THE SNOW OWL'S CHRISTMAS PARTY 129 



She always makes mouse tallow every winter; it's 

 just boss for chapped hands." 



Tommy-Anne smiled. Was she going to make 

 mouse tallow? She thought not ; but what she in- 

 tended doing with the mice was a profound secret. 



That same afternoon, a little before dusk, as she 

 stood by the window looking at the light from 

 the lantern that shone through the cow-shed win- 

 dow, where the milking was going on, a white 

 shape flapped up to the window, and perched on 

 the sill, quite startling her. 



" Open the window," it said; " I want to speak 

 to you." 



" I mustn't," she replied ; " I have a snuffle 

 cold." 



"Then I must do it myself," said Waw-be- 

 ko-ko, for it was he, as he came through the sash. 



" You dear Snow Owl ! " said Tommy-Anne, 

 holding out her arms as if she would like to hug 

 him. " I was so afraid that I should not see you ; 

 and way back in the spring I promised the little 

 Spruce, you know, that I would ask you to my 

 Christmas tree." 



"No, I didn't know anything about the tree, 

 and I came very near not hearing about the invi- 

 tation at all," said Waw-be-ko-ko. " You see the 

 little Spruce was snowed under when I came, and it 



