"O Mother, you're sure
you didn't build the fire before he had got out of the chimney?"
"I'm sure," said Vrouw Vedder. "I've made the fire on many a St.
Nicholas morning, and I've never burned him yet!"
The Twins climbed up the steps to their cupboard bed and sat on
the edge of it to open their packages. In Kit's was a big St.
Nicholas cake, like the one in the shop window! And in Kat's were
three cakes like birds, and two like fish!
"Just what we wanted!" said Kit and Kat. "Do you suppose he heard
us say so?"
"St. Nicholas can hear what people think," said Vrouw Vedder. "He
is coming to see you to-night at six o'clock, and you must be
ready to sing him a little song and answer any questions he asks
you."
"How glad I am that we are so good!" said Kat.
"We'll see what the Saint thinks about that," said the mother.
"Now get dressed; for Grandfather and Grandmother will be here
for dinner, and we're going to have roast goose, and there's a
great deal to do."
Kit and Kat set their beautiful cakes up where they could see
them while they dressed.
"I do wish every day were St. Nicholas Day," said Kit.
"Or the day before," said Kat. "That was such a nice day!"
"All the days are nice days, I think," said Kit.
"I don't think the dog-cart day was so very nice," said Kat. "We
tore our best clothes, and they'll never, never be so nice again.
That was because you didn't mind!"
"Well," said Kit, "I minded as much as I could. How can I mind
two things at one time? You know how well I can think! You know
how I thought about Vrouw Van der Kloot's cakes.
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