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The wind followed him through the door, but Claus shut it out quickly. He laid

the rescued child on the hearth, and brushing away the snow he discovered it

to be Weekum, a little boy who lived in a house beyond the Valley.

Claus wrapped a warm blanket around the little one and rubbed the frost

from its limbs. Before long the child opened his eyes and, seeing where he

was, smiled happily. Then Claus warmed milk and fed it to the boy slowly,

while the cat looked on with sober curiosity. Finally the little one curled up in

his friend's arms and sighed and fell asleep, and Claus, filled with gladness

that he had found the wanderer, held him closely while he slumbered.

The wind, finding no more mischief to do, climbed the hill and swept on

toward the north. This gave the weary snowflakes time to settle down to

earth, and the Valley became still again.

The boy, having slept well in the arms of his friend, opened his eyes and sat

up. Then, as a child will, he looked around the room and saw all that it

contained.

Your cat is a nice cat, Claus," he said, at last. "Let me hold it."

But puss objected and ran away.

The other cat won't run, Claus," continued the boy. "Let me hold that one."

Claus placed the toy in his arms, and the boy held it lovingly and kissed the

tip of its wooden ear.

How did you get lost in the storm, Weekum?" asked Claus.

I started to walk to my auntie's house and lost my way," answered Weekum.

Were you frightened?"

It was cold," said Weekum, "and the snow got in my eyes, so I could not see.

Then I kept on till I fell in the snow, without knowing where I was, and the

wind blew the flakes over me and covered me up."

Claus gently stroked his head, and the boy looked up at him and smiled.

I'm all right now," said Weekum.

Yes," replied Claus, happily. "Now I will put you in my warm bed, and you

must sleep until morning, when I will carry you back to your mother."

May the cat sleep with me?" asked the boy.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus