CHRISTMAS IN SMUGGLERS' HOLLOW
"Merry Christmas!"
At the sound of Pat's roar the three guests hastily tumbled out of their bunks with answering greetings. A cheerful fire blazed up the chimney and added its flickering light to that of a couple of candles, for the sun was not yet up. Alec was cutting bacon and Pat was mixing flapjack batter.
"Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes, and the one who isn't ready goes hungry," he announced.
"It won't be yours truly," declared Hal, reaching for his clothes.
"My tummy, oh, my tummy!
It gives me such a pain!
I wonder will it ever——
"Say, who swiped one of my socks? I can't find but one, and I left 'em together." He began to toss things left and right in search of the missing article.
Meanwhile Upton was down on his knees fumbling under his bunk. At Hal's complaint he looked up suspiciously. "I can't find one of mine," he sputtered. "Somebody's been putting up a job on us. Hi! What the——" He finished by pointing toward the fireplace.
Hal looked. There hung his missing sock. Also one of Upton's and one of Sparrer's, all three misshapen and bulging.
"Ut would not be Christmas an' we did not hang the childer's stockings," announced Pat gravely.