I can't help it, shouts FATHER. Here goes. Watch me come out
at the other end.

If he goes, I've got to follow, says MOTHER, and she gets down on
her hands and knees behind him.

So have I, says GRANDFATHER, and he kneels down behind Mother.

And I, says GRANDMOTHER, and she kneels behind Grandfather.

Then, close behind one another, they go under the table, and when
they come out at the other end, Father and Grandfather have turned
into little boys, and Mother and Grandmother have turned into little
girls. While this is happening the brownies and fairies come out of
the box and basket.

Oh, Jolly! cries WALTER. Is this you, grandfather? He takes hold of
hands with the little boy that Grandfather has turned into, and swings
him around in a circle.

Oh, mother, cries GERTRUDE to one of the little girls, hugging
her, how darling you are. Isn't this fun?

Let's all play some game together, proposes WALTER.

"London Bridge," shall we play that? GERTRUDE suggests. The others
all clap their hands; so she goes on. She says, Walter, you and I
will be the bridge. What shall we choose? They whisper together.

Then the game is played in the usual way. Each captive is offered a
choice between "plum pudding" (that is Gertrude's side) and "ice
cream" (that is Walter's side). At the very moment when the tug-of-war
is about to begin, the outside door opens, and in comes Santa Claus.
At once, they all leave their games, and gather around him.

Oh, Santa Claus, cries WALTER, have you come to play with us?

How can I play with you? answers SANTA CLAUS. I'm far too big, and
far, far too old. One of the fairies has gone to the table, and
gotten a plate of plum pudding, which she now offers to Santa Claus.
What's this? he asks. Plum pudding? Well, I never could resist that.
He begins to eat it. This surely is a first-class pudding. He takes
another spoonful. Why, what's this? A nut in the pudding? A
hazel-nut! He stops short, and holds the plate away from him. A
hazel nut! he exclaims again. I declare, I'd clean forgotten all
about that. And now I've gone and eaten one. Goodness! Is it going to
work, I wonder. He puts the plate down on the table. Yes, I feel it
coming. Yes, it's come. I've just got to crawl under that table. Get
out of the way there. I've got to do it. It's no use trying not to.

The children, the brownies, and the fairies are all delighted, and
laugh, and dance up and down, and clap their hands.

WALTER cri