THE STORY OF A LAMB ON WHEELS

BY

LAURA LEE HOPE

AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL," "THE STORYOF A BOLD TIN SOLDIER," "THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES,""THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES," "THE SIXBUNKERS SERIES," ETC.

CHAPTER

I THE LAMB'S WISH

II THE JOLLY SAILOR

III A HOME ON SHORE

IV SLIDING DOWNHILL

V IN GREAT DANGER

VI DOWN THE COAL HOLE

VII THE LAMB CARRIED AWAY

VIII SAILING DOWN THE BROOK

IX ON A LOAD OF WOOD

X MIRABELL IS HAPPY

CHAPTER I

THE LAMB'S WISH

Out of his box the Jack popped his head. The funny, black fringe ofwhiskers around his face jiggled up and down. His queer, big eyes lookedaround the store.

"Hurray!" cried the Jack in the Box. "We are alone at last and now wecan have some fun! Hurray!"

"Are you sure?" asked a Bold Tin Soldier, who stood at the head of acompany of his men in a large box.

"Am I sure of what?" inquired the Jack, as he swung to and fro on thespring which made him pop out of the box.

"Are you sure we are alone?" went on the Soldier. "It would be too badif we should come to life when any one could see us."

"There is no one in the department but us toys," said a Calico Clown,and he banged together some shiny cymbals on the ends of his arms. "TheJack is right—we are all by ourselves."

"I am glad of it," said a woolly Lamb on Wheels, who stood on the floor,just under the edge of the toy counter. She was rather too large to beup among the smaller toys. "Yes, I am glad of it," went on the Lamb. "Ihave kept still all day, and now I have something to tell you all, myfriends."

"Something nice?" asked a Candy Rabbit, who stood next to a Monkey on a
Stick.

"I think it is nice," said the Lamb. "But, as you know, I could not moveabout or speak so long as any of the clerks or customers were here."

"That's so," agreed the Bold Tin Soldier.

For it was one of the rules of Toyland, as you know, that none of thefolk who lived there could do anything while human eyes were watchingthem. The Dolls, Soldiers, Clowns, Rocking Horses, Lambs were not ableto move, talk, or make believe come to life if a boy or a girl or anyone at all looked at them.

"But now we are alone we can have some fun," said the Jack in the Box."Let's have a jumping race, to see who can go the farthest. Come on! I'mready!"

"Yes, you are always ready to jump out of your box as soon as the coveris taken off," remarked the Lamb on Wheels. "But the rest of us are notsuch high kickers as you are. I cannot jump at all. I can only runaround on my wheels, just as the White Rocking Horse, who used to livehere, could only go on his rockers."

"Well, what shall we do then?" asked the Jack. "I'm ready to doanything."

"Suppose we have the Calico Clown play us a little tune on his cymbals,"suggested the Bold Tin Soldier. "My men and I like to hear his music.After that we will march around and then—"

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