“I brought two kinds,” he said, “’cause I thought some of you would want one kind, and I might want both kinds.”

The making of the snow man and the coasting down the little hill stopped while the children ate their cookies, and then, after a while, Russ said: 

“Well, we must finish the White family.”

“What’s that?” asked Violet, brushing some cookie crumbs off her jacket.

“Oh, it’s a snow family we’re making,” explained Rose.  “There’s Mr. White and Mrs. White and we’re going to make some little White snow children.”

“Like us six little Bunkers?” asked Mun Bun.

“No, I guess not so many as that,” replied Laddie.  “That would take us all day.  We’ll just make two children, a girl and a boy.”

“Oh, I’m going to help make the White children!” cried Vi.

“Let’s go an’ watch ’em!” called Margy to Mun Bun.  “We’ve had enough coasting, haven’t we?”

“Yes,” said Mun Bun.  “We’ll make some snow mans ourselves.”

With the smaller children dragging their sleds and following them, Russ and Rose and Laddie and Vi went back to where they had left Mr. White standing.  There he was, very fine and brave-looking with his tall silk hat on his head, his coal-black eyes glistening in the sun, and his row of black buttons also shining.

All at once, as Russ, who was in the lead of the procession of children, looked at the snow man, he cried: 

“Oh!”

“What’s the matter?” asked Rose.

“Did you hear some funny noise?” questioned Violet.

“No, but look at Mr. White!” cried Russ.  “He took off his hat and made a bow to me!”

“Why, Russ Bunker!” gasped Vi.

“Took off his hat?” cried Laddie.

“Made a bow to you!” exclaimed Rose.  “Why, how could he?  Mr. White is only a snow man.  He isn’t alive!”

“Well, he made a bow just the same!” cried Russ.  “You just watch, and he’ll do it again!”

Eagerly the children watched.  Mr. White did not move.  He just stared at them with his black eyes, smiled at them with his red cloth lips, and the tall, silk hat upon his snowy head never moved.

“You’re fooling us, Russ!” exclaimed Laddie.

“No, I’m not—­really!” Russ declared.  “I saw him take off his hat and wave it at me.”

For a moment the six little Bunkers stood in a row and looked at Mr. White.  Then, just as naturally as if he had been used to doing it all his life, Mr. White’s tall, black silk hat came off his head, was lowered before the children and was put back again.  This time they all saw it.

“Oh, look!  Oh!” exclaimed Rose.

“Why—­why——­” and that was all Laddie could say as he stood with his mouth wide open, he was so surprised.

“You made him do it, Russ!” exclaimed Violet.

“I?  How could I make him do it?” Russ demanded.

“It’s one of your tricks.  You pulled a string and made his hat come off.  It’s a trick!”