Part 25 (2/2)

asked the mouse, for he could see that plainly enough.

”A stocking full of leaves,” answered Flop, ”and one empty. Also part of a cookie.”

”Very well,” spoke the mouse. ”Give me the cookie, and I will tell you how to fool the fox.”

Well, Flop Ear did not want to give away his cookie, but he thought it was better to do that than to be eaten himself, so he gave the sweet little cake to the mouse, who said:

”Now, when the fox comes up here, just toss out over the log the stocking filled with leaves. The fox will think it is you, and he will carry it off to his den before he finds out his mistake. By that time you can run off home.”

”But I will lose the Christmas stocking,” said the piggie boy.

”It is better to lose one stocking than your life,” said the mouse.

”Besides, one of those stockings is big enough for any piggie boy for Christmas.”

Then Flop Ear did as he was told. Just as the fox came running along, over the log the piggie boy tossed the stocking filled with leaves. The fuzzy creature grabbed it, crying out:

”Ah, this is the time I have Floppy!” and he imagined the pig was in the stocking. Without stopping to look, off to his den ran the fox with the stocking filled with leaves, and when he found out his mistake--oh wow! Wasn't he disappointed though!

But Floppy got safely home with the other stocking and the cake of chocolate and nothing else happened that night, except that Mrs.

Twistytail sent the kind mouse a souvenir postal inviting him to come to the Christmas dinner.

And on the next page, provided the p.u.s.s.y cat draws a pail of pink lemonade from the white inkwell, and gives the rubber doll a drink, I'll tell you about the Twistytails' Christmas.

STORY x.x.xI

THE TWISTYTAILS' CHRISTMAS

”'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even--an automobile,” read Curly Tail, the little piggie boy as he sat by the open fireplace in his house.

”Hold on!” cried his brother Flop Ear, ”that isn't right, Curly. It should be not a mouse stirring--I know that poem.”

”You're right, Floppy dear,” admitted Curly Tail, ”I read it wrong, but anyhow tomorrow is Christmas, and I was thinking so much about the toy automobile I want, that I guess I put one in the verse by mistake.”

”All right, then I'll forgive you,” said Floppy, who was sitting by the fireplace, stringing red, white and blue popcorn for Baby Pinky's rag doll's Christmas tree. ”And I'm thinking of the toy steam engine I want,” went on Flop Ear. ”Oh! why doesn't Christmas hurry up and come?”

”That's what I want to know,” put in Pinky, as she dressed her doll in her best dress, all ready for the holiday that was soon to be there.

Oh such goings on as there were in the Twistytail house! The holly with its red berries, and its p.r.i.c.kly leaves, had been put in the windows and on the gas chandeliers had been hung the magical mystical mistletoe, with its white berries, and whoever stood under it would have to love everybody else.

And such good smells as there were coming from the kitchen! Pumpkin pies, and sour milk pudding, and apple cake, to say nothing of cornmeal lollypops with chocolate in the middle.

Mrs. Twistytail was as busy as anything, and as for Papa Twistytail, he had stayed home from the office on purpose to help decorate the house. Flop Ear and Curly Tail and Baby Pinky had written letters to Santa Claus the night before, and put them near the chimney. And, in the morning, would you believe it? those letters were gone! Yes, siree! not a trace of them left!

”Oh, goody!” cried Baby Pinky, ”Santa Claus came in his reindeer sleigh and took them. Now we'll get just what we want.”

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