They looked at their father, who laid down a Noah’s Ark he was just looking at and started toward the back of the store.  As he did so the noise became louder; bumping, banging, crashing, and above it all sounded the shrill toot-toot of whistles.

“Dear me, what is happening?” thought the Plush Bear.

CHAPTER V

THE FAT BOY

Horatio Mugg, owner of the toy store where the Plush Bear was now at home, hurried to the back of the shop.  It was here that the noise had come from, and the sound was still keeping up as Mr. Mugg turned on an electric light.

Then the Plush Bear, who was listening as closely as were Geraldine and Angelina, heard Mr. Mugg laugh, and with that the rattling, banging and tooting noise came to a stop.

“Ha!  Ha!  Ha!” laughed Mr. Mugg again.

“What is it?” asked Angelina.  “It isn’t a burglar, evidently.”

“Nor a policeman nor a fire,” Geraldine added.

“None of them,” answered Mr. Mugg.  “One of the toy trains of cars that I wound up this evening just started off by itself.  I guess some of the toys must have wanted a ride, and the Engineer of the toy train tooted his whistle to tell them to get aboard.”

“Why, Father!” exclaimed Geraldine, “the toys couldn’t want a ride.  They can’t do anything like that.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be so sure,” said Mr. Mugg, as his two daughters entered the rear room to see what had caused all the racket.  “Sometimes I feel that these toys know more than we think they do,” he went on.  “Take that new Plush Bear,” he added, pointing to the other room where Bruin was sitting on a shelf.  “See how wise he looks?  He seems about to speak.  And if he ever should come to life I think he would enjoy a ride in a toy train.”

“Oh, but he can’t come to life!” exclaimed Angelina.

“Ha! can’t I, though?” whispered the Plush Bear to himself.  “You just ought to see us toys after dark!  No, on second thought, it is just as well you don’t see us,” he went on.  “For if you looked at us we couldn’t say a word or move about.  It is best that you do not know we can pretend to be alive.”

Angelina and Geraldine looked at the toy train which had caused the excitement.  It was a new engine and cars that had been unpacked that evening by their father.  Mr. Mugg had wound up the spring in the engine, which was very much like a real one, with a bell, whistle, and even an iron Engineer in the cab.  The toy train, all wound up and ready to go, had been left on the floor in a rear room.  Then, when Mr. Mugg and his daughters were unpacking the Plush Bear and other toys, the little train, in some manner, had started off by itself, had run along the floor, banging into the walls, bumping over other toys, and with the whistle going: 

Toot!  Toot!  Toot!

“What started it?” asked Angelina, when the train had been put in a safe place.