The boys were seated at the table, a half hour later, and had just eaten the last of the griddle cakes, when Reddy’s whistle was heard. Toad, jumping up from the table, ran over to the window and beckoned to Reddy to come into the house.
“What are you going to do this morning?” was Reddy’s first remark as he entered the room.
“We’re going for Christmas greens and Dad’s going to cut our tree from away up on the hillside,” Toad told him, “and,” he added, “we’re going to take one of the horses with us to drag it home.”
“Oh, that’s great!” replied Reddy. “Do you start soon?”
“Don’t you want to go, too?” asked Chuck. “And maybe we can get Fat and Herbie, too,” he added.
“If such a crowd goes, and everybody gathers greens,” laughed Toad, “what will we ever do with all of them?”
Mother Brown answered him from the doorway.
“Why not take some of them to the church? I’m sure the ladies who are trimming it will be glad to use all that you can give them.”
“That’s a splendid idea,” declared Father Brown, rising from his seat by the fireplace. “Come, boys, bundle up well, because it’s going to be a cold drive.”
“I’ll run ahead to get the others,” called Chuck as he hurried from the room.
CHAPTER V: THE ADVENTURE IN THE SNOW
“I’m glad we brought the sleigh,” Father Brown remarked, as they were driving along at a fair pace, a little later, “as we never could have gotten through with a wagon in this deep snow.”
They were now starting up the hill and the horse’s feet sank deeply into the snow drifts, although his load was not heavy, as the boys took turns walking, so that only two of them were riding at a time.
“When we reach the first clearing,” Father proposed, “we’ll cut the greens and then leave them in a pile by the roadside, for it is likely we shall have to go up still higher before we can find the tree we want.”
After going on a few yards more he shouted:
“Here’s the place; all hands to work!” and the boys started in with a will, bringing to the roadside great heaps of boughs and woodvines, some of them covered with red berries and others with gray.
Within a short time they had gathered a large pile of the greens, so they decided it was time to start out to find the tree.
“The tree must be full and the top perfect,” declared Father Brown, “so keep your eyes open for it.”
“What’s the matter with that one?” demanded Toad, pointing to a big fir some distance away.
“Nothing at all the matter with it,” laughed Chuck, “only the house is too small to hold it.”
“There’s a nice one,” called out Herbie, pointing to the one he meant.
“Yes, that’s a beauty,” agreed Father Brown, “and easy to get at, too.”
After clearing away the smaller branches near the ground, by chopping them off with the axe, Father Brown then started to work on the trunk of the tree.
“Wouldn’t it be nice,” suggested Fat, “if we didn’t have to cut it down at all—just trim it outside? It would save so much time and trouble.”
“Oh, yes, that would be great,” agreed Reddy. “We’d just sit around on the snow eating ice cream and look at the tree,” and he gave a hearty laugh in which all the others joined.
“Well, I’ll bet they do it in Greenland and Iceland,” persisted Fat, “so why couldn’t we?”
“Because we don’t wear white Polar bear clothes,” laughed Chuck.
“There she comes—she’s falling!” cried the boys.
“Stay where you are until it’s down,” called Father Brown to the boys.
There was a sharp creak and a swish of branches as the tree came down, and the boys now rushed over to help tie up the branches.
When that part of the work was finished, Reddy sang out:
“All together! Lift her on the sled. One, two, three!” and up it went.
“Nobody gets a ride home,” called out Chuck, “because the greens have to go on top of the tree.”
“Oh!” wailed Fat, “if I can’t ride I’ll roll down. I hate to walk.”
By the time they had reached the fields the worst part of the trip was over.
“We’ll cut over to the road that runs past the church,” said Father Brown, “and leave some of the greens there,” at which the horse was headed in that direction.
As they came to the road they saw a short distance from them an object in the snow and as they drew nearer it proved to be a little fellow, deep in a snow drift. His hands were blue with the cold and as Father Brown picked him up in his arms he tried to speak, but couldn’t.
