egin, and as fast as my things are burnt, you must bring
yours."

With that he solemnly laid on a little paper book full of pictures,
pasted in by himself; this was followed by a dilapidated boat, and
then one by one the unhappy leaden soldiers marched to death. Not one
faltered or hung back, from the splendid red and yellow captain to the
small drummer who had lost his legs; all vanished in the flames and
mingled in one common pool of melted lead.

"Now, Daisy!" called the high priest of Kitty-mouse, when his rich
offerings had been consumed, to the great satisfaction of the children.

"My dear dollies, how can I let them go?" moaned Daisy, hugging the
entire dozen with a face full of maternal woe.

"You must," commanded Demi; and with a farewell kiss to each, Daisy laid
her blooming dolls upon the coals.

"Let me keep one, the dear blue thing, she is so sweet," besought the
poor little mamma, clutching her last in despair.

"More! more!" growled an awful voice, and Demi cried, "that's the
Kitty-mouse! she must have every one, quick, or she will scratch us."

In went the precious blue belle, flounces, rosy hat, and all, and
nothing but a few black flakes remained of that bright band.

"Stand the houses and trees round, and let them catch themselves; it
will be like a real fire then," said Demi, who liked variety even in his
"sackerryfices."

Charmed by this suggestion, the children arranged the doomed village,
laid a line of coals along the main street, and then sat down to watch
the conflagration. It was somewhat slow to kindle owing to the paint,
but at last one ambitious little cottage blazed up, fired a tree of the
palm species, which fell on to the roof of a large family mansion,
and in a few minutes the whole town was burning merrily. The wooden
population stood and stared at the destruction like blockheads, as they
were, till they also caught and blazed away without a cry. It took
some time to reduce the town to ashes, and the lookers-on enjoyed the
spectacle immensely, cheering as each house fell, dancing like wild
Indians when the steeple flamed aloft, and actually casting one wretched
little churn-shaped lady, who had escaped to the suburbs, into the very
heart of the fire.

The superb success of this last offering excited Teddy to such a degree,
that he first threw his lamb into the conflagration, and before it had
time even to roast, he planted poor Annabella on the funeral pyre. Of
course she d