"That's a curious thing about the Sleepyheads and the Dozy Pates. They very seldom know their own names--and even when they do they always deny that they are what they are. Why I really believe if I told Tom here that he was a Dormouse he'd deny it and say he was a boy." "I am a boy," said Tom, stoutly, "and I'm not a Dormouse." Both of the Andirons laughed heartily at this, and the Righthandiron, dancing a little jig, sang over and over again this couplet: "He can't be very smart, I wis, If he can't see that's what he is." "Get him a mirror," said the Lefthandiron. "We can't blame him for thinking he is a boy, because everybody has told him he is a boy except ourselves, and being a Sleepyhead he believes as a rule what he is told if it is pleasant to believe." "Well, I can't see why he objects to being a Dormouse," said the Righthandiron. "I think Dormice are very handsome and just too sweet and amiable to live. They are much pleasanter mice than Windowmice and Stairmice--don't you think so?" "Indeed I do," returned the Lefthandiron, "and Tom is about the finest Dormouse I ever saw, and I wish he'd let us get acquainted with him." "So do I," said the other, "but if he doesn't it's his own loss. You and I can go off to Santa Clausville by ourselves and have quite as good a time, if not better, than if he were along with us. I've noticed one thing, my dear Lefty, two's best anyhow. "Two people in an omnibus Where there's but one settee, Can both be seated with less fuss Than if the twain were three. "If there is candy for but four, This maxim still holds true, Each one will get so much the more If there are only two. "Two boys upon a teeter board Can have just twice the fun That any seesaw can afford If there's another one. "So I say, what if he doesn't come? You and I will enjoy ourselves just as much. There'll be more candy for us, we won't have to divide the good time we have up into more than two parts, and, what is more, neither of us will have to carry the Dormouse." Here the two Andirons gave a sidelong glance at Tom, and saw that he was smiling. "What are you laughing at?" asked the Righthandiron. "Eh, Dormouse?" "If I'll be a Dormouse will you take me off on your good time with you?" asked Tom. "Certainly, but we can't take anybody who denies that he is what he is or who says that his name doesn't belong to him." "But I can't tell a story," said Tom.