p the
stairs to where the rest of the dollies stood laughing.

"Hurrah, for Raggedy Ann!" cried Raggedy Andy generously. "She won!"

[Illustration: Raggedy Ann racing up the stairs]

[Illustration: Listening to the seashell]

[Illustration: The Singing Shell]

THE SINGING SHELL

For years and years the beautiful shell had been upon the floor in
Gran'ma's front room. It was a large shell with many points upon it.
These were coarse and rough, but the shell was most beautiful inside.

Marcella had seen the shell time and time again and often admired its
lovely coloring, which could be seen when one looked inside the shell.

So one day, Gran'ma gave the beautiful shell to Marcella to have for her
very own, up in the nursery.

"It will be nice to place before the nursery door so the wind will not
blow the door to and pinch anyone's fingers!" Gran'ma laughed.

So Marcella brought the shell home and placed it in front of the nursery
door. Here the dolls saw it that night, when all the house was still,
and stood about it wondering what kind of toy it might be.

"It seems to be nearly all mouth!" said Henny, the Dutch doll. "Perhaps
it can talk."

"It has teeth!" the French doll pointed out. "It may bite!"

"I do not believe it will bite," Raggedy Andy mused, as he got down upon
his hands and knees and looked up into the shell. "Marcella would not
have it up here if it would bite!" And, saying this, Raggedy Andy put
his rag arm into the lovely shell's mouth.

"It doesn't bite! I knew it wouldn't!" he cried. "Just feel how smooth
it is inside!"

All the dolls felt and were surprised to find it polished so highly
inside, while the outside was so coarse and rough. With the help of
Uncle Clem and Henny, Raggedy Andy turned the shell upon its back, so
that all the dolls might look in.

The coloring consisted of dainty pinks, creamy whites and pale blues,
all running together just as the coloring in an opal runs from one shade
into another. Raggedy Andy, stooping over to look further up inside the
pretty shell, heard something.

"It's whispering!" he said, as he raised up in surprise.

All the dolls took turns putting their ears to the mouth of the
beautiful shell. Yes, truly it whispered, but they could not catch just
what it said.

Finally Raggedy Andy suggested that all the dolls lie down upon the
floor directly before the shell and keep very quiet.

"If we don't make a sound we may be able to hear