“You do?” cried Mr. and Mrs. Martin together, while the Curlytops gazed at the rider with eager eyes. As for Trouble, he was gazing at the horse and murmuring:
“You aren’t as big as a nellifunt! I fed a nellifunt peanuts once, I did!”
“Yes, I know where your box is; or at least, I know who took it,” went on the actor. “It was all due to a mistake.”
“Who has it?” asked Mrs. Martin.
“I think you will find it in the car of Mr. Harry Portnay, our head actor, or leading man, as we call it,” replied the cowboy, with a smile.
“What would he be doing with old photograph albums?” asked Mr. Martin. “For those are the books in the box—just old photograph albums, though they contain pictures highly valued by those who own them.”
“Mr. Portnay didn’t want the albums,” said the actor, who gave his name as Ned Weldon. “But his helper, Jim Lewis, took them to him by mistake. Lewis thought your box was Mr. Portnay’s make-up box.”
“Make-up box? Do you mean the box with false mustaches and grease paint and things like that in it?” asked Mrs. Martin.
“Yes,” answered the cowboy. Later Mrs. Martin explained to the Curlytops that actors when they “dress up” as different characters must also change their faces as well as their clothes. They must sometimes put on powder and paint, as well as false hair and beards. And each actor has what is called a “make-up box,” consisting of many things which enable him to make himself up to look like some one else.
“This is how it happened,” went on Mr. Weldon. “Your car was parked next to that of Mr. Portnay. I remember seeing that as I rode about taking part in the picture. He has the same make and model car that you have.