"Oh, yes," was the answer. "I have often passed your houses, and seen you children playing in the street. I can take you home. It isn't far from here. Just down the lane and across the fields."
"I'll drive my wagon around," promised the red-cheeked man. "It will be here in a minute!"
Off he shuffled, through the snow, and soon the children heard a rattling, banging sound as the bony horse drew the junk wagon up to the door of Mrs. Chimney's cottage. First, into the wagon was lifted Racky, for he would have found it hard, stiff and cold as he was, to climb up by himself. Then in leaped Thump, cuddling down on the chair's warm seat cushion. Then in climbed the children.
"Gid-dap!" cried Santa Claus to his bony horse and away he started through the storm.
"Come and see me again, sometime, my dears!" invited Mrs. Chimney.
"We will!" promised Nat, Rodney, Weezie and Addie. "We will!"
And so, riding in the rattle-bang, through the storm, they reached their homes just about supper time. Mr. and Mrs. Marden and Mr. and Mrs. Trent were then getting worried about the children, and were thinking of having Policeman Paddock go in search of them.
"But here they are, safe and sound!" cried Santa Claus, as he stopped his bony horse and rattle-bang wagon.
"Where in the world have you been?" asked Mrs. Marden.
"We went after Racky, the runaway rocker, and we found him!" cried Nat in a jolly voice.