Alice Hale Burnett

“ Linn informed him, "for
it's bad luck to let any one else cut a birthday cake for you."
It was covered with white icing and ablaze with candles.
"Now watch the candles go out," and Toad gave a great puff. "All over,"
he declared, laughing, "now I'll cut the cake."
"There is a piece of silver in it, Thomas," said his mother, "and the
one who gets it will be the lucky one in life, and a thimble for the one
who is going to be a bachelor."
At this the boys urged Toad to hurry and when the cake had been cut and
passed around each boy looked his piece over carefully. ”

“ Perhaps you forgot to water the plants. It's a bit of care every day that brings them along," and she patted Jerry's rosy cheeks.
"I guess the poor things starved to death," thought Jerry as she joined the others, "for I'm sure I often forgot them."
"What an enormous pumpkin, Uncle Billy. Do you think it's real?" asked Beth, as they stopped before a large display of them.
"Yes, of course it's real," he assured her, "and just think of all the good pies it will make."
"I wonder if Cinderella's chariot was as big a pumpkin as that," mused Mary. ”

“ The balls were flying so thick and so fast, from both sides, that it looked like a snow storm of enormous flakes shooting in all directions.
The boys carrying balls to supply the invaders were kept busy, but before long it was noticed that there were fewer coming from inside the fort.
"They've used up all they have," shouted Toad. "Let's get closer."
"Close in," cried Captain Reddy, "and aim well!" ”

“ When Saturday morning arrived, Mother Brown sent Toad off to the barn to
get some large red apples.
"Be sure they have strong stems," she warned him, "or I shall not be
able to use them."
The apples had been packed in barrels with plenty of straw to keep them
from freezing, and when Toad reached the barn he pulled out one after
another until he thought he had plenty. Just as he was wondering how
many trips he would have to make to get all the apples to the house, a
face peeped around the doorway.
"Hello, Reddy," laughed Toad, "come on in and help me with these apples. ”

“ Look!" he added in a low voice, "there goes Herbie's mother into the store. Let's see what she buys."
"Hello, Daddy," greeted both the boys, as old Mr. Williams, with his white hair, red cheeks and dancing blue eyes, came to the doorway of the shop and smiled at them.
"Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!" he replied. "Have you been good boys?"
"I should say we have," cried Toad. "Everybody's good before Christmas."
"Well, run along home then, and I'll tell your mas just what you want," promised Daddy. "Herbie's ma's in here now and she doesn't want you boys to know what she buys." ”

“ From under her cape she now took a small paper bag and poured the
contents into the pot before her, then standing up she hobbled around it
three times, waving her arms and humming a queer little tune. Soon a
dull red light glowed from within the pot, getting brighter and
brighter.
"It's magic," whispered Toad to Hopie Smith.
The old witch now sat down again and took from beneath her cape a small
pad, a long quill pen and a queer little bottle filled with milky white
fluid.
"If you drink any of that you'll get as small as a flea," said Fat in a
low voice. ”

“ Toad told him, "and," he added, "we're going to take one of the horses with us to drag it home."
"Oh, that's great!" replied Reddy. "Do you start soon?"
"Don't you want to go, too?" asked Chuck. "And maybe we can get Fat and Herbie, too," he added.
"If such a crowd goes, and everybody gathers greens," laughed Toad, "what will we ever do with all of them?" ”

“ Fat, who was now next in line, leaned far over. Placing his hands on the
floor he lifted his right foot and shook it three times, then standing
up he puffed out his cheeks for a mighty blow.
"Look out, you'll bust," warned Herbie.
Puff!
"By jiminy, he did it," cried Toad, "good boy, Fat," as every candle
went out.
"Reddy may tie him," suggested Father. "Let's see."
Reddy turned three somersaults for luck and standing before the candles
blew with all his strength, and seven went out.
"Fat gets the prize and it's just what he likes most," cried Toad. ”

