Santa Claus to bring him such things, did not
wholly dampen his hope.

He even began to dream of being able to go out some time and join the
bigger boys in coasting down the long hill on the other side from
Johnny Stout's, for though his father and mother thought he was still
rather small to do this, his father had promised that he might do it
sometime, and Tommy thought "sometime" would be after his next
birthday. When the heavy snow fell just before Christmas he began to
be sorry that he had broken up the sled Santa Claus had given him the
Christmas before. In fact, Tommy had never wanted a sled so much as he
did the afternoon two days before Christmas, when he persuaded his
father to take him out again to the coasting hill to see the boys
coasting. There were all sorts of sleds: short sleds and long sleds,
bob-sleds and flexible fliers. They held one, two, three, and
sometimes even half a dozen boys and girls--for there were girls,
too--all shouting and laughing as they went flying down the hill, some
sitting and some lying down, but all flying and shouting, and none
taking the least notice of Tommy. Sate made them take notice of him;
for he would rush out after the sleds, barking just as if they had
been cats, and several times he got bowled over--once, indeed, he got
tangled up in the string of a sled and was dragged squealing with
fright down the hill. Suddenly, however, Tommy gave a jump. Among the
sleds flying by, most of them painted red, and very fine looking, was
a plain, unpainted one, and lying full length upon it, on his stomach,
with his heels high in the air, was Johnny Stout, with a red comforter
around his neck, and a big cap pulled down over his ears. Tommy knew
him at once.

"Look, father, look!" he cried, pointing; but Johnny's sled was far
down the hill before his father could see him. A few minutes later he
came trudging up the hill again and, seeing Tommy, ran across and
asked him if he would like to have a ride. Tommy's heart bounded, but
sank within him again when his father said, "I am afraid he is rather
little."

"Oh! I'll take care of him, sir," said Johnny, whose cheeks were
glowing. Tommy began to jump up and down.

"Please, father, please," he urged. His father only smiled.

"Why, you are not so very big yourself," he said to Johnny.

"Big enough to take care of him," said Johnny.

"Why, father, he's awful big," chimed in Tommy.

"Do you think so?" laughed his father. He turned