“A very long age, thought I, and I added, ‘You’re nearly twice as old as Methusaleh, you know,’ thinking that this might not have struck him.
“ ‘Aye, aye,’ said Father Christmas; but he did not seem to think anything of it. After a pause he held up the tree, and cried, ‘D’ye know what this is, little miss?’
“ ‘A Christmas tree,’ said Patty.
“And the old man smiled and nodded.
“I leant over the wall, and shouted, ‘But there are no candles.’
“ ‘By-and-by,’ said Father Christmas nodding as before. ‘When it’s dark they’ll all be lighted up. That’ll be a fine sight!’
“ ‘Toys too, there’ll be, won’t there?’ said Patty.
“Father Christmas nodded his head. ‘And sweeties,’ he added, expressively.
“I could feel Patty trembling, and my own heart beat fast. The thought which agitated us both, was this—‘Was Father Christmas bringing the tree to us?’ But very anxiety, and some modesty also, kept us from asking outright.
“Only when the old man shouldered his tree, and prepared to move on, I cried in despair, ‘Oh, are you going?’