the
China Cat. "He and his daughters, Angelina and Geraldine, keep us toys
in order, dust us off and sell us whenever any one comes in to buy
playthings."

"Then it seems I am not to stay here always," went on the Trumpeter.
"Well, I like a jolly life, going about from place to place. I had fun
at the North Pole, and now I hope I shall have some fun here. That's why
I blew my trumpet--to start you toys into life."

"We always come to life after dark, and make believe we are alive when
no one sees us," explained the China Cat. "That is one of the things we
are allowed to do. But as soon as daylight shines, or when any one comes
into the store to look at us, we must turn back into toys that can move
only when we are wound up. That is, all except me. I have no springs
inside me--I move of myself whenever make-believe time comes," she
added, and she switched her tail from side to side.

"Well, I have springs inside me," said the Talking Doll, "and also a
little phonograph. When it is wound up I can say 'papa' and 'mama' and
'I am hungry.' But when we are by ourselves, as we are now, I can say
what I please."

"I, too, have springs inside me," said the Trumpeter. "That is how I
blow my trumpet. But now, as we are by ourselves and it is night, why
not have some fun? Let's do something. Perhaps, as a newcomer, I should
let some one else start it. But I could not bear to lie on the shelf,
doing nothing, especially when it is so near the jolly Christmas season.
So I just blew my trumpet to awaken you all."

"And I'm glad you did," said the Jumping Jack. "I say let's have some
fun! Shall I show you how well I can jump?" he asked. "If this is your
first night here," he said to the Trumpeter, "you do not know all the
tricks I can do."

"I should be most happy to see you do some," replied the Trumpeter.

"Oh, that Jumping Jack. He thinks he is the only one who can jump!"
whispered a Jack in the Box to Tumbling Tom. "If I could get out of this
box I'd show him some jumps that would make him open his eyes!"

"And as for tumbles!" said Tom. "Why, I can beat him all to pieces! But
we must be polite, you know, especially before strangers--I mean the
Trumpeter. Don't let's have a quarrel."

"All right," agreed the Jack in the Box, or Jack Box, as he was called
for short.

"Now watch me jump!" cried Jumping Jack. "Clear the shelf, if you
please. The Trumpeter has never seen any of my circus tricks!"

So the toys in the shop