e had?"

"Indeed I do! It was bought for a little girl named Jennie. And she told
me, only the other day, that her China Cat had had ever so many
adventures!"

"The dear child! The children, I believe, really think their toys are
alive, and can move about!"

"Of course we can, only you don't know it, and you never see us!"
whispered the Stuffed Elephant to himself.

And then he winked one eye at a China Cat--an eye that neither Angelina
nor Geraldine saw blinking. Gracious! how surprised the two ladies would
have been to see a Stuffed Elephant winking one eye at a China Cat.

But stranger things than that are going to happen, I promise you!

"Be careful, Geraldine! Be careful!" suddenly cried Angelina, as her
sister arose from stooping over the box, and started toward the shelves
with an armful of toys.

"What's the matter?"

"Why, you nearly stepped on the Stuffed Elephant!"

"Oh, I'm glad that it didn't really happen! We have only one toy like
him, and it would never do to have him crushed all out of shape before
he is sold for Christmas. I forgot that we left him standing on the
floor. Gracious, but he's a big fellow!" she exclaimed.

"I'll lift him up on the shelf," Angelina said.

She picked up the Stuffed Elephant. Really he was one of the largest
toys that had ever come from the workshop of Santa Claus. And he was a
very finely made toy, only the best cotton and cloth having been used.

"Does he squeak?" asked Geraldine, as she saw her sister set the
creature with trunk and tusks on a broad shelf.

"Squeak? Goodness, of course not! What made you think that?"

"Well, some of the toy animals have a squeaker inside them, and make a
noise when you press it. I was thinking perhaps the elephant had a
squeaker."

"No. If he had anything he would have a sort of trumpet in him," said
Angelina. "Real elephants make a trumpeting noise through their trunks,
but of course a stuffed one can't!"

"Oh, ho! You just wait until it gets dark and this toy shop is closed!"
whispered the Stuffed Elephant to himself. "Then I'll show you whether I
can trumpet or not. Though I forgot. I can't show you nor let you hear,
it isn't allowed. But after the store is closed we'll have some fun!"

Toy after toy was taken from the big packing box. There were Sawdust
Dolls, Candy Rabbits, Tin Soldiers, Plush Bears and a Monkey on a
Stick--just like other toys of the same name who had had many
adventures, and about whom stories