Page:Christmas stories (IA christmasstories00faul).pdf/101

 as his eyes rested upon the old man, he remembered the story and said softly: “How I should like to see that King!”

The cold wind seemed to die down and the clouds went across the sky like a flock of scurrying sheep, leaving the stars twinkling brightly in the dark-blue vault of the heavens.

“How beautiful it is, and how still!” he said.

He looked again at the group of sleeping shepherds, and then he looked at the sleeping sheep. As he watched, he saw his little lamb stir uneasily.

“Poor little baby, poor little Snow-white, I believe that it is lonely—I will hold it under my warm coat and protect it while the mother-sheep sleeps.” And so the boy lifted the baby lamb in his strong arms, and,