NO Joke at Santa's Village!

Waldo Elf was laughing. "You fellas sure do know how to tickle my funnybone!" he said.

The elves standing around him did not look like they shared the joke. This was because they were not joking.

"We're not joking, Waldo," said Adamup Elf. "Santa wants you to drive the sleigh on Christmas Eve if we can't figure out a way to get him back in time."

Waldo continued to laugh. The other elves waited patiently. It often took longer for Waldo to 'get' things than the other elves. So they waited. Eventually, the laughter died down.

"For real?" he asked.

"For real," said Smitty Elf, handing him a copy of the email Santa had sent.

Waldo read the email to himself, his lips moving furiously. He read the last line aloud:

"'Therefore, in case I do not return in time, my sleigh is to be driven on Christmas Eve by Waldo.' Jumpin' jinglebells!" he cried. "This has gotta be a mistake!"

"It's no mistake, Waldo," said Bernard Elf, "I checked."

"Maybe it's a spelling mistake," said Waldo. "Maybe he meant Baldo Elf. Yeah! He meant Baldo Elf should drive his sleigh. Good ol' Baldo's your elf, not me."

"There's no elf at the North Pole named Baldo," said Eugene Elf. "He meant you."

"But I can't do it!" Waldo cried. "I'm just this silly little elf who's always messing things up!"

"That may be true, Waldo," said Gizmo Elf, "but there's also no elf at the North Pole with a truer heart. Santa knows this. He knows that you care about everyone."

Waldo calmed down a bit when he heard this, but he was still quite upset. Then he brightened. "Hey! Wait a minute! If we get Santa back in time, then I won't have to drive his sleigh, right?"

Gizmo nodded, but he looked sad. "That's right, Waldo," he said, "but I have to admit I'm flummoxed. I've taken the Appendapulator apart and put it back together two dozen times, and it still hasn't worked right. I don't know how to get him back."

A look of steely determination crossed Waldo's normally bright features. He rolled up his sleeves--which promptly slid back down his arms again.

"Well, I haven't given up!" he said, and strode to the Appendapulator. "No silly machine's gonna put ME in charge!" And with that, he pulled the lever.

Sparks flew! Gears ground! Widgets fidgeted! Steam billowed up and around Waldo and the Appendapulator! There was a sound like a giant balloon popping, and then all was silent.

What happened? Did Waldo break the Appendapulator? Keep reading The North Pole Times to find out!