As I shall explain to you in this book, and as I have told you in other books of these “Make Believe Stories,” the toys could pretend to come to life, move about, and have fun when no one was looking at them.  They could talk, tell jokes and stories, as well as riddles, play games, have races and even snowball fights, as they were having one now.  But the moment any one looked at them, or came into the room where they were playing, the toys settled back straight and stiff and still.  They could listen to what was said, but they dared not speak, and they could take no part in life.

So it was that the toys were glad Santa Claus and his men had, for a little while, gone out of the big workshop.  It was a wonderful place—­this workshop of Santa Claus.  There many of the toys in the world were made for the boys and girls of the Earth.  And as fast as he had several boxes of toys ready, Santa Claus would hitch his eight reindeer to his sleigh, and down to Earth he would go.  He would leave boxes and bags of toys at the different shops and warehouses, whence they were sent to other places where boys and girls could see them, and tell their fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts or cousins what they wanted for Christmas.

Biff! a big snowball went sailing across the room.

Bang! it struck the Plush Bear on his nose.

“Wuff!  Wuff!” growled the Plush Bear, but he was not at all cross, and, an instant later, he sent another ball sailing toward the Flannel Pig.

“Oh, I didn’t throw that!  I didn’t hit you!” squealed the Flannel Pig, as he tried to dodge out of the way of the mass of snow tossed by the Plush Bear.

“Never mind,” growled Mr. Bruin, as the Bear was sometimes called.  “It’s all in fun!”

And fun it was!  At other times, when they were left alone, the toys in the workshop of Santa Claus had fun, but never before, at least in a long while, had windows been left open so that the snow blew in.

“It’s almost as much fun as being out doors,” said the Plush Bear again, as he moved his paws and shook his head from side to side.  “I only wish the Nodding Donkey could be here to enjoy it,” he went on.

“Who is the Nodding Donkey?” asked the Wax Doll, as the Flannel Pig and the others stopped snowballing for a moment.

“He was a toy who was born here, and who lived here for some time, before he was taken down to Earth,” answered the Plush Bear.  “He could nod his head, and he did not have to be wound up with a key as I have to be.  I liked the Nodding Donkey very much.  But he and the China Cat have both gone away.

“However, I suppose that is the way of things up here.  We are made to give happiness to boys and girls, and the only way in which we can do that is to allow ourselves to be taken to Earth by Santa Claus.  Yes, I suppose I shall be taken down some day,” and once more he moved his head from side to side, and looked very wise indeed, did the Plush Bear.