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Lydia of the Pines by Honoré Willsie Morrow
page 69 of 417 (16%)
In an hour Lydia was panting up the steps into the kitchen. Lizzie's
joy was even more extreme than Lydia's. She thawed the ducks out and
dressed them, after dinner, with the two children standing so close as
at times seriously to impede progress.

"I'm lucky," said Lydia. "There isn't anybody luckier than I am or has
better things happen to 'em than I do. I'd rather be me than a water
baby."

"Baby not a water baby. Baby a duck," commented Patience, her hands
full of bright feathers.

"Baby is a duck," laughed Lydia. "Won't Daddy be glad!"

Amos was glad. Plodding sadly home, he was greeted by three glowing
faces in the open door as soon as his foot sounded on the porch. The
base burner in the living-room was clear and glowing. The dining-room
was fragrant with pine. He was not allowed to take off his overcoat,
but was towed to the kitchen where the two birds, trussed and stuffed
for the baking, were set forth on the table.

"I got 'em!" shouted Lydia. "I got 'em off Billy Norton for a load of
pine. Christmas present for you, Daddy, from yours truly, Lydia!" She
seized the baby's hands and the two did a dance round Amos, shouting,
"Christmas present! Christmas present!" at the top of their lungs.

"Well! Well!" exclaimed Amos. "Isn't that fine! If Levine comes out
to-morrow we can ask him to dinner, after all. Can't we, Lizzie?"

"You bet we can!" said Lizzie. "And look at this. I was going to keep
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