Part 5 (1/2)

Some one will see him and buy him.”

”Well, at last I seem to have reached a toy shop--the very place I most wanted to come to,” thought the Plush Bear. ”I wonder who the old gentleman is?”

Had the Plush Bear been able to read he would have seen in white letters on one of the windows the name:

HORATIO MUGG TOY DEALER

But the Plush Bear did not need this to tell him he was in the very place he wished to be.

”Now some girl or boy will buy me, I hope, and I shall have more adventures,” thought the new toy.

The Plush Bear, who was taken from his box by Angelina, one of Mr.

Mugg's daughters, was placed safely on a shelf, and the unpacking of the toys went on. It was evening, and the store was closed for the day. But Mr. Mugg took this time to open his new s.h.i.+pment of Christmas goods.

Geraldine had just lifted out the Wax Doll, and the Plush Bear was wondering when he would have a chance to talk to her and his other friends from the shop of Santa Claus when, all of a sudden, from the rear of the toy store, which was in darkness, came a strange sound.

There was a banging, slamming noise, then several b.u.mps, and finally a loud whistle.

”Goodness; what's that?” exclaimed Angelina.

”I hope that isn't a policeman whistling, to tell us there is another fire!” said Geraldine.

”Or that burglars are trying to break in to take the new toys,” added her sister.

They looked at their father, who laid down a Noah's Ark he was just looking at and started toward the back of the store. As he did so the noise became louder; b.u.mping, banging, cras.h.i.+ng, and above it all sounded the shrill toot-toot of whistles.

”Dear me, what is happening?” thought the Plush Bear.

CHAPTER V

THE FAT BOY

Horatio Mugg, owner of the toy store where the Plush Bear was now at home, hurried to the back of the shop. It was here that the noise had come from, and the sound was still keeping up as Mr. Mugg turned on an electric light.

Then the Plush Bear, who was listening as closely as were Geraldine and Angelina, heard Mr. Mugg laugh, and with that the rattling, banging and tooting noise came to a stop.

”Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed Mr. Mugg again.

”What is it?” asked Angelina. ”It isn't a burglar, evidently.”

”Nor a policeman nor a fire,” Geraldine added.

”None of them,” answered Mr. Mugg. ”One of the toy trains of cars that I wound up this evening just started off by itself. I guess some of the toys must have wanted a ride, and the Engineer of the toy train tooted his whistle to tell them to get aboard.”

”Why, Father!” exclaimed Geraldine, ”the toys couldn't want a ride. They can't do anything like that.”

”Well, I wouldn't be so sure,” said Mr. Mugg, as his two daughters entered the rear room to see what had caused all the racket. ”Sometimes I feel that these toys know more than we think they do,” he went on.

”Take that new Plush Bear,” he added, pointing to the other room where Bruin was sitting on a shelf. ”See how wise he looks? He seems about to speak. And if he ever should come to life I think he would enjoy a ride in a toy train.”