“Gracious!” she exclaimed, as she recalled the events of the previous evening, “why, it’s the First of December! Mummie and Daddy are coming home to-day! It’s simply too glorious for words!” she cried, as she sprang out of her bed. “I’m so happy I--I shall positively explode!” As she jumped up, Coppertop felt something dangling round her neck, she put up her hand, and grasped--Smiler! “There now, I knew it was all real!” she cried, her eyes growing dark with wonder, “and the December day? I must rush and see!” And so she did. Up shot the blind, and in shone the most heavenly December day! It flooded the room with warmth, and the glory of sunbeams, which made a halo of light and beauty round Celia’s happy little “Coppertop.” As she stood, breathless with wonderment and rapture, the door behind her was gently opened, and Captain and Mrs. Sinclair stole softly into the room--so softly that Celia heard no sound. The tall, soldierly man, bronzed by the hot sun of the East, smiled as his glance fell tenderly upon the quaint figure of Coppertop, standing there in her pyjamas, her hands clasped in ecstacy over the tiny bronze camel, and seeming to be part of the glowing sunshine which filled the room. “What IS she looking for?” he whispered to his wife. “Hush, dear!” warned Mrs. Sinclair, with finger on lip. But it was too late. Coppertop had heard the whispering voices! She turned, and stood for one moment too overjoyed to move. Then, uttering the very highest little scream of delight she had ever uttered, she bounded towards them. Trembling with excitement, she flung a freckled arm round each dear neck, and, pulling their laughing faces down to hers, she covered them with kisses. “What a perfect December day to welcome us on!” said Captain Sinclair, as soon as he had sufficiently recovered from Coppertop’s embrace to speak. “Perfect!” echoed his wife, smiling down at their little daughter. And Coppertop’s cup of happiness was full. THE END. TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: Text in italics is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. Emboldened text is surrounded by equals signs: =bold=. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. Archaic spelling that may have been in use at the time of publication has been retained. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Coppertop, by Harold Gaze