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Once, twice, thrice nodded Marmaduke’s head.

The red flames of the fire kept dancing, dancing all the time. Very bright looked the little sleigh at the foot of the bed, very brave the tiny reindeer.

But look! Something moved–just a little.

The “nigh” little reindeer was stamping his foot and tossing his antlers.

And the other little reindeer tossed his horns and stamped his foot too.

On their backs the sleigh-bells jingled, merrily like fairy bells.

The red and blue sleigh moved a little–just a little.

It began to slide slowly, over the comforter.

Marmaduke was worried. He didn’t want the pretty sleigh and the reindeer to run away. He might never see them again.

“Wait!” he shouted.

“Whoa–you villains!” It was a strange little voice that ordered the reindeer.

The red and blue sleigh stopped short.

Marmaduke rubbed his eyes.

The strange little voice spoke again.

“Jump in,” it said.

And there in the front seat of the toy sleigh sat a funny little chap, about as big as the Toyman’s thumb–no bigger. He wore a pointed cap that shone like tinsel on a Christmas tree. He wore a white coat that sparkled too.

“Who are you?” asked the little sick boy. “That’s my sleigh. You shan’t run off with it.”

And the funny voice under the white cap answered.

“Jump in, then, and take a ride.”

“Tell me who you are, first,” Marmaduke insisted.

“My name’s Jack.”

“Jack what?”

“Jack Frost–you ought to know that!”

Tinkle, tinkle went the bells The reindeer lifted their hoofs higher and pawed at the comforter. They shook their antlers impatiently. The little driver jumped up and down in the seat as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

More worried than ever was Marmaduke.

“How can I get in that sleigh?” he asked the imp of a stranger. “I’m too big.”

The little chap only chuckled. It was a very mischievous chuckle. Then he said:

“Take a good look at yourself.”

Marmaduke did.

My, how he had shrunk! He was no bigger than a brownie, no bigger himself than the Toyman’s thumb.

“How did that happen?” he said,

“Oh, the dream fairy did that,” said Jack. “She likes to play tricks on people. It’s lots of fun. But shake a leg, shake a leg!”

With that he shook the reins himself, and the bells jingled again, and the reindeer grew more eager every second, snorting impatiently.

Once more Marmaduke looked down at himself. No, his eyes had made no mistake. He was small enough now to sit on that little red seat with the tiny driver.

So he popped out from the covers. The folds of the blanket looked as big as mountains, the lumps of the comforter as high as the hills. Over them he scrambled and he sprawled till he reached the little red and blue sleigh.

Then he jumped in.

The driver could be very impudent, but he took good care of Marmaduke just the same, for the boy had been very sick and might catch cold. So Jack pulled the white robe over his passenger’s knees, and tucked him in all snug and warm.

“Gee-up, gee-up!” he called to the tiny reindeer.

Marmaduke was frightened. What a horrible crash there would be when they slid from the high bed to the floor.

But nothing like that happened at all. Away off the bed, over the bright rag carpet, and past the red fire, safely and swiftly they trotted. Below the window they paused. Pretty silver ferns and trees covered the panes and sparkled in the firelight. The window was closed, but that did not matter at all.

“Up with you!” yelled Jack Frost.

Slowly, as if by magic, up went the window sash! Over the sill galloped the reindeer. And after them ran the toy sleigh with Jack Frost and Marmaduke on the red seat.

Over the porch, too, they went.

Then something did happen.

“Now look at yourself,” said Jack Frost, cracking his whip.

Marmaduke did not hear him at first. He was admiring that whip. It was only a long icicle, and all Jack had to do was to touch the reindeer with its point to make them run faster and faster.