The Mandie Collection Read Online Free Page B

“is that my sister insists that the presents be something very inexpensive and simple.”
    â€œWe don’t have a thing to give Tommy and Robert,” Mandie said.
    â€œWell, let’s see what we can come up with,” Miss Hope said thoughtfully. “I know. I have some handkerchief linen. You girls have plenty of time tonight to make some handkerchiefs for them. How will that do?”
    â€œOh, thanks, Miss Hope,” Mandie said.
    â€œWe appreciate it,” Celia added.
    â€œWait here,” Miss Hope said. She hurried into the rooms she occupied with her sister and immediately returned with a roll of white linen, some needles, thread, thimbles, and a pair of scissors. “If you justroll and whip the edges like this”—she demonstrated as she spoke—“it
    will be simple, and I think it will look nice.”
    â€œI’ve done that before,” Mandie said. “It’ll be easy.”
    â€œI know how to do that, too,” Celia said.
    â€œThen if you want to, you could embroider their initial in the corner,” Miss Hope suggested. “Here’s some embroidery thread.”
    Gratefully, the girls took the supplies and turned to leave the room.
    â€œOh, I almost forgot,” Mandie said, turning back. “Snowball has disappeared, Miss Hope. He’s not in our room.”
    â€œI’ll ask Aunt Phoebe to look for him. He can’t be far away,” Miss Hope assured her.
    Mandie and Celia returned to their room and hurriedly changed clothes, hanging up the fancy dresses and putting on gingham frocks that they normally wore around the school.
    Finally, seated on the windowseat, the two girls began their work. They cut the material into four large squares, which would make two handkerchiefs each for Tommy and Robert.
    â€œI wish we had thought about this earlier,” Celia said, quickly stitching the edge of one piece of material.
    â€œEverything got delayed because we had to be out of school during the flu epidemic,” Mandie reminded her.
    â€œAll that time out of school was pretty interesting, though,” Celia admitted. “Solving that mystery about the bells in the church steeple was fun—most of it—now that I can look back on it. I did get a little scared now and then, though.”
    â€œI don’t think we could have figured that all out if we hadn’t had time out from school,” Mandie said.
    â€œBut now we have to make up all that lost time when we come back after the holidays,” Celia reminded her. She accidentally pricked her finger with the needle. “Ouch!” she cried, quickly sucking her finger.
    â€œBe careful,” Mandie warned. “If your finger bleeds, you’ll get it all over the handkerchief. You’d better run some cold water on it.”
    â€œI guess I’d better.” Celia stood and laid her needlework on the windowseat. “Be right back.”
    Mandie continued her sewing as her friend left the room. Celia left the door partly open, and Mandie could hear her running water in the bathroom.
    Suddenly Celia screamed. “Mandie! Mandie! Come quick!”
    Mandie threw down her sewing and hurried across the hall to the bathroom. There was Celia standing on top of the lid to the commode. “What’s the matter?” Mandie asked.
    â€œThere! Down there!” Celia cried, excitedly pointing to the floor. “A mouse ran under the bathtub!”
    Mandie looked at the claw feet of the huge tub and stepped back, bending to look under it. “I don’t see anything,” she said.
    â€œIt was the same mouse Snowball had in the parlor,” Celia moaned, still standing on top of the commode.
    â€œHow do you know it’s the same one?” Mandie demanded. “Mice all look alike.”
    â€œI just know,” Celia insisted.
    â€œCome on,” Mandie said, taking Celia’s hand and helping her down. “Let’s get out of