"No! what?" asked the Soldier.

"Why, that bird flew right down out of a tree and grabbed a beak
full of wool off my back," went on the Lamb. "Gracious, how he
pulled!"

And while the Captain was getting ready to say something, down flew
the bird again, and he plucked another beak full of loose, soft
wool, pulling it from the Lamb's back.

"Ouch! Oh, how you pull! Please stop!" bleated the Lamb.

The Bold Tin Soldier drew his sword.

"Look here, Mr. Bird!" cried the Captain. "I do not want to hurt
you, but I can not allow you to pull wool from the back of my
friend, Miss Lamb. You must stop it, or I will drive you away with
my shiny, tin sword, as I drove away the bad rat that wanted to
nibble the ears of the Candy Rabbit! Stop it, Mr. Bird!"

"Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!" chirped the Bird. "Please let me pull some
more wool from your back, Miss Lamb," and he fluttered in the air
with his beak wide open, while the Bold Tin Soldier, with drawn
sword, took a step forward.

What was going to happen?