WEE-WILLIE-WINKIE

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 30, 18 December 1930, Page 4

WEE-WILLIE-WINKIE

The Sleepy - Dustman and Dreams had not gone far after leaving Night-Light the Owl when they heard a grealt commoticfo. 1 coming from one of the nurseries. ! "Hush!" whispered the Sleepy- | Dustman, and with Dreams close ' behind him he tip-toed up to the door and peeped through the crack. The nursery was full of big people. There was a mummy and a daddy and a Nannie and a fat Cookie with a big blue apron, and there was a Grannie, and two very thip Aunties. All these big people were talking at once and standing in a circle round a little old man with a long white beard that almost touched the floor. "I don't mean any harm," wailed the old man. "I'm only looking for my little boy.'' "Why should you look for your little boy in my nursery?" shouted the Daddy, very red and blustery. "Because I don't know where else to look," moaned the old man, ""It is the old man who gave us the beads/for Night-Light," whispered the Sleepy-Dustman. "We must do something to help him, after the children are asleep. Come along." The big people were all so busy talking that no one noticed the Sleepy-Dustman as he crept over the Sleepy-Dust over the children in them. Then with gleaming eyes he turned to the group round the old man, arid in the twinkling of an eye he had leapt in the middle of them, throwing his Sleepy Dust in clouds about him. The daddy was the first to fall asleep. With a loud yawn he sat down on the floor with his heacj on the coal scuttle, and began to snore immediately. Then the mummy sank into the rocking chair, Cookie sat down with her back to the table, with, her eyes shut and her mouth open, and Nannie lay with her head against the stand of the rocking-horse. Grannie and the two thin aunties sank downia a row on the sofa. The old man alone remained I awake. ! "Well, my friend," said the Sleepy-Dustman, "what are you going to do now?" "I must go. on looking for Wee-Wiliie-Winkie," said the Old Man, ■ ' but thank you for coming to my aid for the second time." ■"I think,'' said the SleepyDustman, "as it is getting late, you had better go back to the Odd Idttle House with Dreams while I finish sending the children to Bye-Byes. To-morrow we will all help you to .find Wee-Willie-Win-kie. , So the Sleepy-Dustman went on his way alone, and Dreams and the Old Man returned to the Odd Little House. Night-Light the Owl opened the door to them. "I have brought this old man home to spend the night," said Dreams. "That is queer," said NightLight, "because we already have a visitor," and he pointed to the boy in the night-shirt and red shoes, who / was curled up fast asleep in the Sleepy-Dustman's| arm e&air. The Old Man gave a loud cry lof joy when he saw him. "It is my boy, my Wee-Willie-Winkie,'' he shouted. Wee-Willie worke up then, and when he saw his father he was so glad that he capered round the Odd Little House laughing and clapping his hands.