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Here he called on them to stop, and they immediately obeyed. But a new

difficulty now presented itself, for the people had locked their doors when they

went to bed, and Claus found he could not enter the houses to leave his toys.

I am afraid, my friends, we have made our journey for nothing," said he, "for I

shall be obliged to carry my playthings back home again without giving them

to the children of this village."

What's the matter?" asked Flossie.

The doors are locked," answered Claus, "and I can not get in."

Glossie looked around at the houses. The snow was quite deep in that village,

and just before them was a roof only a few feet above the sledge. A broad

chimney, which seemed to Glossie big enough to admit Claus, was at the peak

of the roof.

Why don't you climb down that chimney?" asked Glossie.

Claus looked at it.

That would be easy enough if I were on top of the roof," he answered.

Then hold fast and we will take you there," said the deer, and they gave one

bound to the roof and landed beside the big chimney.

Good!" cried Claus, well pleased, and he slung the pack of toys over his

shoulder and got into the chimney.

There was plenty of soot on the bricks, but he did not mind that, and by

placing his hands and knees against the sides he crept downward until he

had reached the fireplace. Leaping lightly over the smoldering coals he found

himself in a large sitting-room, where a dim light was burning.

From this room two doorways led into smaller chambers. In one a woman lay

asleep, with a baby beside her in a crib.

Claus laughed, but he did not laugh aloud for fear of waking the baby. Then

he slipped a big doll from his pack and laid it in the crib. The little one

smiled, as if it dreamed of the pretty plaything it was to find on the morrow,

and Claus crept softly from the room and entered at the other doorway.

Here were two boys, fast asleep with their arms around each other's neck.

Claus gazed at them lovingly a moment and then placed upon the bed a drum,

two horns and a wooden elephant.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus