"Hush! They are going to do something else," said the Monkey on a
Stick.

And it did seem so, for part of the Soldiers, shouldering their
guns, marched to one end of the toy counter, and the others, with
their Captain at their head, remained near the pile of blocks.

"Are you ready?" asked the Captain of a Sergeant who had charge of
the second half of the tin soldiers.

"All ready, sir!" was the answer.

"Load! Aim! Fire!" suddenly cried the Captain.

"Oh, they are going to shoot! Oh, it's going to be war! There is
going to be a battle!" cried the Rag Doll.

"Nonsense! It is only going to be a make-believe battle!" said the
Calico Clown. "Our Captain told me about it. It is to be a sham
battle to amuse us. See, they are aiming their guns at one another!"

And as he spoke the Rag Doll looked and saw the two companies of Tin
Soldiers ready to take part in a battle.

"Oh, hold me! Hold me!" whispered the Rag Doll to the Calico Clown.
"I know I am going to faint!"



CHAPTER II