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diff --git a/old/51745-0.txt b/old/51745-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4b6cc68..0000000 --- a/old/51745-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5949 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Brownie Scouts in the Circus, by Mildred A. Wirt - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Brownie Scouts in the Circus - -Author: Mildred A. Wirt - -Release Date: April 12, 2016 [EBook #51745] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BROWNIE SCOUTS IN THE CIRCUS *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: Lazy Tom rubbed himself against the bucket. - - “Brownie Scouts in the Circus” _(See page 21)_] - - - - -The Brownie Scouts in the Circus - - by - Mildred A. Wirt - - Illustrated - - CUPPLES AND LEON COMPANY - Publishers New York - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1949, BY - CUPPLES AND LEON COMPANY - - _All Rights Reserved_ - - THE BROWNIE SCOUTS IN THE CIRCUS - - Printed in the United States of America - - - - -Contents - - - 1 Who Knows? 1 - - 2 A Tightrope Act 15 - - 3 The Brownie Circus 27 - - 4 A Missing Billfold 47 - - 5 Under the Big Top 55 - - 6 A Little Circus Rider 65 - - 7 The Lost Keys 77 - - 8 Shady Hollow Camp 91 - - 9 The Golden Coach 115 - - 10 Rescue 127 - - 11 Feeding the Animals 147 - - 12 Pickpocket Joe 157 - - 13 The Silver Whistle 173 - - 14 Miss Gordon’s Watch 187 - - 15 The Traveling Brownies 199 - - - - -CHAPTER 1 - -Who Knows? - - -Dark hair rumpled by the breeze, Veve McGuire dashed up the curving -walk to the Gordon home. - -Scaling the steps in one flying leap, she landed squarely in the midst -of six Brownie Scouts, who were having their weekly meeting on Connie -Williams’ front porch. - -“Am I late, girls?” Veve asked breathlessly. A school book slipped from -her hand, landing with a thud beside the creaking porch swing. - -“Are you late?” drawled Jane Tuttle, one of the older members of the -Rosedale Brownie Scout troop. “What a question! Aren’t you always late?” - -Now all the Brownies liked Jane, but at times her tongue was as saucy -as the pert red ribbons on her long yellow pigtails. - -“I had to stay after school,” Veve explained, scooping up the book. -“Have I missed much of the meeting?” - -“All of it,” answered Connie Williams. A friendly smile took the edge -from her answer. She had deep blue eyes, curly blond hair, and was -growing so fast that her pinchecked Brownie uniform soon would be too -small for her. - -Connie lived next door to Veve. Nearly always she stood up for her -friend, who was the newest and youngest member of the Brownie troop. - -“Anyway, I haven’t missed the hike,” Veve sighed, sinking down on the -steps. “When do we start?” - -“Miss Gordon is in the kitchen checking over the things we’re to take,” -informed Connie. “Oh, here she comes now.” - -At that moment, Miss Jean Gordon, the Brownie leader, appeared on the -porch. Over her shoulder was slung a knapsack filled with ingredients -for a trail meal. - -“Everybody ready?” she inquired gaily. - -“Let’s go!” shouted Eileen Webber, springing up from the porch swing. - -The seven Brownies and Miss Gordon had planned a late afternoon hike -to Pearson Ravine, a natural park one mile beyond the outskirts of -Rosedale. - -Connie, Veve and Miss Gordon led the way down the street. Directly -behind, in orderly file, came Eileen, Jane, Rosemary Fritche and -Belinda Matthews. Sunny Davidson carried the big tin can in which the -Brownie Scouts planned to cook their outdoor meal. - -“I’m so hungry I scarcely can wait until we eat,” declared Veve, -skipping along beside Miss Gordon. - -“So soon?” laughed the Brownie troop leader. “It will be a long while -before we reach the ravine and start our fire.” - -Tramping briskly down Kingston Drive, the girls soon reached the main -highway. Beyond the south edge of Rosedale, they selected a narrow side -road which took them directly to the park entrance. - -A series of log steps built into the hillside led down to the shady -ravine. Stone fireplaces and picnic benches dotted the wooded area. -On beyond the shelter house, a picturesque log bridge arched across a -lagoon. - -“First, shall we select a fireplace and start supper?” suggested Miss -Gordon. “Later, we’ll explore.” - -The Brownies dashed about, examining each fireplace to find the one -best suited to their purpose. Finally, after much debate, they selected -one in a dell near a spring. - -While Connie and Veve helped Miss Gordon clear dead leaves and -half-burned wood from the fireplace, Jane and Eileen brought dry wood -and sticks. Rosemary, Sunny and Belinda began to peel potatoes for the -stew. - -“Our fire is about right now,” Miss Gordon said when it had burned down -to scarlet coals. - -Into the big tin can went tiny pieces of bacon, a large sliced onion -and a little grease. - -Soon the mixture began to sizzle and send up a tantalizing odor. The -Brownies then added cut potatoes, a can of succotash, salt, pepper, a -tiny can of tomato puree and enough water to cover. - -“Umm--Uhmm,” mumbled Veve, sniffing the delightful aroma. “How ever can -I wait?” - -Miss Gordon told the girls it would take nearly half an hour for the -stew to simmer. “Meanwhile, we might explore the ravine,” she proposed. -“Shall we draw lots to see who watches the fire?” - -Veve and Sunny received the short paper stubs, which meant they were to -remain. - -“I hope it’s safe leaving you two alone,” Jane remarked uneasily. “If -you forget to keep water in the cooking can, our entire supper will -burn up.” - -As she spoke, she looked directly at Veve, who was known to be -forgetful at times. - -“I’m sure Veve and Sunny are very dependable,” said Miss Gordon. “At -any rate, we’ll not be gone long.” - -“No fair sampling while we’re away,” Jane tossed over her shoulder as -the girls started off down the steep slope. - -Following a marked trail, Miss Gordon and the five Brownies proceeded -to the lagoon. The still surface of the pool was covered with lily -pads. From beneath the bridge came the deep-throated croak of a big -bullfrog. - -“Oh, I wish we could catch frogs!” exclaimed Connie, who liked to -collect pets. “I want to take one home in a jar!” - -“May we, Miss Gordon?” asked Belinda. - -“Not this afternoon, I’m afraid,” the troop leader said regretfully. -“Veve and Sunny soon will expect us for supper.” - -On tramped the Brownies along a trail which wound in among the oak and -maple trees. Miss Gordon advised the girls to walk softly so that -whenever they saw an interesting bird or animal they could stop to -watch without frightening them away. - -“I’m perishing of hunger,” presently announced Jane, who was worried -that the two cooks would forget to watch the stew. “When do we eat?” - -“Our supper should be nearly ready by now,” Miss Gordon smiled. “We may -as well turn back.” - -Upon reaching the fireplace again, the minds of the Brownies were -greatly relieved. Faithful to their duties, Veve and Sunny had kept -the fire burning. Furthermore, they had stirred the stew at intervals, -preventing it from sticking to the pan. - -“How delicious that food smells!” cried Belinda. “May we eat now?” - -Miss Gordon tested a potato to determine if it were done through and -through. She smiled and nodded. - -The girls lined up with their paper plates, and the Brownie leader -dished out generous portions. Even so, enough was left in the cooking -pan for second helpings. - -“Hikes are wonderful,” declared Connie dreamily, as she seated herself -at the long wooden bench and table. “Especially the eating part. I -wish we could have an outing every day.” - -“So do I,” agreed Veve. Her freckled face was smudged and flushed -because she had hunched so close to the fire. “Camping would be fun -too!” - -Now at mention of the word “camping” all the Brownies looked directly -at Miss Gordon. Recently, she had hinted that the troop might plan such -an expedition sometime during the summer. School soon would be out, and -so far the Brownie leader had given them no further information. - -Accordingly, the Brownies were quite surprised when Miss Gordon said -casually: “How many of you would like to go camping this month?” - -“_This month?