"As if we girls were anywhere near as silly as boys are when they get started," commented Alice, sewing away at the cloth. "Ouch! There, I've pricked my finger!" and she wiped away a few drops of blood. "Here! Don't get my uniform all spotted!" exclaimed Bart, as he saw Alice wipe her finger with the red cloth. "Silly! How is blood going to show on this old red flannel?" asked Alice. "You'll have to wait, Bart, until I wash my finger in an antiseptic solution," and, laying aside the cloth, Alice hurried for her little box of remedies. "I can sew it myself," declared Bart, and he tried to, but he made awkward work of it, for he used a five cent piece in place of a thimble, at which Alice laughed when she returned. Under her skillful fingers, even though one was done up in a cloth, the work was soon completed. It was about two o'clock when the pupils were assembled in the auditorium of the High School Tuesday afternoon. Professor McCloud delivered an address on the meaning of Christmas, telling of how ancient people celebrated it, and relating stories of the various nations that had beliefs in myths corresponding to Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas. "Speaking of Santa Claus," Mr. McCloud went on, as the closing remarks to his lecture, "I am reminded of--" At that instant there was a jingle of bells out in the corridor, and before pupils or teachers, the latter all sitting on the raised platform in front, knew what it portended, a strange sight was presented. Into the big room came a personage dressed in the usual Santa Claus costume, red flannel striped with white, a big white beard, his clothing sprinkled with something to represent snow, and, over his back a big bag. But, oddest of all, was a little sleigh which St. Nicholas pulled in after him by a string. Hitched in front of it were eight tiny reindeer, made of plaster-of-paris, properly colored. Each animal was on a stand on wheels, and as St. Nicholas pulled them in with the sleigh, he shook the leading string, on which were bells, so that they jingled musically. "Merry Christmas to all!" exclaimed St. Nicholas in a deep bass voice. "May I speak to them, sir?" and the figure turned to Professor McCloud, who, entering into the spirit of the occasion, nodded an assent. Neither he nor any of the teachers were prepared for the advent of Santa Claus. Some of the boys had suspected, but they were not sure. "My sled and reindeer shrunk as soon as I struck this climate," Santa Claus went on in his deep tones, which Ned was puzzling his brain over. He was wondering where he had heard them before. "Still I managed to come," the red-coated figure went on. "I have a few gifts for some of the more faithful of my subjects." He slung the bag from his shoulder and began groping in it. "Is Lem Gordon here?" he asked. "Step up, Lemuel," said Professor McCloud, for, though he did not know what was coming, he was willing to let the pupils have fun on such an occasion as this.