But the guns were so small and there was such a little bit of the make-believe powder in each one that the noise they made would not have broken an egg, to say nothing of hurting the ears of a Rag Doll.
“Are you going to faint?” asked the Calico Clown of the Doll. He stood with his arms stretched out, ready to catch her in case she did.
“No! No, I don’t believe I shall faint!” she answered. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” she suddenly laughed.
“What is so funny?” asked the Calico Clown. “I didn’t tell a joke or ask a riddle, did I?” For that is what he sometimes did to make the toys in the department store laugh.
“No, you didn’t do anything,” answered the Rag Doll. “It is just that you look so funny, standing there ready to catch me with those brass things on your hands. Ha! Ha!”
“Those are my cymbals,” said the Clown. “I can’t let go of them. They are fastened on. Sometimes I get tired of them, but I cannot get rid of them.”
“I know it, and it was too bad of me to laugh at you,” answered the Rag Doll. “I did not mean to make fun of you, and it was very kind on your part, to be ready to catch me if I fainted. But you did look so funny!”
The Bold Tin Soldiers were doing their best to make some entertainment for the other toys.
“Ready! Aim! Fire!” cried the Captain to his men, again and again.
“Ready! Aim! Fire!” shouted the Sergeant to his men, for he had been given command of half the toy Soldiers for this sham fight.