A dudish cat -- Miss Allen was fond of the No. 16 cat if she could be said to be fond of anything -- was portrayed seated on a rocker arrayed in smoking jacket and cap with a cigar waved airily aloft in one paw while the other held out a placard bearing the legend `` Merry Christmas . '' A second cat in full street costume bowed politely , hat in paw , and waved a banner inscribed with `` Happy New Year , '' while faintly suggested kittens gambolled around the border . The girls laughed until they cried over it and voted it to be the best thing Nellie had yet done in original work . All this had taken time and it was past eleven o'clock . Miss Allen had cried herself to sleep long ago and everybody else in Chestnut Terrace was abed when five figures cautiously crept down the hall , headed by Jean with a dim lamp . Outside of Miss Allen 's door the procession halted and the girls silently arranged their gifts on the floor . `` That 's done , '' whispered Jean in a tone of satisfaction as they tiptoed back . `` And now let us go to bed or Mrs. Pickrell , bless her heart , will be down on us for burning so much midnight oil . Oil has gone up , you know , girls . '' It was in the early morning that Miss Allen opened her door . But early as it was , another door down the hall was half open too and five rosy faces were peering cautiously out . The girls had been up for an hour for fear they would miss the sight and were all in Nellie 's room , which commanded a view of Miss Allen 's door . That lady 's face was a study . Amazement , incredulity , wonder , chased each other over it , succeeded by a glow of pleasure . On the floor before her was a snug little pyramid of parcels topped by Jean 's letter . On a chair behind it was a bowl of delicious hot-house roses and Nellie 's placard . Miss Allen looked down the hall but saw nothing , for Jean had slammed the door just in time . Half an hour later when they were going down to breakfast Miss Allen came along the hall with outstretched hands to meet them . She had been crying again , but I think her tears were happy ones ; and she was smiling now . A cluster of Jean 's roses were pinned on her breast .
`` Oh , girls , girls , '' she said , XXXXX a little tremble in her voice , `` I can never thank you enough .
around behind by for if in of on while with