“ Herbie took his advice.
"Reddy, what was that the teacher said in school the other day about too
much candy being bad for little boys?" inquired Chuck from his corner by
the fireplace, at which Reddy laughed.
"Come on," he said, "let's see who's taffy's the lightest."
"Yes, everyone hold out his piece," proposed Linn.
"Oh, yours is," admitted Toad as he saw Linn's cream-colored taffy.
"Looks like a lock of Mary Lee's hair," observed Herbie, glancing at
Linn's piece.
"You're always talking about her," teased Fat.
"Am not," denied Herbie stoutly, his face turning red. ”

“ One, two, three!" and up it went.
"Nobody gets a ride home," called out Chuck, "because the greens have to go on top of the tree."
"Oh!" wailed Fat, "if I can't ride I'll roll down. I hate to walk."
By the time they had reached the fields the worst part of the trip was over.
"We'll cut over to the road that runs past the church," said Father Brown, "and leave some of the greens there," at which the horse was headed in that direction.
As they came to the road they saw a short distance from them an object in the snow and as they drew nearer it proved to be a little fellow, deep in a snow drift. ”

“ Toad, with the help of Father Brown, then placed a long pole so that the
ends rested on the top of two bookcases and from it hung many bright red
apples, tied on with strings.
"Now," said Chuck, "the fellow who can take one good bite out of an
apple without using anything to steady it with, gets a prize."
"Me first," cried Herbie.
"All right," was the reply, "go ahead." And Herbie started.
At first it seemed very easy, but whenever he got ready to take a good
bite the apple always slipped away. The boys all laughed as Herbie made
one dive after another. ”

“ Reddy told the boys he had chosen, "and I think," he added in a low voice, "three of us had better build the fort while the other three make snowballs, as we want a lot on hand so we wont have to stop firing to make them.
"Work fast," he ordered as he selected two of them to help him build the fort.
Toad piled up great heaps of snow while Reddy and Herbie packed it down with wooden spades into a wall which curved like a new moon. ”

“ They're blue like your's, Mary," remarked Jerry.
Uncle Billy, who had said nothing up to this time, now drew a letter from his pocket from which he tore three little strips of paper.
[Pg 56] "I'm going to chance her all over again," he declared. "Each of you take a slip. The shortest wins the doll."
"Not I," objected Jerry, "because I've had a balloon ride and I loved it more than anything else. Let Beth and Mary choose."
"Oh, that wouldn't be fair," protested Mary.
"Yes, it is," agreed Uncle Billy. "I understand. Jerry doesn't want to be selfish." ”

“ Very gently placing his finger tips upon the candy, Fat exclaimed:
"Oh, it's just right; plenty cool enough to pull."
"Hey, come on, everybody," shouted Toad, "the candy's ready."
[Pg 30]
"I'll get some butter," offered Chuck, running off to the kitchen, saying as he went: "Wait until it comes; it keeps the candy from sticking."
When he returned the boys all greased their fingers well with butter and set to work pulling the taffy.
"Let's see which one can make his the lightest," suggested Linn. "I used to be pretty good at this work when I was young," he laughed. ”

“ Have you thought of that?"
"If it were only after Christmas we could give away some of our new things," sighed Toad.
"But would you give them away?" asked his mother. "Supposing you were going to get a sled,--the kind you have been wanting," and she paused to hear Toad's answer. ”

“ Presently she raised her head and handed him the paper.
"Bend low thine ear," she said, and Herbie obeyed.
"Keep this until I am gone," she added, "then hold it over yonder candle
light, for thy fortune is written there."
Each boy was now called in turn and received a slip of paper. Then the
old witch arose.
"To those who obey my commands, good luck; to those who disobey, ill
fortune," she cried, shaking her stick in the air, and in another moment
she had quickly hobbled from the room.
Chuck now turned on the lights and Linn exclaimed:
"Where on earth did she ever come from?" ”

“ Mother Brown, who had been up early, made some wonderful Christmas pies and a pudding before Toad and Chuck were awake.
It was eight o'clock before Toad opened one eye.
"What's the use of getting up," he thought, "I'm so warm and comfortable here in bed. My, but something smells awfully good. Wonder if it's breakfast." ”

