Handing the huge book of addresses to Ike, Mrs. Talmage shook hands with Mr. White and reminded him to bring his wife to the meeting.
"Well! that was the best hour's business yet!" exclaimed Aunt Selina, as the car sped away.
"Wonderful, isn't it? I hope everything will glide along as nicely as it has up to the present," said Mrs. Talmage.
Being Friday, school closed an hour earlier than usual. The moment the Blue Birds could catch their hats from the pegs in the cloak-rooms, they ran out to join Ruth, who was hopping from one foot to the other in a vain effort to calm her impatience.
"Hurry, girls! Don't you know Mother Wings went to the mills this morning for samples of paper?" called one to the other as they ran up to Ruth.
It was not long thereafter that seven eager little girls crowded about Mrs. Talmage on the veranda to hear the news.
"I'll show you the samples, but we will wait for the mothers' opinion to-night. But this great secret I will give to you now!" and, forthwith, Mrs. Talmage told the Blue Birds all about Mr. White's interest and ideas, and showed them the precious volume loaned them.
Before eight o'clock that night the Blue Birds and their mothers were assembled in the living-room ready for a council. The children had not seen the den for a few days and stared in delight as they filed into the room. Mrs. Talmage had purposely had all meet together before mentioning that they might as well spend the evening in the Winter Nest.
"Why, Mother Wings, when _did_ you fix this up?" asked Ruth, as much surprised as the others.
The guests looked about and admired the unique charm of the Blue Bird quarters for the winter, and Betty ventured the question: "What has become of our other chairs?"
The room had all been renovated. The windows were hung with snow-flake madras, and the floor covered with heavy knotted white rag carpet that looked like snow freshly packed. The walls had been repapered with a sparkling white paper which glistened like ice in the electric light. From the wainscoting to the picture rail branches of dark green spruce and pine were fastened and upon these green needles were caught flakes of make-believe snow--made of white cotton-batting with diamond dust powdered on it. The furniture of the summer Nest had been brought in late that afternoon and the slip covers, which had been made for it, were slipped over until the thick white covers hid the familiar chairs under the novelty cloth that looked like snow-drifts. The whole effect was so beautiful that the children danced about with joy.