On the day before Christmas the sitting-room door was closed and locked, so that none of the children might enter the room. Freddie was very anxious to look through the keyhole, but Bert told him that wouldn't be fair, so he stayed away.
"We are to hang up our stockings to-night," said Nan. "And mamma says we must go to bed early, too."
"That's to give Santa Claus a chance to get around," said Freddie. "Papa said so. He said Santa Claus had his hands more than full, with so many boys and girls all over the world to take care of."
"Santa Claus must be a twin, just like you and me," said Flossie. "Maybe he's a twin a hundred times over."
At this Freddie roared. "What a funny twin that would be—with each one having the same name!"
The stockings were hung up with great care, and Freddie and Flossie made up their minds to stay awake and watch Santa Claus at his work.
"Won't say a word when he comes," said the little boy. "Just peek out at him from under the covers." But alas! long before Santa Claus paid his visit that Christmas Eve both Freddie and Flossie were in dreamland, and so were Bert and Nan.
It was Flossie who was the first awake in the morning. For the moment after she opened her eyes and sat up she could not remember why she had awakened thus early. But it was for some reason, she was sure of that.
"Merry Christmas!" she burst out, all at once, and the cry awoke Freddie. "Merry Christmas!" he repeated. "Merry Christmas, ev'rybody!" he roared out, at the top of his lungs.
The last call awoke Nan and Bert, and before long all were scrambling out to see what the stockings might contain.