The Story of a China Cat | Page 3

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 of Mr. Horatio Mugg got ready to have a jolly

night. Just as the China Cat had said, the toys had the power of making
believe. They could pretend to come to life, and talk among themselves,
and do things they never would think of doing in the daytime. This was
when no human eyes saw them.
"Attention now, everybody!" called the Jumping Jack, just like the
ringmaster in a circus. "First I will climb to the top of the highest shelf,
and then I will jump down."
"Won't you hurt yourself?" asked the Trumpeter.
"Oh, no, I'll land on a big rubber ball and bounce," the Jumping Jack
answered. "If you want to, Trumpeter," he added, "you can blow a blast
on your horn to start me off. It will be more exciting if you do that."
"All right," agreed the new toy.
Up climbed the Jumping Jack until he stood on the very highest shelf of
the store--the shelf where all the extra drums were kept out of the way.
"It makes me dizzy to look at him," said the Talking Doll, and she
covered her eyes with her hand.
"Yes, suppose he should fall," said the China Cat. "But he must show
off, I suppose. I'd rather have less exciting fun--such as a game of tag."
"Hush!" begged the Trumpeter. "He is ready to jump, I think. Hello
there, Jack!" he called to the toy on the top shelf. "Are you ready?"
"All ready!" was the answer. "Blow your trumpet, and I'll jump!"
The Trumpeter raised his golden horn to his lips.
Toot! Toot! Tootity-toot-toot! came the blast.
"Here I come!" shouted the Jumping Jack.
"Oh, dear! Tell me when it is all over!" begged the Talking Doll,
putting both her hands over her eyes.

Down, down, down, came the Jumping Jack, past shelf after shelf of
toys, until he landed with a bounce on a rubber ball on the very lowest
shelf, where the Cat and the Doll stood.
Up in the air bounced the Jack again, for the ball was like the springs of
a bed. Then he came down upon the ball a second time and bounced up
once more, and this time he came down on the shelf.
"Ouch! Mew! Mew!" cried the China Cat.
"What's the matter? Did the Jumping Jack fall and break his leg like the
Nodding Donkey?" asked the Talking Doll. "Oh, I dare not look! Tell
me about it!"
"Of course he didn't break his leg!" said the Cat. "But he stepped on my
tail; that's what he did! Right on my tail! I hope it isn't broken," she
went on, as she looked carefully at the tip.
"Oh, I beg your pardon! I am so sorry!" exclaimed the Jumping Jack. "I
didn't mean to do that. The ball rolled, and I slipped."
"Well, there is no great harm done, I am glad to say," said the China
Cat, again carefully looking at the tip of her tail. "But if you had landed
a little harder you would have broken it, and then I should be a
damaged toy, and Mr. Mugg would have had to sell me for half price."
"But didn't I do a good jump?" asked the Jack of the Trumpeter.
"One of the finest I ever saw," was the answer. "But suppose we play
something more quiet."
"Let's have a dance!" proposed the Talking Doll. "The Trumpeter can
play for us. I love to dance!"
[Illustration: The Jumping Jack Danced With the China Cat.
Page 12]
"So do I," said a Soldier Captain, who was one of a number of wooden

soldiers in a box. "May I have a waltz with you, Miss Doll?"
"Yes," she answered. "Thank you, Captain."
And while the Trumpeter played, the toys danced. The Jumping Jack
danced with the China Cat, but she said his style was jerky. Then
Tumbling Tom danced with the white cat, but Tom kept falling down
all the while so that dance was, really, not a success.
"Let's play tag," said the Talking Doll after a while. "I am sure the
Trumpeter is tired of playing so many tunes for us."
"All right! Tag will be fun!" agreed the China Cat. "I'll be it. Scatter
now, so I