“I know who he is,” volunteered Herbie. “He’s Patsy O’Reilly, and he lives over there,” pointing to a small house up the road. “His brother Mike goes to school with me,” he continued.
“I’ll carry him home,” said Father, “as you boys are able to handle things all right now,” saying which, he started off to the little house with Patsy in his arms.
Chuck, to whom Father Brown had handed the reins now started to drive the horse toward home.
When the boys arrived at the church and had carried in the greens, the ladies were delighted, and one of them even tried to kiss Reddy, but he hurried away just in time.
CHAPTER VI. TOAD’S UNSELFISHNESS
When they reached home Chuck drove the sleigh up to the side door, where the boys quickly unloaded the greens. They then lifted the tree to the piazza and when this had been done Chuck drove the horse to the stable.
“Let’s go in and get our hands warm before we take in the greens,” suggested Toad, and soon they were all laughing and talking before the great fire in the library.
Fat had just asked the others if they remembered the day Mr. Brown had told them about the Indians that used to live in the woods where they found the tree, when a man’s voice was heard from the hall.
“It’s going to be a sad Christmas for them, I’m afraid, for both parents are ill and the three helpless children are waiting for Santa Claus to come,” the boys heard Father Brown say.
“How sad,” was Mrs. Brown’s answer, as they both went into the kitchen and the boys could hear no more.
“They must be talking about the O’Reillys,” commented Fat. “Mike’s a friend of mine and I’m sorry he isn’t going to have any Christmas.”
“So am I,” echoed Herbie, after a short silence.
Chuck said he’d hate to awaken Christmas morning and not find any presents.
“Guess I’ve been mighty selfish wanting so many things,” he thought.
Toad and Reddy, who had moved away from the other boys, were talking together in low, excited whispers. Then, when the others went to the window to look at the green outside, they slipped from the room and hurried down the hall to the kitchen.
“Mother,” called Toad from the doorway, “may we speak to you for a minute?”
Mother Brown handed the bowl in which she had been stirring something to the cook and crossed the room toward the boys, saying as she did so:
“I can only spare a few minutes today, Thomas, for I am very busy.”
“But, Mother,” exclaimed Toad, “we have a great idea!”
“It’s a Christmas surprise party,” chimed in Reddy, “for the O’Reillys,” and together the two boys went on to tell Mrs. Brown of their plans.
“If we could just have the horse and sleigh to get around in,” ventured Toad. “Do you think Father would allow us to hitch old Meg to the big sleigh?”
“It’s a wonderful idea,” agreed Mother Brown. “Suppose you ask him. But how about presents for the three children? Have you thought of that?”
“If it were only after Christmas we could give away some of our new things,” sighed Toad.
“But would you give them away?” asked his mother. “Supposing you were going to get a sled—the kind you have been wanting,” and she paused to hear Toad’s answer.
He thoug
ht very hard for a moment, then answered:
“Yes, because I always get a lot of things and it might be the only present Mike would get.”
“Well,” remarked his mother, “I have bought you a sled, and you may give it to him.”
Reddy looked at Toad, as Mother Brown turned toward the kitchen.
“Are you sorry now that you said ‘yes’?” he asked.
“No, I’m not,” returned Toad.
“Well, I’ll ask Mother to let me give them something new of mine, too,” declared Reddy consolingly, putting his arm about Toad’s shoulder.
CHAPTER VII. THE BOYS PLAN A SURPRISE
At two o’clock the sleigh was ready, for Father Brown had willingly given the boys permission to use it that afternoon. It was planned to have Chuck drive, for Toad, Reddy, Fat and Herbie expected to be too busy calling at the different houses to gather the presents which they hoped to collect for the O’Reillys.
“Let’s stop at Bailey’s first,” suggested Fat, “as we’re sure to get something there.”
“Who’ll go to the door?” questioned Herbie.