_” Connie repeated, her fork suspended in mid-air. - -All the Brownies stopped eating. Attentively, they listened. - -“Yes, girls. School will be out next week. Except for the possibility -of rain and cool weather, June is a beautiful month for camping.” - -“When do we start?” demanded Veve. “Where will we go and how long may -we stay?” - -“One question at a time,” laughed Miss Gordon. “The trip depends upon -a number of factors. First, let’s have a report from our treasurer.” - -Connie had been elected keeper of the Brownie Troop funds. Without -consulting records she was able to report that the organization had on -hand only $4.35. - -“Now this is the situation,” explained Miss Gordon. “There is an -established Girl Scout camp at Shady Hollow, about sixty miles from -here. However, it is so new that to date, facilities have been provided -for only a few girls, preferably older Scouts rather than Brownies.” - -“Will we go there?” demanded Jane, who could not wait to hear the news. - -“That depends. I’ve written the director. The camp at this time does -not have cabins or tents for us.” - -“O-oh,” moaned the Brownies, sunk in despair. - -“But,” continued Miss Gordon, “if we’re willing to provide our own tent -and equipment, we’re invited to use the camp and its facilities.” - -“Then we’re to go after all!” cried Jane in delight. “Hurrah!” - -“Save your cheers until you hear more,” advised Miss Gordon. “Let’s -consider the problem of supplying our own equipment.” - -“How much will it cost?” asked Connie soberly. - -“At the very best estimate, I figure we’ll need ten dollars apiece to -cover a ten-day camping period.” - -The amount seemed rather large to the Brownies. Seated around the fire, -they waited hopefully. From Miss Gordon’s manner, they were quite -certain she had a plan in mind. - -“We could ask your parents for the money, but I’m not in favor of it,” -said the Brownie leader. “Each girl, I think, should try to earn five -dollars as her individual share. Then the troop as a unit must scrape -together the remaining thirty-five dollars.” - -“Our last bake sale wasn’t very successful,” sighed Rosemary. “We made -less than four dollars.” - -“A bake sale isn’t the answer to our problem,” replied Miss Gordon. -“Time is short and this money must be raised quickly. At the moment I -have no definite plan, but by the next meeting I hope to have something -to present.” - -“I know how I’ll earn my five dollars,” volunteered Connie. “My father -promised to pay ten cents a hundred for all the dandelions I dig. Our -yard is filled with them!” - -“I can make money by wiping dishes,” added Rosemary promptly. - -“I’m good at washing cars,” announced Jane. “My five dollars is the -same as in the till right now.” - -One by one the Brownies told how they would earn their camping -expenses--all, that is, except Veve. She remained silent because she -could not think of any way. - -“Another thing,” spoke up Jane before she stopped to think. “If we’re -going to camp, I think every girl should have a Brownie uniform.” - -Now as all the girls knew, Veve was the only troop member who did not -have one. She had joined the organization at Christmas time while the -girls were on a wonderful outing at Snow Valley in Minnesota. Since -then, nearly six months had elapsed and still she had not purchased her -uniform. - -Veve had pretended she didn’t want to bother wearing one. However, the -truth was, she had been unable to buy the uniform. - -The little girl’s father had been dead several years, and her mother, -who worked part-time in a downtown office, seldom had money for extras. - -Now Miss Gordon had been careful never to speak of the fact that Veve -had no uniform. For that reason, she was sorry Jane thoughtlessly had -brought up the subject. - -“I’m not sure I want to go to camp,” announced Veve. Her cheeks were -stained with color even though she had moved away from the fire. - -“Why, Veve!” exclaimed Jane indignantly. “Only a moment ago you said--” - -“Girls,” interrupted Miss Gordon, “it really is growing late. Let’s -gather up our scraps now and put out the fire. We’ll discuss the -camping trip later on.” - -Connie brought water from the spring to throw on the coals. Eileen -and Rosemary gathered up the paper plates and disposed of them in the -garbage can provided by the park. The blackened cooking can also was -discarded. - -“Our camp now is as tidy as when we came,” said Miss Gordon. “Best of -all, we have very little to carry home.” - -“Except ourselves,” sighed Rosemary, who had eaten entirely too much. - -Hiking back toward Rosedale, Connie fell into step with Veve. She -noticed that her friend seemed very downcast. - -“What’s wrong, Veve?” she asked. - -“Nothing.” - -“You didn’t really mean it when you said you didn’t care about going to -camp?” - -“Oh, I don’t know,” Veve said, a trifle crossly. “I don’t have to -decide now, do I?” - -Actually, the little girl was afraid she never could earn five dollars -as her share of the camp money. Though she had tried hard, she never -had been able to save enough to buy her own Brownie uniform. - -“Hey, Brownies! Do you see what I see?” suddenly demanded Sunny -Davidson. At the head of the troop, she abruptly paused to stare at a -sign-board along the roadside. - -The Brownies saw that a man in white overalls was pasting up a new -advertising sign. Two of the long paper strips already were in place. -His long-handled brush moved very fast, smoothing out the wrinkles. - -“He’s putting up animals!” shouted Sunny in high excitement. “Tigers, -lions and a giraffe!” - -“A circus must be coming to town!” cried Veve, cheering up at once. - -Deeply interested, the Brownie Scouts paused at the roadside to watch -the sheets being slapped skillfully into place. One revealed a pretty -girl in a spangled costume, riding a snow-white horse. - -“Oh, it _is_ a circus!” laughed Connie. - -“And it’s coming here a week from Saturday,” added Eileen as another -sheet spread out before their fascinated eyes. “Oh, I hope I get to go!” - -“I wish we all might see it,” declared Miss Gordon gaily. “You -know--seeing this billboard has given me an idea as to how the Brownies -possibly might make their camp money.” - -“How?” cried the Brownies. - -But Miss Gordon only smiled in a most mysterious way. - -“I can’t tell you now,” she said, “for as yet it’s only an idea. Just -be sure to come to the Brownie meeting next Wednesday. Who knows? I may -have something interesting to report.” - - - - -CHAPTER 2 - -A Tightrope Act - - -Now, as might be expected, not a Brownie Scout was late at the -Wednesday afternoon meeting, for all were eager to plan a means of -earning camp expense money. - -When Miss Gordon arrived at Eileen Webber’s home where the Brownies had -gathered, she brought with her a fat stack of printed tickets. Rosemary -noticed them at once. - -“Oh, are we to sell tickets to a show?” she asked quickly. - -“A circus, not a show,” corrected Miss Gordon. “That is, if the troop -is interested.” - -“Oh, we are,” insisted Connie. “Circus tickets should be easy to sell.” - -Miss Gordon explained that the idea had occurred to her on the day of -the Brownie hike when she had noticed the circus posters. - -“I talked to the circus advance man,” she added, “and the management -has agreed to pay us forty cents for each ticket we sell.” - -“That’s four dollars profit for every ten tickets,” declared Connie, -calculating rapidly. - -“Also, for every eight sold, we are to receive a free one to the -circus.” - -“I say let’s do it!” cried Jane enthusiastically. “I’m sure I can sell -at least ten myself.” - -Miss Gordon passed out the tickets, writing down how many each girl -took. “Just one thing,” she warned the Brownies. “Although we very much -desire to earn money, we must not do so at the expense of dignity.” - -Seeing the puzzled expression on the girls’ faces, she further -explained: “I mean, in selling our circus tickets, we must not accost -strangers. However, we may sell to friends, acquaintances, relatives -and parents.” - -“I know my parents will buy,” declared Eileen. “And my Aunt Sue.” - -“I’ll ask the ladies at my mother’s bridge club,” added Sunny. - -Nearly all of the Brownies were confident they could dispose of their -tickets before the next meeting. Veve alone seemed uncertain. In her -family there were few relatives, and she knew her mother could not take -time from work to attend a circus. - -“Between now and the next meeting try to think of other ways of earning -money,” the troop leader urged. “Our ticket sale may not raise enough.” - -The next few days the Brownies were very busy. They swarmed here, -there, everywhere, selling their tickets. - -By the end of the second day, Connie, Jane, and Rosemary had disposed -of a total of twenty-two and had six “promised.” Eileen sold seven, -Belinda five, Sunny four, and Veve only one. - -“I don’t think I’ll be able to sell any more either,” she told Connie -one afternoon as she sat in the Williams’ yard where her friend was -digging dandelions. “Everyone already has been asked by someone else.” - -“How are you going to earn your camp money, Veve?” - -“Maybe I won’t go.” - -“Oh, Veve! If you want to help