Part 1 (2/2)

Up and down, between the rows of benches, walked Santa Claus himself.

Now and then some workman would call:

”Please look here, Santa Claus! Shall I make this Tin Soldier with a sword or a gun?”

And St. Nicholas would answer:

”That Soldier needs a sword. He is going to be a Captain.”

Then another little man would call, from the other side of the shop:

”Here is a Calico Clown who doesn't squeak when I press on his stomach.

Something must be wrong with him, Santa Claus.”

Then Santa Claus would put on his gla.s.ses, stroke his long, white beard and look at the Calico Clown.

”Humph! I should say he wouldn't squeak!” the old gentleman would remark. ”You have his squeaker in upside down! That would never do for some little boy or girl to find on Christmas morning! Take the squeaker out and put it in right.”

”How careless of me!” the little workman would exclaim. And then Santa Claus and the other workmen would laugh, for this workshop was the jolliest place in the world, and the man would fix the Calico Clown right.

”I'm glad I was born in this place,” said the Nodding Donkey to himself, as his head swayed to and fro. ”This is really the first day of my life.

I wish night would come, so I could move about and talk to the other toys. I wonder how long I shall have to wait?”

Not far from the doll's bureau, which held the looking gla.s.s, was a toy house, and in it was a toy clock. The Donkey looked in through the window of the toy house and saw the toy clock. The hands pointed to four o'clock.

”The men stop work at five,” thought the Donkey. ”After that it will be dark and I can move about--that is if my varnish is dry.”

Santa Claus was walking up and down between the rows of work benches.

The dear old gentleman was pulling his beard and smiling.

”Come, my merry men!” he called in his jolly voice, ”you must work a little faster. It is nearly five, when it will be time to stop for the day, and it is so near Christmas that I fear we shall never get enough toys made. So hurry all you can!”

”We will, Santa Claus,” the men answered. And the one who had made the Nodding Donkey asked:

”When are you going to take a load of toys down to Earth?”

”The first thing in the morning,” was the answer. ”Many of the stores have written me, asking me to hurry some toys to them. I shall hitch up my reindeer to the sleigh and take a big bag of toys down to Earth to-morrow. So get ready for me as many as you can.

”Yes,” went on Santa Claus, and he looked right at the Nodding Donkey, ”I must take a big bag of toys to Earth to-morrow, as soon as it is daylight. So hurry, my merry men!”

And the workmen hurried as fast as they could.

Ting! suddenly struck the big clock in the workshop. And ting! went the little toy clock in the toy house.

”Time to stop for supper!” called Santa Claus, and all the little men laid aside the toys on which they were working. Then such a bustle and hustle there was to get out of the shop; for the day had come to an end.

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