The Story of a China Cat | Page 5

is so long!" called the Talking Doll,
as she dodged around the corner of the Jack in the Box, who could not
get loose to join the fun. "You must tag us with your paws."

"Yes, I'll do that," agreed the China Cat. "I'll only tag you with my
paws. And I think I'll tag you right now!" she called to the Topsy Doll.
"Oh, ho! Yo' all here has got to be mighty lively to tag me!" the black
toy laughed, and, just as the China Cat was about to touch her, Topsy
dodged to one side and the China Cat nearly slipped off the shelf.
"Oh, my dear! you must be careful," cried the Talking Doll. "Think
what would happen if you hit the floor!"
"Oh, I don't dare think of it!" mewed the China Cat, with a shudder. "I
should be broken to bits!"
So after that the Cat did not run quite so fast. Topsy was a very lively
little doll. She skipped here and there, and kept the other toys laughing
at her funny tricks and the queer way her kinky hair bobbed about her
head.
So the game went on, and at last the China Cat managed to touch the
Jumping Jack with her paw.
"Tag! You're it!" cried the China Cat. "Now it's your turn to do the
chasing, Mr. Jack!"
The game went on faster than ever, and such jolly fun as there was you
never would have dreamed could happen in a toy shop, unless you
could have seen it yourself. But of course that is not allowed. If you
had so much as peeked in with one eye, all the toys would have become
as quiet as a chocolate mouse.
At last they grew tired of such exciting fun. One after another had taken
a turn at being it for tag.
"I know what let's do," suggested the Soldier Captain, after they had
rested. "Let's have some riddles."
"Hi!" cried Topsy, "am riddles good to eat?"
"No, indeed," answered the Talking Doll. "Riddles are something you

have to guess."
"Den I mus' be a riddle!" said the colored Doll.
"What makes you think so?" asked the China Cat.
"'Cause some ob de toys in mah pa't of de store says as how I kept 'em
guessin'," was the answer. "Dey done say dey nebber know whut I'm
gwine to do nex'. I suah mus' be a riddle."
"Oh, no, that isn't a riddle," the Soldier Captain explained. "A riddle is
like a puzzle. For instance, I ask you what has four legs, and yet can't
walk?"
"Hu! Dey ain't nothin' whut has fo' legs an' can't walk!" declared Topsy.
"Dat's silly! I's got only two legs, but I can walk when nobody looks at
me. An' dat Noah's Ark Elephant, he's got fo' legs, an' he can walk.
What is dat has fo' legs an' can't walk I axes yo', Mr. Soldier Captain?"
"A table has four legs and yet it can't walk," laughed the wooden
officer. "That's a riddle, Topsy. Now see if you can tell one."
So the Topsy Doll and the other toys began to think of riddles, asking
them of one another. But, somehow or other, the China Cat was very
still and quiet. She did not enter into this fun as she had into the game
of tag.
"What's the matter?" asked the Jumping Jack, when he had guessed a
funny riddle about a little green hen. "Are you watching for mice,
China Cat? There are some little ones, made of cloth and wood over in
the novelty department where Topsy came from."
"No, I am not thinking of mice," answered the China Cat. "To tell you
the truth, Mr. Jumping Jack, I was thinking of the Nodding Donkey. He
came back here, you know, to have his leg fixed, and he spoke about
how happy he was with the little lame boy, who, I'm glad to know, is
lame no longer. I was just wondering if I would go to a nice home such
as he has."

"I suppose all us toys will be sold, one after another," said the Jumping
Jack. "But it is so nice here that I dread to think of going away."
"Yes, it is nice in Mr. Mugg's store," the China Cat agreed. "But I
suppose we must do as we are told. Dear Nodding Donkey! How I
should like to see him again. I wonder--"
"Hush! Quiet, everybody! Back to your shelves!" suddenly cried
Tumbling Tom. "Morning is about to come and Mr. Mugg and his
daughters will soon be here. They must never catch us moving about!"
Such a scramble as there was! The China Cat, the Talking Doll, the
Trumpeter, the Policeman, the Fireman, the Jumping Jack, Tumbling
Tom