ken to the store of Mr. Mugg he would put a new tail on you.
He mended the broken leg of the Nodding Donkey."

"I'm afraid it is too late," whined the Cloth Dog. "But I am sorry for
you. You are such a fine toy, and almost new."

"Yes, I am quite new. In fact, I have never been sold as yet," said the
Cat. "I wouldn't be out of the store now, except for the fire. I was
going to be taken by a very nice little girl named Jennie Moore. But
now, alas, it is too late for that!"

"Tell me about the fire," begged the Cloth Dog. "It will make me forget
that I have no tail."

So there on the shelf in the tenement kitchen, the China Cat told the
Cloth Dog the story of the fire in the toy shop, and how she had come to
be taken away by Jeff.

"I wondered where he had found you when I saw him bring you in this
morning," barked the Dog, when the Cat finished her story. "Indeed, you
have had many adventures; almost as many as I."

The two unfortunate toys became very friendly there in the half darkness
of the night. The Cat was just telling about the Nodding Donkey, and how
he had made the lame boy smile, when she suddenly stopped mewing.

"What's the matter?" asked the Cloth Dog.

"I heard a noise," said the China Cat.

"Oh, that's only rain," went on the Dog. "It is raining hard outside,
and you hear it more plainly here because we are so near the street.
Don't worry. Though this place is dirty, no rain comes in."

So the Cat went on with her story, but as the rain came down harder and
faster it brought her another adventure.

Not far from the tenement was a river. And because there had been much
rain before this last hard shower, the river had risen very high, until
it was almost ready to overflow the banks.

Down pelted the rain, and soon there was a louder roar in the street
outside.

"Is that just the rain?" asked the Cat of the Dog.

"It does sound a little different," the Dog replied. "I wonder if
anything is happening? And see, what is that on the floor?"

"It is water!" cried the Cat, catching the gleam of it in the light of
the street lamp. "Water is running in under the door!" she added.

"Then the river must be overflowing," barked the Dog. "The water is
running in here. Oh, what shall we do?"

As the two toys watched they saw the puddle of water on the floor grow
larger. The rain pelted down harder than before, and all at once there
was a shouting in the streets.

"Get out! Get out, everybody!" came