"Whoa!" he called out, and the deer obediently slackened speed and
came to a halt.

Peter and Nuter and Kilter all jumped upon the seat and looked back
over the track made by the sleigh. But Santa Claus had been left
miles and miles behind.

"What shall we do?" asked Wisk anxiously, all the mirth and mischief
banished from his wee face by this great calamity.

"We must go back at once and find our master," said Nuter the Ryl, who
thought and spoke with much deliberation.

"No, no!" exclaimed Peter the Knook, who, cross and crabbed though he
was, might always be depended upon in an emergency. "If we delay, or
go back, there will not be time to get the toys to the children before
morning; and that would grieve Santa Claus more than anything else."

"It is certain that some wicked creatures have captured him," added
Kilter thoughtfully, "and their object must be to make the children
unhappy. So our first duty is to get the toys distributed as
carefully as if Santa Claus were himself present. Afterward we
can search for our master and easily secure his freedom."

This seemed such good and sensible advice that the others at once
resolved to adopt it. So Peter the Knook called to the reindeer, and
the faithful animals again sprang forward and dashed over hill and
valley, through forest and plain, until they came to the houses
wherein children lay sleeping and dreaming of the pretty gifts they
would find on Christmas morning.