She thought "going through the Rithmetic" was next thing to going round the world.
"O Auntie, I'm so glad you came," said Susy, "for I didn't see how I was ever going to finish my Christmas presents: I go to school, you know, and it takes me all the rest of the time to slide!" The children were busy making wonderful things "all secret;" or they would have been secret if Prudy hadn't told.
For one thing, she wondered very much what Susy could be doing with four pins stuck in a spool.

She watched the nimble fingers as they passed the worsted thread over the pin-heads, making stitches as fast as Susy could wink.
"It looks like a tiny snake all sticked through the hole in the spool," said Prudy, eager with curiosity.

"If you ain't a-goin' to speak, I don't know what I _shall_ do, Susy Parlin!" When poor Susy could not pretend any longer not to hear, she answered Prudy, half vexed, half laughing, "O, dear, I s'pose you'll tease and tease till you find out.

Won't you never say a word to anybody, _never_ ?" "Never in my world," replied the little one, with a solemn shake of her head.
"Well, it's a lamp-mat for auntie.

It's going to be blue, and red, and all colors; and when it's done, mother'll sew it into a round, and put fringe on: won't it be splendid?
But remember, you promised not to tell!" Now, the very next time Prudy sat in her auntie's lap she whispered in her ear,-- "You don't know what _we're_ making for you, _all secret_, out of worsted, and _I_ shan't tell!" "Mittens ?" said aunt Madge, kissing Prudy's lips, which were pressed together over her sweet little secret like a pair of sugar-tongs clinching a lump of sugar.
"Mittens?
No, indeed! Better'n that! There'll be fringe all over it; it's in a round; it's to put something on,--to put the _lamp_ on!" "Not a lamp-mat, of course ?" "Why, yes it is! O, there, now you've been and guessed all in a minute! Susy's gone an' told! I didn't s'pose she'd tell.