id look, to be sure, beside that bulgy basket with its
cover suggestively tied down.

Mrs. Ralston looked too.

"Santa Claus seems to have visited you already," she said with a
smile.

The Josephs laughed.

"Our Santa Claus is somewhat out of pocket this year," said Mr. Joseph
frankly. "Those are the little things the small folks here have made
for each other. They've been a month at it, and I'm always kind of
relieved when Christmas is over and there are no more mysterious
doings. We're in such cramped quarters here that you can't move
without stepping on somebody's secret."

A shakedown was spread in the kitchen for the unexpected guests, and
presently the Ralstons found themselves alone. Mrs. Ralston went over
to the Christmas table and looked at the little gifts half tenderly
and half pityingly.

"They're not much like the contents of our basket, are they?" she
said, as she touched the calendar Jimmie had made for Mollie out of
cardboard and autumn leaves and grasses.

"Just what I was thinking," returned her husband, "and I was thinking
of something else, too. I've a notion that I'd like to see some of the
things in our basket right here on this table."

"I'd like to see them all," said Mrs. Ralston promptly. "Let's just
leave them here, Edward. Roger's family will have plenty of presents
without them, and for that matter we can send them ours when we go
back home."

"Just as you say," agreed Mr. Ralston. "I like the idea of giving the
small folk of this household a rousing good Christmas for once.
They're poor I know, and I dare say pretty well pinched this year like
most of the farmers hereabout after the crop failure."

Mrs. Ralston untied the cover of the big basket. Then the two of them,
moving as stealthily as if engaged in a burglary, transferred the
contents to the table. Mr. Ralston got out a small pencil and a note
book, and by dint of comparing the names attached to the gifts on the
table they managed to divide theirs up pretty evenly among the little
Josephs.

When all was done Mrs. Ralston said, "Now, I'm going to spread that
tablecloth carelessly over the table. We will be going before
daylight, probably, and in the hurry of getting off I hope that Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph will not notice the difference till we're gone."

It fell out as Mrs. Ralston had planned. The dawn broke fine and clear
over a vast white world. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph were early astir;
breakfast for the storm-stayed trave