"Children are curious bodies," said Mr. Smith.

"I thought I heard some one in the next room," I remarked, "while
you were out, and became really nervous for a while. I heard the
breathing of some one near me, also; but tried to argue myself into
the belief that it was only imagination."

Thus we conned over the little incident, while we arranged the
children's toys.

"I know who Kriss Kringle is! I know!" was the triumphant
affirmation of one and another of the children, as we gathered at
the breakfast table next morning.

"Do you, indeed?" said I, trying to look grave.

"Yes; it is papa."

"Papa, Kriss Kringle! How can that be?"

"Oh, we know! We found out!"

"Indeed!"

And we, made, of course, a great wonder of this assertion. The merry
elves! What a happy Christmas it was for them. Ever since, they have
dated from the time when they found out who Kriss Kringle was. It is
all to no purpose that we pleasantly suggest the possibility of
their having dreamed of what they allege to have occurred under
their actual vision; they have recorded it in their memories, and