shop, so I ought to know. He will never be one year old again,
and neither shall we, which makes us all sad." "I isn't fad a bit!"
interrupted Downy, with a gleeful chuckle. "Well, you ought to be!" said
Nibble, "but you are too young to know much, I suppose. Peepsy is sad,
and he might weep if he had any eyes, but they are only little holes in
his head. It is sad not to have any eyes, but it is an advantage not to
be able to weep. If Puff hadn't had any eyes, she wouldn't have made
such a fuss yesterday when I jumped on her toe from the apple tree,
because I didn't mean to." "I don't think that is very nice to put in a
speech, Nibble!" said Puff, looking rather hurt. "Well," said Nibble,
hastily, "I won't say anything more about it, but I want to say this:

"When I bought him at Jane Evans's shop,
Peepsy was glad.
Now that he is one year old and knows that he won't be it any more,
Peepsy is sad."

"That is poetry," he added, "and that is the best way to finish a
speech."

[Illustration]

Upon this Nibble sat down, and after a moment's pause, Brighteyes rose,
and spoke as follows: "Peepsy, I am afraid you think it is very hard
that you have to stay in your cage all the time. I know I should not
like to live in a cage, but then I am not afraid of cats. But if you
were to come out and be alive, you would be dreadfully afraid of the
china cat in the doll-house, you know you would. Thus we see that all
things are for the best! and I am sure your cage is a perfect beauty,
which must be a great comfort. Perhaps you think you would like some
worms, Peepsy; and we would certainly get you some if you could eat
them, but you cannot. My dear Peepsy, I will now conclude my speech,
wishing you many happy returns of the day."

Now it was Puff's turn, but to my surprise, this little mouse, who is
generally very ready with her tongue, seemed to hang back. "Let Fluffy
read the pottery!" said Puff. "I am so hot, and my head aches so, I
don't think I can make my speech."

So Fluff read the famous piece of pottery, to the great delight of all.
Meanwhile I was looking more closely at Puff, and though I was--well,
how many miles off? answer, some of you big children! certainly a great
many!--still I could see plainly enough that the child was not well. Her
cheeks were hot and flushed, and her blue eyes shone with a strange
brightness, very different from their usual sunny light. I was glad to
see that Tomty was als