[Illustration: "Little Johnny Cricket tried to reach for his crutches,
but Santa just picked him up in his arms and kissed him."]

Marmaduke turned round, to discover Santy whispering in his ear. And he
looked hard, and, sure enough, over in the corner was a great big parcel,
marked, "Johnny with a merry Christmas." Santy undid it, and revealed a
wagon with handles that could be worked by the arms. It looked very much
like the Toyman's invention. And it was just the thing for Johnny, who
was so lame.

When he saw it he just clasped his hands, and this time the tears did
really come, and they ran from the corners of his eyes and down his
cheeks. But they were very happy tears.

"You're all so good to me," was all he said.

Marmaduke didn't need Santy to remind him now, and he hunted hard
again and found something for "Mrs. Cricket from her friends in the
White House,"--a fine alpaca dress. There was something for Black-eyed
Susan too. And all under that roof and around that tree were very
happy. It was too bad the Toyman wasn't there to enjoy it.

Now Santy stood up and looked at his watch. It was a great big one
with a ship on its face and an anchor on the chain. It resembled the
Toyman's, and the children thought it odd that there were two such
watches anywhere in the world.

"It's getting late," Santa was saying, "I've got a lot of places to
visit, but before I go, I want you to sing a song--every man Jack."