“ Chuck took but a second to follow Toad out into the yard to meet the boys.
Mother Brown had sent her bundle and Toad's new sled to the barn by John, the stableman, who put them into the sleigh with the other things while the boys were at dinner.
"Hello, boys! Everybody here?" inquired Toad as he joined the group of boys in front of the barn.
"All but Fat," laughed Reddy, "and he'll be along in a minute. He said I walked too fast for him."
"Is everything in the sleigh?" asked Herbie, as John was hitching up. [54]
"Everything's in all right," Toad assured him. ”

“ Chuck now left the room, returning a moment later with a huge pumpkin
which he placed on a chair in the corner.
"Who's number one?" he asked, at the same time lifting high into the air
the stem of the pumpkin, which had been cut off close to its base.
"Keep perfectly still," whispered Chuck as Hopie came
toward them.
"I am," announced Hopie Smith from his place before the fire where he
had been helping Mother Brown stir the contents of the great black pot. ”

“ Toad laughed.
"Mother wants strong stems on them. I don't know why," he explained.
"What's a Hallowe'en party like?" inquired Reddy, seating himself on the
top of a potato barrel.
"Fat says," he continued, "that there's always ghosts."
"Aw, who's afraid of baby things like ghosts," jeered Toad.
"Well, I'm not either," protested Reddy. "I knew he was only trying to
scare me."
After the boys had carried the apples up to the house Mother Brown
looked them over and exclaimed:
"They're just what I want, such fine strong stems." ”

“ At once the boys all crowded about the fireplace trying to help and in less time than it takes to tell, the taffy that had been boiling in the large pot was poured into the pans and set away to cool.
[Pg 25]
"By jiminy, I hope it tastes as good as it smells," observed Toad.
"I'm sure it will," replied Mother Brown, with a smile.
"Stand in line," ordered Chuck, "while I tie your hands behind your backs."
"You're not going to spank us, are you?" wailed Fat, making believe to cry.
"No, silly," laughed Chuck, adding, "Everyone take off his slip, now. We need our whole faces to play this game." ”

“ Why, there are hundreds of them," declared Jerry, when they had reached the little town and were driving down the main street.
"How would you like to go to the fair?" suggested Uncle Billy with his eyes twinkling with merriment.
"Oh, do you really mean it?" questioned Mary. "I've always wanted to see a county fair."
"So have I," echoed each of the others.
[Pg 26] "All right; it's a bargain," nodded Uncle Billy. "You all wait here," he told the girls a few minutes later, as he helped them out of the wagon, "while I get some one to bring the car into town." ”

“ That's the kind I want," pointed out Reddy. "You screw them right into the heels of your shoes and you bet they can't ever come off."
"They're fine," agreed Toad, "but look at that engine and train. It goes [11] right through the tunnel and up over the bridge. I wonder how fast it can run."
"That's a dandy mitt there," said the other, pointing to a baseball outfit. "I wouldn't be afraid to stop any kind of a ball with that on."
"Wish my dad would get me a new sled like that flyer," sighed Toad. "I finished mine last winter when I ran into that tree with you and Herbie on board." ”

“ Chuck, who by this time had a whole candy apple in his mouth, could only nod his head in reply.
"Let's hurry up and dress so we can go down to see the tree," proposed Toad. "I'll bet there will be lots more things for us down there," and this the boys hastened to do. ”

“ Suddenly Hopie Smith jumped up with the flour falling from his face and the dime held fast between his lips.
"Hurrah; three cheers for Hopie," shouted all the boys.
[Pg 52]
The pan was now carried out for a supply of fresh flour and a new dime. The three boys were brushed off and soon were watching the others trying to find the dime.
"Say, Reddy, you're an old man," cried Toad, "your hair is turning gray."
"Look out there, Linn," warned Fat, "you'll turn into a pancake if you eat all that flour." ”

“ Hopie pulled off his pillow slip and stared in wonder about him, then he
too laughed.
"I was so sure I had it on the pumpkin!" he exclaimed.
"Better be careful, Fat," warned Toad, "If mother takes you for a
pumpkin she'll put you in a pie."
Numbers two, three and four hadn't much better luck for Herbie stuck the
stem on the center table, Chuck on a book stand and Reddy tried very
hard to put it into the pot but Mother Brown held out her hand just in
time to save it from falling in.
Linn's turn came next.
"Watch me," he said. "I'm going to do it."
"Bet you don't," challenged Reddy. ”