Never , probably , did invalids have gayer times than our two , after a week of solitary confinement ; for school gossip crept in , games could not be prevented , and Christmas secrets were concocted in those rooms till they were regular conspirators ' dens , when they were not little Bedlams . After the horn and bead labors were over , the stringing of pop-corn on red , and cranberries on white , threads , came next , and Jack and Jill often looked like a new kind of spider in the pretty webs hung about them , till reeled off to bide their time in the Christmas closet . Paper flowers followed , and gay garlands and bouquets blossomed , regardless of the snow and frost without . Then there was a great scribbling of names , verses , and notes to accompany the steadily increasing store of odd parcels which were collected at the Minots ' , for gifts from every one were to ornament the tree , and contributions poured in as the day drew near . But the secret which most excited the young people was the deep mystery of certain proceedings at the Minot house . No one but Frank , Ralph , and Mamma knew what it was , and the two boys nearly drove the others distracted by the tantalizing way in which they hinted at joys to come , talked strangely about birds , went measuring round with foot-rules , and shut themselves up in the Boys ' Den , as a certain large room was called . This seemed to be the centre of operations , but beyond the fact of the promised tree no ray of light was permitted to pass the jealously guarded doors . Strange men with paste-pots and ladders went in , furniture was dragged about , and all sorts of boyish lumber was sent up garret and down cellar . Mrs. Minot was seen pondering over heaps of green stuff , hammering was heard , singular bundles were smuggled upstairs , flowering plants betrayed their presence by whiffs of fragrance when the door was opened , and Mrs. Pecq was caught smiling all by herself in a back bedroom , which usually was shut up in winter . `` They are going to have a play , after all , and that green stuff was the curtain , '' said Molly Loo , as the girls talked it over one day , when they sat with their backs turned to one another , putting last stitches in certain bits of work which had to be concealed from all eyes , though it was found convenient to ask one another 's taste as to the color , materials , and sizes of these mysterious articles . `` I think it is going to be a dance . I heard the boys doing their steps when I went in last evening to find out whether Jack liked blue or yellow best , so I could put the bow on his pen-wiper , '' declared Merry , knitting briskly away at the last of the pair of pretty white bed-socks she was making for Jill right under her inquisitive little nose . `` They would n't have a party of that kind without Jack and me . It is only an extra nice tree , you see if it is n't , '' answered Jill from behind the pillows which made a temporary screen to hide the toilet mats she was preparing for all her friends . `` Every one of you is wrong , and you 'd better rest easy , for you wo n't find out the best part of it , try as you may . '' And Mrs. Pecq actually chuckled as she , too , worked away at some bits of muslin , with her back turned to the very unsocial-looking group . `` Well , I do n't care , we 've got a secret all our own , and wo n't ever tell , will we ? '' cried Jill , falling back on the Home Missionary Society , though it was not yet begun . `` Never ! '' answered the girls , and all took great comfort in the idea that one mystery would not be cleared up , even at Christmas .
XXXXX gave up guessing , in despair , after he had suggested a new dining-room where he could eat with the family , a private school in which his lessons might go on with a tutor , or a theatre for the production of the farces in which he delighted .
Den Jack Mamma Minot Missionary Pecq garlands garret week whiffs