down for breakfast, I suppose?" "Rather! On Christmas morning! I should just think I was!" cried Peggy emphatically; and Arthur went off to the bathroom, calling in at Max's room _en route_, to squeeze a sponge full of water over that young gentleman's head, and pull the clothes off the bed, by way of giving emphasis to his, "Get up, you lazy beggar! It's the day after to-morrow, and the plum-pudding is waiting!" Peggy was the only one of the young folks who did not go to church that morning; but she was left in charge of the decorations for the dinner-table, and when this was finished there was so much to think about that the time passed all too quickly.