“He won’t be long, will he?” said Mr. Mendam.  “I’ll wait with you.”

And wait he did, till the sound of jingling sleigh bells announced that Sam was at the door.  The sleigh was filled with boxes, tied on to keep them from falling off, and there was just a little space left for the children.

Sam was surprised to see them come down the steps with a stranger with them, and more surprised to hear that he was the owner of the glove and that the “reward” was to go to Paul Jordan and that the four little Blossoms had been invited to the drug store for a treat.

“Things just seem to happen to you, wherever you are,” said Sam.  “I wish I could lead as exciting a life as you do.”

Mr. Mendam insisted that he must come with them and Sam tied the horse and went.  The four little Blossoms had a wonderful time, choosing their favorite sodas and for once no one said the twins were too young to have whatever they chose.  Mr. Mendam wandered off before they had all quite finished and when he came back, he had a pile of small boxes under his arm.

“Something to eat on the way home,” he said, handing a box to each child.

“Candy!” cried Twaddles blissfully.  “It’s just like Christmas!”

Sam had tied the sleigh in front of the drug store and when they came out, Mr. Mendam helped him tuck the children in between the boxes and the seat and cover them up carefully.

“I wouldn’t have lost that glove for a good deal,” he told them, as Sam was ready to start.  “I value gifts from my daughter highly.  Good-bye and good luck to your fair.”

“Oh, wait!” Dot wailed as Sam drove off.  “Wait a minute, Sam; I want to ask him something!”

CHAPTER XVIII

AT LAST THE FAIR

“We’re late now,” said the long-suffering Sam.  “What do you want to ask Mr. Mendam, Dot?  Hurry up.”

Mr. Mendam was still standing on the curb and Dot leaned out of the sleigh to call to him.

“I wish I could know who the sled belongs to,” she said earnestly.  “If a little girl owns it, will you let me know?  Or a little boy—­please?”

“I’ll write you and tell you,” Mr. Mendam promised.  “Of course you’re interested; I won’t forget, Dot.”

You see, he knew them quite well by this time—­their names and ages and what they did at home and in school.  He was another friend, as Meg told her mother when she reached home.

Sam said he hoped they could get home without any more exciting events, and he had his wish.  Good old Walter trotted along sedately and the extra load made the sleigh slip along more evenly.  They did not go through the cross road, but kept to the good roads all the way and almost before the four little Blossoms knew it, they saw the lights twinkling from their house.

“Did you eat your candy?” asked Sam as he helped them out, before driving on to the foundry with the boxes.