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“And they were a sight, all white and covered with flour!” exclaimed the little boy.

But now we must see what happened to the Calico Clown.

At first he was very uncomfortable, stuck down in among the soiled clothes. He feared he would smother; but really he did not need much air, and he soon found he was getting all he needed. The clothes were so soft that they did not crush him, and–he was not near any of Mirabell’s or Arnold’s play clothes–he soon found that they were not badly soiled. So, after getting over his first distaste, he began rather to like the ride in the little express wagon.

“It isn’t as smooth as an automobile,” thought the Calico Clown, “but it is jolly for a change. The only thing that’s worrying me is what is going to happen next; and to know whether or not I shall ever see Sidney again.”

And at this time, which was early in the evening, Sidney was still looking everywhere for his Calico Clown. The little boy told his mother and sister how he and Herbert had left the Clown and the Monkey on a Stick on the porch while they went to get bread and jam.

“And when we came back my Monkey was there,” said Herbert, “but Sid’s Clown was gone.”

“It is very strange where your toy has got to,” said Mother. She helped Sidney and Herbert look, but the Clown seemed gone forever, and Sidney felt sorry.

“Now we can never have that circus,” he said to his brother.

“Oh, maybe he’ll be found some day,” was the answer. But Sidney sadly shook his head.

Trundling the little express wagon with her basket of clothes along the streets, Mandy finally reached her home where she did the washing and ironing. Her children were waiting for her to come to supper. Liza Ann, the oldest girl, had set the table, and Jim, the next oldest boy, was out on the steps watching for his mother, just as Arnold and Mirabell watched for their daddy.

“Is de table all set, honey?” asked Mandy of Liza Ann. “I hopes it is, ’cause I wants to put dese yeah clothes in to soak after I eats.”

“De table is all sot,” explained Liza Ann. “An’ de meat an’ taters is all ready to hotten up.”

“Dass good,” sighed Mandy, for she was rather tired. “I’ll jest leave these yeah clothes till after supper,” she went on, putting the basket down in a corner of the room.

“Dear me! I wonder how much longer I shall have to stay here,” thought the Calico Clown, tucked away under the sheet and in the pile of handkerchiefs. “Aren’t they ever going to let me out? This is worse than being in jail!”

But at last Mandy’s supper was finished, and, with Liza Ann and Jim to help her sort the clothes, she filled a tub with water and began. The big sheet was taken off the top of the basket, and then Liza Ann reached in and took up the bundle of handkerchiefs.

“You wants to be keerful o’ dem, honey,” said her mother. “Dem’s de bestest an’ most special hankowitches o’ Mirabell’s pa, an’ he’s very ‘tickler how dey is washed. Better let me have dem, honey.”

Mandy reached over to take the handkerchiefs from Liza Ann, and at that moment the little colored girl saw something red and yellow among them.

“Oh, what a funny handkowitch!” she called, and the next moment they all saw the Calico Clown. Mandy took him out of the bundle.

“Oh, Mammy! I want him!” cried Jim.

“Nope! He’s mine! I saw him, fustest!” exclaimed Liza Ann, and she reached for the Calico Clown.

“Wait a minute, now, chilluns. Wait a minute!” said Mandy, and she held the toy close to her breast. “Dish yeah don’t belongs to us.”

“But it come in de basket of wash, Mammy!” said Jim. “Why can’t we keep it?”

“‘Cause tain’t belongin’ to us,” answered his mother. “I can jest guess how it come in. Mirabell or Arnold, dey done drop it in dere Daddy’s pocket, an’ he didn’t know nothin’ about its bein’ in. He took it out wif his hankowitches, and put it in mah basket of wash. An’ I brung it home. My! My! It suah is funny how it happened!”