tly up the path toward the house.

Each carefully placed his bundles or boxes where Herbie had suggested
and just as silently they now returned to the sleigh.

"Suppose someone comes along and takes all the things before they get up
in the morning?" argued Fat. "I don't think it's safe to leave them
there all night, do you?"

"Well, maybe we'd better throw some snowballs at the door," proposed
Chuck, "to bring them out now."

This was accepted as a good plan, and "Bang, bang, bang!" went the balls
against the door.

The sleigh, in which the boys took refuge, was well hidden behind a pine
tree, so they could not be seen from the house.

"There's a light!" said Reddy in a low voice. "Someone is opening the
door."

"It's Mike!" answered Herbie, excitedly. "I'll bet he can't believe his
eyes."

It did seem to the others that what Herbie said was true, for, framed in
the doorway of the cottage stood a boy, gazing at a great heap of
bundles and boxes on the steps before him as if dazed. Once he rubbed
his eyes as if to make sure he was awake, then he slowly stretched out
one hand toward the beautiful new sled, hardly daring to believe it was
real. Then suddenly, as the boys watched eagerly, the sled was in his
arms and he was jumping up and down with joy, calling to those of his
family who could, to come out to see the wonderful surprise.

"Time for us to be getting home now," whispered Chuck, and Toad, feeling
very happy, answered:

"I guess you're right."

By nine o'clock Chuck and Toad were sound asleep, and the stockings,
tied to the end of each bed, fell limp and empty.

CHAPTER IX

CHRISTMAS MORNING

"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" shouted Toad.

It was seven o'clock and Chuck awoke with a start and looked around him.

"Merry Christmas," he answered, and both boys scrambled down to the foot
of their beds to untie the stockings full to overflowing with candies,
nuts, oranges and many small gifts.

"Oh!" cried Chuck, "see what I have," holding his stocking up by the
foot and shaking the contents out on the bed. "A big knife, and a top,
and some reals."

"So have I! By jinks, I'm glad to get the knife,--it's a beauty, three
blades!"

Chuck, who by this time had a whole candy apple in his mouth, could only
nod his head in reply.

"Let's hurry up and dress so we can go down to see the tree," proposed
Toad. "I'll bet there will be lots more things for us down there," and
this the boys h