Meanwhile Mr. Ledwell and Sam drove down town to do a few errands. One of them was to leave an order at a bake-shop, and as the sleigh stopped before the door, they noticed a group of children, one of them holding by a string a little yellow dog with a black pug nose. They were gazing eagerly in at the tempting display of cakes in the large windows, and Sam noticed that the little dog seemed to eye them just as longingly as the children did.
Now Sam’s grandpapa was just the kind of man that any child or animal would appeal to if he were in trouble, and as he stepped out of the sleigh and walked by the group of children, he looked at them in his usual pleasant manner.
“Mister,” said a voice very timidly, “will you please to give me a cent to buy something to eat?”
The voice came from a little girl, the youngest of the children.
“Why, Maysie, you mustn’t ask for money; that’s begging,” said the boy who was holding the dog.
“What do you want to eat, little girl?” asked Mr. Ledwell’s kind voice.
“Cake,” replied Maysie, emboldened by the pleasant eyes that seemed to be always smiling.
“Well, look in at that window,” said Mr. Ledwell, “and tell me what kind of cake you think you would like to eat.”
Maysie’s mind was evidently already made up, for she at once pointed to a plate of rich pastry cakes with preserve filling.
“That kind,” replied Maysie, promptly.