Off Walter starts around the room, the others following, first Gertrude, then the brownies and the fairies, then the others, with Santa Claus bringing up the rear.  They go over the wood box, onto a chair and down again, and at last Walter dives under the table, in the opposite direction to that in which the magic change was made.  The children, the brownies, and the fairies go through without any change, of course, but the other five all come out in their original form.  They stand up straightening their clothes, Mother and Grandmother setting their hair to rights.  Meantime, while the children are occupied watching the transformations of their parents and grandparents, the brownies and fairies go back into the box and basket, and pull the lids down after them.

I’m all out of breath, exclaims father, panting.

So am I, says grandmother; but what fun it was.

I wouldn’t have missed it for a thousand dollars, mother declares.

Nor I, echoes grandfather.  Even now, although I’ve got my old body back again, I declare I feel as young as a boy inside.

Oh, Santa Claus, cries Gertrude, you were the dearest, funniest little boy I ever saw.  It just made me laugh to look at you.

Hush! says Santa Claus, looking cautiously over his shoulder, I hope you won’t let any one know how foolish I looked and acted.  What would people say, if they heard that a man hundreds of years old like me, has been romping around that way?

Why, Santa Claus, says Walter, everybody would think it was fine.

Do you think so? asks Santa Claus, looking around from one to the other.

Of course, they would, answers father.  The fact is they’d love you all the more for it, if that’s possible.

Dear Santa Claus, you don’t mind my laughing at you, do you? says Gertrude; because you were funny, you know.

Well—­no—­I guess I don’t mind much, Santa Claus answers.  In fact, the more I think of it, the more I think myself that it was funny.  Ho!  Ho!  Ho!  Only so high (he measures the height with his hand) and as fat as butter.  Ho!  Ho!  Ho!  He goes off into a roar of laughter, and everybody else begins laughing, and they laugh more and more, until they have to lean up against the wall and the table, and wipe their eyes.

When the laughing has stopped, Santa Claus says, There’s only one person I don’t believe I can quite forgive, and that’s the sly puss of a fairy, who gave me the plum pudding.  She knew what would happen well enough.  Where is she?  He looks around for her.  Why, she’s gone.

So she has, says Gertrude, looking around.  They’ve both gone.

And the brownies, too, says Walter.

And I must be going this very minute, exclaims Santa Claus.  Goodness knows how late it is.  He goes toward the door.  Good-bye, everybody.  Good-bye till next Christmas.  Just at the door he turns, and says, By the way, I’ve got some more of those hazel nuts at home.  What do you think I’d better do with them?