himney, when the fire-place was closed up.

"Never mind, love; Kriss will find his way here," was my answer to
all objections.

"But how do you know, mother? Have you sent him word?"

"Oh, I know."

Thus I put aside their enquiries, and hurried them off to bed.

"Now go to sleep right quickly," said I, after they were snugly
under their warm blankets and comforts; "and to-morrow morning be up
bright and early."

And so I left them to their peaceful slumbers.

An hour it was, or more, ere Mr. Smith returned, with his pockets
well laden. I was in the parlor, where we had placed the Christmas
tree, engaged in decorating it with rosettes, sugar toys, and the
like. At this work I had been some fifteen or twenty minutes, and
had, I will own, become a little nervous. My domestic had gone out,
and I was alone in the house. Once or twice, as I sat in the silent
room, I imagined that I heard a movement in the one adjoining. And
several times I was sure that my ear detected something like the
smothered breathing of a man.

"All imagination," said I to myself. But again and again the same
sounds stirred upon the silent air.

"Could there be a robber concealed in the next room?"

The thought made me shudder. I was afraid to move from where I sat.
What a relief when I heard my husband's key in the door, followed by
the sound of his well known tread in the passage! My fears vanished
in a moment.

As Mr. Smith stood near me, in the act of unloading his pockets, he
bent close to my ear and whispered:

"Will is under the table. I caught a glance of his bright eyes,
just now."

"What!"

"It's true. And the other little rogues are in the next room,
peeping through the door, at this very moment."

I was silent with surprise.

"They're determined to know who Kriss Kringle is," added my husband;
then speaking aloud, he said:

"Come, dear, I want to show you something up in the dining-room."

I understood Mr. Smith, and arose up instantly, not so much as
glancing towards the partly opened folding door.

We were hardly in the dining room before we heard the light
pattering of feet, and low, smothered tittering on the stairway.
Then all was still, and we descended to the parlors again, quite as
much pleased with what had occurred as the little rogues were
themselves.

"I declare! Really, I thought them all sound asleep an hour ago,"
said I, on resuming my work of decorating the Christmas tree, "Who
could have believe