Violet's brothers, Harold and Herbert, came in and gave their assistance as they had done some years before when Max, Lucilla, and Grace had been the helpers of their father at the schoolhouse. The young girls had enjoyed that, but this was even better, as those for whom its fruits were intended were nearer and dearer. They had a merry, happy time embellishing the tree with many ornaments, and hanging here and there mysterious packages, each carefully wrapped and labelled with the name of its intended recipient. "There!" said Violet at length, stepping back a little and taking a satisfied survey, "I think we have finished." "Not quite," said Harold. "But you and the girls may please retire while Herbert and I attend to some small commissions of our good brother--the captain." "Ah! I was not aware that he had given you any," laughed Violet. "But come, girls, we will slip away and leave them to their own devices." "I am entirely willing to do so," returned Lucilla gayly, following in her wake as she left the room. "I, too," said Grace, hastening after them, "for one never loses by falling in with papa's plans." "What is it, Harold?" asked Herbert. "The captain has not let me into his secret." "Only that his gifts to them--his wife and daughters--are in this closet and to be taken out now and added to the fruits of this wondrous tree," replied Harold, taking a key from his pocket and unlocking a closet door. "Ah! something sizable, I should say," laughed Herbert, as four large pasteboard boxes came into view. "Yes; what do you suppose they contain?" returned his brother, as they drew them out. "Ah, this top one--somewhat smaller than the others--bears little Elsie's name, I see, and the other three must be for Vi, Lu, and Grace. Probably they are new cloaks or some sort of wraps." "Altogether likely," assented Herbert. "Well, when they are opened in the course of the evening, we shall see how good a guess we have made. And here," taking a little package from his pocket, "is something Chester committed to my care as his Christmas gift to his betrothed." "Ah! do you know what it is?" "Not I," laughed Herbert, "but though a great deal smaller than her father's present, it may be worth more as regards moneyed value." "Yes; and possibly more as regards the giver; though Lu is evidently exceedingly fond of her father." "Yes, indeed! as all his children are and have abundant reason to be." Herbert hung the small package on a high branch, then said: "These large boxes we will pile at the foot of the tree; Vi's at the bottom, Elsie's at the top, the other two in between." "A very good arrangement," assented Herbert, assisting him. "There, we have quite finished and I feel pretty well satisfied with the result of our labors," said Harold, stepping a little away from the tree and scanning it critically from top to bottom.