"Lost--no, surely not," said Mrs. Merrill and she started up the stairs to
hunt for the misplaced dolly. "Oh, I remember now, dear," she added when
she was half way up, "Aunt Effie took her clothes off to wash them and I
expect the dolly is some place in her room. Get your biggest kewpie and
come on, I can't wait too long."

Now Kewpie, the biggest kewpie, was the doll with the broad smile who slept
with Mary Jane every night. Other dolls got their hair mussed or their
clothes untidied or something; but Kewpie could always be depended on to be
neat and smiling no matter where he slept or what happened to him--a most
satisfactory doll to take to bed as you can see. Mary Jane ran into her
room to get him but her bed was all neatly made and Kewpie was nowhere to
be seen.

"Kewpie's lost too," called Mary Jane.

"No, he isn't," laughed mother, who by that time was at the bottom of the
stairs, "he must be right there, you had him in bed last night, you know."

Mary Jane ran back and poked her hand under the pillow; looked under the
bed; on the dresser and on the window seat. No Kewpie was to be found.

"You'll find him in a minute," Mrs. Merrill called up the stairs, "and then
you come down and meet me--I'll be looking for you, dear." And then she
hurried on to her waiting duties.

Mary Jane hunted and hunted but she didn't find Kewpie. She did find her
rag doll tucked back in the far corner of the closet and she began playing
with her and forgot all about Kewpie and the new laundress and even about
her own lonesomeness with Aunt Effie away. She had such a good time