me dig dandelions--” - -“I don’t,” said Veve quickly, noticing a blister on Connie’s finger. -“It makes your hand sore. Can’t you think of an easier way to make -money?” - -“I’ve earned two dollars already,” Connie said, tossing another -dandelion into the basket. “I’m not afraid of hard work.” - -“Say, I know a way to make money!” Veve broke in suddenly. - -“Then why not try it?” Connie demanded a trifle crossly. Tired and -discouraged from having dug so many weeds, she felt that her friend at -least might make an effort. - -“Oh, I couldn’t do it alone. But together we could work it out and it -would be fun. Let’s have a circus of our own!” - -“A circus?” Connie echoed, faintly interested. “And charge money?” - -“Of course. We’d make a lot.” - -“Where could we give the circus, Veve?” - -“Here in your back yard! The walk that circles the lily pond would make -a dandy circus ring. We’ll ask the other Brownies to be in our show -too!” - -“We might give it tomorrow,” Connie said doubtfully. “It will mean a -lot of planning though, and hard work.” - -“Lets get busy right away and practice,” Veve proposed, jumping up -from the grass. “What can you do, Connie?” - -“Well, I learned a tap dance at class--” - -“Oh, they don’t dance in a circus,” Veve replied in a superior tone. -“One has to be a bareback rider, a trapeze performer or something -important. I’ll be a lion tamer.” - -“But you have no lion,” said Connie, rather amused. - -“Not a real one,” agreed Veve. “But I know where I can get a play lion.” - -“Where, Veve?” - -“At Mrs. Moseley’s house. I’ll ask to borrow her Maltese cat.” - -“Oh, you mean old Lazy Tom,” laughed Connie. “He’s so old and feeble -he’ll not seem much like a real lion.” - -“That won’t matter,” insisted Veve, pulling her to her feet. “I’ve seen -old lions at circuses. Come on, Connie. Let’s ask to borrow him.” - -The two Brownies hurried down the street to Mrs. Moseley’s house. The -elderly lady lived alone. Of all the neighborhood children, Connie and -Veve were her favorites. - -“Good afternoon, girls,” she said with a smile when Veve rang the -doorbell. “I am afraid my cookie jar is empty today.” - -The girls explained that they had not come for cookies. - -“We want to borrow Lazy Tom,” Veve explained. “We need a lion for our -Brownie circus.” - -“A lion!” repeated Mrs. Moseley, surprised by such a strange request. - -Connie and Veve explained their plan for giving a play circus as a -means of raising camp expense money. - -“Oh, I see,” replied Mrs. Moseley. “Well, perhaps a little wild animal -life will do Tom good. Take him along.” - -The girls thanked the lady and Veve promptly gathered up the big cat -in her arms. Lazy Tom disliked being disturbed because he had been -enjoying a snooze on the window sill in the warm sun. - -When the girls reached the Williams’ yard again, they dropped the cat -on the grass. Veve then ran to the garage for a large wooden bucket -which Mr. Williams used when he washed the car. Turned upside down it -made a fine pedestal. - -“Now get up there, old lion!” she ordered the dozing cat. “Up, I tell -you!” - -Lazy Tom paid no attention. He merely said “Meow!” in a very bored -voice. - -“Don’t you roar at me!” cried Veve. “I’m your trainer. Now do exactly -as I say. Climb up there!” - -Lazy Tom rubbed himself against the bucket, his long fluffy tail waving -back and forth. - -“Why not pick him up and set him on the pail?” suggested Connie. She -thought Veve was wasting valuable time. - -“Trainers never do that,” replied the little girl. “An old lion would -just bite off your hand.” - -“But Lazy Tom is no lion,” giggled Connie. - -Before Veve could tell her not to, she picked up the cat and placed him -on the bucket. Lazy Tom was so comfortable he curled into a round ball -and closed his eyes as if he were asleep. - -“Oh, say, he’s no good,” cried Veve in disgust. “He’s too tame. Tell -you what, Connie. You be the lion.” - -Connie was quite certain she did not care to be a lion. However, her -friend coaxed so hard that finally she consented. - -“Get down on your hands and knees,” ordered Veve. “When I say, ‘Up King -of Beasts,’ you’re to put your front paws--I mean your hands--on the -bucket. Then move your head from side to side and roar.” - -“But I can’t do that, Veve. Lazy Tom is asleep on the bucket.” - -“I’ll chase him off.” - -“Then he might run away,” protested Connie. “You know we promised Mrs. -Moseley to take good care of him.” - -“Well, I can’t be bothered taking him home now,” said Veve. “I know -where I can keep him safe.” - -Gathering up the drowsy cat, she carried him into her own house. -Carefully she laid him on the tufted spread of her bed. - -“There Tom,” she said, stroking his fur, “isn’t that better than -sleeping on a hard bucket?” - -Eager to get on with the circus practice, Veve ran back to the -Williams’ yard where Connie awaited her. - -“Up King of Beasts!” she shouted. “Up on the pedestal!” - -When she touched Connie with a stick, the little girl placed first one -hand and then the other on the bucket. - -“You’re forgetting to roar, Connie,” Veve reminded her. “Go ahead! You -can do it.” - -The sound Connie made was most unlike a roar. She tried again. This -time it was loud enough to bring Mrs. Williams to the kitchen door. - -“Connie, are you hurt?” she called, fearful that something serious had -happened to her daughter. - -Connie explained that she and Veve were only “practicing” circus, -pretending to be lion and lion tamer. - -“Well, you gave me a bad fright,” said Mrs. Williams. “I do wish you -would find a quiet game. Those wild roars are certain to disturb the -neighbors.” - -“I don’t like being a lion anyway,” Connie declared, as she carried the -wooden bucket back to the garage. - -Veve was sorry that she couldn’t keep on being an animal trainer. But -almost at once she thought of another act even more exciting than -taming lions. She would try walking a tightrope! - -Gathering up a stout clothes-line, Veve strung it tightly between two -trees on either side of the lily pond. - -“I’ll pretend the pond is Niagara Falls and walk the tightrope across -it,” she announced confidently. - -“You may fall in and get wet, Veve.” - -“Not I,” boasted the little girl. “Why, I’ve walked rail fences dozens -of times.” - -“A clothes-line isn’t as easy as a fence.” - -“Oh, I can do it easily. Only I should have an umbrella to balance -myself properly. Tightrope walkers always carry one.” - -“I’ll bring one from the house,” Connie offered. - -She returned a moment later with a red and green umbrella her father -had given her at Christmas time. - -“I’ll need something to stand on,” Veve said next. - -Running to the garage, she found an orange crate which she placed -against a tree trunk under one end of the clothes-line. - -“Now I’m ready to start my daring act,” she announced. “Hold my hand -until I get balanced, Connie.” - -Veve climbed up on the box. She stood a moment with one foot on the -rope, the other on the orange crate. Holding the umbrella in her right -hand, she swayed back and forth. - -“Why are you doing that?” asked Connie, puzzled. - -“I have to balance myself. Now if you want to see a real tightrope -walker, just watch!” - -Veve’s round, freckled face became very serious. Swinging her foot from -the box to the rope, she started forward. The clothes-line sagged -beneath her weight. - -“Be careful!” cried Connie. - -Her words ended in a loud shriek, for the little girl had lost her -balance. Wildly, the red and green umbrella waved in the air. Then with -a great splash, Veve pitched sideways into the lily pond. - - - - -CHAPTER 3 - -The Brownie Circus - - -The lily pond was quite shallow. Connie knew Veve would not drown. -However, she was annoyed that her friend had fallen into the water, -taking the red and green umbrella with her. - -“Oh, Veve!” she exclaimed. “You were so sure you could walk across.” - -Veve did not hear because she was trying to untangle herself from the -mass of roots and plants. Standing up, she tore off a big green lily -pad which had plastered itself across her face. - -“Just look at yourself,” chided Connie. “You’re dripping wet. And my -pretty umbrella!” - -“Oh, it will dry out,” mumbled Veve. She waded to the side of the pool. - -“Veve!” called a voice from across the yard. “Veve McGuire!” - -The girls turned to see Mrs. McGuire coming toward them. She had -returned from work and her face was quite stern. - -“Veve, come into the house!” she exclaimed. “You’ve fallen into the -lily pond and ruined your clothes.” - -“I couldn’t help it, Mother,” mumbled Veve, wringing water from her -limp skirt. “The rope broke. And I hurt myself too. On a rock.” - -Mrs. McGuire glanced carefully at the