Chapter VI. Surprises

theeveningentertainmentwastobeanearlyone,tosuittheinvalids'bedtime. “Ihopethegirlswillliketheirthings.Ihelpedtochoosethem,andeachhasanicepresent.Idon'tknowmine,though,andI'minatwittertoseeit,”saidJill,astheylaywaitingforthefuntobegin. “IdoIchoseit,soIknowyouwilllikeoneofthem,anyway.” “HaveIgotmorethanone?” “Iguessyou'llthinksowhentheyarehandeddown.Thebellwasgoingalldayyesterday,andthegirlskeptbringinginbundlesforyouIseesevennow,”andJackrolledhiseyesfromonemysteriousparceltoanotherhangingontheladenboughs. “Iknowsomething,too.Thatsquarebundleiswhatyouwanteversomuch.ItoldFrank,andhegotitforhispresent.Itisallredandgoldoutside,andeverysortofcolorinsideyou'llhurrahwhenyouseeit.ThatroundishoneisyourstooImadethem,”criedJill,pointingtoaflatpackagetiedtothestemofthetree,andaneatlittlerollinwhichwerethebluemittensthatshehadknitforhim. “Icanwait”buttheboy'seyesshonewitheagerness,andhecouldnotresistfiringtwoorthreepop-cornsatittoseewhetheritwashardorsoft. “ThatbarkingdogisforBoo,andthelittleyellowsled,soMollycandraghimtoschool,healwaystumblesdownsowhenitisslippery,”continuedJill,proudofhersuperiorknowledge,assheshowedasmallspottedanimalhangingbyitstail,witharedtonguedisplayedasifabouttotastethesweetiesinthehornbelow. “Don'ttalkaboutsleds,formercy'ssake!Ineverwanttoseeanother,andyouwouldn't,either,ifyouhadtoliewithaflat-irontiedtoyourankle,asIdo,”saidJack,withakickofthewelllegandanirefulglanceattheweightattachedtotheotherthatitmightnotcontractwhilehealing. “Well,Ithinkplasters,andliniment,andrubbing,asbadasflat-ironsanyday.Idon'tbelieveyouhaveachedhalfsomuchasIhave,thoughitsoundsworsetobreaklegsthantosprainyourback,”protestedJill,eagertoproveherselfthegreatersufferer,asinvalidsareapttobe. “Iguessyouwouldn'tthinksoifyou'dbeenpulledroundasIwaswhentheysetmyleg.Caesar,howitdidhurt!”andJacksquirmedattherecollectionofit. “Youdidn'tfaintawayasIdidwhenthedoctorwasfindingoutifmyvertebrumswerehurt,sonow!”criedJill,boundtocarryherpoint,thoughnotatallclearwhatvertebraewere. “Pooh!Girlsalwaysfaint.Menarebraver,andIdidn'tfaintabitinspiteofallthathorridagony.” “YouhowledFranktoldmeso.DoctorsaidIwasabravegirl,soyouneedn'tbrag,foryou'llhavetogoonacrutchforawhile.Iknowthat.” “Youmayhavetousetwoofthemforyears,maybe.Iheardthedoctortellmymotherso.Ishallbeupandaboutlongbeforeyouwill.Nowthen!” Bothchildrenweregettingexcited,forthevariouspleasuresofthedayhadbeenrathertoomuchforthem,andthereisnoknowingbuttheywouldhaveaddedthesadsurpriseofaquarreltothepleasantonesoftheday,ifacheerfulwhistlehadnotbeenheard,asRalphcameintolightthecandlesandgivethelastartistictouchestotheroom. “Well,youngfolks,howgoesit?Hadamerrytimesofar?”heasked,ashefixedthestepsandranupwithalightedmatchinhishand. “Verynice,thankyou,”answeredaprimlittlevoicefromtheduskbelow,foronlytheglowofthefirefilledtheroomjustthen. Jacksaidnothing,andtworedsulkyfaceswerehiddeninthedark,watchingcandleaftercandlesputter,brighten,andtwinkle,tillthetremblingshadowsbegantoflitawaylikeimpsafraidofthelight. “Nowhewillseemyface,andIknowitiscross,”thoughtJill,asRalphwentroundthelastcircle,leavinganotherlineofsparksamongthehemlockboughs. Jackthoughtthesame,andhadjustgotthefrownsmoothedoutofhisforehead,whenFrankbroughtafreshlog,andagloriousblazesprungup,fillingeverycorneroftheroom,anddancingoverthefiguresinthelongchairstilltheyhadtobrightenwhethertheylikeditornot.Presentlythebellbegantoringandgayvoicestosoundbelow:thenJillsmiledinspiteofherselfasMollyLoo'susualcryof“Oh,dear,whereisthatchild?”reachedher,andJackcouldnothelpkeepingtimetothemarchEdplayed,whileFrankandGusmarshalledtheprocession. “Ready!”criedMrs.Minot,atlast,andupcamethetroopofeagerladsandlasses,braveinholidaysuits,withfacestomatch.Aunanimous“O,o,o!”burstfromtwentytongues,asthefullsplendorofthetree,theroom,anditsinmates,dawneduponthemfornotonlydidtheprettyChrist-childhoverabove,butSantaClaushimselfstoodbelow,fur-clad,white-bearded,andpowderedwithsnowfromthedredging-box. Ralphwasagoodactor,and,whenthefirstraptureswereoverhedistributedthepresentswithsuchdrollspeeches,jokes,andgambols,thattheroomrangwithmerriment,andpassers-bypausedtolisten,surethathere,atleast,Christmaswasmerry.Itwouldbeimpossibletotellaboutallthegiftsorthejoyofthereceivers,buteveryonewassatisfied,andthekingandqueenoftherevelssooverwhelmedwithlittletokensofgood-will,thattheirbedslookedlikeboothsata