“The time has come for us to have some fun, my friends!”

“Right you are!” mewed the China Cat.

“And we have a new toy with us,” said the Plush Bear.  “Would you like to play with us?” he asked the Nodding Donkey.

The Nodding Donkey moved his head up and down to say “yes,” for he was afraid of speaking aloud, lest he might wrinkle his new varnish.

“All right, now for some jolly times!” said the Rolling Elephant, and he began to climb down from the shelf, using his trunk as well as his legs.

“Ouch!  Look out there!  You’re stretching my neck!” suddenly cried a Spotted Wooden Giraffe, and the Nodding Donkey, looking up, saw that the Elephant had wound his trunk around the long neck of the Giraffe.

“Oh, I’m going to fall!  Catch me, somebody!” cried the Spotted Giraffe.  “Oh, if I fall off the shelf I’ll be broken to bits!  Will no one save me?”

CHAPTER II

A WONDERFUL VOYAGE

“Goodness me! this is a lot of excitement for one who has just come to life and had his first coat of varnish!” thought the Nodding Donkey as he saw what seemed to be a sad accident about to happen.  “I wonder if I could do anything to help save the Spotted Giraffe?  I must try to do all I can.  It will be the first time I have ever moved all by myself.”

“Stand aside, if you please!  I’ll save the Spotted Giraffe!” suddenly called a voice, and from a shelf just underneath the one from which the Rolling Elephant had pulled the long-necked creature there stepped a Jolly Fisherman.  This toy fisherman had a large net for catching crabs or lobsters, and he held it out for the Spotted Giraffe to fall into.

Down the Giraffe fell, but he landed in the net of the Jolly Fisherman, just as a circus performer falls into a net from a high trapeze, and he was not harmed.

“Dear!  I’m glad you caught me,” said the Giraffe, after he had managed to climb out of the net to the top of a work table which ran under all the shelves.

“Yes, I got there just in time,” replied the Jolly Fisherman, as he slung his net over his shoulder again.

“And I’m very sorry I pulled you from the shelf,” said the Rolling Elephant.  “I didn’t mean to do it, Mr. Giraffe.”

“Well, as long as no harm is done, we’ll forget all about it and have some fun,” put in the Plush Bear.  “This doesn’t happen every night,” the Bear went on, speaking to the Nodding Donkey.  “You must not get the idea that it is dangerous here.”

“Oh, no, I think it’s a very nice place,” the Nodding Donkey answered.  “It’s my first day here, you see.”

“Oh, yes, it’s easy to see that,” said the China Cat.  “You are so new and shiny any one would know you were just made.  Well, now what shall we do?  Who has a game to suggest or a riddle to ask?” and, as she spoke, she put out her paw and began to roll a red rubber ball on the shelf near her.  For, though she was very stiff in the daytime, being made of china like a dinner plate, the Cat could easily move about at night if no human eyes watched her.