“Why, yes, it’s a very good place,” said the Chinese Man. “Of course, Jane is a bit mischievous, but she’ll get over that. Donald isn’t so bad, for a boy. Of course he shouts a lot.”
“All boys do that,” said the Woolly Dog. “You should have heard them on the street where I was in a store. I suppose you were in a store yourself?” he suggested.
“Once upon a time, many years ago,” said the Chinese Man who was a needle case. “It’s so long I have almost forgotten. But I think you’ll like it here if you can keep away from Jane. Once she took off my head and dropped it in the goldfish bowl.”
“She did?” cried the Woolly Dog. “Did they bite you—those goldfish, I mean?”
“They tried to,” laughed the Chinese Man. “But I have a very hard head and they only broke off their teeth, so they stopped.”
“My, that was a wonderful adventure!” barked the Woolly Dog.
“Yes, it was,” agreed the Chinese Man, as he rattled the needles inside him. “Luckily I can hold my breath a long time, so I didn’t take in any water, and Mrs. Cressey saw what had happened and fished me out. After that she put me up on this shelf where Jane couldn’t get me.”
“I wish they’d keep me on a shelf,” sighed the Woolly Dog. “Oh, but I’m all cut up.”
“Never mind, I heard Mrs. Cressey say she was going to sew you up,” said the Chinese Man. “And she is very clever with her needle—very. You should see her sew buttons on Donald’s clothes.”
“Does he need many sewed on?”