"
"Let us play some games," proposed the China Cat. "We can ask riddles,
have a game of tag, or, those of you who are unpacked, can join in a
race."
"I say let's have a race!" cried the Engineer of a toy train of cars on
the floor. "I haven't had a race with my engine and cars since Mr. Mugg
lifted us out of our box. Come on! I'll get up steam and have a race."
Before any one could stop him, the Engineer started his train of iron
cars over the floor of the basement.
Toot! Toot! he blew the whistle.
Suddenly there was a crackling sound and then a flash of flame.
"What's the matter!" cried the China Cat.
"Oh, I have run over a box of matches!" exclaimed the toy Engineer.
"They have begun to blaze and the straw from the packing cases is
catching! Oh, look what I did, but I didn't mean to!"
Surely enough, the toy cars had run over the box of matches Mr. Mugg had
dropped, and now the flames and smoke were filling the basement of the
toy shop.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!" cried the toy Policeman, banging with his club.
CHAPTER IV
A LITTLE BLACK BOY
So many things began happening at once in the basement of the toy shop,
after the train of cars ran over the box of matches, that the China Cat,
the Jumping Jack and even the Policeman, who was supposed to keep order,
never knew half that took place. All the toys knew was that they began
to choke with the smoke from the burning straw, and some of them, who
were too close to the box of blazing matches, felt the heat very much.
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