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He did not linger, now that his work in this house was done, but climbed the
chimney again and seated himself on his sledge.
"
"
Can you find another chimney?" he asked the reindeer.
Easily enough," replied Glossie and Flossie.
Down to the edge of the roof they raced, and then, without pausing, leaped
through the air to the top of the next building, where a huge, old-fashioned
chimney stood.
"
Don't be so long, this time," called Flossie, "or we shall never get back to the
Forest by daybreak."
Claus made a trip down this chimney also and found five children sleeping in
the house, all of whom were quickly supplied with toys.
When he returned the deer sprang to the next roof, but on descending the
chimney Claus found no children there at all. That was not often the case in
this village, however, so he lost less time than you might suppose in visiting
the dreary homes where there were no little ones.
When he had climbed down the chimneys of all the houses in that village, and
had left a toy for every sleeping child, Claus found that his great sack was not
yet half emptied.
"
Onward, friends!" he called to the deer; "we must seek another village."
So away they dashed, although it was long past midnight, and in a
surprisingly short time they came to a large city, the largest Claus had ever
visited since he began to make toys. But, nothing daunted by the throng of
houses, he set to work at once and his beautiful steeds carried him rapidly
from one roof to another, only the highest being beyond the leaps of the agile
deer.
At last the supply of toys was exhausted and Claus seated himself in the
sledge, with the empty sack at his feet, and turned the heads of Glossie and
Flossie toward home.
Presently Flossie asked:
"
What is that gray streak in the sky?"
"
It is the coming dawn of day," answered Claus, surprised to find that it was
so late.
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