“All go,” answered Chuck. “That’s the best way.” So in a group they rang the bell and waited, Chuck remaining in the sleigh.
No one came in answer to their ring.
“All out,” sighed Fat; but Toad gave the bell another pull.
“Bet they’re all in the kitchen baking things and didn’t hear it,” he remarked.
“There’s someone coming now,” whispered Reddy, and as the door opened:
“Good afternoon,” said all the boys in chorus.
“Mercy upon us, where did you all come from?” exclaimed Mrs. Bailey, and, as Toad held forth a card that Father Brown had printed for them, she asked:
“Am I to read this?”
“Yes, Mrs. Bailey, that explains everything,” Reddy told her.
She read:
“In one little home there may be no Christmas cheer; the father and mother are both ill. There are three children; a boy of nine years, another of five, and a girl of seven. They need coal, clothing, food and toys. What will you give?”
“So you’re all playing at being Santa Claus,” remarked Mrs. Bailey with a smile. “Well, I believe I can find something that will please you, so just stop in on your way back and I’ll have it all ready for you.”
“Oh, thank you!” cried all the boys, together, as they started for the sleigh, happy over the success of their first call.
“Have any luck?” asked Chuck. “But I can see you did, because you’re all grinning,” he added, as they told him what Mrs. Bailey had promised.
After several more visits, with the promise of something from each place if they would call later, Herbie proposed that they stop at Mrs. Lee’s home, as Mary Lee had a great many dolls and might give them one of them for the little O’Reilly girl.
“That’s a good idea,” they all agreed, and the idea was carried out.
When Mrs. Lee had read the card she asked the boys if there was anything they needed that had not been promised.
“We wondered,” replied Herbie, “if Mary would give us a doll for that little girl?”
Mrs. Lee smiled and said:
“I think I can promise you that she will. If you will call later it will give me a chance to get her.”
“We’ll be glad to,” promised the boys, “and thank you.”
At five o’clock a sleigh piled high with bundles and boys was seen turning into the Brown’s driveway.
“What’ll we do now?” asked Toad of the others.
“Let’s drive into the barn and leave the things in the sleigh,” suggested Chuck; “then we can meet here early tonight and take the things to the O’Reillys.”
“All right,” assented the others. “What time shall we meet?”
“At seven o’clock,” said Toad.
CHAPTER VIII. WHAT MIKE FOUND
After dinner that night Chuck and Toad spent a little time helping to trim the big tree that had been put in place in the library during their absence of the afternoon. Chuck was on the top of a stepladder, tying shiny colored balls to the upper branches, when Toad, who had been busy with candy canes and popcorn balls, suddenly stopped and looked at the clock on the mantel.
“It’s seven o’clock, Chuck,” he cried, “and the others will be wondering why we don’t come out,” and at this he ran into the hall to get into his coat and cap.
Chuck took but a second to follow Toad out into the yard to meet the boys.
Mother Brown had sent her bundle and Toad’s new sled to the barn by John, the stableman, who put them into the sleigh with the other things while the boys were at dinner.
“Hello, boys! Everybody here?” inquired Toad as he joined the group of boys in front of the barn.
“All but Fat,” laughed Reddy, “and he’ll be along in a minute. He said I walked too fast for him.”
“Is everything in the sleigh?” asked Herbie, as John was hitching up.
“Everything’s in all right,” Toad assured him.
When about to start they found that the sleigh was so full of bundles that some of the boys had to stand on the runners. Just as they reached the street, Fat was seen coming toward them.
“Hurry up, lazy bones,” called Reddy, “or you’ll get left,” but John good-naturedly stopped the horse until Fat had climbed aboard.
There was a full moon and the sky was bright with stars. The snow was hard beneath the horse’s feet, which made the going easy, so they traveled along at a brisk pace.
“Where shall I stop?” asked John as they drew near the O’Reilly’s cottage.
“Just a little this side of the house,” directed Toad, “so they won’t hear us.”
