"Papa, you always make taking good care of us the first thing," she
said gratefully, nestling closer to him.

"Don't you know that's what fathers are for?" he said, smiling down on
her. "My children were given me to be taken care of, provided for, loved
and trained up aright. A precious charge!" he added, looking from one to
another with glistening eyes.

"Yes, sir, I know," she said, laying her head on his shoulder and
slipping a hand into his, "and oh but I'm glad and thankful that God
gave me to you instead of to somebody else!"

"And Gracie and I are just as glad to belong to papa as you are," said
Max, Grace adding, "Yes, indeed!" as she held up her face for a kiss,
which her father gave very heartily.

"But, papa, what are we to do about the presents if we mustn't take time
to make them?" asked Lulu.

"Make fewer and buy more."

"But maybe the money won't hold out."

"You will have to make it hold out by choosing less expensive articles,
or giving fewer gifts."

"We'll have to try hard to earn the quarter for good behavior every day,
Lu," said Max.