0:00 At night, a quiet room can make a tiny clock’s tick sound like a giant’s footsteps.0:09 Leo knew all about strange noises in the dark.0:14 Just last week, he’d discovered the Gentle Glow under his bed wasn't some spooky thing, but a friendly dust bunny who had found a lost glow-in-the-dark star.0:31 He was feeling quite brave about bedtime these days.0:37 He was snuggled deep under his quilt, a cozy little lion in his den of blankets.0:46 The moonlight painted a silver square on his rug.0:51 His eyes were getting heavy… heavier… almost… closed.0:57 That’s when he heard it.1:00 Tap.1:00 Just one.1:01 So quiet, he thought he’d imagined it.1:05 He held his breath.1:07 Tap… tap.1:08 There it was again.1:10 A tiny, rhythmic sound.1:13 It was coming from the corner of the room.1:18 From the big wooden toy box.1:21 The one with the heavy lid.1:24 Tap-tap… pause… tap-tap-tap.1:27 It sounded… like a secret code.1:30 It wasn't a scary sound, not really.1:34 It was too… polite for a monster.1:38 Monsters are RARELY polite.1:41 This sound was almost… playful.1:44 Leo pulled the quilt up to his nose, his eyes wide in the dim light.1:52 What WAS that?1:53 He waited.1:54 The room was silent again.1:57 So silent, he could hear his own heart going thump-thump-thump.2:04 Maybe it was over.2:06 Maybe he could just go to sleep.2:10 Tap-tap… pause… tap-tap-tap!2:13 Oh, it was definitely not over.2:16 And Leo realized he wasn't scared.2:20 He was… curious.2:22 Very slowly, he pushed back his quilt.2:26 He swung his feet over the side of the bed, his toes curling into the soft rug.2:35 One step.2:36 Two steps.2:37 He was a secret agent on a mission.2:41 His mission?2:42 The Tapping Toy Box.2:44 As he got closer, the tapping stopped.2:48 It heard him.2:50 He knelt down and put his ear against the cool wood of the box.2:57 Silence.2:58 Complete silence.2:59 He thought for a moment.3:02 Then, he had a very brave, very clever idea.3:07 He lifted his finger and tapped a little rhythm on the lid.3:13 Tap… tap.3:14 He waited.3:16 His heart did that thump-thump thing again.3:20 And then… from inside the box… a tiny answer.3:25 Tap… tap.3:26 It was a game!3:28 He grinned.3:29 He wasn't afraid at ALL now.3:32 He gently, carefully, lifted the heavy lid.3:37 It didn’t creak.3:39 He peered inside.3:40 There were all his friends—Barnaby the Bear, his red fire engine, his collection of colorful blocks.3:51 And there, wedged between a blue block and a yellow one, was a little wind-up penguin.4:01 Sir Reginald Waddlesworth.4:04 As Leo watched, the last little bit of energy in its wind-up spring gave a tiny shudder.4:14 The penguin’s plastic foot lifted… and fell.4:18 Tap.4:19 It was Sir Reginald!4:21 Leo remembered playing with him that afternoon.4:26 He must have put him away before he had finished his wobbly little walk.4:34 Leo smiled and reached in, gently picking up the little penguin.4:41 He gave him a tiny hug.4:44 No more tapping.4:46 He carried Sir Reginald over to his nightstand and set him down right next to his lamp, where he could keep an eye on him.4:59 Back in bed, tucked under his quilt, Leo felt warm all over.5:06 The world was full of mysterious noises, he decided.5:11 But sometimes, a scary sound is just a friend trying to say hello.5:19 And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do… is just tap back.
