By nine o'clock Chuck and Toad were sound asleep, and the stockings, tied to the end of each bed, fell limp and empty.
CHAPTER IX
CHRISTMAS MORNING
"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" shouted Toad.
It was seven o'clock and Chuck awoke with a start and looked around him.
"Merry Christmas," he answered, and both boys scrambled down to the foot of their beds to untie the stockings full to overflowing with candies, nuts, oranges and many small gifts.
"Oh!" cried Chuck, "see what I have," holding his stocking up by the foot and shaking the contents out on the bed. "A big knife, and a top, and some reals."
"So have I! By jinks, I'm glad to get the knife,—it's a beauty, three blades!"
Chuck, who by this time had a whole candy apple in his mouth, could only nod his head in reply.