The Story of a White Rocking Horse Part 5

"Each sent you his love," said the White Horse. "And the Candy Rabbit, the Lamb on Wheels and the Monkey on a Stick--each and every one wanted to be remembered to you."

"That was very kind of them, I'm sure," said the Sawdust Doll. "But tell me--have you had any fun since I left?"

"Oh, a little," was the answer. "Only last night the Elephant, who borrowed some roller skates, started to race with me," said the Rocking Horse. "We got as far as the elevators, but one of his skates came off. We started back and then the watchman came in and spoiled the fun."

"What a shame!" cried the Sawdust Doll. "I wish I had been there to see. But I am so glad you have come to live here."

"Is it a nice place?" asked the Horse.

"Oh, the very nicest!" exclaimed the Sawdust Doll. "Dorothy is such a kind mistress to me. And you will find her brother d.i.c.k a kind master, too. I suppose you are going to belong to him."

"Well, I haven't really heard much about it," said the Horse. "A number of boys came into the store and tried to ride me. One gave me some hard kicks in my side--so hard that I was afraid all my paint would come off. But a girl in the store oiled me, and I am all right again. I think I remember d.i.c.k."

"Yes, he was in the store once, when Dorothy's mother brought her little girl in to look at dolls, and I was the one the mother picked out because I had such brown eyes."

"_Nice_ brown eyes, I think she said," cried the Rocking Horse.

"Well, of course it would not do for me to say that," said the Sawdust Doll, smiling. "At any rate, here we two are, together, and in a happy home, and I am glad of it."

"So am I," the Rocking Horse said.

[Ill.u.s.tration: White Rocking Horse is Glad to See Sawdust Doll Again.]

"And I am, too," came from the Jumping Jack. "If it had not been for you, my rocking friend," he went on, "I might be still dust-covered and in the attic." So the toys under the Christmas tree talked among themselves and even moved about a little, but not too much, for they could not tell at what moment some one might come in.

And in the night Christmas came. The toys under the tree knew it just as well as if they had been real persons. They knew Santa Claus a great deal better than most real persons, too, having been made in the North Pole shop of St. Nicholas.

"Well, you will soon have d.i.c.k riding on your back," said the Sawdust Doll to the Rocking Horse as, together, they waited beneath the green tree. "I can see the morning light coming over the hills. And I heard Dorothy and d.i.c.k saying yesterday that they were going to get up, even before the sun, to see what Santa Claus had brought them."

"He certainly brought them a fine lot of presents," remarked the Jumping Jack, in a sort of rusty, squeaking voice. "I hope--"

"Hus.h.!.+ Here they come, now!" whispered the Sawdust Doll.

The door opened. In rushed two happy, laughing, shouting children.

"Merry Christmas!" cried Dorothy.

"Merry Christmas!" echoed d.i.c.k.

"Oh, here is the set of dishes I wanted!" Dorothy exclaimed.

"And here is my White Rocking Horse!" shouted d.i.c.k. "Oh, it's just the very one I hoped I'd get! Oh, what a dandy!"

With a leap he was up on the red saddle and grasping the red reins in his hands.

"Gid-dap!" cried the boy, and he beat a tattoo on the sides of the horse with his feet. But as d.i.c.k had on soft slippers, he did not hurt the White Rocking Horse in the least, nor did he chip off any paint.

"Here I go! Here I go!" shouted d.i.c.k. "Oh, what a fine horse!"

"He's lovely, d.i.c.k," said his sister.

"Merry Christmas, children!" said Mother, as she came in to see the Christmas tree.

"Merry Christmas!" they answered. "See what you have, Mother!"

And there were presents for her and for Daddy also, under the tree.

And Daddy came downstairs, rubbing his eyes and saying:

"Merry Christmas!"

The White Rocking Horse felt very happy and so did the Sawdust Doll, and even the Jumping Jack was as jolly as the rest.

"You may have a ride on my horse if you want to, Dorothy," said d.i.c.k, as he slowly brought his steed to a stop.

"Thank you," answered his sister. "And when I have a play party with my new Christmas dishes you may come and have some cake."

And so Christmas came and brought happiness with it to d.i.c.k and Dorothy and also to the White Rocking Horse and the Sawdust Doll. For the toys were in a fine house and had a kind master and mistress. And that means more than you think to toys.

I cannot begin to tell you all that happened this Christmas Day. Boy and girl playmates of Dorothy and d.i.c.k came over to see what Santa Claus had brought their friends, and the visitors showed their own presents. Among the callers were Mirabell and Arnold, the boy and girl who lived next door.

"Oh, what nice things you have!" said Mirabell. "I got nice presents, too. I wanted a Lamb on Wheels, such as I once saw in the store, but I have so many things I don't exactly need that now. Maybe I'll get one later on."

"And I wanted a Bold Tin Soldier," said Arnold, her brother. "But I have a pop gun and a drum, and I'll wait until my birthday for the soldier."

The children had jolly Christmas fun, and at night the tree was lighted.

"Oh, what a beautiful sight!" said the White Rocking Horse to the Sawdust Doll, when they were alone in the room for a moment and could talk without being overheard.

"I told you that you'd see something wonderful," said the old Jumping Jack.

"You were right," said the Rocking Horse. "It is beautiful!"

The fun of Christmas night was as jolly as that during the day, but at last Mother said:

"Come now, children, it is time to go to sleep. You may play with your White Rocking Horse to-morrow, d.i.c.k. And you may have a play party for your Sawdust Doll, Dorothy."

And, very happy indeed, brother and sister went to bed.

It became very still and quiet and dark in the house. It was like the hour in the department store when there is no one to see the toys.

"Now I can move about," said the White Rocking Horse, who had been taken up to d.i.c.k's room. "I wish I could see the Sawdust Doll and have a talk with her."

"She is in Dorothy's room," said an old Driver, who had once sat on a tin express wagon. "Dorothy always takes her doll to bed with her."

"Then I think I'll go in and see my friend," said the Horse. "I can gallop softly down the hall and into Dorothy's room. As long as no one sees me I am allowed to move about."

"Yes, go ahead," said the Driver. "I'd go with you if I still had my wagon. Go and see the Sawdust Doll."