Did I tell you how we moulded the bullets last
summer? We kept the tally, and over forty-two thousand cartridges were
made from the statue of King George, so the women of Litchfield have
contributed their aid to the cause in good practical fashion."'
"Aye, that was fine! It must have been jolly fun, too."
"It was very hot," said Betty, laughing; "we tried it in our big
kitchen, but finally had to melt the lead in larger kettles hung over a
crane in the shed down in orchard. Aunt Euphemia thought we would fire
the house, and for many nights Miss Bidwell and she, protected by Reuben
with a lantern, paraded the place before closing up, hunting for stray
sparks which she fancied might fly in the wrong direction."
"What a lot this hamper holds," said Peter, diving down into it. "You've
made enough wreaths to decorate the rooms, I'm sure, and your hands are
getting black."
"Never mind my hands; soap and water will cleanse them. Clarissa wants a
'real English Christmas,' she said, and poor dear! she shall have it. It
does my heart good to see her brighten and glow like her old pretty
self."
"You can thank Captain Yorke for putting the 'real English Christmas'
into her head; there's a fine Tory for you, Betty.
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