uiet, the only noise
being made by a little mouse, who came out to get some crumbs dropped by
Mr. Mugg, who had eaten his lunch in the store.

"Ahem!" suddenly said the Nodding Donkey. "Do you mind if I speak to
you?" he asked the China Cat, who stood near him on the shelf.

"Not at all," was the kind answer. "I was just going to ask how you came
here."

"I came direct from the workshop of Santa Claus at the North Pole,"
answered the Nodding Donkey. "And I suppose, just as we toys could do
there, that we are allowed to move about and talk while here."

"Oh, yes," answered the China Cat. "We can make believe we are alive as
long as no one sees us. But tell me, how is everything at the North
Pole? It is some time since I was there, as I was made early in the
season."

"Well, Santa Claus is as happy and jolly as ever," said the Nodding
Donkey, "and his men are just as busy. We had a dreadful accident
though, coming down to Earth!"

"You did?" mewed the China Cat. "Tell me about it," and she moved her
tail from one side to the other.

Before the Nodding Donkey could speak in answer to this request, a voice
suddenly asked:

"I say, Nodding Donkey, do you kick?"

"Kick? Of course not," the Nodding Donkey answered. "Why do you ask such
a question? Who are you, anyhow?" and he looked all around.

"Hush! Don't get him started," whispered the China Cat. "It's the
Policeman with his club, and if he begins to tickle you he'll never
stop. Oh, here he comes now! Here comes the Policeman!"

CHAPTER V

THE LAME BOY

When the China Cat said: "Here comes the Policeman!" the Nodding Donkey,
who did not know just what a policeman was, was quite curious to see who
was coming. So he walked to the edge of the shelf and bent his head as
far down as he could in order to see.

"Be careful! You might fall!" mewed the China Cat.

"Ha! If he falls, then I'll pick him up! That's what I'm here for, to
help in case of accident. I could ring for the ambulance!" suddenly came
in the same voice that had asked if the Nodding Donkey kicked.

"On second thought perhaps it will be just as well to have an accident.
It will give us something to talk about," the voice went on. "Go ahead,
Nodding Donkey. Fall off the shelf. I'll pick you up and send you to the
toy hospital in the toy ambulance with the clanging bell."

"Indeed I am not going to fall!" brayed the Donkey. "Who is he, anyhow?"
he whispered to the China Cat.

"That's