Part 6 (1/2)
So the Clown sat tight, and the Elephant walked around the room with him, giving the gay fellow a fine ride. The Sawdust Doll was just making up her mind that she would be brave enough to get on the Elephant's back, when, all at once, the Nodding Donkey cried:
”Quick! Quiet every one! The children are coming back!”
”Oh, let me get off your back!” whispered the Clown to the Elephant.
”They must never see me up here. It isn't allowed!”
But he was too late! Before he could slide off the Stuffed Elephant, Archie, Elsie and the other children came running into the room!
”Oh! Oh! Oh!” they cried, as they saw the Calico Clown on the back of the Stuffed Elephant.
CHAPTER V
IN THE BARN
Hearing the shouts of the children as they hurried back into the room where the Christmas tree stood, Archie's mother came to see what the matter was.
”Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Archie. ”Look! The Clown is riding on my Elephant's back! Isn't he funny?”
”He looks very odd!” said Mrs. Dunn. ”Who put him up there? Did you lift Sidney's Calico Clown to your Stuffed Elephant's back, Archie?”
”Oh, no, Mother!” Archie answered. ”It wasn't I.”
”Nor I,” said Elsie.
”And I didn't, either,” said the other children in turn.
”Well,” said Mrs. Dunn, looking from one to the other, ”of course the Clown couldn't have gotten up on the Elephant's back by himself, and of course the Elephant couldn't have lifted him there with his trunk.
Though I know a live clown could jump on a live elephant's back, and a live elephant could lift a live clown up in his trunk. But these are only toys. They must be moved about.”
”Well, I didn't put the Clown there,” said Archie again.
”Nor I!” echoed the other children.
And while this talk was going on the Elephant, the Clown, and the other Christmas toys were very much worried lest their part in the fun be found out. Of course we know how the Clown got on the Elephant's back, but Mrs. Dunn did not, nor did the children. They didn't know that the toys had the power to make believe come to life when no one was watching them.
”If they had only stayed out of the room a little longer, I would have had a chance to slip down off the Elephant's back, and all would be well,” thought the Calico Clown. ”But, coming in so quickly, they caught me! I hope they never find out about our having fun when they are out of the room, or they'll never leave us toys alone.”
”How do you s'pose that Clown got on my Elephant?” asked Archie of his mother, a little later.
”I think some of you children must have put him there, and forgotten about it,” said Mrs. Dunn.
”No! No!” the children cried.
”Well, then Nip must have been playing with the Clown and just dropped him on the Elephant's back,” said Mrs. Dunn. Nip was Archie's dog, a great big fellow, but very kind and good, and especially fond of children. He was called Nip because he used to playfully nip, or pretend to bite, cats. He never really bit them, though.
”But Nip isn't here to take the Clown up in his mouth and put him on my Elephant,” Archie said.
”Oh, I guess your dog ran in here while you were out in the other room, eating the cake and drinking the milk,” Mrs. Dunn said. ”Then Nip ran out again, after dropping the Clown. Anyhow, we don't need to worry about it. Go on with your Christmas fun.”