ugh,
stony-looking lump that made such a dull clatter in the kettle.

"But all things come to an end, even long captivities, and so one happy
day saw me, still an inhabitant of the old kettle, sold at the sale,
which took place when the Finekyns went "abroad." After this I resided
for some time at a marine store-shop, and there my house and I parted
company, and I was sent once more into the world as a marble, for the
kettle was sold elsewhere, and I was dropped out during the examination
of the old woman purchaser. When I was picked up, the shopman soon
finding out that I was worth looking at, cleaned me, and restored me to
a faint likeness of my former show, and sold me for the reduced price of
twopence to an eager school boy. After a good many vicissitudes and
changes, I came into Frank Spenser's possession, and became, with the
rest, an inmate of the toy-cupboard."

The Ball, spying another little marble rolling forward as if to speak,
returned thanks to them for their three stories, and called on the
Rocking-Horse to be the next entertainer.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XI.

WHY THE ROCKING HORSE RAN AWAY.

"I could tell you lots of stories," said the Rocking Horse, stumbling
and limping forward, as lightly as he could with his mutilated members,
"for I have really seen so much of life, and have had so many little
riders in turn. There was my first owner, dear bright golden-haired
Charlie, "Bonnie Prince Charlie," as he was called by all, with his
bright smile, and sunny eyes, and his musical laugh. He was going to be
a knight-errant, and ride about all over the country, rescuing
distressed damsels, and setting captives free, and fighting at least ten
people at once! There was a pretty little girl, who used to come
sometimes to spend the day with his sisters, and Charlie was very fond
of her, calling her his princess. Little Julia was a nice child, and was
never better pleased than when she was mounted on me behind Charley,
with her fat arms clasped tight round his waist. The stories that boy
used to invent, surpassed anything I ever heard before or since; I am
sure he must have read a good deal, and remembered it all too, to be
able to describe the things he did. And Julia used to cuddle up to him,
and say what he bid her, for she was a sweet, docile little thing, but
she did not understand a tenth part of what he told her, and she used to
get so frightened, and cling so tight, and call out 'O Charlie,