Page:The Princess of Cozytown.pdf/13

 At the first stroke the Princess threw up her hands. At the second she grew stiff as a stick. At the third she swooned completely away and rolled under the table. The knitted doll seemed equally agitated. With the help of Dinah, who had run into the room with her apron over her head, he lifted the Princess up on the sofa—then fell headlong down the front stairs and into the street, his shoe button eyes starting from his head.

At the same identical minute all the other Cozytown folk came tumbling out of their houses. China dolls, wooden dolls, rag dolls, ran distractedly about wringing their hands. Teddy bears, pink rabbits, stuffed dogs and rocking horses stood in excited groups on the corners. A whole army of wooden soldiers came at a quick run down the main street. A jumping-jack hopped along the sidewalk calling "Help!! !!"

"What's the matter? What does it mean?" called the Cozytown folk in their squeaky voices.

(And come to think of it, what queer folk these Cozytown people are!) Such confusion, such running to and fro you cannot imagine. "Silence!" cried a pink rabbit hopping into the centre of the square· "!"

When the pink rabbit called, "Listen," everybody immediately stopped talking, that is, everybody except Jack-in-the-box. He continued to bounce up and down screaming "Help! help!" at the top of his Jack-in-the-box voice.

"Will somebody shut him up," said the pink rabbit crossly. Two wooden soldiers sprang forward at this, and, pushing Jack into his box, fastened the lid. The rabbit now proceeded: "If anyone can tell us the meaning of this strange happening," said he, "it is the Judge. Let us call the Judge."

"The Judge! The Judge!" shrilled all the Cozytown folk, and a plush dog ran barking off to the courthouse to fetch him. He returned in a few minutes followed by a