The Graymouse Family | Page 4

Mother Graymouse had taken Baby Squealer down cellar to call upon Aunt and Uncle Squeaky, and Limpy-toes had been sent to the store across the street, they planned a pleasure trip of their own.
"Silvy and Limpy-toes often visit the playroom and have a lovely time," whispered Tiny. "Let's go, you and I."
"Let's go!" agreed Teenty, clapping her paws.
"We'll stay just as long as we wish," planned Tiny.
"So we will. It will be good fun," answered Teenty.
Silver Ears heard them whispering and giggling together, but she was busy making herself a blue velvet hood from some pieces that Mother Graymouse had found in an old trunk. So she never noticed when Tiny and Teenty slipped through a hole that led to the play-room.
"Oh, isn't it grand to come all by ourselves!" whispered Tiny.
"Isn't it grand!" echoed Teenty.
"Mammy Graymouse will think we are old enough to look out for ourselves if only we can find something nice to take home to her," went on Tiny. "Oh, see, Teenty, they haven't thrown away their Christmas tree, yet! I smell goodies. Why, it is pop-corn! But I never saw it growing on a string before. Hurry and pull it off before the young giants come."
Tiny and Teenty cut the strings of pop-corn with their sharp teeth and they fell softly to the carpet.
All at once, the door flew open and in ran Ruth and Robert Giant.
Tiny and Teenty scrambled out of sight under the sofa pillows and sat tremblingly holding each other's cold little paws, while their hearts went thumpity-thump!
[Illustration: The door flew open and in ran Ruth and Robert Giant]
"Norah must throw out this tree to-day," said Ruth Giant. "It has stood here nearly a month. The hemlock is falling all over the carpet."
"Even the pop-corn is falling," laughed Robert. "I am going to draw a picture of the tree and color it with my new paints."
"And I will read another chapter in my book before papa comes back with the auto."
It was so still in the play-room that the poor scared twins under the pillows were afraid the Giant children would hear their hearts beating pitty-pat! pitty-pat! It seemed a long, long time before Maid Norah's freckly face appeared in the doorway.
"Your pa says you're to hurry if you want to ride in the auto with him," she announced.
Flying footsteps, slamming doors, and then the play-room was deserted.
Tiny and Teenty crept shyly from their hiding-place, feeling very stiff.
"Oh, see, Teenty!" cried Tiny. "There's a bag of Christmas candy away up in the tree. The young Giants did not find it." Up among the branches she scrambled, almost to the tip-top of the tall tree.
Her sharp white teeth cut the string arid with a bang, down fell their prize. Then Tiny swung herself nimbly to the floor.
"Such a lot of candy! Won't Buster grin," laughed Tiny as she caught up a string of pop-corn and started for home.
Teenty took another string and followed after her sister.
"See, Silvy, what a nice lot of pop-corn we have brought," said Tiny.
"See my nice pop-corn, too," echoed Teenty.
"Why, isn't that lovely!" cried Silver Ears. "I will put it away safely on the cupboard shelf and perhaps Mammy will make us a pop-corn pudding."
"And, Silvy," went on Tiny eagerly, "there's a bag of candy, oh, a very big bag of candy, on the play-room floor."
"It's a very big bag of candy," said Teenty.
Buster pricked up his ears. "Shall I help you bring it home?" he offered. "Oh, please do. And Silvy, too, for it's a real giant bag of candy," explained Tiny, excitedly.
So they all four marched into the play-room and tugged and tugged until they had pulled the candy bag close to the biggest hole. But oh dear me! Even the biggest hole was ever so much too small.
Silver Ears sat down and scratched her head thoughtfully. "How shall we ever manage to get it home?" she asked.
"I know," planned Buster. "Let's eat it right here. That is a nice easy way."
"Oh, no," said Silver Ears. "The Giants might come back, or old Tom. Besides, I want Limpy-toes and Squealer and Mammy to share our goodies. We will untie the string and take out the candies. Buster and Tiny must go through the hole and Teenty and I will push the candies through, one piece at a time."
"That is hard work," grumbled Buster. "My way was ever so much easier."
Silver Ears gave the fat, lazy, little fellow a shove that sent him squealing through the hole.
[Illustration: How shall we ever manage to get it home?]
Tiny followed quickly after. Soon the four little mice were busy shovelling candy. It was rather hard work; "almost as bad as shovelling coal into a bin," Buster thought.
"Silvy, make Buster help me," complained Tiny. "He is just sucking the candy off his