CHAPTER IX

A LONESOME DONKEY


"What is the matter, Joe? What has happened?" asked Mrs. Richmond,
hurrying downstairs, leaving her son's bed half made.

Mrs. Richmond, hurrying into the room where she had left Joe lying on
the couch, saw him sitting up and holding his Nodding Donkey in his
hands.

"Oh, look, Mother!" and Joe's voice sounded as if he might be going to
cry. "Look what Frisky did to my Donkey! Knocked him off the shelf, and
his left hind leg is broken."

"That is too bad," said Mrs. Richmond, but her face showed that she was
glad it was not Joe who was hurt. "Yes, the Donkey's leg is broken,"
she went on, as she took the toy from her son. "Frisky, you are a bad
squirrel to break Joe's Donkey!" and she shook her finger at the
chattering little animal, who, perched on the shelf, was eating the nut
the boy had given him.

"Oh, Mother! Frisky didn't mean to do it," said Joe. "It wasn't his
fault. I guess the Nodding Donkey was too close to the edge of the
shelf. But now his leg is broken, and I guess he'll have to go on
crutches, the same as I do; won't he, Mother?"