"There is always one good thing about her," said Clare, as the whole group of boys tumbled promiscuously after, "she never minds when the joke is against her."
"That"s so," they nodded.
There, sure enough, was quite sufficient to do for all the hands that appeared, as they soon found when they reached the busy playroom, where the tree, all shrouded in white, was awaiting them. And pretty soon the happy babel of voices kept time to the swift fingers as each boy took up the piece of work that Ben or Polly gave to him.
Alexia seemed to be quite busy flying here and there, doing a little of everything. "I"m glad you did come so early, Clare, after all," she condescended to say, coming up to him in one of those flights, as he was tying an extra rope of laurel.
"Thanks," said Clare. "Well, now, don"t you suppose, seeing that you are here, that you can hold that other end for me? "Twould be a sight easier to tie the thing."
"The very idea!" exclaimed Alexia, backing off. "Now that"s just like a boy. Why don"t I ask you to come and help me tie laurel strips?"
"Because you never tie them, I"ve observed," said Clare, composedly.
"Well, it"s because I have so many more important things to do," said Alexia. "Anybody can tie a laurel string."
"Can they?" said Clare, laboring away slowly.
"Yes, indeed," and Alexia skipped off, turned, and flew back. "O dear, do give me that old rope," seized the end, and flounced down on the window-seat beside Clare.
"You needn"t if you don"t want to, Alexia," yet his face brightened. If there was anything Clare hated to do it was to tie festoons.
"Oh, yes, I will," said Alexia. "You boys do anything without asking the girls to help. Here, let me tie for a while, and you hold."
"Oh, you don"t want to do that," said Clare, in amazement.
"Yes, I do; it"s stupid to hang on to an old rope and sit still.
Besides, I can tie ever so much better than you," said Alexia, possessing herself of Clare"s handful.
"I don"t doubt it," said Clare, bursting into a laugh, "though I never saw you tie one in my life."
"Oh, that"s because we have to leave something for you boys to do," said Alexia, nowise put out, but tying away at a great rate. "Polly and I have much more important things to do, as I"ve always told you. Here, why don"t you bunch for me?"
"But I"ve seen Polly tie wreaths and ropes ever so many times--oh, a hundred, I guess," said Clare, beginning to bunch for the long fingers.
"Oh, well, Polly does everything," said Alexia, easily. "O dear me!
Here"s Cathie--and--all the other girls!" With that down went the green festoon to the floor, while she rushed to the door.
Clare picked up the dangling thing, made a grimace, and set to work again, while the bustle and happy hum of voices became quite a babel.
"Now isn"t that fine that you have come!" cried Polly, affectionately, and flying around the bevy of girls. "You see we"ve got to hurry so much because we want to get the new wreaths and festoons up before Jasper comes down."
"So we"d better set about it," said Ben, in his practical fashion. "Now then, Cathie, suppose you help Polly, she"s--"
"Oh, no, I"m going to help Polly," cried Alexia, edging up between the two girls.
"Why, I thought you were helping Clare a minute ago, and he hasn"t finished," said Ben, in surprise.
"Oh, that stupid boy," cried Alexia, running her arm through Polly"s, "he never will be done."
"Well, that"s all the more reason why you should help him out then,"
said Ben, with a laugh. "Now, Cathie, you"re to help Polly," he finished, just as if the most agreeable thing were being said for all hands.
Alexia gave him a long look, then drew her arm slowly away from Polly"s and went back to Clare.
"I don"t see how Ben Pepper always makes us do what he wants us to," she grumbled, throwing herself into a seat beside Clare. "Do give me that horrid old thing and let"s get through with it."
"Oh, are you back again?" said Clare.
"Yes, but I shouldn"t be," declared Alexia, positively, and beginning to bunch furiously, "if Ben hadn"t made me. You are so stupid and slow, Clare."
"Thanks," said Clare, tying slowly. "Well, don"t throw the bunches at me, they get all mixed up that way."
"And you are so cross," said Alexia, breaking off little twigs of the laurel with nervous fingers, "that I can"t suit you any way, and here I am working my fingers to the bone for you."
"Would you rather tie?" asked Clare, trying not to laugh at her face.
Alexia eyed the long festoon with a dubious gaze. "No, I shouldn"t. Oh, I"ll keep on at this if it kills me."
"Oh, Jasper!" It was Ben who shouted it, and sprang to welcome him. And then, for the s.p.a.ce of a minute, there was no more work done, while everybody crowded around to see Jasper fixed in a big easy-chair at the side of the long room, where he could get the best view of everything.
Suddenly a small figure emerged from a heap of greens in the corner, where some thin little fingers had been picking out sprigs for the busy hands to weave into wreaths.
"Hullo, Pip!" cried Jasper, putting out a warm hand, as Pip sidled up, "now that"s good to see you," throwing his arm around the thin shoulders. "Having a good time, Pip?" and he bent his head for the reply.
"Yes," said Pip, "I am."
"Now that"s fine," declared Jasper, again. "Well, fly back to work," and he gave him a pat on the back.
Pip sidled off again and lost himself in the pile of greens.
"Miss Polly, they"ve come," announced Jane, opening the playroom door, and advancing to Polly.
"Who?" asked Polly, holding a wreath for Ben to nail up over the little window--"not that way, a little more this other side," she said, as Ben placed the nail in. "Who, Jane?"
"Why, those poor children at Mrs. Van Ruypen"s," said Jane.
"What? Oh, you don"t mean they"ve come this morning!" exclaimed Polly, quite aghast, and dropping the wreath.
"Now something has happened," cried Alexia, dropping the little bunch of laurel. "I must see what it is," and she sprang off.
"Polly, don"t look so," she begged. "What is it?"
Ben sat down on the step-ladder, having heard Polly"s exclamation, but missing Jane"s words. "What is it?" he asked.
"Oh, Ben, those dreadful children have come over this morning," cried Polly, aghast and quite swept along, "to spoil all our fun."
Ben stepped down quickly. "Is that so, Jane?" he asked.
"They shan"t come in," cried Alexia, vindictively, and running over to slam the playroom door.