And carrying the flag of truce between them, the two captains followed Lady Rags—it was now dark, and the shop-keepers were beginning to light their windows—their comrades following them, until they reached the drug-store which united Wood and Tin streets, and which had two front doors, one on either side.
Through one of these doors, and out of the other, Lady, in a spirit of fun, led them all, much to the surprise of the druggist, who was pounding something in a mortar. Indeed, so surprised was he that he didn't recover presence of mind enough to ask, "What does this mean?" until the last boy passed out on Tin Street; and so, of course, he got no answer to his question.
"Merry Christmas!" rang the bells—"merry, merry Christmas!" "Merry Christmas!" shouted the little children, as out tumbled the toys and goodies Santa Claus had put in their stockings; "Merry Christmas!" echoed the big ones, as they found tokens of remembrance from fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers, and friends; "Merry Christmas!" cried the butcher, the baker, the grocer, and the milkman; "Merry Christmas!" called the people on the streets to each other; and "Merry Christmas!" mingled with the jingling of the sleigh-bells as the sleighs sped quickly by.
In Mulkins's basement the old stove was glowing in the most cheerful manner. A long wooden table stood in the middle of the floor, and a few Christmas wreaths were tacked on the newly whitewashed walls. The Janvrin children were gathered around the fire—poor things, they hadn't been as comfortable in a long while—and Lady Rags, her cheeks as red as roses, and a heavenly light in her beautiful brown eyes, stood at one of the windows, looking up into the street.
"Oh, what serious faces you all have!" she turned to say to the group by the fire. "Think of your dear father coming home, and smile right away."
And the children, smiling as she spoke, started to their feet as they heard the beating of a drum directly in front of the house, and rushed to the windows.
"You must not look out," said Lady Rags, gently driving them into the corner behind the stove, and placing herself beside them.
A procession of boys, each with a sprig of cedar in his hat, led by Hodge Wood with his drum and Willie Bond bearing an American flag, filed down the area way and into the basement.
First came Captains Lubs and Ashburner, each having hold of one end of a large dripping-pan, in which reposed a fine roasted turkey. Behind them, Aris Black carried a new tin saucepan filled with gravy, and his brother Ted another filled with cranberry sauce. Then followed Sandy Grip and Rube Howell with bunches of celery worn as shields. Next in order were Jimmy Mullally and Abe Wilson, tugging a great basket overflowing with potatoes, onions, and turnips. Next, two boys with a shining dish-pan heaped high with dishes, plates, and cups and saucers. Next, four boys nursing four huge loaves of bread as though they were babies. Next, six tall boys with chairs on their heads, and two short ones with high chairs for the twins on their heads. Next, eight small boys with knives, forks, and spoons, worn as weapons at their sides. Next, two boys with school satchels almost bursting with toys. And last, Ned Prime with a tin basin for a helmet and a broom for a gun, and Jake Smith with a brightly painted wooden pail in one hand and a coal-hod in the other, one full of apples and oranges and the other with coal.