Up and down the street went Joe the peddler, trying to sell his notions.
Finally he came to the very house where Madeline lived, and where Rosa
had taken the Candy Rabbit from the veranda the day before.
"Maybe I shall sell something here," thought Joe. He went up the steps
and rang the bell. As it happened, Madeline's mother was in the hall and
she opened the door. Madeline was also in the hall, just getting ready
to go to see some little friends.
"Any pins? Any needles? Any notions to-day?" asked Joe, as he held his
basket out for Madeline's mother to see. And this time, and for the
first time that morning, Joe pulled back the oilcloth cover from the
other side. That was the reason he had not yet seen the Rabbit.
But now, as the oilcloth was rolled back, the sweet chap, lying on his
side among the papers of pins, was shown. Madeline's mother was just
going to say she did not care for any needles or sticking-plaster when
the little girl, looking into the basket, spied the Bunny.
"Oh, look!" cried Madeline! "There he is--my Candy Rabbit! How did he
get in the basket? Oh, Mother, my Candy Rabbit has come home to me!"
Madeline's mother was just as astonished as was the little girl; and
Peddler Joe was surprised also.
"How did my little girl's Candy Rabbit get in your basket?" asked
Madeline's mother.
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