CHAPTER XXXIII 



CHRISTMAS EVE 



THE next day was a busy one for all of us. 

 Polly and Jane drove to the Gordons and secured 

 Miss Jessie, and then Jane went to town to fetch 

 her other friends. Jack went with her, after 

 having telegraphed to Jim Jarvis. They all 

 came home by mid-afternoon, just as a message 

 came from Jarvis : Will be on deck at six." 



Florence Marcy and Minnie Henderson were 

 former neighbors and schoolmates of Jane's. 

 They were fine girls to look at and bright girls 

 to talk with ; blondes, eighteen, high-headed, full 

 of life, and great girls for a house party. Phil 

 and Frank were good specimens of their kinds. 

 Frank was a little below medium height, slight, 

 blond, vivacious to a degree, full of fun, and 

 the most industrious talker within miles ; he 

 would "stir things up" at a funeral. Phil 

 Stone was tall, slender, dark, quiet, well-dressed, 

 a good dancer, and a very agreeable fellow in 

 the corner of the room, where his low musical 

 voice was most effective. 



Jessie Gordon came at five o'clock. We were all 

 very fond of Jessie, and who could help it ? She 



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