l could even think, she found
herself all tucked up in the big fur robes beside Santa, and away they
went, right out into the air, over the clouds, through the Milky Way,
and right under the very handle of the Big Dipper, on, on, toward the
Earthland, whose lights Little Girl began to see twinkling away down
below her. Presently she felt the runners scrape upon something, and she
knew they must be on some one's roof, and that Santa would slip down
some one's chimney in a minute.

How she wanted to go, too! You see if you had never been down a chimney
and seen Santa fill up the stockings, you would want to go quite as much
as Little Girl did, now, wouldn't you? So, just as Little Girl was
wishing as hard as ever she could wish, she heard a Tiny Voice say,
"Hold tight to his arm! Hold tight to his arm!" So she held Santa's arm
tight and close, and he shouldered his pack, never thinking that it was
heavier than usual, and with a bound and a slide, there they were,
Santa, Little Girl, pack and all, right in the middle of a room where
there was a fireplace and stockings all hung up for Santa to fill.

Just then Santa noticed Little Girl. He had forgotten all about her for
a minute, and he was very much surprised to find that she had come, too.
"Bless my soul!" he said, "where did you come from, Little Girl? and how
in the world can we both get back up that chimney again? It's easy
enough to slide down, but it's quite another matter to climb up again!"
and Santa looked real worried. But Little Girl was beginning to feel
very tired by this time, for she had had a very exciting evening, so she
said, "Oh, never mind me, Santa. I've had such a good time, and I'd just
as soon stay here a while as not. I believe I'll curl up on this
hearth-rug a few minutes and have a little nap, for it looks as warm and
cozy as our own hearth-rug at home, and--why, it _is_ our own hearth and
it's my own nursery, for there is Teddy Bear in his chair where I leave
him every night, and there's Bunny Cat curled up on his cushion in the
corner."

And Little Girl turned to thank Santa and say good-bye to him, but
either he had gone very quickly, or else she had fallen asleep very
quickly--she never could tell which--for the next thing she knew, Daddy
was holding her in his arms and was saying, "What is my Little Girl
doing here? She must go to bed, for it's Christmas Eve, and old Santa
won't come if he thinks there are any little folks about."

But