"The men stop work at five," thought the Donkey. "After that it will be
dark and I can move about--that is if my varnish is dry."

Santa Claus was walking up and down between the rows of work benches.
The dear old gentleman was pulling his beard and smiling.

"Come, my merry men!" he called in his jolly voice, "you must work a
little faster. It is nearly five, when it will be time to stop for the
day, and it is so near Christmas that I fear we shall never get enough
toys made. So hurry all you can!"

"We will, Santa Claus," the men answered. And the one who had made the
Nodding Donkey asked:

"When are you going to take a load of toys down to Earth?"

"The first thing in the morning," was the answer. "Many of the stores
have written me, asking me to hurry some toys to them. I shall hitch up
my reindeer to the sleigh and take a big bag of toys down to Earth
to-morrow. So get ready for me as many as you can.

"Yes," went on Santa Claus, and he looked right at the Nodding Donkey,
"I must take a big bag of toys to Earth to-morrow, as soon as it is
daylight. So hurry, my merry men!"

And the workmen hurried as fast as they could.

Ting! suddenly struck the big clock in the workshop. And ting! went the
little toy clock in the toy house.