forty-odd girls. She had observed that the Christmas problem had a
tendency to make some of the students of her school sympathize with
Old Scrooge. If Christmas wasn't a humbug it could very easily be made
a nuisance.

Madame Cleaver agreed with them in this respect. She told them so.
Furthermore, she added:

"I don't wish you to understand that there is anything compulsory in
the giving of presents on such occasions. One of the dangers of this
sort of thing is that it is likely to become a perfunctory affair with
thousands taking part because they feel they have to. Also Christmas
is exploited by many people. Their sympathy for the good-fellowship of
the occasion is measured largely by the dollars and cents that it
pours into their coffers.

"You should see all these drawbacks and then decide for yourselves
whether the advantages of Christmas overbalance the drawbacks. For my
part I believe that they do and I enjoy the day and the season. But
don't take my word for it. Decide for yourselves."

The result was that everybody at the Institute got busy several weeks
before the holiday season, and the manner in which the products of
girl ingenuity began to pile up must have been satisfying indeed to
the head of the school. But the work was not all done when the Camp
Fire arrived at Hollyhill, most of the girls still having enough to do
to keep them busy almost up to Christmas eve.

Mr. Stanlock advised the girls not to leave the house under any
consideration after night, and engaged three detectives, who were