Beckie was not very lonesome. But perhaps if she and Neddie could have seen what was going on back in their cave-house by the hill, they would have run to their papa and mamma as fast as their legs would take them, for Mr. and Mrs. Stubtail were very lonesome for their children. So was Aunt Piffy, the fat bear lady, and also Uncle Wigwag and Mr. Whitewash, the polar bear.
“If my children do not soon come home to me,” said Mrs. Stubtail, wiping her eyes on her apron, “I don’t know what I shall do.”
“I know,” said Mr. Whitewash, “Uncle Wiggily Longears, the rabbit gentleman, and I will start off and find them. If Uncle Wiggily could find his fortune he can find lost children.”
“That is a good idea,” said Papa Stubtail. “If Neddie and Beckie do not soon come back I’ll get Uncle Wiggily after them.”
And, all this while, mind you, Neddie and Beckie were in the circus barn.
Well, after Beckie had given her rubber doll a nice wash in the parrot’s bathtub, the little bear girl heard some one crying. At first she thought it might be some bad animal, pretending to be in trouble, so as to catch something for his supper. Then Beckie remembered that she was safe in the circus barn, where all the animals were her friends.
So she looked around, and there she saw a great big grandfather monkey crying, and holding his face in his paw. He was all hunched up and stooped over as if he hadn’t a friend in the world, and he looked very sorrowful.
“Oh, what is the matter?” asked Beckie, kindly.
“I have a terrible toothache,” said the monkey gentleman.
“Oh, that’s too bad!” exclaimed Beckie. She knew what a toothache was, once having had one herself. “Why don’t you do something for it?” she asked.