"I have heard of it," said the Rocking Horse rather sadly. "I hope I
am not kept here."

"Indeed you will not be," said the old Jumping Jack. "You are new, and
are going to enjoy your first Christmas! Ah, how well I remember that!
But there is no use worrying. I had some good times, I once made a
little boy happy, and now I am content to stay here in the dust and
darkness. I shall be glad to know that you are going to have a jolly
time."

"Thank you," said the White Rocking Horse.

Then he and the old Jumping Jack talked together for some hours in the
attic. All the next day they were together, and the White Rocking
Horse told how he had once lived in a big department store, and how he
had been given a ride in an automobile. And the Jumping Jack told his
story, how he used to leap about and cut funny capers.

The next night, after dark, a light was seen gleaming in the attic.
The White Rocking Horse and the Jumping Jack had just begun to talk
together, and the Horse was showing his friend how fast he could rock,
when they had to stop, because the man came up. The lady was with him.

"Dick and Dorothy are asleep now," said the lady. "We can take the
Rocking Horse down, and leave him for Santa Claus to put under the big
Christmas tree."

"Yes, we can do that," the man said. "And here is an old Jumping Jack.
It is broken, but the paint on it is still gay. I'll dust it off and
take it down for the Christmas tree. It will make it look more jolly."