or three vessels tied to the river
bank, of which the Blue Cock was directly under the widow's great
dwelling. From the town came sounds of revelry and wassail, of singing
and quarrel, and from the church on Sand Hook softer chanting, where
the women were twining holly and laurel and mistletoe. Nanking lay
flat on the roof, with his face turned toward the sky. The moon went
down and it grew very dark.

"Lord of all things," he murmured, "forgive my rash intention and
comfort my poor mother!"

The noise of the town died on the night air, and every light went out.
Nanking said to himself, "Is it Christmas at all, out in this lonely
wilderness of the world? Is it the same sky which covers Holland, and
are these stars as gentle as yonder, where all are rich and happy?"

He heard a noise. A voice whispered, just above the edge of the
chimney on the river gable: "_Fus-s-s! Pas op!_"

"What is that?" thought Nanking; "somebody saying, 'Hist! be careful?'
Surely I see something moving on the chimney, like a living head."

The voice whispered again: "_Maak hast! Kom hier!_" Or, "Hasten! Come
here!"

Nanking raised up and made a noise.

"_Wie komt, daar_?" demanded the voice, and in a minute repeated:
"_Wie sprecht, daar_?"

They ask, "Who comes and who speaks?" said Nanking. "Blessed be the
promises of heaven! It is Santa Claus!"

Then he heard movements at the chimney, and people seemed to be
ascending and descending a ladder. There seemed, also, to be noises on
the deck of the Blue Cock, and sounds of falling burdens and spoken
words: "Maak plaats!" or make room for more.

"I never heard of Santa Claus stopping so long at one humble house,"
thought Nanking.

After awhile all sounds ceased. Nanking crept to the chimney and
touched it with his hand. It had no opening whatever in the top.

He felt around this mysterious chimney. "He! Zoo!" he said aloud,
"there is more wood here than brick. 'Tis a false chimney altogether!"

Then he saw that his close observation had not been at fault. The
chimney over the river gable was a painted chimney, a mere invention.
Yet, surely Santa Claus had been there.

After a time Nanking opened the top and side of this chimney as if
they were two doors. He found it packed with goods of all kinds--a ton
at least.

"I will run and awaken my mother," he thought. "But no. Did not Ffob
Oothout tell me to blab no secrets and shut my teeth tight? I will
tell nobody. These costly things