astened to do.

"Merry Christmas," greeted Mother Brown, a few minutes later, as the
boys, now fully dressed, came to her door.

"Merry Christmas, boys," called their father from the hall below, as
Mother Brown and the boys hurried downstairs.

As they entered the library the very first thing that met Toad's eyes
was a beautiful new sled, much larger than the one he had given the
night before to Michael O'Reilly.

"Oh, is that for me?" he cried in delight as he pounced upon it. "I
didn't expect to get one."

"Yes, my son," answered his father, "it is for you."

"Oh, wait until Reddy sees this!" and Toad fairly hopped about in his
delight.

Chuck was very much excited over a new building game, the very thing he
had hoped for, but Toad hardly had time to look at his other gifts from
his many aunts and uncles, so anxious was he to go out doors to try his
new sled.

After breakfast Mother Brown helped him into his coat and found his
mittens and cap, for they always seemed to run away and hide while Toad
slept.

"Come on, Chuck!" he cried. "Aren't you coming out?"

"Nope, I'm going to see if I can build a derrick," was the reply, so
Toad started off alone.

As he reached the hill down which most of the boys liked best to coast,
he met Reddy, trudging along with his sled.

"Hey, Merry Christmas," he shouted. "Look at what Dad gave me!"

"Merry Christmas," answered Reddy. "Jingoes, that's a beauty!"

"Did you get the football you wanted?" he was asked.

"You bet I did, and a punching bag, too."

"Like the one in Daddy Williams' window?" inquired Toad.

"Just like it, and when you give it a punch, whack! it comes back at
you, quick as a flash."

"What did Fat get?"

"Oh, a lot of books and a pair of ice skates," replied Reddy, "so he's
gone over to White's pond to try them."

"Chuck got his building game; you know, the one he wanted, and he
wouldn't come out," declared Toad in fine disgust. "He's making things
with it."

"Who's that just starting?" and Reddy pointed up the long hill where
some one was getting ready to coast down. "Well, if it isn't Mike
O'Reilly!" he exclaimed,--"here ahead of us."

Then, as the sled with Mike lying flat on it shot past them, they
greeted him with a shout.

"Hello," returned Mike, his face all aglow with joy, "look at what I got
for Christmas."

"Bet you're glad now that you gave it to him," said Reddy as the two
boys reached the top of the hill. "Let me go down