Page 38 - Adventures of Peterkin Paul

Would find himself caught and held fast by the So he bounced out of bed. and ran down in a jiffy ;
wrist. Then, arrived at the threshold, he stopped shorL, as
* There ! ” said little Miltiades Peterkin Paul, if he
“ If t/mt doesn't fijr him HI eat Lt— that's a ll! ” Were struck by a thunderbolt! Well, too, he might.
For he certainly saw an astonishing sight.
Then little Miltiades Teterkm Paul,
Having made these arrangements, crept back through It was not S a n t a C l a u s (as before this you all
the hall, May have guessed) that Miltiades Peterkin Paul
And up into bed again. “ Now, then 1" bethought,
lt I'll just lie still and wait dll Lhe old fellow's caught,
Then I ’ll hurry dpwn-stairs in an instant and free
him,
LLo! lio 3 ho] W e’ll soon know if a body may see
him.
H e will find in my sock, when he puts his. hand in it,
k. warm grip that will not let him loose in a minute !

* But, be careful, Miltiades Peterkin Paul,”
H e presently added. “ It won't do to fall
Fast asleep at your post," Yet he hardly had spoken
When he sank back in slumber. Then silence tin*
broken
Reigned supremp for an hour in Farmer Gray’s dwell­
ing.
A l the end of that time such an unearthly yelling
j‘~f ' t fcmaegg HfajMgK
And howling broke in on [he stillness of night
That the whole household woke in .1 panic of fright I TJehcid, — but his graiidfalhtr dancing about,
And cnllEng for some one to come help him out.
“ O h o !” cried Miltiades Peterkin Paul, N Oho I " cried our hero, be^.nning to see
As he started upright, “ the old fallow can bawl t A t length who old Santa C laus really must be,
Why, at this rate, he’ll wake the whole house from “ Was it you, after all, had a hand in it, pray ? "
its nap 1 M 1 should think that il was! ” answered Grandfather
i'll go down and release him at once from the trap." Gray.