table in the playroom, together with the Lamb on Wheels, the Sawdust
Doll and the White Rocking Horse. When Arnold and Mirabell went home
they would take the Soldiers and the Lamb with them.

But before this came about something happened. A lady came to call
on Dorothy's mother, bringing with her a little boy named Tad. Now
Tad was not a bad little boy, but he was always looking for
something to play with and he was not careful.

When Tad reached the home of Dick and Dorothy and found neither of
the children was in, and when he saw his mother and Dorothy's mother
talking together, Tad wandered about by himself to find something
with which he could have fun. And the first thing he saw was the box
of Tin Soldiers.

"Oh, now I can have some fun!" cried Tad.

He opened the box and took out the Bold Tin Captain. Then he took
out the other Soldiers, the Sergeant, the Corporal and all the men.

''Ha! Now I can have a battle!'' cried Tad, and he threw all the
Soldiers in a heap on the floor.

"Oh, my, this little fellow is a dreadful chap!" thought the
Captain. "If he isn't careful he will break some of us."

"I'm glad we don't belong to him!" thought the Sergeant.

Still the Soldiers could do nothing, nor could they say anything, as
Tad was there looking at them with his big, blue eyes. And Tad did