squirts real water. I'm going to put some in it, and play fire."

He started for the kitchen with his toy, but Nan caught him.

"Not just yet, little fat fireman," she said with a laugh, as she took
him up in her arms. "You can't splash in the cold water until you have
more clothes on. Get dressed and then you may play with your toys."

"All right!" answered Freddie. "Oh, look, I've got a wind-up
steamboat, too. Oh! let me down so I can look at it, Nan! Now please
do!"

Nan saw a pile of her own gifts, so she set Freddie down for a moment,
intending to carry him up stairs a little later. She had wrapped a
robe about Flossie, who was contentedly playing with her newest doll,
and looking at her other presents. Santa Claus had been kind to the
Bobbsey twins that Christmas.

Bert, big boy though he thought himself getting to be, could no longer
resist the temptation to come down in his bath robe to see what he had
received, and a little later fat Dinah, roused earlier than usual by
the joyous shouts of the children, came lumbering in.

"Oh, Dinah! Dinah! Look what you got!" cried Flossie. "Your things are
all here on this chair," and the little girl led the fat cook over
toward it.

"Things fo' me? What yo'-all talkin' 'bout chile? Ole Dinah don't git
no Christmas!" protested the jolly colored woman, laughing so that she
shook all over.