another tree hard
by, a position which he did not enjoy, to judge from his impatient
jumping and barking.

[Illustration]

"Yes, Grim, I know it isn't at all nice to be tied up!" said Nibble, in
reply to a long howl of protest from the dog. "But we cannot have you
jumping over our thrones. When the party is all ready, you shall come to
it, so you ought to be patient. Now, Brighteyes, if you will make a
little cotton-wool throne in the middle for Peepsy. I will get the lunch
ready. Where are the three bones for the dogs?"

"Over there, behind Fluff's hay-cock," said Brighteyes. "And there are
five gingerbread birds that Susan made, one for each of us, and the
wooden turkey out of the doll-house for Peepsy, because he won't really
eat it, you know. Oh! and we ought to have something for Tomty, Nibble,
for we invited him, and he said he would certainly come. You might ask
Susan for a cup of tea when you go up to call the children, for I heard
Tomty tell her yesterday that all the vegetables he wanted were bread
and tea."

"Well, so I will!" said Nibble. "And if Susan will not give us any, he
can have a cup of milk, and play it is tea."

So away went Nibble, jumping on the hay-cocks, and whistling as he went.
Soon he returned, with the three little mice trotting behind him, and
Tomty, with his rake over his shoulder, bringing up the rear.

"Here we all are!" cried Puff, joyfully. "Is the party ready,
Brighteyes? I think Peepsy is very impatient, though he behaves
beautifully."

[Illustration]

"Yes, everything is ready!" replied Brighteyes. "Here is Peepsy's throne
in the middle, and these hay-cocks are ours. Put him on his throne,
Puffy--so! now all sit down yourselves, please, and take the dolls in
your laps." The mice and Tomty obeyed meekly, and perched themselves on
the hay-cocks as best they might.

"Now," continued Brighteyes, "we must all have names, of course, because
it isn't any fun just to be ourselves at a party. I will be the Countess
Kinchinjunga. What will you be, Nibble!"

"Oh! I am the Bold Baron of Borodino," said Nibble. "Puff and Fluff can
be the Princess Perriwinkle and the Marchioness of Mulligatawney, and
Downy shall be Nosolio, the Niggardly Knife-Grinder of Nineveh. There's
a fine name for you, Downy, boy!"

The Niggardly Knife-Grinder smiled contentedly, and said, "Yef, I'm dat,
only I tan't say it."

[Illustration]

"And now," said Nibble, "we will have the lunch, and then we mu