His birthday was coming.
Indeed, it was the very next day.
And the very next day was Christmas, too.
Think of having a birthday and Christmas on the same day!
How would you like that?
Jack was going to have a birthday party.
Or was it a Christmas party?
Jack couldn't tell which it was.
All the children were coming,--Boy Blue, and Mary, and Alice, and Tommy
Tucker, and ever so many more.
There was a secret about the party.
Jack's mother had told him, but he would not tell.
Boy Blue tried to guess.
"Is it a Christmas tree, Jack?"
"Are we going to make candy?"
"Is Santa Claus coming?"
"Are we going on a sleigh-ride?"
"No, no, no!" said Jack. "You will never guess."
At last Christmas Day came.
Jack could hardly stop to look at all of his presents.
He was thinking of the party and of getting the secret ready.
At two o'clock the children came to the party.
They each brought Jack a present.
Mistress Mary brought him some roses.
"They grew on the rose-bush you gave me," she said.
At first the children played games.
They played "blind man's buff," and "hide the thimble," and "button,
button, who has the button."
At four o'clock Jack's mother came into the room.
"I think you must all be hungry by this time," she said.
"Will you come and see what I have for you?"
So the children followed Mrs. Horne through the long hall into the
dining-room.
Oh, there were such good things for hungry children!
There were pretty little cakes with pink and white frosting, and
oranges, and nuts, and raisins, and apples, and candy.
Boy Blue's father had heard about the party and had sent the apples
from the farm.
Boy Blue's mother had sent some candy made of maple sugar and nuts.
Oh, it was so good!
When each one had eaten some of the cakes, and some of the nuts, and
some of the candy, Mrs. Horne went out into the kitchen.
Jack began to laugh and his eyes looked very big and wise.
"The surprise is coming!" cried Boy Blue. "The surprise is coming!"
And sure enough! In came Mrs. Horne, carrying a huge pie in her hands.
"This is Jack Horner's pie," she said. "I think it is full of plums."
[Illustration: "Then he had put in his hand and pulled out something."]
Then she put it on the table in front of Jack.