really be Christmas Eve? Gissing thought. Christmas seems to have
come very suddenly this year, I haven't really adjusted my mind to it
yet.

"All right," he said. "Now sit still and keep quiet. Bunks, give Yelpers
a little more room. If there's any bickering Santa Claus might hear it."

He sat in the big chair by the fire, and the three looked upward
expectantly from the hearthrug.

"Once upon a time there were three little puppies, who lived in a house
in the country in the Canine Estates. And their names were Groups,
Bunks, and Yelpers."

The three tails thumped in turn as the names were mentioned, but the
children were too excitedly absorbed to interrupt.

"And one year, just before Christmas, they heard a dreadful rumour."

"What's a rumour?" cried Yelpers, alarmed.

This was rather difficult to explain, so Gissing did not attempt it. He
began again.

"They heard that Santa Claus might not be able to come because he was
so behind with his housework. You see, Santa Claus is a great big
Newfoundland dog with a white beard, and he lives in a frosty kennel at
the North Pole, all shining with icicles round the roof and windows. But
it's so far away from everywhere that poor Santa couldn't get a servant.
All the maids who went there refused to stay because it was so cold
and lonely, and so far from the movies. Santa Claus was busy in his
workshop, making toys; he was busy taking care of the reindeer in their
snow-stables; and he didn't have time to wash his dishes. So all summer
he just let them pile up and pile up in the kitchen. And when Christmas
came near, there was his lovely house in a dreadful state of untidiness.
He couldn't go away and leave it like that. And so, if he didn't get his
dishes washed and the house cleaned up for Christmas, all the puppies
all over the world would have to go without toys. When Groups and Bunks
and Yelpers heard this, they were very much worried."

"How did they hear it?" asked Bunks, who was the analytical member of
the trio.

"A very sensible question," said Gissing, approvingly. "They heard it
from the chipmunk who lives in the wood behind the house. The chipmunk
heard it underground."

"In his chipmonastery?" cried Groups. It was a family joke to call
the chipmunk's burrow by that name, and though the puppies did not
understand the pun they relished the long word.

"Yes," continued Gissing. "The reindeer in Santa Claus's stable were
so unhappy about the dishes not