bruised place on Veve’s knee. She -saw that the skin had not been broken. - -“What were you trying to do this time, Veve?” she asked with a sigh. - -“We were practicing for our Brownie circus,” explained Veve. “We’re -having it tomorrow.” - -“There will be no circus tomorrow or any other day unless you mend your -careless ways,” replied the little girl’s mother. “Now, into the house -and change your clothes.” - -“What about Lazy Tom?” asked Veve. “Who will take him home?” - -“Lazy Tom?” - -“Our lion,” explained Veve. “That is, I mean Mrs. Moseley’s cat. He’s -upstairs resting on my bed.” - -“Oh dear,” sighed Mrs. McGuire. “Veve, what won’t you think of next?” - -Now Mrs. McGuire loved her daughter very much, but Veve caused her -considerable worry. - -On one occasion the little girl had hooked her sled to an automobile -bumper and was carried far out into the country. The story of this -adventure and of the good time the Brownies had in Minnesota, is told -in the volume: “The Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley.” - -Since joining the Brownies, Veve was a fairly responsible little girl, -for she took very seriously the Brownie rule of being courteous, kind, -helpful and fair. - -Nevertheless, at times her high spirits carried her away and then she -was likely to find herself in difficulties. - -“I’ll be glad to take Lazy Tom home,” Connie offered. - -Getting the cat from Veve’s room, she carried him to Mrs. Moseley’s -house and then returned home for her own supper. - -“You’re rather late, Connie,” her mother chided her. “Too busy a day?” - -“Planning a circus is such hard work,” Connie replied. “But it’s a lot -of fun and we may make money for the Brownies. Only we’ll have to get -busy right away!” - -At school the next day she told the other Brownies about plans for -the circus. All the girls were eager to help. In fact, they became so -interested in making plans that it was difficult to keep their minds on -their school work. - -Eileen, who was clever with a pen, made posters to tack up in the -classroom. Then each girl listed the things she could do or the animals -she would furnish for the menagerie. - -“I know what we can use for a bear!” cried Sunny. “My mother has a big -bearskin rug I can wear!” - -“Barney Adams has a pet goat and a cart,” contributed Jane. “I think -maybe I can borrow it if I work him right.” - -“I have some pet snails, a toad and a beautiful garter snake,” Eileen -added. “I’ll bring them. Then we can make paper collars for our dogs -and cats.” - -“And decorate the wheels of our bicycles for the grand parade,” said -Belinda. “Oh, I hope we make loads of money.” - -Because Veve had thought up the idea of having the circus, everyone -agreed it was proper that she should be the master of ceremonies. - -“I have a clown suit she can wear,” offered Rosemary. “By the way, -where is Veve?” - -Although the little girl had attended school that day, she had seemed -unusually quiet. Now that the Brownies thought about it, she hadn’t -talked very much about the circus plans. And the moment that classes -were dismissed for the day, she had disappeared. - -“Veve probably went home to get ready for the circus,” Connie said. “We -all must hurry.” - -“I’ll have to see Barney Adams about his goat,” Jane declared. “Why -don’t you come with me, Connie?” - -“Oh, all right,” the other agreed. “But we haven’t much time.” - -The girls found Barney at his home. But when they told him about the -Brownie circus and their need for a goat and cart, a speculative look -came into his eye. - -“What’ll you give me?” he bargained. - -“Why, Barney Adams!” Jane said indignantly. “This is supposed to be a -charity circus.” - -“Not for me, it isn’t,” insisted Barney. “My goat takes a lot of care, -and I can’t let you have him without something in swap. Anyway, you -might damage him.” - -“Whoever heard of damaging an old goat?” Connie demanded. “Why, he eats -old tin cans!” - -“He does not!” Barney denied. - -“And he’s frightfully dirty,” said Jane. “Maybe we don’t want such a -dirty animal in our circus.” - -She acted as if she were about to walk away. - -“Wait!” Barney called her back. “I’ll let you have the goat if you’ll -give me your jacks set.” - -“Not my new one!” Jane said indignantly. “Your old goat isn’t worth it.” - -“How would you like a free ticket to the circus instead?” coaxed -Connie. “Your goat will have one of the leading parts.” - -Barney thought this proposition over. “Oh, all right,” he suddenly -said. “But take good care of him.” - -The boy hitched the goat to the little cart and the girls led him off -down the street. - -By the time they reached the Williams’ back yard, many of the other -Brownies were there, hard at work preparing for the circus. They had -brought their bicycles, pets, and a great many odds and ends. - -Before five o’clock, the hour set for the show, everyone was on hand -except Veve McGuire. - -“What’s keeping her?” Jane demanded impatiently. “She thought up the -circus, and since she’s to be master of ceremonies she should be here -right now.” - -Connie was worried about Veve’s absence, for she knew her next-door -playmate would not miss the circus deliberately. - -Just as Jane spoke, she chanced to glance up toward Veve’s bedroom -window. She was startled to see her friend there, dressed in pajamas. - -“Why, Veve isn’t even dressed!” she exclaimed. - -Seeing Connie gazing up at her, Veve raised the sash and leaned far -out. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. - -“Why, Veve,” Connie said, moving directly under the window. “Can’t you -be in the Brownie circus?” - -Veve shook her head. She told Connie she had to stay in her room until -six o’clock as punishment for falling into the lily pond. - -“Oh, Veve! The circus will be ruined without you! We need everyone.” - -“I want to be in it too.” - -“Can’t you ask your mother--” - -“I have already,” Veve said gloomily. “About a dozen times. It’s no -use.” - -So that the girls would not see her cry, she pulled down the window and -moved back out of sight. - -“Well, there goes our Brownie circus,” Belinda said when Connie relayed -the bad news to the waiting Brownies. “We can’t have it without Veve.” - -“Perhaps if we all went to Mrs. McGuire and explained how important it -is to have the Brownie circus, she’ll excuse Veve,” Connie suggested -hopefully. - -“Let’s do it,” urged Belinda. “We can’t give up the circus after we’ve -told everyone we’re having it.” - -The other girls liked the proposal, so together they went to the -McGuire home. - -Mrs. McGuire, who had arrived from her office only a few minutes -earlier, opened the door. Even before Connie explained why they were -there, she seemed to understand. - -“I do believe Veve has been punished enough for her misdeed,” she said. -“And I certainly wouldn’t want to see the Brownie circus postponed.” - -“Then you’ll let Veve out of the house?” Sunny asked quickly. - -“I’ll call her now,” promised Mrs. McGuire. - -Veve had been listening to the conversation from the head of the -stairs. In a flash she was dressed and downstairs. Another five minutes -and she had scrambled into the clown suit and was ready to direct the -circus. - -“Everyone get ready for the big parade!” she shouted. “The spectators -are arriving.” - -Several boys and girls from Rosedale School already had gathered on -the back fence with their nickel admission price ready. Within a few -minutes, other children began to arrive, and a few of the parents. - -Connie collected the admission fees. Then at last the circus was ready -to start. - -“Ladies and gentlemen,” Veve called in a loud voice. She swept off -the pointed clown cap and made a low bow. “Your attention please! We -present--the great Brownie Scout circus!” - -Having made the announcement, she darted back to take her place at the -head of the parade. - -Three times the procession went around the lily pool ring. Behind Veve -came Connie riding in the goat cart. After her were the other Brownies -who rode their bicycles or pulled coaster wagons bearing pets. All the -spectators cheered and clapped. - -After the parade, Veve announced that the first act would be a -headstand “by one of the limber-est acrobats in the whole world--Miss -Sunny Davidson.” - -That young showlady, dressed in her gym suit, promptly stepped into the -center of the ring. Her first attempt at a headstand was a failure. -Legs waved uncertainly in the air a moment. Then she lost her balance -and fell flat on the ground. - -“Ladies and gentlemen,” called Veve. “Miss Davidson was only -practicing! You now will have the pleasure of seeing this great acrobat -do a _regular_ headstand.” - -The next time, Sunny kept her balance much better. When she jumped