they
listened wide-eyed for what was to follow.

'Let me see,' continued Barrington, scanning the pages of the book,
'Why, yes, here they are! Elsie Linden, one doll with clothes that can
be taken off, one tea-set, one needlecase. Freddie Easton, one horse
with real hair. Charley Linden, one four-wheeled waggon full of
groceries. Frankie Owen, one railway with tunnel, station, train with
real coal for engine, signals, red lamp and place to turn the engines
round.'

Barrington closed the book: 'So you may as well have your things now,'
he continued, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. 'We'll buy them here;
it will save me a lot of work. I shall not have the trouble of taking
them round to where you live. It's lucky I happened to meet you, isn't
it?'

The children were breathless with emotion, but they just managed to
gasp out that it was--very lucky.

As they followed him into the shop, Freddie was the only one of the
four whose condition was anything like normal. All the others were in
a half-dazed state. Frankie was afraid that he was not really awake at
all. It couldn't be true; it must be a dream.

In addition to the hair, the horse was furnished with four wheels. They
did not have it made into a parcel, but tied some string to it and
handed it over to its new owner. The elder children were scarcely
conscious of what took place inside the shop; they knew that Barrington
was talking to the shopman, but they did not hear what was said--the
sound seemed far away and unreal.

The shopman made the doll, the tea-set and the needlecase into one
parcel and gave it to Elsie. The railway, in a stout cardboard box,
was also wrapped up in brown paper, and Frankie's heart nearly burst
when the man put the package into his arms.

When they came out of the toy shop they said 'Good night' to Frankie,
who went off carrying his parcel very carefully and feeling as if he
were walking on air. The others went into a provision merchant's near
by, where the groceries were purchased and packed into the waggon.

Then Barrington, upon referring to the list to make quite certain that
he had not forgotten anything, found that Santa Claus had put down a
pair of boots each for Elsie and Charley, and when they went to buy
these, it was seen that their stockings were all ragged and full of
holes, so they went to a draper's and bought some stocking also.
Barrington said that although they were not on the list, he was sure
Sant