Everything seems to be at sixes and sevens here this morning . '' Keith , the oldest boy , was coiled up on the sofa calmly working out some algebra problems , quite oblivious to the noise around him . But he looked up from his slate , with his pencil suspended above an obstinate equation , to declaim with a flourish : `` Christmas comes but once a year , And then Mother wishes it was n't here . '' `` I do n't , then , '' said Gordon , son number two , who was preparing his own noon lunch of bread and molasses at the table , and making an atrocious mess of crumbs and sugary syrup over everything . `` I know one thing to be thankful for , and that is that there 'll be no school . We 'll have a whole week of holidays . '' Gordon was noted for his aversion to school and his affection for holidays . `` And we 're going to have turkey for dinner , '' declared Teddy , getting up off the floor and rushing to secure his share of bread and molasses , `` and cranb ` ry sauce and -- and -- pound cake ! Ai n't we , Ma ? '' `` No , you are not , '' said Mrs. Grant desperately , dropping the dishcloth and snatching the baby on her knee to wipe the crust of cinders and molasses from the chubby pink-and-white face . `` You may as well know it now , children , I 've kept it from you so far in hopes that something would turn up , but nothing has . We ca n't have any Christmas dinner tomorrow -- we ca n't afford it . I 've pinched and saved every way I could for the last month , hoping that I 'd be able to get a turkey for you anyhow , but you 'll have to do without it . There 's that doctor 's bill to pay and a dozen other bills coming in -- and people say they ca n't wait . I suppose they ca n't , but it 's kind of hard , I must say . '' The little Grants stood with open mouths and horrified eyes . No turkey for Christmas ! Was the world coming to an end ? Would n't the government interfere if anyone ventured to dispense with a Christmas celebration ? The gluttonous Teddy stuffed his fists into his eyes and lifted up his voice .
XXXXX , who understood better than the others the look on his mother 's face , took his blubbering young brother by the collar and marched him into the porch .
Gordon Grant Keith Ma Mother dishcloth noon ry sevens sixes