to -her feet and made a sweeping bow, the audience clapped and everyone was -sure the circus would be a great success. - -“The next act, ladies and gentlemen,” announced Veve, “will be an -exhibition by the great-est horseback rider in the world--Miss Connie -Williams.” - -Veve should have said “the greatest goat rider in the world,” because -Connie had no horse. She had unhitched the goat from the cart and was -trying to climb astride. - -However, her mount was not used to such treatment and refused to budge. - -“Switch him a little, Veve,” she urged. - -Veve did as she was told, but laid the stick on a trifle too hard. The -goat bolted across the vacant lot so fast that Connie was thrown to the -ground. Luckily, she fell in the soft grass and was unhurt. - -The circus continued, but at a slower pace. After awhile, Mrs. Williams -and the other parents began to drift away, so that only children were -left as spectators. - -Scarcely had the grownups departed than a group of older boys came -down the street. Seeing that a circus was in progress, they perched -themselves on the back fence to watch. - -“You have to pay five cents to get in,” Connie informed them politely. - -“What do you mean, ‘get in’?” demanded one of the boys. “We’re already -in.” - -“No,” denied Connie firmly. “You have to pay. We’re trying to raise -money for a Brownie camping trip.” - -“We’ll not go on with the circus unless you pay five cents,” said Veve, -walking over to the fence. - -“Listen to the little girl prattle!” jeered the boy. “She calls _this_ -a circus! Just look at those mangy cats in boxes!” - -“You’re trying to break up our circus!” Veve accused angrily. “Go away -or we’ll call a policeman!” - -“She’ll call a policeman,” mimicked one of the boys. “There isn’t one -within ten blocks.” - -“Oh, yes, there is,” cried Connie suddenly. “And he’s coming straight -here now!” - -At that moment she had caught sight of Captain James Bartley, who was -walking toward the Williams’ yard. Now the older boys did not know that -Connie had invited the police officer to see the circus. Instead, they -thought he might be after them. - -“Jiggers! Let’s get out of here!” called the leader of the boys, -sliding down from the fence. - -With his companions, he ran away as fast as his legs would carry him. - -“Well, well,” said the policeman as he entered the yard. “Am I too late -to see the Brownie circus?” - -“You’re just in time to save it,” laughed Connie. “Those boys tried to -break up our show.” - -“When they saw you coming they ran away,” added Veve. - -The policeman turned to look down the street. By this time the boys -were too far away for him to overtake them easily. - -“I know the gang,” he said. “They’re always into mischief. The next -time I see them, I’ll deliver a good lecture.” - -Eileen asked Captain Bartley if he would like to see the circus. - -“Yes, that’s why I came,” replied the policeman. “I can’t stay long, so -on with the show!” - -The Brownies were thrilled to have a uniformed policeman in the -audience. So that he would not miss anything, they went through the -parade again and Sunny repeated her headstand. - -“Now I’ll do my animal act,” offered Veve. - -The policeman said he could not stay to see any more of the circus. -He was very sorry because it was such a fine show. As he was ready to -leave, he reached into his pocket for a coin. - -“Oh, you paid your nickel once,” said Connie quickly. - -“This circus is worth many times the admission price,” declared the -policeman. He dropped fifty cents into Connie’s hand. - -The Brownies felt very proud because Captain Bartley had liked their -circus so well. Jane, who still had a few tickets to sell to the real -circus, asked him if he would care to buy any. - -“Why, yes, my wife and I had planned to go next Saturday,” Captain -Bartley replied, taking out his billfold. “The boys at the station -should buy a few too. Tell you what! Give me six.” - -Jane did not have that many tickets left but she borrowed from Rosemary. - -After Captain Bartley had gone, the Brownies counted the money they had -taken in at the play circus, and the number of tickets sold for the -real one. - -“One dollar and fifteen cents for our show!” announced Connie. “And -we’ve sold forty-two tickets to the real circus. That’s sixteen dollars -and eighty cents profit.” - -“Plus five free tickets,” added Eileen in satisfaction. “Won’t Miss -Gordon be surprised?” - -At school the next day, when the Brownies reported the success of their -circus to the teacher, they learned that she also had a surprise for -them. - -“I sold a few tickets myself,” she revealed. “Twenty-five.” - -“A few?” laughed Connie. “Why, that earns the troop another ten -dollars!” - -“And it gives us three more free circus tickets,” cried Belinda. -“We’ll all be able to see the show now.” - -The Brownies agreed that because their play circus had been a joint -effort, the proceeds should go into the general treasury. Veve, who had -thought up the idea for the show, did not mind. However, it meant that -she must think up another way to earn her individual camp fee. - -Miss Gordon told the Brownies she not only would take them to the -circus, but also to see the unloading at the railroad station. - -“It will mean getting up at six o’clock,” she warned the girls. “Think -you can make it?” - -All the Brownies assured her they could. According to plan, they were -to ride to the station in the Williams’ sedan and Miss Gordon’s coupe. -Everyone was to meet at Connie’s house at six o’clock Saturday morning. - -Veve spent Friday night with Connie. When the alarm clock rang a few -minutes after five o’clock, the girls were so sleepy they scarcely -could drag themselves from beneath the covers. - -By the time they were dressed and downstairs, Mrs. Williams had hot -cereal, toast and chocolate waiting for them. - -“Now do eat your breakfasts,” she urged as Connie took a few bites and -stopped. “You have a long, tiring day ahead of you.” - -“I’m not a bit hungry,” said Connie, but she finished all the cereal. - -By six o’clock Miss Gordon and all the Brownies had arrived at the -Williams’ home. - -Veve and Connie shivered a little as they squeezed in beside Mrs. -Williams in the front seat of the sedan. - -“It will be warmer now that the sun is coming up,” said Mrs. Williams. - -Few automobiles were on the street at such an early hour. But the -Brownies saw many cars as they approached the railroad station. Mrs. -Williams and Miss Gordon parked as close as they could to the tracks. - -“The circus train is in already!” cried Veve, catching sight of the -brightly painted cars. “Oh, hurry or we’ll miss everything!” - -The Brownies kept close to Miss Gordon and Mrs. Williams as they walked -through the crowd. They knew they easily could become separated in such -a large throng. - -Circus men were unloading great tent poles, canvas, cook-house -equipment, work horses and wagons. Heavy objects were being moved by -the elephants. The Brownies found it all very exciting to watch. - -Veve and Connie were especially interested in seeing the animals moved. -Some of the cages were covered with canvas so they could not see what -they contained. But they glimpsed camels, a zebra, bears, lions, a -baboon and a queer looking animal which even Miss Gordon could not name. - -“Oh, see!” cried Connie as another cage was removed from one of the -stock cars. “A tiger!” - -“He’s mad too!” laughed Jane, clutching her Brownie cap to prevent the -wind from blowing it away. “Watch him stalk up and down and snarl.” - -The seven Brownies never before had seen such a large, handsome cat. -But his eyes were very wicked looking. They watched the workmen carry -the cage to a waiting truck. - -“See that little girl, Veve!” exclaimed Connie a moment later. - -She pointed toward one of the sleeper cars. A girl not more than ten -years of age, dressed in silk trousers and a blue velvet jacket, swung -down from the steps. - -“I wonder what she does?” speculated Veve. “Perhaps she’s a trapeze -performer.” - -The little girl had been walking toward the Brownies and chanced to -hear the remark. Pausing, she turned and looked squarely at Veve. - -“I am not a trapeze performer,” she said coldly. “I have my own riding -act!” - -“Do you ride bareback?” Veve asked breathlessly as the girl started -away. - -The circus girl gazed at her as if she considered the question rather -stupid. - -“Of course,” she replied. “I somersault from one horse to another. My -name is on the bill.” - -“Then you must be Eva Leitsall!” exclaimed Connie, who remembered -seeing the name on one of the circus posters. “Is it fun to travel with -a circus?” - -The little girl did not answer, for just then a shout