"Hold on, then, and don't let it go," advised Ned, dodging the sofa pillow that Marjorie hurled at him. "Listen!" she commanded imperatively. "It's really and truly a good plan. You know we haven't any too much money, for we all of us spend our allowances faster than we get them; but let's begin to save, and put it all together, till by and by we can send him something." "Good, Marjorie! What a splendid idea!" exclaimed Allie, fired with zeal at the thought. "But, I say," remonstrated Howard; "how long are you going to keep up the scheme? I can save like a house afire, for a little while; but Christmas is coming, and I've promised to give Allie a rubber doll, and charity begins at home, you know. I'm willing to help on your lad for a month or so; but let's put a limit to it." "I didn't think you'd be so stingy, Howard," said Marjorie, turning on him a gaze of virtuous sorrow. "'T isn't stingy," retorted Howard; "it's common sense. I 'm as sorry for him as you are; but I think we'd better go easy on it a little, and see how we come out." "Let's try it for a month," interposed Allie hastily, for she saw that Marjorie was growing indignant. "If we save all we can, we shall have a good deal by that time. What shall we get him?" "A whole set of Henty's books," suggested Ned promptly. "No; I think he'd like a tool-chest better," said Howard, eyeing with disfavor the shabby knife in his hand. "What an idea, Howard! He couldn't use a tool-chest, even if he had one," said Allie, laughing disrespectfully at her brother's suggestion. "We want to get him something he could have the good of all the time. What do you say, Marjorie?" "Miss Lou said he used to sing a good deal," observed Marjorie, her virtue coming to the surface once more. "Why wouldn't it be nice to get him one of the new hymnals; a great big one, with all the tunes in it? I think he'd find it very comforting." A pause followed her words; then the boys burst into a shout of laughter. Marjorie looked a little aggrieved. "I don't see what you're laughing at," she said, with a suspicion of a pout. "Hymns are a great deal better for such people than your crazy old books and tool-chests." "Don't be a jay, Marjorie," said Ned bluntly. "He isn't any more _such people_ than we are; and because a fellow is down on his luck he doesn't want everybody shying coffins at him. But here comes Grant; let's see what he says. Then we can save up for a month, and see how much we get; after that, we can tell better what to do with it."