eir windows filled with all sort of nice things for presents. Nan and
Bert had gazed into the windows a number of times, and even walked
through the one big department store of which the town boasted, and they
had told Freddie and Flossie of many of the things to be seen.

"Oh, I want to see them, too!" cried Flossie, and begged her mother to
take her along the next time she went out.

"I want to go, too," put in Freddie. "Bert says there are _sixteen_
rocking horses all in a row, with white and black tails. I want to see
them."

"I am going to the stores to-morrow," answered Mrs. Bobbsey. "You can go
with me, after school. It will be better to go now than later on, when
the places are filled with Christmas shoppers."

The twins were in high glee, and Freddie said he was going to spend the
twenty-five cents he had been saving up for several months.

"Let us buy mamma something for Christmas," said Flossie, who had the
same amount of money.

"What shall we buy?"

That question was a puzzling one. Flossie thought a nice doll would be
the right thing, while Freddie thought an automobile that could be wound
up and made to run around the floor would be better. At last both
consulted Nan.

"Oh, mamma doesn't want a doll," said Nan. "And she ought to have a real
automobile, not a tin one."

"Can't buy a real auto'bile," said Freddie. "Real auto'biles cost ten
dollars, or more."

"I'll tell you what to do," went on Nan. "You buy her a little bottle of
cologne, Freddie, and you, Flossie, can buy her a nice handkerchief."

"I'll buy her a big bottle of cologne," said Freddie. "That big!" and
he placed his hands about a foot apart.

"And I'll get a real lace handkerchief," added Flossie.

"You'll have to do the best you can," said practical Nan, and so it was
agreed.

When they left home each child had the money tucked away in a pocket.
They went in the family sleigh, with Sam as a driver. The first stop was
at Mr. Ringley's shoe store, where Mrs. Bobbsey purchased each of the
twins a pair of shoes. It may be added here, that the broken window
glass had long since been replaced by the shoe dealer, and his show
window looked as attractive as ever.

"I heard you had a window broken not long ago," said Mrs. Bobbsey, when
paying for her purchases.

"Yes, two bad boys broke the window," answered the shoe dealer.

"Who were they?"

"I couldn't find out. But perhaps I'll learn some day, and then I mean
to have the