went up from -the crowd. Eva whirled around to glance toward a truck where the wild -animals had been loaded. The Brownies could see men, women and children -scattering in all directions. - -“What has happened?” gasped Mrs. Williams. She and Miss Gordon quickly -drew the Brownies close together. - -“The tiger is out of his cage!” exclaimed Eva Leitsall. “One of the -attendants must have left it unfastened.” - -And then the circus girl did a rather brave thing. Holding up both -arms, she faced the terrified crowd. - -“Be quiet, everyone!” she ordered. “The tiger will not attack unless -you excite him! The animal men will get him back in his cage!” - - - - -CHAPTER 4 - -A Missing Billfold - - -Beholding the courage of the little circus girl, the crowd became quiet -and no longer pushed. - -Quickly, circus workmen and animal trainers formed a circle about the -tiger. One of the men, whose name was Jim Carsdale, approached closer -than the others. - -He crept cautiously toward the big cat, talking to him as if to a pet. - -“Careful, Jim,” warned a companion. “Better shoot him.” - -The animal trainer shook his head. He kept moving closer and closer. - -A strong cage had been opened up by the circus men. At a command from -Jim Carsdale, the tiger leaped in and the door was bolted. - -“Dear me, I feel weak all over,” murmured Mrs. Williams as the men -lifted the cage onto a truck. “That animal trainer was marvelous!” - -“One of the best in the circus,” said Eva Leitsall proudly. “Jim -Carsdale.” - -“You were very brave yourself,” declared Miss Gordon. - -Eva shrugged off the praise. “Oh, I didn’t do anything,” she said. “I -just knew that if folks started screaming, the tiger might attack.” - -The little circus girl nodded goodbye and sauntered off down the -platform. After talking for a moment with Jim Carsdale, she swung -aboard the sleeper car again. - -“Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to travel with a circus,” sighed Veve. “One -would feel so important!” - -“And imagine having your own riding act!” said Rosemary enviously. “I’d -love that.” - -“I imagine circus life has its disadvantages,” commented Miss Gordon. -“As a steady diet, one might grow very tired of it.” - -The Brownies watched the unloading of the cars for a half hour longer. -Then Connie’s mother looked at her watch. - -“We really should be starting home,” she said. “The afternoon -performance begins at one-thirty.” - -The Brownies did not mind leaving, for they knew the show that -afternoon would be even more interesting to watch than the unloading. - -“Miss Gordon, when will we collect our ticket money?” Connie inquired -as the girls walked along the tracks toward the parked cars. - -“At the circus this afternoon,” replied the Brownie leader. “And that -reminds me, we should leave rather early. Shall we meet at my house at -twelve-thirty?” - -A strong wind had been blowing. Connie held tightly to her beanie to -keep it from flying from her head, even so it whipped out of her hand -and was carried under the wheels of the circus car. - -“Oh, my cap!” Connie exclaimed. She was afraid it might be blown to the -far side of the train. Then she might never recover it. - -Not far away stood Jim Carsdale, the animal trainer. Quickly, he -reached under the train to rescue the beanie before it could roll any -farther. - -“Here you are, little lady,” he said, offering it to her. - -“Oh, thank you, Mr. Carsdale,” replied Connie, speaking his name as if -she knew him. “I saw you make the tiger go into his cage.” - -The animal trainer couldn’t keep from showing surprise because the -little girl knew his name. Mrs. Williams explained how Connie had -learned it. - -“Eva Leitsall is a smart youngster,” declared the animal trainer -warmly. “She helped to keep the crowd quiet. Tigers are nervous -creatures, easily thrown off balance, Ma’am. We might have had a bad -time of it if folks had lost their heads.” - -The Brownies hoped Mr. Carsdale would tell them more about tigers. -Instead, he bowed to Mrs. Williams and walked on. - -“I hope we see _him_ again,” declared Connie, as the Brownies returned -to the parked automobiles. “Circus folks are nice, aren’t they?” - -“No doubt they’re very much like other people when one becomes -acquainted with them,” replied Mrs. Williams. - -“I wish I could be in the circus,” announced Veve enviously. “I’d be an -animal woman. Only I’d train lions instead of tigers.” - -At home once more, Veve and Connie did not have long to wait for the -afternoon circus performance. - -They played awhile together, had an early lunch, and then it was time -to join the other Brownies at Miss Gordon’s home. - -Catching a bus downtown, the girls walked directly to the circus -grounds. Even from a distance they could hear music and it caused them -to quicken their pace. Although it was early, a large crowd already -milled about the entranceway. - -“Oh, let’s go right into the big tent,” urged Sunny, skipping along -beside Miss Gordon. - -“First of all, I must collect the money for tickets we sold,” replied -the troop leader. “Wait here, girls.” - -Leaving the Brownies in a little group, she walked over to the ticket -window. From there she was directed to a man who seemed to be managing -the circus. Nearly twenty minutes elapsed before Miss Gordon finally -returned. - -“Did you get the money?” Jane asked anxiously. - -“Yes, at last,” sighed Miss Gordon, tapping her billfold. “It’s all -here, and our free tickets as well.” - -“Then we’ll get to go to camp,” Connie declared happily. “Now let’s see -the sideshows!” - -A man stood on a narrow, high platform in front of a striped green and -white tent. - -“Right this way, lay-dees and gentlemen!” he shouted. “Only a dime, -ten cents, to see Bo Bo, the Wild Man. He has hair like a lion and -hands like a gorilla. His teeth are those of that fierce animal of the -frozen north, the polar bear!” - -“Are we going in?” asked Rosemary. She was a trifle uneasy. Bo Bo, she -thought, must be a rather horrible person. - -“I believe not,” said Miss Gordon. “Let’s move on.” - -In the next tent was housed Madam Simla, the snake charmer. She was a -tall, thin woman with long black braids which hung down over her bright -scarlet robe. - -“Only ten cents to see the little lady make the python purr,” called -the barker. “Walk right in folks. The show begins in five minutes.” - -Miss Gordon did not take the Brownies into Madam Simla’s tent. She -considered snakes rather unpleasant for the girls to see. Instead, they -walked on to the tent of the thin man and the fat lady. The queer pair -were seated on a platform out in front. - -“My, isn’t she large!” exclaimed Veve when she saw the fat woman. “Does -she eat too much?” - -“I think not,” smiled Miss Gordon. “Probably her glands fail to -function properly.” - -“And see the thin man!” squealed Eileen, her gaze upon the walking -skeleton. “He looks starved!” - -“Maybe he worries too much,” giggled Belinda. - -Miss Gordon and the Brownies moved closer to hear the fat lady make a -little speech. - -Other people pressed in about them from all sides. One man shoved -against Miss Gordon, who had to move away. - -“Sorry,” the man muttered, slipping off into the crowd. - -“May we see just one sideshow?” Jane pleaded. - -“Step right up, folks,” called the barker noticing how eager the -Brownies were to buy tickets. “The show is just starting. Ten cents, -one dime, step up, folks.” - -“This will be my personal treat,” declared Miss Gordon. “A reward for -earning so much money for our camping trip.” - -The troop leader walked over to the booth where a woman sold sideshow -tickets. - -“I’ll take eight,” she said. - -Then she reached into the inside pocket of her suit, and a queer -expression came over her face. - -“Why, Miss Gordon, what is wrong?” asked Belinda. - -The Brownie troop leader did not answer until she had searched through -all her pockets. - -“My leather billfold is gone!” she exclaimed. “Either I’ve lost it, or -the money was taken by a pickpocket!” - - - - -CHAPTER 5 - -Under the Big Top - - -For just a minute the Brownies failed to realize how serious it was for -Miss Gordon to lose her billfold. - -“Step aside, please,” requested the ticket seller to the Brownie -leader. “You are holding up the line.” - -“I’ve lost my billfold,” murmured Miss Gordon. “I’m afraid I’ve been -robbed.” - -“Well, go tell a policeman,” said the ticket seller, not very much -concerned. “I can do nothing for you.” - -Miss Gordon stepped out of line so that other persons could buy their -tickets. - -“Oh, what will we do now?” asked Connie anxiously. “Won’t we get to see -the circus? And is our camping money gone too?” - -Miss Gordon did not reply. Instead, she