“All off, now,” ordered Reddy, as John pulled up the horse, “and help unload. Don’t let’s make any more noise than we can help.”
“We can pile everything on the front steps,” whispered Herbie, as the boys, each heavily laden with packages of all sizes and shapes, walked very quietly up the path toward the house.
Each carefully placed his bundles or boxes where Herbie had suggested and just as silently they now returned to the sleigh.
“Suppose someone comes along and takes all the things before they get up in the morning?” argued Fat. “I don’t think it’s safe to leave them there all night, do you?”
“Well, maybe we’d better throw some snowballs at the door,” proposed Chuck, “to bring them out now.”
This was accepted as a good plan, and “Bang, bang, bang!” went the balls against the door.
The sleigh, in which the boys took refuge, was well hidden behind a pine tree, so they could not be seen from the house.
“There’s a light!” said Reddy in a low voice. “Someone is opening the door.”
“It’s Mike!” answered Herbie, excitedly. “I’ll bet he can’t believe his eyes.”
It did seem to the others that what Herbie said was true, for, framed in the doorway of the cottage stood a boy, gazing at a great heap of bundles and boxes on the steps before him as if dazed. Once he rubbed his eyes as if to make sure he was awake, then he slowly stretched out one hand toward the beautiful new sled, hardly daring to believe it was real. Then suddenly, as the boys watched eagerly, the sled was in his arms and he was jumping up and down with joy, calling to those of his family who could, to come out to see the wonderful surprise.
“Time for us to be getting home now,” whispered Chuck, and Toad, feeling very happy, answered:
“I guess you’re right.”
By nine o’clock Chuck and Toad were sound asleep, and the stockings, tied to the end of each bed, fell limp and empty.
CHAPTER IX. CHRISTMAS MORNING
“Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” shouted Toad.
It was seven o’clock and Chuck awoke with a start and looked around him.
“Merry Christmas,” he answered, and both boys scrambled down to the foot of their beds to untie the stockings full to overf
lowing with candies, nuts, oranges and many small gifts.
“Oh!” cried Chuck, “see what I have,” holding his stocking up by the foot and shaking the contents out on the bed. “A big knife, and a top, and some reals.”
“So have I! By jinks, I’m glad to get the knife—it’s a beauty, three blades!”
Chuck, who by this time had a whole candy apple in his mouth, could only nod his head in reply.
“Let’s hurry up and dress so we can go down to see the tree,” proposed Toad. “I’ll bet there will be lots more things for us down there,” and this the boys hastened to do.
“Merry Christmas,” greeted Mother Brown, a few minutes later, as the boys, now fully dressed, came to her door.
“Merry Christmas, boys,” called their father from the hall below, as Mother Brown and the boys hurried downstairs.
As they entered the library the very first thing that met Toad’s eyes was a beautiful new sled, much larger than the one he had given the night before to Michael O’Reilly.
“Oh, is that for me?” he cried in delight as he pounced upon it. “I didn’t expect to get one.”
“Yes, my son,” answered his father, “it is for you.”
“Oh, wait until Reddy sees this!” and Toad fairly hopped about in his delight.
Chuck was very much excited over a new building game, the very thing he had hoped for, but Toad hardly had time to look at his other gifts from his many aunts and uncles, so anxious was he to go out doors to try his new sled.
After breakfast Mother Brown helped him into his coat and found his mittens and cap, for they always seemed to run away and hide while Toad slept.
“Come on, Chuck!” he cried. “Aren’t you coming out?”
“Nope, I’m going to see if I can build a derrick,” was the reply, so Toad started off alone.
As he reached the hill down which most of the boys liked best to coast, he met Reddy, trudging along with his sled.
“Hey, Merry Christmas,” he shouted. “Look at what Dad gave me!”
“Merry Christmas,” answered Reddy. “Jingoes, that’s a beauty!”
“Did you get the football you wanted?” he was asked.
“You bet I did, and a punching bag, too.”
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