f only the Nodding Donkey were here, I'm sure he could have ridden me
on his back out of danger," thought the China Cat. "He was very fond of
me, and I like him. But he is not here!"

There was such a crowd of toys, all trying to get up the basement stairs
at once, and the smoke was so thick now, that the Policeman and Fireman
had also to run back, and there might have been a sad accident, only
that the regular fire department men came along just then.

Some one in the street had seen smoke coming from the basement of the
toy shop.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" was the cry, and this time it was a real shout, and
not such as the toys had given. Then the man who had smelled and seen
the smoke ran and pulled an alarm box.

There was a clang of bells and loud toots of a whistle. There was a rush
of many feet, and then a loud crash as the real firemen burst open the
door of the toy shop.

"The fire is in the basement!" cried one fireman, wearing a rubber coat
and hat to keep himself dry for the water would soon be spraying from
the hose of the real, big engine.

"Yes, it's in the basement," said a real policeman, who had arrived
almost as soon as had the firemen. "And Mr. Mugg has a lot of new toys
down there. We must carry them out for him!"

Of course as soon as the door of the shop had been burst open, and the
real firemen and policemen had come in, not a toy dared move or speak,
for they would have been seen.

So they had to stay just where they were. Some were half way up the
basement stairs; the China Cat had just reached the middle of the first
floor, when she had to come to a stop; the Talking Doll was on the top
step of the stairs, and there she had to stay. It was there that a
fireman saw her as he was about to rush down into the basement. The
firemen carried lanterns so they could see in the darkened store.

"The toys are scattered all about," said the fireman, picking up the
Talking Doll. "There must have been an explosion!" Of course he did not
know that the toys themselves had gone down into the basement to play,
and that the fire was caused by the train running over the box of
matches.

"We must carry out some of these toys before we begin to squirt the
water, or they will all be spoiled," said the fireman who had picked up
the Talking Doll. "Water will ruin them as much as the blaze. Come on,
boys!" he called. "Save the toys!"

Here and there about the store, and down in the basement, rushed the
firemen