Part 11 (1/2)

”Yes, I am feeling quite myself again,” said the Donkey. ”But I am not here to stay. I must go back to Joe, the lame boy.”

”At least we shall have a chance to talk over old times for a little while,” said the China Cat. ”I came near being sold yesterday. A lady was going to buy me for her baby to cut his teeth on. Just fancy!”

”I don't believe you would have liked that,” said the Donkey.

”No, indeed!” mewed the China Cat. Then she and the Donkey and the other toys talked for some hours, and told stories. On account of his paint not being dry the Donkey did not walk around, jump or kick as he had used to do.

In the morning the toys had to stop their fun-making, for Mr. Mugg and his daughters came to open the store for the day. And in the afternoon Mr. Richmond called to get the mended toy.

And you can imagine how glad Joe was to get his Donkey back again.

”I'll never let Frisky break any more of your legs,” said Joe, as he hugged the Donkey to him. ”I'll take you to bed with me to-night.”

But though Joe was allowed to take his Donkey to bed with him, it was thought best not to send the toy to the hospital with the little boy, when he went early the next week.

”Good-by, Nodding Donkey!” called Joe to his toy, as he was driven away; and when Mrs. Richmond put the mended Donkey away on the closet shelf, there were tears in her eyes.

The Nodding Donkey knew that something was wrong, but he did not understand all that was happening. He had seen Joe taken away, and he saw himself put in the closet with the Noah's Ark animals.

”What is the matter?” asked the Lion. ”Is Joe tired of playing with you, as he grew tired of us?”

”I hope not,” said the Nodding Donkey sadly.

But as that day pa.s.sed, and the next, the Nodding Donkey grew very lonesome for Joe, for he had learned to love the little lame boy.

CHAPTER X

JOE CAN RUN

About a week after Joe had been taken to the hospital, where he had been put in a little white bed, with a rosy-cheeked nurse to look after him, there came a knock on the door of the house where Joe lived, and where the Nodding Donkey also had his home.

”Is Joe here?” asked a little girl named Mirabell, who carried in her arms a toy Lamb on Wheels.

”Joe? No, dear, he isn't here. He is in the hospital having his lame legs fixed,” answered Mrs. Richmond. ”Didn't you hear about his going away?”

”No,” answered Mirabell, ”I didn't. But Sidney said Joe had a Nodding Donkey, and I brought my Lamb on Wheels to see the Donkey.”

”That is very kind of you,” said Mrs. Richmond. ”Come in. We are quite worried about Joe, and we hope he will get well and strong so he can run about. But it will be some time yet before he comes from the hospital.”

Mirabell entered the house with her Lamb on Wheels. The little girl looked sad when she heard about Joe, but a smile came over her face when she saw the Nodding Donkey, which Joe's mother brought from the closet.

”Oh, what a lovely Donkey!” cried Mirabell. ”See, Lamb!” and she held up her toy. ”Meet Mr. Nodding Donkey!”

The Donkey nodded his head, but the Lamb could not do that. However, she looked kindly at the nodding toy.

While Mirabell was playing with her Lamb and the Donkey there came another knock on the door of Joe's house.

”It is Herbert with his Monkey on a Stick,” said Mrs. Richmond. ”Come in,” she added, as she opened the door.

”Is Joe back yet?” asked Herbert, after he had said ”h.e.l.lo” to Mirabell and put his Monkey toy on the table.