"Ha! That's queer," said Jacko. "I wonder what papa is doing out there, and I wonder why mother isn't up?" Then he looked over in the bed where Jumpo slept, and Jumpo wasn't there.
"Why, where's Jumpo?" thought Jacko, and then he happened to remember that Jumpo had gone on a visit to Buddy Pigg, and had stayed there all night. So that's why he wasn't home. "But still I wonder what papa is doing in the kitchen?" said Jacko to himself. "I guess I'll get up and find out."
Then he smelled the coffee being made, and pretty soon he saw his papa going upstairs with a hot cup of coffee in his hand.
"What is the matter, papa?" asked Jacko.
"Your mother has a headache," answered the monkey gentleman, "so I got up to make her some coffee and get the breakfast. And you may help if you like."
"Oh, I'm so sorry mamma has a headache," spoke Jacko, "but I am glad I can help you get the breakfast." So Jacko and his papa had a pretty good meal; of course, not as nice as when Mrs. Kinkytail got it, but pretty nice, only Mr. Kinkytail put salt on the table instead of sugar, and he put on the molasses pitcher instead of the cream jug. But still they got along pretty well, though coffee with molasses and salt in it isn't very good.
"Now Jacko," said Mr. Kinkytail, as he got ready to go down to the hand organ factory, where he worked, "your mamma will not be able to get up to-day, so I want you to stay home from school and help about the house all you can."
"I will!" exclaimed Jacko, "and I'll even wash the dishes." Then he went up very, very softly to the room were his mamma was lying down with a headache, and he crept in, oh, so gently, so as not to make it ache any worse, and he whispered: "I love you, mamma, and I'm going to wash the dishes."
