Pepper and Fox had been telling Cookie about Christmas. They told her of their Adventure when they went in search of the real Christmas the year before and of the wonderful presents they received in their stockings on Christmas morning.

Toys and boxes of treats! And the big cedar bed that all three little dogs could nap on at one time!

As they talked, the room grew quiet. Mom and Dad dozed on the couch and recliner.

Suddenly all three little dogs eyes grew huge! Something was appearing right in the family room! The air shimmered! And there, right in the middle of the famly room was a man in a red and white suit!

Fox was on his feet in an instant! Pepper and Cookie did the same, but Pepper said "Santa?", in a tiny voice.

"HO, HO, HO!", said the man. And the three little dogs knew it was Santa!

"What are you doing here, in our family room, Santa? Isn't it a little too early for you to bring our presents? We aren't even in bed yet!" asked Fox.

"Ah", said Santa, "I have a problem." "What??" said all three little terriers at once.

"Disaster has struck. New plans must be drawn. It's very bad luck. We must do it by dawn!"

"Do what, Santa?", demanded Fox, who was very impatient, sometimes to the point of seeming rude.

Santa looked right at The Fox. He smiled and tilted his head to one side. "Foxfire with your eyes so bright, Can three terriers pull my sleigh tonight?"

The three little dogs stood with mouths open in supprise. They could not believe what they had just heard.

"What! Where are the reindeer?" Pepper inquired. She has a knack of getting right to the center of things.

"Sick, in bed, all have terrible colds in the head!" was Santa's response.

"What makes you think we can pull the sleigh? Why didn't you ask some sled dogs to do it?" The Fox was getting suspicious. After all, he had never met Santa before!

"Using sled dogs would be great, they keep up a fast pace, but they're all getting ready for the Iditarod Race!"

"Oh!", said The Fox, rather nonplused by this statement. "What makes you think we can do it? We foxes aren't known for pulling sleighs." Fox can be very hard headed and sometimes must be convinced of just what he can or must do!

"I saw you three, on the split lead. We can do the same here to perform this new deed."

"But the sleigh will be very heavy, filled with all the toys, and, uh,...", (Fox didn't want to say too much about Santa's weight. Some people are sensitive about weight! Including The Fox!)

"Ho, Ho, Ho!" laughed Santa. "Magic!"

"Magic!" responded all three little dogs, sounding like a fox terrier choir! "Yes, my sleigh is magic and will weigh not an ounce! It is so light it almost will bounce!"

"Yes," said Pepper, "But how can we get your rounds done in time? We are little and our legs are not long. It will take us a long time to get all over the world!"

Just then, Cookie pushed past Pepper and The Fox. She went up to Santa, and, raising her little paw and placing it on his leg she softly said "I will pull your sleigh, Santa."

And so, Cookie setteled it. If she was going, Fox was going too! He would not let Cookie or Pepper do anything that he was not involoved in and this was something that he felt she should not do alone, anyway.

Pepper walked up and said, "Me, too, Santa!" "Count me in!" said The Fox.

So, Santa took the little dogs outside and, there, right in their very own back yard was the magic sleigh! A very sick looking reindeer was standing in front of it. Santa told the deer all was arranged and he should go home to bed.

Then Santa hitched Cookie, The Fox and Pepper up to the sleigh, using their seatbelt harnesses, the leather split lead attachment and his reigns and tack.

When all was ready, Santa said, "Up and away!"

Fox, in the lead, threw all his power into a forward thrust, and, rearing up on his back feet, into the air he went! Cookie and Pepper followed! The three little dogs were flying! And pulling Santa's sleigh!

From house top to house top the little dogs flew, with the sleigh full of toys and, yes, Santa Claus, too!

Soon Fox saw that it would not hurt to have some more help. And he thought he knew just where to get some.

"Santa, we could get around a lot faster it we could add 2 more dogs to the team. And I know just where to get them."

Santa looked at The Fox. He knew everything there was to know about the little dog. "You want Brandy and Jinny to join in the fun! Then off we go to Washington!"

And, so, off to Brandy and Jinny's house the little team flew. On arriving there they found Brandy, Jinny, Otis and Xica waiting. The cats have a sixth sense and knew what was going to happen. Their Mom was so busy with her new computer that she didn't even know that they had visitors.

When Brandy and Jin were hitched to the sleigh, Fox noticed that Otis and Xica were in the sleigh with Santa!

"What are the cats doing in the sleigh with you, Santa?", queried Fox.

"Otis and Xica will sit in my lap. They can both help you by reading the map!"

"Great idea, Santa!" said Fox.

Things went much faster, now, with Otis and Xica reading the map and Brandy and Jinny adding their combined strength to pulling the sleigh. The rounds were done in record time and, they found themselves back in Washington before they knew it.

Brandy, Jinny, Otis and Xica went back inside to find their Mom still trying to figure out just how her new computer worked. She had been so busy, she didn't even know that they had been gone. They convinced her it was time for bed because Santa had not left anything at their house, yet.

Santa sprinkled some magic dust on the house and soon all were asleep. He went in and filled up the stockings and then, on returning to the sleigh, headed the 3 remaining little terriers home.

In a twinkling of a star they found themselves in their own back yard. The deer, looking much better after a good rest in bed and some cold medicine, was waiting for Santa.

Santa unhitched the dogs and helped them out of their harnesses.

When everything was put away, Pepper, The Fox and Cookie woke Mom and Dad and all went to bed.

Just before dozing off, Fox thought he heard something. He jumped up to check, but, around the corner Santa stuck his head and winked!

Fox settled down. "Santa was just filling our stockings", he thought as he drifted off to sleep. He didn't even see Santa sprinkle magic dust in the room.