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It did not take them long to burst open the mouth of the cave, and then each
one seized as many toys as he could carry and they all flew to Claus and laid
the treasure before him.
The good man was rejoiced to receive, just in the nick of time, such a store of
playthings with which to load his sledge, and he sent word to Glossie and
Flossie to be ready for the journey at nightfall.
With all his other labors he had managed to find time, since the last trip, to
repair the harness and to strengthen his sledge, so that when the deer came
to him at twilight he had no difficulty in harnessing them.
"
We must go in another direction to-night," he told them, "where we shall find
children I have never yet visited. And we must travel fast and work quickly,
for my sack is full of toys and running over the brim!"
So, just as the moon arose, they dashed out of the Laughing Valley and across
the plain and over the hills to the south. The air was sharp and frosty and the
starlight touched the snowflakes and made them glitter like countless
diamonds. The reindeer leaped onward with strong, steady bounds, and
Claus' heart was so light and merry that he laughed and sang while the wind
whistled past his ears:
"
Now away we go
With a ho, ho, ho!
And a ha, ha, ha! And a ho, ho! ha, ha, hee!
O'er the frozen snow, As merry as we can be!"
Jack Frost heard him and came racing up with his nippers, but when he saw
it was Claus he laughed and turned away again.
The mother owls heard him as he passed near a wood and stuck their heads
out of the hollow places in the tree-trunks; but when they saw who it was they
whispered to the owlets nestling near them that it was only Santa Claus
carrying toys to the children. It is strange how much those mother owls
know.
Claus stopped at some of the scattered farmhouses and climbed down the
chimneys to leave presents for the babies. Soon after he reached a village and
worked merrily for an hour distributing playthings among the sleeping little
ones. Then away again he went, signing his joyous carol:
"
Now away we go
O'er the gleaming snow, While the deer run swift
and free!
For to girls and boys We carry the toys That will fill their
hearts with glee!"
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