"And we’re to be tantalised all that while? I ’m willing to see it shorn of its fruit any time after I ’ve made a quick trip to town--which will be the first thing to-morrow morning," said Murray, with a meaning wink at Peter, who nodded, comprehending. Rufus grinned at his father, and a general spirit of understanding appeared to prevail among the guests, who had been brought away to the party without a chance to get together the parcels they had stowed in sundry secret places. "We ’re glad you ’re so clever at seeing our reasons for delay," said Nancy, gazing up into the thick branches of the tree, her eye upon various packages of her own, all tied in the same way, so that they were easily recognisable. She had worked for months over her gifts, having little money to spend, but possessing much love and ten skilful fingers. "Meanwhile we must have something doing this evening," said Rufus. "What shall it be?" "How will making candy suit your zest for sport?" asked Jane. "Bully! We haven’t made candy since we grew up--not real candy. I don’t count Nan’s caramels and Shirley’s fudge. Let’s make some real old-fashioned molasses candy, and _pull_ it!" "What else, at the old farm? As soon as the kitchen is clear we ’ll go out," and Jane disappeared, to hasten operations in the kitchen by tying on an apron and wiping dishes herself with Norah. Her blithe talk, while her fingers flew, kept both Cook and Norah smiling while they worked, and the big farm-house kitchen was soon in spotless order. "It does be after doin’ me good to work in a place like this again," declared Cook, as she helped Jane measure out molasses and get the big kettle on. "It’s not that I don’t like the tiles and the copper and all the conveniences of my kitchen in the city. But when a person has been brought up in the country, there ’s always the fondness clingin’ to them for the old ways, even if they ’re a bit inconvenient. See the gourd dipper, now, Norah. Will you say that water does n’t taste better out of it than from granite ware?" "I never saw a dipper like this before," answered Norah, who had been born in town, and could hardly share Cook’s enthusiasm for these details of country living. "_She_ knows what I mean," said Cook, with a nod of the head after her young mistress, just departing. "Sure, I have n’t seen such a sparkle in the eyes of her since she came to live at the house. She ’s not born to be a great lady, just a home-keeping one. And that’s the best sort, to my mind." Then she beckoned Norah away, and they fled up the back stairs, just as the sounds of approaching feet warned them that the company were coming. "Jolly! This is the stuff!" exulted Rufus, bursting first into the kitchen. "Doesn’t that smell like the real thing? Tie an apron on me and let me take charge of the kettle. The rest of you can grease tins. I ’ll offer a prize for the whitest candy. Secure your partners for the pulling!"