red, reiterated, and
embellished. As they talked they grew jovial, and laughed often.

"The skee broke an' you went over kerplunk, hey? Haw, haw! That reminds
me of one time in Wisconsin--"

Something of the joyous spirit of the Christmastide seemed to have
entered into this little farmhouse set in the midst of the lonely, white
fields. In the hearts of these men, moving about in their dim-lighted
room, was reechoed the joyous murmur of the great world without: the
gayety of the throngs in city streets, where the brilliant shop-windows,
rich with holiday spoils, smile out upon the passing crowd, and the
clang of street-cars and roar of traffic mingle with the cries of
street-venders. The work finished, they drew their chairs to the stove,
and filled their pipes, still talking.

"Well, well," said Charlie, after the laugh occasioned by one of Nels'
droll stories had subsided. "It's nice to think of those old times. I'd
hate to have been one of these kids that can't have any fun. Christmas
or any other time."

"Ay gass dere ain't anybody much dot don'd have someding dis tams a
year."

"Oh, yes, there are, Nels! You bet there are!"

Charlie nodded at his partner with serious conviction.

"Now, there's the Roneys," he waved his pipe over his shoulder. "The old
man told me to-night when I was up after the cows that he's sold all
the crops except what they need for feedin'--wheat, and corn, and
everything, and some hogs besides--and ain't got hardly enough now for
feed and clothes for all that family. The rent and the lumber he had to
buy to build the new barn after the old one burnt ate up the money like
fury. He kind of laughed, and said he guessed the children wouldn't get
much Christmas this year. I didn't think about it's being so close when
he told me."

"No Christmas!" Nels' round eyes widened with astonishment. "Ay tank
dose been pooty bad!" He studied the subject for a few moments, his
stolid face suddenly grown thoughtful. Charlie stared at the stove. Far
away by the river a lonely coyote set up his quick, howling yelp.

"Dere's been seven kids oop dere," said Nels at last, glancing up as it
for corroboration.

"Yes, seven," agreed Charlie.

"Say, do ve need Seigert's team very pad?"

"Well, now that depends," said Charlie. "Why not?"

"Nothin', only Ay vas tankin' ve might tak' some a das veat we vas goin'
to sell and--and--"

"Yep, what?"

"And dumb it on Roney's granary floor to-night after de