"Did you hang the stocking up, Denis?"
"I did."
"I hope you put it so that the paper showed?" said Molly.
"I did."
"I hope you told that butler to tell everyone not to touch it?" said
Sheila Pat.
"For the third time--_I did_!"
"What are you laughin' at?" the Atom demanded.
"I bought something for Aunt Kezia this evening."
"Oh, Denis, you know her strong objection to Christmas presents!"
exclaimed Nell.
"She thinks we're wild savages because we hang out our stockin's,"
observed Sheila Pat. "She said she thought no one older than three
years did it."
Denis had gone across to his overcoat, and was rummaging in a pocket.
"Behold!"
He held forth a long white canvas stocking filled with little infantile
toys and sweets.
"Oh, Denis!"
Nell and the Atom were gleeful; Molly's glee was tempered.
"She'll be awfully cross!"
"I'm going to write that it's from Santa Claus with compliments and
respect, and then I'm going to hang it on her bed."
At about half-past ten they prepared to go to bed. The
"this-time-last-year" imps were rather busy, but found themselves
combated fiercely.
Nell hugged Sheila Pat a little harder than usual.
"Good night, asthore."
"I like you in your nightie, Nell," the Atom said.
Nell put out the candle and got into bed. She lay very still, straining
her ears in the dark; but Sheila Pat made no movement. Dimpling with
glee, Nell at last slipped out of bed, slid her feet into her bedroom
slippers, flung on her dressing-gown, and took various parcels from
beneath her bedclothes. Then she felt her way, pausing to listen,
scarcely breathing, across to the Atom's bed. Reaching out for the
stocking she knew would be hanging there, she seized a foot. She held a
parcel up tight against her mouth to keep her laughter in. The foot had
not moved. Nell felt an admiration for the Atom's self-control. She
was quite sure she would have called out if someone from out the
darkness had suddenly caught hold of her foot. She found the stocking
and bundled in her parcels; then she crept across to the door, went out
on to the landing and straight into Denis's arms.
"Bother these balusters!" ejaculated he. "One can't walk comfortably in
one's sleep for the beastly things!"
She fled recklessly through the dark back to her bed. She had left the
door ajar. She lay waiting, determined to try again presently. It was
very still; her eyes tried to pierce the darkness. Suddenly something
seized the sleeve of her night-gown; she gave a scream.
"Oh," giggled Molly's voice, "I thought it was a stoc--" The giggles
fled from the room.
Nell thought how the Atom must be despising her. She determined that,
happen what would, she would, next time, make no sound. But when the
next minute something lit, with a thud, on her chest, she called out
involuntarily. A warm little tongue licked her cheek. "Oh, K.K.! You've
given me palpitations of the heart! And you know you're not allowed on
beds!" she whispered.
She gave her a kiss and lifted her down to the floor. Then she slipped
off the bed, gathered up her parcels once more, and made another
attempt, K.K. trotting delightedly at her heels. She got a little way
along the passage and was suddenly confronted by Molly, outlined dimly
against a window.
"Oh!" gasped Molly, and stumbled noisily back into her room.
Nell drew herself up flat against the wall and waited. Presently
something brushed past her knees. She knew it was not K.K.; it was too
tall. She gave a little shiver, then stooped and softly put down her
hand; it fell on a tight little pig-tail, and Nell drew back with a
smothered laugh. So the Atom was crawling about her business! Presently
there echoed a frenzied scream from Molly's room; then wild excuses.
"I don't care! You shouldn't crawl! You nearly scared me to death!
K.K.'s nearly killed me once already! Why don't you speak, Sheila Pat?
I _know_ it's you--I felt you! Oh, you little _beast--why_ won't you
speak? _Do_ just say it _is_ you, Atom! _Do_!"
Kate Kearney barked suddenly; a door opened downstairs. Miss Kezia
demanded what was the matter. From overhead came Sarah's quivering
voice, declaring that she had a poker and they'd better look out. Then
Denis's voice soothingly: "It's all right, Aunt Kezia! Christmas time,
you know--excitement--nightmare--so sorry you were disturbed. Good
night."
In Molly's room there was sudden silence. Nell had not moved.
Presently she crept along by the wall and went in. Just as she found the
stocking Molly's voice quavered out: "I know someone's in here! I never
minded at home--but--but it's different here--who is it?"
To Nell's utter surprise a voice just behind her answered and made her
jump.
"I am Santa Claus!" it said, deep and low. "What you felt was the
breeze my beard made as I flew past your bed. Do not be afraid, maiden;
I am the friend of all, and more especially am I the friend of the Irish
people! Now close thine eyes, and sleep till morning! Fare thee well!"
Nell heard the sort of relieved, happy little chuckle Molly gave. Then
she slipped out on to the landing, expecting every moment to bump into
Denis, and upstairs to his room. The door was open; she crept in,
turned to the left, and stretched out her hand. It encountered only
space; she moved forward, hand outstretched, till suddenly it hit
against the wall. She stood still, bewildered. Where was the bed?
"Turn round three times
To clear a Paddy's brain!
Once more to make sure
And now for luck again!"
"Five times is beyond me--in the dark. _I_ know! That horrid Denis has
moved his bed!" She groped round the room till she found it; she put her
last parcels into his stocking and prepared to go back to her own room.
On her landing, just in front of the window, she came face to face with
a big and shadowy Denis.
"Ah," he said, "I thought I heard you moving. I've just been to your
room to see if you wanted anything. I was afraid you might be ill."
"How queer! That's just what I heard and thought about you!"
"Very queer!"
"Yes, isn't it?"
"Such coincidences do occur in the best-regulated families. You're sure
you _are_ all right?"
"Quite, thank you. And you?"
"Oh, quite. Good night."
"Good night."
They passed each other; he looked back over his shoulder. Nell had
stopped. He turned, went back, swung her up into his strong arms.
"I'll carry you back to your bed, young lady, and lock the door on you!"
He took her and plumped her down on to her bed. He bent and rubbed his
cheek against hers. "Strange we should both be walking in our sleep
to-night, old girl!"
"Very strange--_duckie_!"
"Nell! I won't be called names. Atom asleep?"
"I think so."
Soon after he had gone the door was opened with a laborious care and
creakiness that proclaimed Molly. Nell smothered a laugh. "Of course!
Forgotten something."
She could hear her creeping round the room; she heard K.K.'s tail go
thump, thump on the floor; then there was a pause--then thud! Something
fell on the carpet--thud! thud!
"Oh!" came a breathless gasp--thud--thud--thud!
"She's knocked my stocking down!" Nell shook with laughter.
Thud! Scrape--bang--she could hear Molly crawling about the floor
picking up various parcels. Finally Nell was shaken up and down while
Molly adjusted the stocking once more. Then she crept away. Just as
she reached the door she blundered into a chair, and sent something
crashing to the floor.
From Sheila Pat's bed came an irrepressible, long-suffering, "Sure I
_knew_ she'd do that!"
*CHAPTER XX*
"So this is the best they can give us for Christmas in London!" observed
the Atom, gazing frowningly out upon a yellow fog.
"Get dressed and give poor old London a rest, Atom! We shall end by
being late."