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Thus Christmas passed, New Year’s came, and the Elephant lived and was happy in Archie’s home. The Elephant did not often think of Mr. Mugg and his daughters Geraldine and Angelina. He liked it much better, did the Elephant, in Archie’s house than in the store. Of course the toy store was a jolly place, but no boys or girls were permitted to play with the toys. They were there for sale, and could only be played with after being bought and taken home.

So the Elephant was glad he belonged to Archie, who was a boy that took very good care of his playthings. Nearly every day Joe, Dick or Arnold would come over to see Archie, bringing their playthings, and in this way the Elephant met many friends whose adventures are related in the other books of this series.

And at night, when Archie and Elsie were in bed, of course the Elephant, and the other toys in the Dunn house, had their usual fun. They would make believe come to life and talk and play about in the nursery or in the closet–wherever they happened to be left at the close of the day.

It was still winter, though Archie and Elsie wished spring would come so they might play oftener out of doors. And one rainy day, when it was too cold and stormy to be out, Archie and Elsie went to the big, warm barn to have fun. Archie carried his Elephant and Elsie had her Doll.

“Let’s go upstairs to the grain bins,” suggested Elsie, when they had played about in the hay for a time.

“Maybe Jake will let us open the bin door from up there, and we can watch the oats slide down the chute,” said Archie. “I like to watch the oats slide.”

“So do I,” Elsie admitted. The grain bin was so built that the door of the chute could be opened from above or below.

Up to the upper floor of the barn went the two children, with the Elephant and the Doll.

“Are you here, Jake?” called Archie, but there was no answer.

“I don’t guess he’s around,” said Elsie.

“I don’t guess so, either,” replied Archie. “But I don’t guess he’d care if I let down some oats. I looked in the lower bin and there’s hardly any there. I’m going to let some down the chute.”

“I’ll watch you,” offered Elsie, as she set her Doll on top of a big oat box.

The cover to the box was open. Archie liked this because he could see the smooth oats go down the wooden chute, or slide, like so much water.

“I’ll let a lot of oats down,” the little boy said to his sister. He placed his Elephant on the edge of the bin, near the Doll. Then Archie pulled on the handle that opened the door. It was hard work, for the oats pressed against the door. Elsie came to help him, and at last the children managed to get it open.

“There they go!” cried Archie, as the oats began to pour down the chute.

“Yes, and there goes your Elephant!” shouted Elsie. As she spoke, the stuffed toy fell into the oat bin, and, a moment later, the poor chap was sucked into the smooth chute, with the running grain, and the oats closed over his head. Lost to the sight of the children, the Stuffed Elephant was taking a dangerous slide.

CHAPTER VII

THE BIG DOG

Archie was so surprised at what happened that, for a moment, he could do nothing but stand and look at the stream of oats gliding down the wooden chute to the bin on the floor below.

“There goes your Elephant!” cried Elsie again. “He fell right into the oats, Archie!”

“Yes–yes–I–I see he did!” stammered the little boy.

“I’m glad my Doll didn’t go, too!” went on Elsie. “I guess I’d better take her away ‘fore she tumbles in.”

Elsie reached over to take her toy from the side of the oat bin where the Christmas Doll had been put by her mistress. But Elsie’s foot slipped on some hay on the floor, she tried to save herself from falling, her arm struck her Doll, and, a moment later, the Doll was sliding down the stream of smooth oats as the Elephant had done.