them all stand pretty firmly once more. It would
have done Fritz's honest heart good to see how carefully the little
fellow handled his masterpiece, and how very conscientiously he tried to
put all to rights again. And if the horse _had_ two odd scarlet legs
made out of sealing-wax, it was better than going a cripple for life;
and as for the squirrel, he need not have grumbled, for a black pin for
a tail was better than none. To be sure, he did stick the bear's head on
the wrong way, but then it did not much matter, it only looked as if he
had met with a tree he wanted to climb, and was looking up it.

"And so once more we were patched up into ordinary respectability, and
so pretty did we look, even in our less bright condition, that at last,
as Harry was a little too old to play with such toys, and cared much
more for making and mending them, we were laid out in great style, and
to as much advantage, on the little chess table in the bow window, and
covered with a glass shade to preserve us from the dust!

"Here we dwelt in state for some years, while Harry grew up and went to
school, and after that to college, and ceased to care for such trifles.
And then his mother gave us to Celia Spenser, on her birthday, who was
much delighted, and for a long while we were a very favourite toy of
hers; but her little brothers and sister made fresh ravages on our
impaired value, although it is but fair to say the misfortunes were
unintentional, and they were really sorry when they had broken any of my
beams, or lost an animal. And now our turn has come to be cast aside,
and so here we are with the rest of the old pensioners!"

And having said this, the Ark creaked his lid down again, and finished
his story, for which he received the thanks of all the assembled party.

"Now," said the Ball, musing gravely, "I shall call next in order on the
Marbles to relate their general history, and as I don't know which of
them to ask first, I must call upon them collectively."

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER X.

THE MARBLES AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS.

"We are of what may be styled republican principles," said a large China
Marble, rolling out of the heap. "Of all the speakers who have already
come forward, the Kite, Doll, and yourself, for instance, are simple
individuals. The Tea-things are a large family, under the rule of their
mother, the Teapot; a kind of domestic despotism. The Noah's Ark might
represent a constitutio