when she tried to
put their hats and coats on them.

Bob and his father went out and harnessed the old sleigh to two black
horses (not the one the children had brought home, for he was tired
out, of course,) and Mrs. Parkney filled bottles with hot water and
wrapped hot flatirons in old cloths to keep them warm. She insisted on
coming out to the sleigh and tucking away the seven boys and girls, and
every one of her own children followed to watch her. Perhaps they
wanted a sleigh ride, but Mr. Parkney said he would have his hands full
with the load he had, and he did not want any extra passengers.

"We'll tuck Sunny Boy up in the front seat between us," said Bob, "and
then he can tell us where the different youngsters live."

And Sunny Boy did, though he was so sleepy Bob had to wake him by
shaking him gently every time. They soon reached Centronia, for it was
not a very long drive for two horses and a sleigh which can travel
swiftly over the snow. Once in the city, Bob began shaking Sunny Boy
awake and asking him where his playmates lived.

They came to Jessie Smiley's house first, and she did not wake up, even
when Bob lifted her and carried her in. Mrs. Smiley wanted to hear the
whole story, but Bob explained that he had more children to see safely
home, and Mrs. Smiley was so glad and thankful to have Jessie back that
she told Bob to hurry.

"For I know the other mothers are as anxious as I have been," she said.
"We have had a terrible day. The telephone wires are all down, and my
husband has been to Miss May's school and to the house of every child
in Jessie's class, trying to find some trace of her. He is out hunting
now."

Around and around Mr. Parkney drove, and at every house they stopped
Bob carried in a sleeping child. How glad the mothers were, so glad
they wanted to hug Bob, and some of them did. At last every one was
safe home but Sunny Boy, and then Mr. Parkney made the horses go as
fast as they could. When he stopped them at the Horton's house, both
he and Bob got out and went in with Sunny Boy.

"Mrs. Horton, here's Sunny Boy!" cried Harriet, when she answered the
ring at the doorbell and found Sunny Boy standing there with the
Parkneys.

Daddy Horton came down the front stairs three steps at a time and
grabbed Sunny. Mother Horton came running down after him, and she was
so glad to see Sunny Boy that she cried just a little--the way she had
cried in New York when he was lost and th