of Nod; Wink and Wiggle could not keep their heavy eyes open any
longer; and the four oldest children went sound asleep, for they had
worked hard that day cracking nuts for Mammy's cake and seeding
raisins for Aunt Squeaky's Christmas pudding.

When the clock struck eleven, strange to say, it was Buster's eyes
which were still wide open. He was usually very sleepy, but to-night
he was very curious. He wanted to see Santa trim that tree. So he
winked and he blinked under his blankets, keeping real still and
pretending to be asleep.

And what do you think? Grand-daddy began to hang pieces of cheese on
the tree! Aunt Squeaky tiptoed in with a pile of cute little
hemstitched handkerchiefs; Mammy had a handful of gay ribbon bows and
neckties; and Granny was hanging up ten pair of scarlet mittens.
Uncle Squeaky brought in a red double-runner sled and pushed it under
the tree!

"I guess Santa is a joke," chuckled Buster sleepily. "Won't we have
fun sliding on that double-runner Uncle has made!"

Quite happy, he closed his eyes and went sound asleep.

He awoke suddenly when the clock struck one. There was a jingle of
sleigh bells; the reindeer were racing across the frozen snow; and
there, in the bright moonlight, was old Santa trimming their tree!

Buster gazed in wonder while the fat old fellow tied on
handkerchiefs, red mittens, cream cheese, ribbon bows and candies.
Why, he was even pushing a sled under the tree!