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He even reached around and pulled the Goat’s whiskers, the Monkey did.

“Baa-a-a-a-a!” bleated the Goat. “Stop, Monkey! You’re hurting me! You’re pulling my hair!”

“Then get out of this tent and leave the Candy Rabbit alone!” shouted the Monkey.

“No! I want sweet stuff!” bleated the bad Goat.

Then the Monkey jumped off the Goat’s back, and, catching up the stick, on which he climbed to the top when the string was pulled, the Monkey began hitting the Goat over the nose with it.

“Oh, my nose! My soft and tender nose!” bleated the Goat, as he ran out of the tent.

“Thank you, so much, for saving me,” said the Rabbit to the Monkey, as the likely chap climbed back on his stick.

“I am very glad I could help you,” said the Monkey. “I guess that Goat won’t come back in a hurry!”

And as the Groat ran out of the tent, the children, bringing up their other toys to have the show, saw him.

“Oh, look at the big sheep!” cried Madeline.

“That isn’t a sheep, it’s a goat,” said her brother.

“Oh, maybe he ate my Candy Rabbit!” cried the little girl. “I must go and look.”

She and the other children hurried into the tent. There were the Monkey and the Rabbit safe together. But the children did not know what a narrow escape the Rabbit had had.

By this time Arnold, with the help of the other boys, had brought over his Bold Tin Soldier and the other men in the army company; Dick had brought his White Rocking Horse; and Dorothy’s Sawdust Doll and Mirabell’s Lamb on Wheels were also in the tent. Of course Herbert’s Monkey and Madeline’s Candy Rabbit were the first to be in the show.

“Now the performance is going to start!” cried Herbert, when the brothers and sisters were seated on the benches, which were made from the boxes Patrick, the gardener, had given Dick. “The show is going to start! All ready!”

Besides the six children mentioned there were others who lived on the same street with these six friends. These children had all come to the show. The boys and girls brought two pins to get in. Those who brought toy animals to act in the show did not have to bring any pins to come in.

“The first act in the show!” called Herbert, who was the ringmaster, “will be Mr. Dick riding on his White Rocking Horse! Ladies and Gentlemen, see Mr. Dick!”

“Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!” cried the children, clapping their hands.

Dick drew his horse out into the middle of the tent. Of course if the Rocking Horse had been there alone he could have trotted out by himself. But, as it was, Dick had to drag him.

Then Dick climbed on the back of his white steed, took hold of the reins, and cried: “Gid-dap!”

Back and forth rocked Dick on his Horse, and, as I have told you in the book about this toy, the Horse could move along whenever any one was on his back. He moved just as a rocking chair moves.

Across the middle of the tent rode Dick on his Rocking Horse. The little chap pretended he was a cowboy, and swung his cap around his head, and he even made believe lasso wild bulls with a piece of clothesline.

“Bang! Bang!” cried Dick, shooting make-believe pistols the way real cowboys do.

“Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!” cried all the children, for they liked to see Dick ride the White Rocking Horse.

“What’s next, Herbert?” asked Madeline.

“Hush, you mustn’t talk in the show,” cautioned her brother. “The ringmaster is the only one who can talk, and I’m him. The next part of the show is the dance of the Sawdust Doll.”

This was Dorothy’s chance, and she came out with her toy. And then and there the Sawdust Doll did a funny little dance while Mirabell played on a mouth organ. Of course Dorothy had to hold the Doll and dance around with her, but it was as good as if the Doll had done it herself, and the boys and girls clapped their hands.