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Little Wisk stuck out his head from underneath the seat and found
Santa Claus gone and no one to direct the flight of the reindeer.

“Whoa!” he called out, and the deer obediently slackened speed and
came to a halt.

Peter and Nuter and Kilter all jumped upon the seat and looked back
over the track made by the sleigh. But Santa Claus had been left
miles and miles behind.

“What shall we do?” asked Wisk anxiously, all the mirth and mischief
banished from his wee face by this great calamity.

“We must go back at once and find our master,” said Nuter the Ryl, who
thought and spoke with much deliberation.

“No, no!” exclaimed Peter the Knook, who, cross and crabbed though he
was, might always be depended upon in an emergency. “If we delay, or
go back, there will not be time to get the toys to the children before
morning; and that would grieve Santa Claus more than anything else.”

“It is certain that some wicked creatures have captured him,” added
Kilter thoughtfully, “and their object must be to make the children
unhappy. So our first duty is to get the toys distributed as
carefully as if Santa Claus were himself present. Afterward we
can search for our master and easily secure his freedom.”

This seemed such good and sensible advice that the others at once
resolved to adopt it. So Peter the Knook called to the reindeer, and
the faithful animals again sprang forward and dashed over hill and
valley, through forest and plain, until they came to the houses
wherein children lay sleeping and dreaming of the pretty gifts they
would find on Christmas morning.

The little immortals had set themselves a difficult task; for although
they had assisted Santa Claus on many of his journeys, their master
had always directed and guided them and told them exactly what he
wished them to do. But now they had to distribute the toys according
to their own judgment, and they did not understand children as well as
did old Santa. So it is no wonder they made some laughable errors.

Mamie Brown, who wanted a doll, got a drum instead; and a drum is of
no use to a girl who loves dolls. And Charlie Smith, who delights to
romp and play out of doors, and who wanted some new rubber boots to
keep his feet dry, received a sewing box filled with colored worsteds
and threads and needles, which made him so provoked that he
thoughtlessly called our dear Santa Claus a fraud.

Had there been many such mistakes the Daemons would have accomplished
their evil purpose and made the children unhappy. But the little
friends of the absent Santa Claus labored faithfully and intelligently
to carry out their master’s ideas, and they made fewer errors than
might be expected under such unusual circumstances.

And, although they worked as swiftly as possible, day had begun to
break before the toys and other presents were all distributed; so for
the first time in many years the reindeer trotted into the Laughing
Valley, on their return, in broad daylight, with the brilliant sun
peeping over the edge of the forest to prove they were far behind
their accustomed hours.

Having put the deer in the stable, the little folk began to wonder how
they might rescue their master; and they realized they must discover,
first of all, what had happened to him and where he was.

So Wisk the Fairy transported himself to the bower of the Fairy Queen,
which was located deep in the heart of the Forest of Burzee; and once
there, it did not take him long to find out all about the naughty
Daemons and how they had kidnapped the good Santa Claus to prevent his
making children happy. The Fairy Queen also promised her assistance,
and then, fortified by this powerful support, Wisk flew back to where
Nuter and Peter and Kilter awaited him, and the four counseled
together and laid plans to rescue their master from his enemies.