d."

"Hurray!" shouted the mummers, and they ran off, Pax leaping from his
seat just in time to hustle the Black Prince in the doorway. When the
dining-room door was shut, St. George raised his hand, and said
"Hush!"

The mummers pricked their ears, but there was only a distant harsh and
scraping sound, as of stones rubbed together.

"They're cleaning the passages," St. George went on, "and Sarah told
me they meant to finish the mistletoe, and have everything cleaned up
by supper-time. They don't want us, I know. Look here, we'll go _real
mumming_ instead. That _will_ be fun!"

The Valiant Slasher grinned with delight.

"But will mamma let us?" he inquired.

"Oh, it will be all right if we're back by supper-time," said St.
George, hastily. "Only of course we must take care not to catch cold.
Come and help me to get some wraps."

The old oak chest in which spare shawls, rugs, and coats were kept was
soon ransacked, and the mummers' gay dresses hidden by motley
wrappers. But no sooner did Darkie and Pax behold the coats, &c., than
they at once began to leap and bark, as it was their custom to do when
they saw any one dressing to go out. Robin was sorely afraid that this
would betray them; but though the Captain and his wife heard the
barking they did not guess the cause.

So the front door being very gently opened and closed, the nursery
mummers stole away.

THE NURSERY MUMMERS AND THE OLD MAN.

It was a very fine night. The snow was well trodden on the drive, so
that it did not wet their feet, but on the trees and shrubs it hung
soft and white.

"It's much jollier being out at night than in the daytime," said
Robin.

"Much," responded Nicholas, with intense feeling.

"We'll go a wassailing next week," said Robin. "I know all about it,
and perhaps we shall get a good lot of money, and then we'll buy tin
swords with scabbards for next year. I don't like these sticks. Oh,
dear, I wish it wasn't so long between one Christmas and another."

"Where shall we go first?" asked Nicholas, as they turned into the
high-road. But before Robin could reply, Dora clung to Nicholas,
crying, "Oh, look at those men!"

The boys looked up the road, down which three men were coming in a
very unsteady fashion, and shouting as they rolled from side to side.

"They're drunk," said Nicholas; "and they're shouting at us."

"Oh, run, run!" cried Dora; and down the road they ran, the men
shouting and following them. They had