Such a dinner it was, too, and such appetites they all had. There were two roasted fowls, a piece of bacon, a suet pudding, and potatoes and Brussels sprouts of their own growing; and after that there was Aunt Maggie's Christmas pudding. "I think it has been a lovely dinner!" said Margery, with a deep sigh of content; "and I s'pect presently I shan't feel as though I had eaten such a 'normous lot. I think I'll be comfor'abler when I don't," and she was surprised that the others all laughed. They sat a long time over their dinner, talking and enjoying themselves, and the short December daylight was actually beginning to wane before they made a move. "Now," said Aunt Emma, with a sigh, as she rose, "who is going to help me with the dishes?" Bella looked at Tom, and Tom at Bella. "Well," said the latter, at last, "I want to help you, but--but Tom and I have a big secret that we want to--to arrange, and we want to be here by ourselves,--except father, of course,--for a bit." "Is it a nice secret? a real one?" asked Charlie, "a s'prise?" "Yes, a very nice one." "We'll help Aunt Emma; come along, Margy." "I wish I knew what it was," said Margery, still lingering and looking anxiously at Bella. "Shall I know by an' by?" "Yes, yes," said Bella impatiently; "if you run away you will. If you don't, you see, we shan't be able to attend to it----" "Oh!" gasped Margery, and the next moment she had disappeared, and was in the scullery. Then, for nearly an hour Tom and Bella found so much to do, they scarcely knew what to do first. Their father had to be told all about the secrets, all the treasures had to be brought down from upstairs, the candles fixed in the candlesticks, and the presents arranged on the tree or around it. They never could have been ready in time, had not their father helped them; and, as it was, darkness had fallen before they had done, and they had to light the lamp. At last everything was really fixed and ready, all but the lighting of the Christmas candles. "Now," said Bella, "we will put out the lamp, and stir up the fire to make it blaze, for there mustn't be any other light but that and the candles. Tom, you go out, and see if Aunt Emma and the others are ready. If they are, they must wait till we call, and then we will light the candles at once." "They are ready," said Tom, returning in a moment; "and you had better hurry, for they won't wait much longer." One after another the yellow flames gleamed out against the green branches. "You can call them now, Tom," Bella gasped, breathless with excitement and haste. Tom, only too ready, put his head round the door. "Ahoy there!" he began, at the top of his voice, and almost as if in answer came a knocking at the door. "That's Aunt Maggie and Mrs. Twining," whispered Bella; "that's nice, now they'll be able to see the tree too!"