The first visit was to Iris at the Grange, whither Santa Claus was already on his way. They entered the pretty bedroom, where the spoilt little lady was smiling in anticipation in her sleep; and the "dolly, pamberlator, watch, and titten with real scratches" (immovably asleep) were all produced as though by some conjuring trick from Santa Claus's basket or deep pockets, and duly placed to meet the child's eager glance on her waking. "Mr. Santa Claus," whispered Nancy, who had been wondering all the time, "how did we get here?" "Chimney!" he whispered back. "Chimney?" Santa Claus nodded. This didn't make her much wiser, for to her knowledge she had never seen the inside of a chimney in her life; but she forgot to pursue the subject now that something more interesting was going on. Iris had vanished, and a pale little boy lay asleep in a room above a flower shop. "He doesn't care for toys," whispered Santa Claus; "he loves that pink geranium by his side." And a gaily painted watering-pot was placed next to his flowering possession. "How white in comparison with the blossom the suffering, pinched little face looks on the pillow!" thought Nancy; "he _will_ be pleased." Before they left, Santa Claus filled the can with water from the cracked toilet jug. In the large house across the way were sounds of bright music--a party was going on. "I'm afraid it's too early to go there yet," said Santa Claus, consulting his great watch. "However, we'll go and see; it's really high time for all youngsters to be in bed." In the night-nursery were two cots. Both were empty. "I must call on my way back," he said. Just then the door opened, and childish voices were heard shouting: "Santa Claus! We'll catch him if we're quick!" And there was only just time for the two travellers to disappear before the lights were turned up and the owners of the cots rushed in. "Nearly caught that time!" exclaimed Santa Claus, as they proceeded on their way (it was extraordinary how alert and agile he was for such an old and portly gentleman), and he burst out into a loud laugh, and only recovered from it as they entered a long room full of small beds. It was decorated with holly and mistletoe. A light burned at one end, where sat a pleasant-looking nurse half-screened in the corner by the fire. Nancy followed Santa Claus's movements with breathless interest as he flitted to each little sleeping occupant of the hospital ward--for such it was--placing here a toy horse of skin and harness with a long wavy tail; there a lovely picture-book with a green cover, on which the title was printed in large gold letters.