Edith Francis Foster

One day, Grandma sat down to knit on Jack's stocking, and found one needle was gone. "Oh dear, that's too bad!" said she. "All the stitches dropped!" Pepper giggled, "Too bad, too bad!"

G randma looked into her basket, and under the table—and when she got up two needles were gone. "Dear, dear!" said she. "Where do they go?" Pepper giggled louder, and called, "Dear, dear! Too bad!"

G randma looked behind her chair, and under the rug—and when she came back three needles were gone. "Dearie me!" she cried, and held up both hands. Pepper giggled and giggled, and shrieked, "Dearie me! Jimmy Crow!" "Why, yes," cried Grandma, "Jimmy Crow is the thief, of course. Now where has he hid them?"

J ust then he flew down and tried to pull out the last needle. Grandma saw him, and called Jack. Jack looked in the coal scuttle, he crawled under the couch, he climbed on a chair and reached into the vases on the mantle. Jimmy Crow hopped about him and chuckled softly, "Caw, caw!"

T hen Pepper giggled and cried out, "Jimmy-Jimmy wants a cracker!" "Oh, yes," said Jack, "let's give Jimmy a cracker, and see where he takes it." Jimmy carried the cookie to the top of the cupboard. "That's the place. I'll get the ladder," Jack laughed. When he had climbed to the top, he shouted, "Grandma! Here are the needles—and all the other things we have lost—your pouch, and the spoon, and my mitten—and—lots of things!" As he came down with both hands full, Jimmy fluttered about his head, and Pepper giggled and shrieked. Edith Francis Foster