THE ELEPHANT

"Catch me! Save me! Catch me before I fall off the shelf and break to
pieces!" squeaked the Rolling Mouse.

"Don't be afraid! I'm right here!" trumpeted the Stuffed Elephant.

On his sturdy legs, big and round and stuffed with cotton, the Elephant
stepped to the edge of the shelf. As quickly as the China Cat could
blink her eyes, the Elephant reached across with the tip of his trunk
and caught the Rolling Mouse just as she was going to slip over the edge
of the shelf.

Holding her very gently, so as not to squeeze the breath out of the
Mouse, the Elephant lifted the tiny creature up in the air, keeping her
there until her spring ran down. Then, in a spirit of fun, he reached
around and set the Mouse down on his broad back.

"There you are!" laughed the Stuffed Elephant in his hearty voice.
"There you are, Miss Mouse!"

"Yes, but where am I? Oh, so _high_ up as I am! Oh, where am I?"
squeaked the little mouse.

"You're up on my back," laughed the jolly Elephant toy. "Don't be
afraid. Stay there and I'll give you a ride to where you came from. On
what shelf do you belong?"

"Oh, put me down! Oh, I'm so afraid I'll fall off!" cried the tiny
mouse. "It is almost as high up here, on your back, as it would be to
fall to the floor from the shelf. Do please put me down, kind Mr.
Elephant!"

"Don't be silly, Miss Mouse!" brayed the Nodding Donkey. "The Elephant
is good and strong, and he is also careful. He will not let you fall."

"Are you sure?" asked the little Mouse, trembling.

"Of course I will not let you fall!" chuckled the Elephant. "Just stay
quietly on my back, and I'll take you where you came from."

"But maybe her wheels will go around again and make her roll off,"
remarked the Sawdust Doll.

"No, the spring unwound as I slid across the shelf," said the Rolling
Mouse. "I'm all right now. Mr. Mugg wound me up to-day to show me to a
little boy. But the boy wanted a pair of skates, and not a mouse like
me. So Mr. Mugg put me down on the shelf without letting my spring
unwind. He stuck me up against a Tin Soldier, and the Soldier kept me
from rolling around. But just now the Soldier came out to look at the
new Stuffed Elephant. That left nothing to hold me back, and away I
rolled."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said the Tin Soldier, touching his red cap in a salute
to Miss Mouse.

"I'll forgive you, as I know you didn't mean to do it," said the Mouse
toy, with a smile that made her whiskers wiggl