The Brownies saw the Rocking-Horse Pony take the knocker on the green front door in his mouth and rap smartly—Rap-a-tap-tap! There was no answer, so the Rocking-Horse Pony gently pushed the door open and rocked inside. The door shut behind him with a thump.
Now out behind the house, busily hanging up a basketful of clothes, were Mr. and Mrs. Mendham. They spied the Brownies, they came running forward, and when they heard about the Rocking-Horse Pony they crept into the house on tiptoe, followed by the Brownies, to see what the Pony was doing now.
There he was in Mr. Mendham’s work-room, rocking round and round, looking for something with all his might and main. He looked high, he looked low, he even looked in the corners and on the floor. But at last he gave up the search and stood still in the middle of the room, and the Brownies and Mr. and Mrs. Mendham saw that the tears were rolling down his little brown face. He looked as if his heart was broken. What was the matter with the Rocking-Horse Pony?
The mended toys in the work-room were trying to help the little brown Pony.
‘I know Mr. Mendham keeps his eyes in that basket over there,’ said a black-and-white dog with a bright red tongue, ‘but, as you can see, he hasn’t a blue eye left, not one.’
‘He put his last blue eyes in my head,’ said a big white furry kitten, who had a golden bell tied about his neck. ‘For my part I don’t like blue eyes. I prefer green. They shine so well in the dark. If Mr. Mendham will give me green eyes, you may have my blue.’
At this kind offer all the toys began to call out, ‘Mr. Mendham! Mr. Mendham!’
So Mr. Mendham and the Brownies trooped into the room.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you wanted blue eyes?’ asked Sharpeyes as he wiped the tears from his little Pony’s face. ‘Of course you shall have them if Mr. Mendham is willing to make the change.’
‘Certainly, certainly,’ agreed Mr. Mendham, who was a kind-hearted man. ‘Green eyes always look well in a cat, and there is no reason why this Pony shouldn’t have blue eyes, though I will say I never gave them to a Rocking-Horse before.’