the coachman on his box, who was continually touching his hat and
indulging in broad smiles of content.

Polly was tiptoeing in very delight, holding Davie's hand closely while
her eyes roved from one to the other of the boys, and her tongue ran
fast indeed. A group of girls, who had also come down to the station to
meet friends, stopped a bit as they came laughing and chatting by.

"How d'ye, boys?" they said carelessly to the three home-comers. "Oh,
Polly! won't it be entrancing to-night?" cried one of them, seizing her
arm as she spoke.

"Hush!" said Polly, as she tried to stop her.

"May I bring Elsie Fay? she's come on the train to stay over Christmas
with her aunt. May I, Polly?" begged another girl eagerly.

"Yes, yes," said Polly in a paroxysm of fear lest Joel, who was crowding
up between them, should catch a word; "do be still," she whispered.
"Bring anybody; only stop, Alexia."

"He won't hear," said Alexia carelessly; "that boy doesn't mind our
talking; his head's full of skating and coasting."

"You're going to have something to-night that you don't want me to know
about," declared Joel, his chubby face set defiantly, and crowding
closer; "so there; now I'm going to find out what it is."

"If we don't want you to know, you ought not to try to find out, Joel
Pepper," cried Alexia. "And you shan't, either."