96 STORIES OF BIRDS AND BEASTS 



" They are coming, they are almost at the corner, for 

 I can hear the bells ! " cried Dodo. " Now they've 

 stopped ! " 



" They are waiting for Rap and his mother, you know 

 the sleigh was to call for them. Here they are ! " 

 shouted Nat, dashing down to the gate, "that is, 

 all but Toinette ! " 



Sure enough she had not come. " Got bashful at 

 the last minit," said Nez ; " allowed she'd better stay 

 home and keep house along with her brother who's 

 winterin' with us, but they're goin' over to the Ridge 

 to-morrer to keep Christmas Canady style with some 

 country folks o' theirn. Reckon they'll see their Christ- 

 mas candles in church ! " 



This was a very long speech for Nez, and he imme- 

 diately retired to the barn with Rod, looking as if 

 he was afraid of a real house with carpets and cur- 

 tains. 



Olaf took some oddly shaped parcels from the bottom 

 of the sleigh and carried them to the stoop, driving 

 Phonse and Dominique in front of him like a pair of 

 balky geese; but they soon felt at home and began to 

 talk when they had been introduced to the dogs and 

 saw Mammy Bun preparing supper. 



" I think those long bundles look as if they might 

 hold show-shoes," said Nat to Olive ; " but what is 

 in that green bag, t wonder? " 



" I have brought my fiddle," said Olaf, as if in answer 

 to Nat's question. " Your father said to me : 4 Olaf, I 

 have a banjo ; bring your fiddle and we will make music 

 together.'" 



Olaf often spoke slowly, as if he thought in his own 



