Twenty-One:

Brian, Spot, and Mimbleshaw found Scooter as he was leaving Tuffy and the others. Scooter would not have stayed dry had Brian's parents not surrendered to the circus stooges. He told Brian they should retrieve from Tuffy the keys to the cage that held Brian's parents. Most importantly, they should retrieve Tuffy's crown and magic bag. To help them do this, Scooter agreed to exchange clothes with Brian and give him his clown face.

"Magic bag?" said Brian. "What do you mean magic?"

"Son, magic is what you trust but can't explain," said Scooter. "If we had only to think our way through life, we would never be sure to have seen a sunrise. Then we wouldn't know how to feel safe any more. And we wouldn't be able to stop the thoughtless strangers happy to help us stay that way. That's why I say our lives are built on magic. Otherwise, life is too oppressive. Just don't forget the bag. The bag is how Tuffy never failed to remove Spot from our performances. You'll see."

"Scooter," said Brian. "Why haven't you left before now?"

"Our princess-rescue act was sweet," said Scooter. "And the crowds never seemed to get tired of it. But magic without trust is only privilege. A thing for misers to hoard and keep score with. So when we should have trusted, we instead needed. Old Tuffy and his rage. Me holding out with this nonsense too long. Everyone else had the sense to take off on their own. But the older you get, the more practice you have with your old set of habits. Then the more trust you need to junk it all and start over."

"Au revoir, Monsieur le Teeny-Clown," said Spot. "Remain wise, to make the most benefit of the short little arms and legs. Go now before I can no longer resist the urge to bite the adorable and miniature teeny-clown cheeks."