"Eh! What's the matter? What is so very funny about my saying I am
sorry?" asked the Man. The girl typewriter and the office boy called
him "the Boss" behind his back, and they liked him very much, for he
was kind and good to them.

"Oh, dear! I MUST laugh!" said Miss Jones.

Miss Jones pointed to something sticking out of his side coat pocket.
The Man put his hand there and pulled out--the Calico Clown!

You should have seen the strange look come over the Man's face. Then
he laughed as hard as Miss Jones, and the office boy in the next room,
hearing them, laughed also.

"Well, how in the world did that Calico Clown come to be in my
pocket?" exclaimed the man. He took the toy out, turned it over and
looked at it from all sides. As he did so he happened to punch the
Clown in the chest, and of course the Clown banged his cymbals
together, as he had been taught to do in the workshop of Santa Claus,
where he had been made.

And as the cymbals tinkled and clanged the typewriter girl laughed
harder than ever. Then the man happened to pull one of the strings,
and the Clown kicked up his legs. The office boy was looking into the
room just then, and, seeing this antic of the jolly red and yellow
chap, the office boy laughed out loud.

"Dear me! I'm glad every one in this office is so good-natured,"
thought the Clown to himself. "And I certainly am glad to get out of