he Donkey.

"No, that was another store," said the Elephant. "You'll like the Calico
Clown, I know you will, and the Bold Tin Soldier, too. Arnold and Sidney
will bring them over some day."

"Now that I think of it, I believe I have heard those toys spoken of in
the workshop of Santa Claus," said the Donkey. "The China Cat also
mentioned them. Yes, I should like to see them. But we had better stop
talking. I think I hear Joe or his mother coming back."

There was a noise at the door, but it was not made by the lame boy or
his mother. They were both at the front window, looking down the street
at Arnold and Sidney, who were going home, one with his Bold Tin
Soldier and the other with his Calico Clown.

And then, all of a sudden, something covered with fur and with a big,
bushy tail, like a dustbrush, jumped up on the table and sprang at the
Nodding Donkey.

CHAPTER VII

THE FLOOD

"Look out there!" roared the Noah's Ark Lion.

"Here! What are you going to do?" snarled the Noah's Ark Tiger.

Of course neither of these animals made very much noise, being quite
small, but they did the best they could.

"Come over by me, Mr. Nodding Donkey, if you are afraid!" called the
Elephant through his trunk. He was the largest animal in the Noah's Ark,
but even he was not as big as the Donkey. As for that nodding toy, he
reared back on his hind legs when he saw the strange animal, covered
with fur and with the big tail like a dustbrush, jump on the table. The
toy animals could move and talk among themselves now, as long as no
human being was in the room.

The furry animal stood on the table in the midst of the toys. He sat up
on his hind legs and seemed to be eating something that he held in his
forepaws.

"Are you a cat?" asked the Noah's Ark Camel, sort of making his two
humps shiver.

"No, I'm not a cat," was the answer. "I am a Chattering Squirrel, and I
am eating a nut. I live in a hollow tree just outside this house, and,
seeing a window open and all you toys on the table, I jumped in to see
what fun you were having."

"Oh, that's all right," said the Nodding Donkey politely. "We are glad
to see you. But even I was scared, at first. We were just talking among
ourselves while the lame boy is away. He was playing circus with us."

[Illustration: "We Are Glad to See You," Said the Nodding Donkey.
_Page 73_]

"I know the lame boy," said the Chattering Squirrel. "He is very kind
to me. He puts nuts out