eight o'clock
By half-past two o'clock the tall balsam tree , heavy with its weight of decorations and strange Christmas fruit , was pronounced finished , and the party of jubilant young people reluctantly separated to assemble after dinner for one of their old-time frolics . The evening train brought Arnold Evans , and Miriam found herself whisked down Chapel Hill toward Grace 's home by David and Arnold despite her protests that neither she nor Arnold really belonged . `` You and Arnold are the honorary members , '' David reminded her , `` and are , therefore , eligible to all our revels . '' When , at eight o'clock , the little group of guests , which included Mrs. Gray , had gathered in the Harlowe 's cozy living room and to Mr. Harlowe had fallen the honor of playing Santa Claus , something peculiar happened . Nearly all the gifts fell to Hippy , who rose with every repetition of his name , bowed profoundly , grinned significantly in his best Chessy-cat manner and , swooping down upon the gifts , gathered them unto himself . As he was about to take smiling possession of a large , flat package an indignant , `` Let me see that package , Mr. Harlowe , '' from Nora O'Malley caused all eyes to be focused upon it . `` Just as I suspected , '' sputtered Nora , glaring at the offending Hippy , whose grin appeared to grow wider with every second .