All was quiet in the room, after she had gone, with the mystery of Christmas presents loaded with pleasant thoughts, waiting to be finished by their happy maker. CHAPTER XXII FINISHING THE HANDKERCHIEFS Next day Margaret hurried to her room wearing a pretty little white apron over her school dress. “To keep my work clean,” said she to Sir Bodkin. “Good plan. Now let’s get to work, for there is plenty to do,” he answered her. Margaret took up the handkerchief with the rolled hem. “We’ll have to overcast around the entire edge once so you can turn and go back the other way to finish,” said Sir Bodkin when the hem was rolled. He called Embroiderer to him and asked Margaret if she had any fine French embroidery cotton. [Illustration] “Yes, Mother bought some for me to use,” she said holding up several skeins in colors pink, blue, and red. “Fine!” cried Sir Bodkin; “which color shall you use to work this edge? You may use one or two.” “I think blue and red would be pretty,” said Margaret. “Very good. We’ll overcast red one way and blue the other. All ready?” he said to Embroiderer, when he was harnessed. “Yes, Your Majesty,” replied the Fairy. “Then go!” cried the King. Margaret held the square with the hem at the top, in her left hand rolled side away from her. Fastening the thread under the rolled hem so it couldn’t come out and didn’t show, the Fairy began to step over and over from right to left, singing: “Over and over from right to left Along the hem I go. Step over the edge and back ’neath the hem, So fine and even, you know. You keep the hem measured straight by a thread, As you hold it for me to step over. Slowly we go round the corner, my dear, The rolled edge so neatly to cover.” [Illustration: First overcasting] “O dear,” said Margaret, “the thread gets so twisted as he goes over and over.” “Let him hang for a minute from the end and he’ll swing it around straight again,” laughed Sir Bodkin. [Illustration] This was done and the overcasting went on. After a while they were around the four sides of the handkerchief. “What shall we do now!” cried Margaret. “Fasten the red thread, take a blue one, then turn around and go the other way from left to right and you’ll see how pretty it looks,” said the King. The Fairy sang: “Over and over from left to right, To cross our first steps we go. Jump over the edge, stick my toe ’neath the hem Where I came through the first time you know.” “Oh, doesn’t it look pretty!” cried Margaret as the tiny crosses began to appear on the edge. “Now leave that and start the third one,” said Sir Bodkin and Margaret took up the third square. [Illustration: Second overcasting] [Illustration: Blanket-stitch]