ten o'clock
Dorothy and Molly were well remembered , the gifts being both pretty and useful , and running principally to toilet articles and lingerie , while Aunt Betty found great difficulty in lifting her stocking from its peg over the fire-place , so heavy was it . Early Christmas morning came a belated ` phone message from Herr Deichenberg , accepting on the part of him and Frau Deichenberg , the kind invitation extended by Aunt Betty to gather around the festive Christmas board . It had been necessary to postpone two lessons , the music master said , which accounted for the delay in letting them know . At ten o'clock Gerald and Aurora arrived . There had been a slight protest on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Blank at the children being away from home for Christmas dinner , but a compromise had been effected by which they were to eat with their parents on New Year 's Day . With the arrival of Herr and Frau Deichenberg nothing then remained but to serve the dinner . Metty and Ephraim were both pressed into service , and with Chloe and Dinah working like Trojans in the kitchen , the meal was served on scheduled time , and to the entire satisfaction of everyone concerned .