As for the Clown--well, there he was down in the dirt at the bottom of
the hole!

"I wonder what is the matter with me!" thought the gay red and yellow
fellow as he came to a stop in some soft dirt. "I seem to be very
unlucky!"

"What does Jim mean about a Clown falling in the hole?" asked Arnold
curiously.

"And a Clown being in the basket with the wash?" added Mirabell.

"I think I can tell you," their father answered, suddenly remembering
what he had put in his pocket to bring home from the office. "But
first I will put some boards over the hole the plumber left so no one
else will fall in, or nearly fall in."

"You'll get the Clown up, won't you, Daddy?" asked Mirabell. "Maybe
it's like the one Sidney had."

"Did Sidney have a Calico Clown with one leg red and the other leg
yellow?" asked Daddy.

"Yes, and it did all sorts of funny tricks when you pulled the
strings; and he clapped his cymbals when you punched him in the
chest," said Arnold.

"Well, then this must be Sidney's Clown. But how it came in my pocket
is more than I can guess," said Daddy. "Yes, I'll get the Clown up out
of the hole, and then I'll put some boards over it."