The Adventures of Nicholas Read Online Free PDF

Just about a week before Christmas, when he was looking up at the dark, boarded-up house, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kati, a wonderful idea struck him. His eyes brightened and he chuckled to himself. “I’ll try it, by golly, I’ll try it! I may get stuck, but it’s worth the try.”

DOWN THE CHIMNEY  
    CHRISTMAS Eve that year was a dark, moonless night. The wind whistled through the deserted streets, and a cold sleet stung Nicholas’ face and covered his sleigh with a
    shining coat of ice.
    “Come on now, my good lads,” he encouraged his reindeer. “The trip’s almost over; we’ve only the house on the hill now.” He tied the deer to the front gate and stopped to listen. Not a sound could be heard but a few shutters banging in the wind and the sighing of the big pines.
    Nicholas crept over to the side of the house where there was a porch with a railing. There it was easy to reach the roof. Stout as he was, he leaped nimbly to the top of the porch, and in a few moments was crouched on the sloping roof of the house.

    Now came the dangerous part. The roof was slippery where the sleet and rain had fallen. Nicholas
    had to take out his little knife and hack away the ice to get a foothold. Once he paused when he thought he heard footsteps in the darkness below, but it was only Donder stamping impatiently in the bitter cold.
    Finally a big shape loomed up above him: it was the chimney. Nicholas peered down into the inky blackness. “Just as I thought,” he murmured. “The old miser lets his fire go out at night.”
    He climbed over the edge, feeling carefully with his feet; and bracing his back firmly against the walls, he slowly made his way down the sooty chimney until he felt solid ground beneath his feet. When his eyes became used to the darkness, he found the stub of a candle and lit it. Then he set to work swiftly.
    From his pocket he took a gay red stocking which he filled to the top with little toys and nuts and raisins; he thought the hungry little girl might like a few sweets. Then he hung the fat stocking from the mantel of the fireplace, weighting it down with a heavy candlestick. He was just leaning over to blow the candle out when Karl Dinsler flung open the door and burst into the room.
    “Sneaking into my house, eh? After my gold, I suppose. I’ll show you how I treat thieves, I’ll show you!” The old man picked up a heavy pair of fire tongs and made a furious lunge at Nicholas, who quickly stepped aside so that the table was between him and the mad old miser.
    “Don’t be such a fool, man,” Nicholas said quickly, realizing the danger he was in. “I haven’t come here after your gold.”
    “Then what brings you here? Why do you break into an honest man’s house in the dead of night if it isn’t to steal the gold I’m supposed to have?”
    “Look behind you at that stocking there. The other children in the village leave theirs outside their doors, but Kati is too frightened to ask you for anything. I wanted her to find gifts on Christmas morning, the same as the other children do.”
    The old man looked at the stocking, bursting with toys and goodies, and slowly lowered the fire tongs.
    “You give things away?” he asked, unable to believe what he had heard.
    “Yes,” answered Nicholas, “I’ll even give you a Christmas gift. If gold’s all you care for, here’s more…and more…and more to add to your hoard.” He reached into his deep pockets and poured a stream of bright gold on the table under Karl’s astonished eyes.
    “That’s just to show you how unimportant I think money is compared to the love of a little child. Do you ever see Kati’s eyes twinkle at you, or do you only see the bright glitter of this stuff? Do you ever feel the warmth of her little hand tucked into yours, or are you satisfied with the cold touch of gold? I feel sorry for you, old man, but don’t you touch that stocking or I’ll make you feel sorry for yourself as well. And now,” he