On the contrary, mother and aunty found it the most difficult part of the whole.

For the three older children had received permission to choose each the things which he wanted most to fill up his own bag, with the express understanding that these must be _useful_ things.

But the three had their own definitions of "useful." So they worked with all their might, running, breathless, up stairs and down, loaded with most extraordinary articles, most of which were rejected by the packers as utterly unsuitable, and consigned to the places whence they came.
Fred came first with four great boxes under each arm, which were tied up with so many strings, that no accident could have opened them if they had gone all the way round the world.

These he brought to his aunt, while Emma was, at the same time, pressing upon her mother a heavy roll, which she had brought under one arm, and an enormous package which she could scarcely carry.
"Those can't go, Fred," said his aunt, decidedly.

"I couldn't possibly get those eight boxes into this bag, and what's the use?
You certainly can't need whatever there is in them." "Yes, I do, aunty; six of them are full of living creatures which I must carry with me to take care of them, or they would all die.