Page:Christmas stories (IA christmasstories00faul).pdf/28

 He was just ready to make up another verse when he spied the two children. “Oh, ho, ho, ho!” he laughed merrily, “how did you two children come here?”

“Please, Mr. Santa Claus,” said ^Willie shyly, “we were waiting for you to visit us and the next thing we knew we were in this garden. We don’t know how we came here, but, now that we are here, may we not help you to pick some toys?”

“Indeed, you may,” said Santa Claus. “I need two such helpers. I was just wondering how I could gather all these toys in time for to-morrow. Willie, will you please go over to the garden-bed in the corner and pull up some tops?”

“Pull up some tops!” echoed Willie in amazement. But he took a red sack and went to the garden and began to pull up