He penciled a name upon the bottom of each and then handed them to Patsy, saying: "Will you kindly present these, with my compliments, to the Misses Stanton, and to their aunt, when they return this evening?
Thank you!" And then, before they could recover from their astonishment, he turned abruptly and fled to his room.
The girls stared at one another a moment and then began laughing.

Arthur seemed crestfallen, while Uncle John handled his small box as gingerly as if he suspected it contained an explosive.
"How ridiculous!" cried Patsy, her blue eyes dancing.

"And did you notice how scared poor Ajo was, and how he skipped as fearfully as though he had committed some crime?
But I'm sure the poor boy meant well.

Let's open our boxes, girls, and see what foolishness Ajo has been up to." Slipping off the cover of her box, Beth uttered a low cry of amazement and admiration.

Then she held up a dainty lavalliere, with a pendant containing a superb pearl.