So, buried up to his neck in sugar as he was, the Bold Tin Soldier stood in the sweetness like a sentinel on guard. He was doing his duty in the barrel, as he had done it when he cut down the Calico Clown and saved that chap from burning at the gas jet.
“I should like to see the Clown now,” thought the Captain. “It is lonesome here. But if the Calico Clown saw me he would make up some joke or riddle about me, very likely.”
Then all of a sudden there was a loud, banging noise and it became very dark.
“Hello! what’s that?” said the Bold Tin Soldier to himself. “It’s as dark as night in here now, but I never knew evening to come as suddenly as that.”
Truly it was as dark as night in the sugar barrel now, but it was not because night had come. It was because the cook had put the cover on the barrel, for she had finished her baking for the day.
But the Captain thought it was night, and since he was sure no one could see him now he drew his sword from the scabbard, or case, and started to get ready to cut little steps in the sides of the barrel to make a place where he might climb to the top.
While this was going on Arnold and Mirabell were out looking at Dick’s pet kitten. Truly it was a little fluffy one, and so soft that the children loved to pet it. But after a while Arnold thought of his Bold Tin Soldier.
“Oh, I left the Captain on the shelf in the kitchen,” said the little boy. “I must go get him and put him with the others.”
Back to the kitchen he ran.
“What is it now?” asked Susan, who was getting ready to go out, for it was her afternoon off. “Do you want more cookies, Arnold?”