"The committee thought that had better be kept a secret," said in replyAbel, with as much dignity as his four feet nine would admit of.

"0rt to be somebody kind o' heavy-set, ort n't it?" hinted thegrocer, giving a recognizable description of himself.

"Well, I don' know 'bout that," contested Abel. "Git somebodykind o' spry an' he could pad out weth a pilfer. A pussy man 'dfind it rather onhandy comin' down that chimbly an' hoppin' hetheran' yan takin' things off o' the tree. Need somebody with a goodstrong voice, too, to call off the names . . . . Woosh's you'd gitthem things up to the home soon 's you kin, 0tho. Ma's in a hurryfer 'em."

"Betchy two cents," exclaimed Brother Littell to his clerk, ClarenceBowersox, "'at Abel Horn 'll be Santy Claus."