"What is that?" asked the Monkey.

"I wish the China Cat were here," said the Donkey. "She lives in Mr.
Mugg's store, and I'm sure you would all like her, she is so clean and
white."

"Three cheers for the China Cat!" called the Bold Tin Soldier, waving
his sword.

And the toys cheered among themselves.

"Tell me more about this China Cat," begged the Candy Rabbit to the
Donkey. "Is she anything like me?"

The Nodding Donkey was just going to tell about the China Cat when Joe
and the other children came trooping back into the room, having finished
their lunch.

"Now let's play circus!" cried Joe. "We have a lot of toys and animals
now. Let's play circus."

And so they did. But as there is a story to tell about the China Cat,
and as I have no room in this book, I will make up another, and it will
be all about the Nodding Donkey's friend, the white China Cat, and how
she had many adventures, but managed to keep herself clean.

As for Joe and his friends, they had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year, and the Nodding Donkey lived for a long while after that,
happy and contented, and he never even had so much as a pain in the
broken leg that Mr. Mugg had mended so nicely.