But when, amid a tense hush, the door was finally opened, neither Julie O'Dowd nor the watched-for Christmas tree was on the threshold. Instead they saw a holly-decked basket so exactly a replica of the one they had given away that a cry of disappointment greeted it. "She's sent it back!" cried Mary. [Illustration: "But that isn't our basket, Mother," Carl said. "This is much bigger." _Page_ 155.] "She was offended and wouldn't take it!" murmured Mrs. McGregor. "I feared as much." "But that isn't our basket, Mother," Carl said. "This is much bigger. Besides, we had no apples or candy bags in the one we sent." Critically studying the gift, the family clustered around. "It isn't our basket, Mother," Mary presently asserted. "See, this one is red." "There must be some mistake, then," Mrs. McGregor declared. "They've left it at the wrong place." "But our name is on it!" cried Tim. "Where? Where?" What a bumping of heads there was as everybody bent to read the card. "Yes, our name is on it plain as day!" replied Mrs. McGregor with a puzzled expression. Then, inspired by a solution of the mystery, she wheeled round on her brother. "How much do you know about this, Frederick?" "Not a thing, Nellie--I give you my word! Dearly as I should have liked to send you such a gift, my purse wasn't quite good for it," flushed the captain. "And what wonder, with all you've spent this day," returned his sister quickly. "Then we'll count you out. But where could it have come from?" "We don't need to leave it in the hall until we find out, do we, Mother?" Mary ventured mischievously. "No, I suppose we don't," was the retort. "Timmie, you and Carl drag it indoors. Don't try to lift it, for you'll only be straining yourselves and maybe drop it. Let's get it into the kitchen. There may be some clue when we have a better light." But examine it as they would, no hint as to the mysterious sender could be found. "I guess he believes with Carl that the sport of giving a present is to keep the other person guessing," Tim remarked wickedly. A general laugh at Carl's expense greeted the observation. "Hush!" cautioned Mrs. McGregor. "There's somebody in the hall." "He won't get away this time," Carl cried, springing up and throwing open the door. "Good heavens, man! You nearly knocked me down!" cried Hal Harling, amazed by the suddenness of his welcome. "What's the matter with you? Trying to trap a burglar?" Then, glancing at the object about which the household were clustering, he added, "Jove! Have you got one, too?" "What do you mean?" "Why, just now somebody left a basket exactly like this at our flat. I thought maybe you folks had something to do with it and came straight over here to see. But you seem to be favored by a similar gift. They are alike as two peas. Who sent them?" "That is precisely what we want to know," Carl replied. "You've no idea?" "Not the most remote." "Hasn't Captain Dillingham?"