"Come here, Frisky!" called Joe, and he held out his hand.

"I guess he has some nuts for me," thought the squirrel, and he was
right. In one pocket Joe had some nuts, and now he held these out to his
little live pet.

Frisky took a nut in his paw, which was almost like a hand, and then, as
squirrels often do, he looked for a high place on which he might perch
himself to eat. Frisky saw the shelf over Joe's couch, the same shelf on
which stood the Nodding Donkey.

"I'll go up there to eat the nut," said Frisky to himself.

Up he scrambled, but he was such a lively little chap that in swinging
his tail from side to side he brushed it against the Nodding Donkey.

With a crash that toy fell to the floor near Joe's couch!

"Oh, Frisky! Look what you did!" cried Joe. But the squirrel was so busy
eating the nut that he paid no attention to the Donkey.

Joe picked up his plaything. One of the Donkey's varnished legs was
dangling by a few splinters.

"Oh! Oh, dear!" cried Joe. "My Donkey's leg is broken! Now he will have
to go on crutches as I do! Mother! Come quick!" cried Joe. "Something
terrible has happened to my Nodding Donkey!"