The Story of a China Cat | Page 8

is now night, no one can see us, and we can
do as we please. Let's play tag again," said a number of toys.
"Where is the China Cat?" asked Tumbling Tom. "We don't want to
leave her out of the good times."
"Oh, I'm here!" mewed the white pussy. "I'm just sort of hidden away
so I will not be sold. I am to go to a little girl named Jennie Moore."
"Hum! Jennie Moore! Seems to me I heard her spoken of by the father
of the little lame boy when the Nodding Donkey was brought back here
to have his leg mended," said the Jumping Jack. "Wouldn't it be funny,
Miss China Cat, if you should go to live in a house near your friend, the
Nodding Donkey?"
"It would be very nice, I think," said the China Cat. "But I have
something new to suggest," she went on, as she moved out near the
edge of the shelf. "Instead of playing tag, why can't all of us go down

into the basement?"
"What for?" asked Tumbling Tom.
"I heard it said that a new lot of toys was put down in the basement
to-day," went on the China Cat. "Let's go down and call on them. It's
always polite to call on new neighbors, you know," she added.
"Yes, let's do that!" shouted the Trumpeter. "We'll make them feel at
home."
So down the cellar stairs trooped the China Cat, the Talking Doll, the
Jumping Jack, Jack Box and many other toys.
Clip! Clap! Clump! they went down the stairs.
"Hello, new toys!" mewed the China Cat. "We have come to call on
you!"
"That is very kind of you," said a Red Fireman, who was one of the
new toys that had been taken from the boxes. "We were just wondering
what sort of place this was--so dark and gloomy."
"Oh, this is the basement," said the China Cat. "The toy store is up
above. You'll be brought up there with us, soon, we hope. But we came
to visit you and cheer you up."
"And we are very glad," said a Cloth Doll. "I was getting tired of lying
here on my back."
"Let us play some games," proposed the China Cat. "We can ask
riddles, have a game of tag, or, those of you who are unpacked, can join
in a race."
"I say let's have a race!" cried the Engineer of a toy train of cars on the
floor. "I haven't had a race with my engine and cars since Mr. Mugg
lifted us out of our box. Come on! I'll get up steam and have a race."
Before any one could stop him, the Engineer started his train of iron

cars over the floor of the basement.
Toot! Toot! he blew the whistle.
Suddenly there was a crackling sound and then a flash of flame.
"What's the matter!" cried the China Cat.
"Oh, I have run over a box of matches!" exclaimed the toy Engineer.
"They have begun to blaze and the straw from the packing cases is
catching! Oh, look what I did, but I didn't mean to!"
Surely enough, the toy cars had run over the box of matches Mr. Mugg
had dropped, and now the flames and smoke were filling the basement
of the toy shop.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!" cried the toy Policeman, banging with his club.
CHAPTER IV
A LITTLE BLACK BOY
So many things began happening at once in the basement of the toy
shop, after the train of cars ran over the box of matches, that the China
Cat, the Jumping Jack and even the Policeman, who was supposed to
keep order, never knew half that took place. All the toys knew was that
they began to choke with the smoke from the burning straw, and some
of them, who were too close to the box of blazing matches, felt the heat
very much.
[Illustration: "We Must Hurry Out!" Mewed the China Cat.
Page 38]
"Oh, we must hurry out of here!" mewed the China Cat.
"I should say so!" exclaimed the Policeman. "Come on! Move lively!
No loitering!" he cried, as he had done that time when he tickled the
Nodding Donkey in the ribs with the club. "Everybody get out of the

way of the fire!" went on the toy Policeman, swinging his club. "Where
are the engines and the firemen?" he called.
"Here we are! I'm coming," cried an excited voice, and there clattered
along the basement floor of the toy shop a little fire engine, on which
was perched a toy Fireman.
"Let me get at the blaze!" cried this Fireman, who was dressed all in
red. "Who started it, anyhow?"
"I did," answered the Engineer of the train of iron cars. "I ran