Part 5 (2/2)

”He is when he doesn't tickle you,” said the China Cat, as she looked in a Doll's mirror to see if she had any more specks of dirt on her white coat. But she was nice and clean, was the China Cat.

Then the toys in the store of Horatio Mugg began to have lots of fun.

They told stories, sang songs, made up riddles for one another to guess and played tag and hide-and-go-seek. They were allowed to do all this because it was night and no one was watching them. But as soon as daylight came and Mr. Mugg or Miss Angelina or Miss Geraldine or any of the customers came into the store, the toys must be very still and quiet.

”Is this the only store you were ever in?” asked the Donkey of the Cat, as they sat near each other after a lively game of tag.

”No, I was in one other,” was the answer. ”It was a store in which there lived a Sawdust Doll, a Lamb on Wheels, a Monkey on a Stick and many other playthings.”

”Why did you leave?” asked the Donkey. ”Was it because there were no other cats there for you to mew to?”

”No, it was not that,” was the answer.

”Then why did you leave?” asked the Nodding Donkey.

”Well, one Christmas I was bought by a gentleman who sent me to a lady,”

was the answer. ”She was a lady who was always changing things that came to her from the store. She would buy a thing one day and change it, or send it back, the next.

”And when I came to her as a Christmas present, she happened to have a little China Dog. I guess she thought the dog might bark at me. Anyhow, she sent me back to the store, only she sent me here instead of to the store where the Calico Clown and the other toys lived, and the mistake was never found out. Mr. Mugg and his daughters took me in, and I have been here ever since.”

”Do you ever see your friend, the Monkey on a Stick, or hear from the Sawdust Doll?” asked the Donkey.

”Once in a while,” was the answer. ”Sometimes, when the grown folk buy toys for children they pick out the wrong ones, and the toys are brought back or exchanged. These toys that come back tell us of the houses where they have spent a few days.

”Once a Jumping Jack who was brought back in this way told about being in a house where the Sawdust Doll lived, and where there was also a White Rocking Horse I used to know.”

”I should like to meet the White Rocking Horse,” said the Nodding Donkey. ”He might be a distant relation of mine.”

”Perhaps,” agreed the China Cat. ”But now I think it is time we got back on our shelves. I see daylight beginning to peep in the window, and it would never do for Mr. Mugg or Miss Angelina or Miss Geraldine to see us moving about.”

”I suppose not,” said the Nodding Donkey, somewhat sadly.

”Move along, everybody! Move back to your places! Daylight is coming!”

called the Policeman, as he walked past swinging his club.

And, a little later, when all the toys were back on the shelves, the sun rose, and in came Mr. Mugg to open the store for the day.

All that day people came and went in the toy store, some coming to look, and others to buy. Some of the toys were taken away, and the Nodding Donkey wondered when it would be his turn. But, though he was often taken up, shown and admired, no one purchased him.

”I know what I will do, so that Donkey will be sold!” said Mr. Mugg in the afternoon.

”What?” asked Miss Angelina.

”I will put him in the show window,” answered her father.

”Oh, let me decorate the show window!” begged Miss Geraldine. ”I'll make up a scene with a Christmas tree, and put the Nodding Donkey under it.”

”Very well,” agreed Mr. Mugg. ”I will leave the show window to you, Geraldine. Make it look as pretty as you can.”

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