s clothes and pretended she
was a doll.

"Though I cannot say I liked that," said the China Cat, telling her
adventures afterward to her friend, the Talking Doll. "The clothes sort
of tickled me. But Jennie was so kind and good I did not want to make a
fuss."

When evening came Jennie put her China Cat away in a closet in her room,
where there were many other toys. At first it was so dark that the China
Cat could see nothing, but, after a while, she saw where some light came
in through the keyhole, and then Snowball could look about her. The
light that came through the hole was not daylight, for it was now night,
and Jennie was going to bed. It was the light from a little lamp that
burned all night just outside Jennie's room, and the China Cat was glad
of that, for by the gleam she was able to see her way around the closet.

"Thank goodness now I can move and stretch myself a bit," said the China
Cat, speaking out loud, in toy language. "I haven't had a chance to do
as I pleased since just before the fire."

"What's that about a fire?" suddenly asked a voice just behind the China
Cat. She looked around the shelf on which she sat but could see no one,
though a Wooden Doll, with funny, staring eyes, was looking straight at
her.

"Did you speak?" asked the China Cat of the Wooden Doll.

"No," was the answer. "Though I was just going to. I'm glad you have
come here to live with us. You'll like it here. Jennie is such a nice
little girl."

"We're all nice!" cried the same voice that had asked about the fire.

"Who is that?" asked the China Cat, for, as before, she saw no one.

"Oh, it's probably Jack," answered the Wooden Doll. "He's always playing
jokes."

"Jack who?" asked the China Cat.

"Jack Box," answered the Wooden Doll. "He's one of those funny, pop-up
Jacks in a Box, and he's always trying to fool some one. I suppose,
because you are the newest toy to come here, that he is playing a trick
on you."

"No trick, Wooden Doll! Just trying to be friendly and jolly--that's
all!" went on the voice, with a laugh, and from a box near the China
Cat sprang one of the queer Jacks that have such a sudden way of
appearing.

"Oh! How you surprised me!" mewed the Cat.

"That's just my way! Can't help it! Have to jump when my spring
uncoils!" said the Jack, with a broad grin on his face. "Let's have some
fun!" he went on. "It's our chance to make believe come to life, now
that Jennie has gone to bed. Sweet child. I