"_I_ should never think you were an earwig--you're too pink and
green--but don't talk, I can hear something buzzing."
"Santa Klaus doesn't buzz," said the Chintz Imp. "He comes down
_flop!_ Once in your aunt's time, I knew him nearly stick in the
chimney. He had too many things in his sack. You should have heard how
he struggled, it was like thunder! Everyone said how high the wind
was."
"I hope he won't do it to-night," said Marianne, "I could never pull
him down by myself!"
As she spoke the room seemed to be violently shaken, and there was a
sound of falling plaster, followed by some loud kicks.
"Whew--w!" cried the Chintz Imp, "he's done it again!"
Marianne started up in great excitement. She sprang from her bed, and
ran towards the old-fashioned fireplace.
Nothing was at first to be seen; but as the fire had died down to a
few hot embers, Marianne could, by craning her head forwards, look
right up into the misty darkness of the great chimney.
There, to her astonishment, she saw a pair of large brown-covered feet
hanging down helplessly; while a deep voice from above cried--
"Get me out of this, or I shall break down the chimney!"
