CHAPTER VII

IN THE TOY HOSPITAL


Dick made such a fuss out on the porch, crying, when he saw his toy
lying at the foot of the steps, that the boy's mother hurried out to
see what the trouble was.

"Dear me! Did you fall off?" asked Mother, as she saw the Horse lying
on its side and Dick standing at the bottom of the porch steps near
his toy. "Are you hurt, Sonny?"

"Oh, no, Mother. But my Horse is! My Christmas Horse is hurt."

"You can't hurt a wooden rocking horse," said Mother, as she went over
to see what had happened.

"Oh, yes you can!" sobbed Dick, for he was so little a boy that he was
not ashamed to cry. "My Horse's leg is broken! I can never ride him
again! Oh, dear!"

Mother looked at the Horse lying on its side at the foot of the steps.
If there had been no one there to look on, the Horse might have tried
to get up, even with all his pain. But, as it was against the rules to
move or say anything as long as human eyes were watching, the poor