kept searching through her -pockets, hoping to find the missing billfold. But it was not there. - -“I distinctly recall placing the billfold in my inside suit pocket,” -she said. “I don’t see how it could have fallen out.” - -Hoping to find the lost money, the Brownies searched the sawdust near -the sideshow tents and even walked back to the circus entranceway. - -“It’s gone,” Miss Gordon acknowledged. “Probably taken by a pickpocket. -Now that I think of it, a stranger brushed against me only a moment or -two ago.” - -“While we were standing near the fat lady’s tent!” recalled Veve. “When -you looked at him, he said ‘sorry’ and hurried away.” - -Miss Gordon turned to gaze quickly through the crowd. The stranger no -longer was to be seen. - -“I remember him too,” declared Jane. “He had a mole on his cheek.” - -“And he wore a brown suit,” added Connie. - -“I don’t suppose we’ll ever see him again,” sighed Miss Gordon. “It -makes me fairly ill.” - -“Is all our camping money gone?” Eileen asked plaintively. - -“Every penny. Besides, the billfold contained five dollars of my own -and our circus tickets.” - -As the full significance of the bad news dawned upon the Brownies, -they were stunned. For a moment, they could say nothing. - -“Let’s tell a policeman,” Veve proposed at last. “He’ll catch that old -pickpocket.” - -“I fear we’ll never see the billfold again,” responded Miss Gordon. “Or -the pickpocket.” - -“Now we’ll miss the circus and not get to go to camp,” Jane said, -fighting to keep back the tears. “After all the work we did!” - -“I’ll make up the camp money,” Miss Gordon offered quietly. - -“Oh, that wouldn’t be fair,” Connie protested. - -The Brownie leader insisted that she alone had been to blame for the -loss. “If I had any money with me, I’d buy circus tickets,” she added. -“As it is, I don’t see how we can attend the afternoon show.” - -All the Brownies except Veve had brought a little spending money, but -not enough to pay for a circus ticket. - -At the entrance to the big circus tent a barker now began to call in a -loud voice: - -“Right this way, folks! The show starts in five minutes!” - -Inside the big top, a band had struck up. Hearing the lively music, the -crowd deserted the side shows. Soon Miss Gordon and the Brownies were -among the few who remained outside the main circus tent. - -“I have an idea,” declared the troop leader, for she saw that some of -the girls were on the verge of tears. “I’ll ask the ticket seller if he -will take a personal check.” - -The Brownies considered her proposal a fine one indeed. Quite -cheerfully they “tagged” along as the teacher hastened to the ticket -booth. - -“Eight?” the man asked, tearing off the pink tickets from a large roll. - -“Yes,” replied Miss Gordon, “if you will accept a check.” - -The ticketman looked hard at the Brownie troop leader. Having come on -duty only a few minutes earlier, he never before had seen her. - -“Sorry, we can’t take checks, Miss.” - -Miss Gordon attempted to explain that the Brownies had earned free -passes and money by selling circus tickets, only to have everything -stolen. - -The ticket seller did not act impressed by the story. - -“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “We can’t take a personal check.” - -“I don’t mind missing the circus myself,” said Miss Gordon, “but my -Brownies have planned on it for a week--” - -“Please let us in,” pleaded Veve, standing on tiptoe to gaze up at the -ticket seller. - -“I sure hate to disappoint a kiddie,” he said. “Especially seven of -’em. Tell you what I’ll do, Miss. You leave your wrist watch here as -security, and I’ll let you have the tickets.” - -“But I have no watch either!” gasped Miss Gordon, gazing down at her -left wrist. “That pickpocket must have taken it too.” - -The Brownies were dismayed to learn that their leader’s watch also had -been stolen. They knew Miss Gordon needed it every day in her work as -teacher of the fourth grade. Her salary was not so large that she could -afford to buy a new wrist watch and make up the Brownie camp money. - -Upon hearing that Miss Gordon did not have a watch, the ticket seller -appeared to lose patience. - -“I’m afraid you’re out of luck, Miss,” he said. “A rule is a rule. We -can’t take your check.” - -Miss Gordon and the Brownies were compelled to move away from the -ticket booth. From inside the big tent the band had struck up another -tune. - -“The show’s starting,” said Veve. “And we won’t see any of it.” A tear -splashed down her cheek. - -“I’m as sorry as I can be,” said Miss Gordon. “I might return home for -more money, but the circus would be nearly over before I could get -back.” - -“It doesn’t matter,” declared Connie bravely. “Brownies have to learn -to take disappointments.” - -“You’re all being splendid about it,” said Miss Gordon. “But this is a -bitter disappointment, I know. For all of us.” - -Now the Brownies were so engrossed in their troubles that they had -failed to observe a circus man walking toward them. Seeing Connie, he -exclaimed in a hearty voice: - -“Well, well, if here isn’t my little friend! Going the wrong direction, -aren’t you? The big tent is the other way.” - -Connie and the other Brownies turned quickly. The man who had addressed -them in such a friendly way was Mr. Carsdale. - -“Oh, hello, Mr. Animal Trainer,” Connie greeted him. - -“You’ll be late for the circus unless you hustle into the big top,” -warned the man. “The show’s starting now.” - -“We can’t see it,” said Connie, and she explained how Miss Gordon’s -billfold had been taken by the pickpocket. - -“My wrist watch also,” added the Brownie leader. - -Mr. Carsdale gazed from one girl to another as he heard the story. -Without being told, he knew the Brownies were bitterly disappointed and -trying to hide it. - -“This will never do,” he said. “You really want to see the circus?” - -“Oh, yes!” agreed the Brownies, scarcely daring to hope. - -“Maybe we could carry water for the elephants--after the show,” said -Veve quickly. She had heard that children sometimes did that in order -to see the circus free. - -“Follow me,” directed Mr. Carsdale. “I know an easier way.” - -Walking over to the ticket booth, he talked with the man in charge. - -“Bill,” he said, “these girls are all my friends. They’re okay, so pass -them right in.” - -“Sure, if you say to do it,” the other man agreed. - -From a cigar box he removed eight special tickets which bore the -printed words: “Complimentary.” These he gave to Miss Gordon. - -“Can’t I pay you for them later?” Miss Gordon asked the animal trainer. -“I could bring the money tonight.” - -“Forget it,” answered Mr. Carsdale. “I have a financial interest in -this circus, so what I say goes. Too bad about your billfold. Did you -lose very much?” - -“Nearly twenty-five dollars. Except for a five dollar bill, it was -money the Brownies had earned for a camping trip. My wrist watch was a -special keepsake.” - -“Marked in any particular way?” - -“My initials ‘J.G.’ were engraved on the back of the gold case.” - -“We’ve had plenty of trouble with pickpockets lately,” revealed Mr. -Carsdale. “You didn’t notice the fellow, I suppose.” - -“Several of the Brownies did.” - -“Think you might recognize the man if you saw him again?” the animal -trainer asked the girls. - -“I would,” declared Connie and Jane in unison. Veve nodded her head -also. - -“In that case, it might be worth while for you to talk to our -detective after the circus is over,” suggested Mr. Carsdale. -“Pickpockets tend to follow a show from town to town. We might run into -this fellow later on.” - -“For whom shall I ask?” inquired Miss Gordon. - -“Clem Gregg. Wait at the exit after the show and I’ll bring him around.” - -Miss Gordon thanked the circus man and promised to report the theft to -the detective. - -“I’ll have to hurry now,” said Mr. Carsdale, turning away. “My act soon -will be on.” - -Miss Gordon and the Brownies did not wish to be late either. Hastily, -they walked to the entrance gate of the big tent. - -All along the passageway were wild animals in cages. However, the -Brownies did not take time to look at them. As it was, they barely -reached their seats high in the stand before a shrill whistle announced -the start of the circus. - -Connie and the Brownies drew happy sighs as they peered down at the -three sawdust rings. After all their worry and trouble, they hadn’t -missed a thing. - - - - -CHAPTER 6 - -A Little Circus Rider - - -As the circus procession swept into the main tent, the Brownies caught -their breath. Never before had they seen anything so elegant! - -At the head of the parade rode a lady on a milk-white horse. Wearing a -white silk gown and a hat with a long plume, she carried an American -flag. - -Behind came many of the performers dressed in sparkling costumes. - -Six elephants followed in single file. A man who rode the lead animal -used a long rod to guide his mount. - -Next came the horses, ridden by circus performers. - -Suddenly Veve pinched Rosemary’s arm and cried: “Look!” - -A large white steed with a red brocaded saddlecloth had entered the -arena. Eva Leitsall rode gracefully on the animal’s broad back. The -little girl wore tights and looked like a princess, so proudly did she -carry herself. - -“Oh, Rosemary, don’t you wish you could ride like that?” sighed Veve. - -At that moment Eva gazed into the stands, directly at the Brownies. She -noticed the Brownies, because with exception of Veve, they all wore -their brown checked uniforms. - -Eva had not forgotten the girls, for she smiled and waved her hand. - -Following the bareback riders came the Queen, riding in a beautiful -golden coach drawn by four white horses with purple plumes. At the very -tail of the parade were the clowns, who rode in an old flivver that -made crazy noises. - -Suddenly the old car exploded with a loud bang. As it fell apart, the -clowns ran in every direction, pretending to be frightened. - -The arena cleared and then skilled performers came into the rings. So -many interesting things went on at one time that the Brownies could not -watch half of them. - -Thrilling indeed were the trapeze performers. Even better, the -Brownies liked the butterfly act. Girls with large colored wings on -their backs were raised high into the air and whirled around. - -The Brownies clapped hard when Mr. Carsdale did his animal act. With -ease he made his tigers roll a large red ball and jump through a paper -hoop. One of the large cats kept snarling and trying to strike the whip -with its paw. - -“Mr. Carsdale must be the bravest man in the circus,” declared Veve. - -Soon the riding acts came on. Eagerly the Brownies watched for a -glimpse of Eva Leitsall. - -“There she is!” cried Veve, standing up in the bleacher seat. Rosemary -had to pull her down so that other spectators could see. - -Eva Leitsall turned a somersault from one horse to another. At the very -end of the act, she made her steed jump through a paper hoop. - -“Such beautiful riding,” sighed Connie. “It must be wonderful to travel -with a circus.” - -“And never have to do any school work,” added Belinda. Examinations -were due the next week and already she was dreading them. - -Soon a man came through the audience selling pop and lemonade, peanuts -and popcorn. Just to watch him made the Brownie Scouts very hungry and -thirsty. - -“Here you are, folks,” called the white-coated salesman. “Get your hot -roasted peanuts! Twenty cents a bag. Peanuts! Popcorn! Cracker Jack!” - -The man passed so close the Brownies could smell the good things he -carried. - -“I’ll have a box of Cracker Jack,” announced Jane, who had brought a -quarter spending money. “I should get a prize.” - -All the girls except Veve and Connie bought something. Veve had no -money, while Connie felt it would be impolite to make a purchase when -Miss Gordon and her little friend were without funds. - -Rosemary and Belinda offered some of their popcorn to the two girls, -but eating a little only made them hungrier. - -The circus was only half over when a man in the seat ahead moved -directly in front of Veve. Unable to see, she stood up to watch the -trained seals balance red balls on the tips of their noses. - -Now Veve, who had worn a hat, had been holding it on her lap. Before -she could catch it, down it tumbled between the gap in the board seats. -She saw it drop to the ground beneath the stand. - -“Oops! There goes my hat!” she exclaimed. - -“Oh, Veve!” groaned Jane, annoyed by the interruption, “why weren’t you -more careful?” - -“I was as careful as I could be,” Veve insisted in a hurt voice. “The -hat slipped before I could catch it.” - -“I’ll go with you to get it,” offered Connie, who knew Veve would not -want to go alone. - -“Are you certain you can find your way back?” Miss Gordon asked the -girls. - -“That’s easy,” Connie said. “We’re five rows from the top of the tent.” - -“In Section C,” added Miss Gordon. “Well, run along before someone -picks up Veve’s hat.” - -The two girls had a difficult time getting out of the long row of seats -because people seemed unwilling to move. One fat man took up so much -space Veve barely could squeeze past his knees. - -Taking care not to slip on the plank steps, the girls went down beneath -the stand. Veve’s straw hat lay in the dust, but it had not been -damaged. - -Gazing upward into the stand, the girls could see hundreds of shoes -above them. They wondered which ones belonged to Miss Gordon and the -Brownies. Of course they could not tell. - -Lying on the ground beneath the stand was a strange assortment of -articles--pop bottles, scraps of paper, empty boxes and a lady’s belt. - -Bending down to pick up the belt, Veve saw a round, shiny object half -covered by a piece of colored candy paper. For an instant she thought -it might be a cap to a pop bottle. But as she kicked the paper away, -she saw that it was a fifty cent piece. - -Never before had Veve found so much money. She knew it had fallen from -the pocket of someone in the stand above. But in the crowd she never -could hope to find the owner. - -Tying the coin into her handkerchief, Veve searched for other money. -However, she could not find any, so finally she and Connie returned to -their seats. - -“You missed the best part of the circus,” Rosemary whispered as they -sat down. - -“Who cares?” answered Veve, displaying the belt and the fifty cent -piece. “See what I found.” - -Miss Gordon suggested that the belt be turned in at the circus office -at the conclusion of the show. - -“And the money?” Veve inquired anxiously. “Must I give that up too?” - -“No,” replied the teacher. “The person who lost it couldn’t possibly -identify a fifty cent piece.” - -“Then it’s mine to spend?” - -“Yes, Veve.” - -“I know what I want,” declared the little girl. “Peanuts.” - -When the salesman came around again, Veve signaled for him to stop. She -bought a bag of peanuts for herself and one for Miss Gordon. Connie had -her own money and would not let Veve buy any for her. - -The Brownies enjoyed every minute of the circus but toward the end -began to grow a bit tired. Just before the last act, a number of -cowboys and cowgirls galloped into the ring, swinging their ropes. - -Then a man announced that immediately after the circus there would be a -Wild West show. - -“Will we stay for it?” Eileen asked eagerly. - -Miss Gordon explained that one had to buy another ticket in order to -see the show. - -“Anyway, we’ve had quite a day already,” she added. - -“We’re to meet Mr. Carsdale and the detective too,” Connie reminded the -Brownies. “They’ll be expecting us.” - -“That’s right,” agreed Miss Gordon. - -Soon the circus came to an end. When they stood up, the Brownies felt -stiff and tired, for the bleacher seats had been very hard. - -“Let’s wait until the crowd has left the tent,” suggested Miss Gordon. -“It will be much easier than trying to push our way through.” - -Soon the circus tent was fairly clear of spectators. Miss Gordon and -the Brownies then were able to climb down over the board seats with -ease. - -Once at the exit, Miss Gordon glanced about for the animal trainer. Mr. -Carsdale was nowhere to be seen. - -“He seems to have forgotten about us,” the Brownie troop leader -remarked. - -For ten minutes they patiently waited, but the animal man did not come. -Miss Gordon said she thought it would be useless to remain any longer. - -“No, wait!” cried Sunny. “I see him now.” - -Mr. Carsdale walked briskly toward the Brownies, accompanied by a tall, -thin man. The girls were quite certain he must be the circus detective. - -However, they were a little disappointed, because the man did not look -in the least as they had expected. He wore a gray business suit and did -not show a badge. - -“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” apologized Mr. Carsdale. “This is -Clem Gregg, the company detective. You might tell him about losing your -billfold and the watch.” - -“Carsdale says you saw the man who stole it,” commented the detective, -addressing Miss Gordon. - -“I thought perhaps I did,” replied the Brownie leader. “At least I -recall a man who pressed close to me in the crowd near one of the side -shows.” - -The circus detective asked Miss Gordon for a description of the -pickpocket. - -“To tell you the truth, I scarcely noticed him,” the teacher admitted. -“The girls’ observations were much better than mine.” - -“He had a mole on his cheek,” volunteered Connie. “And he wore a brown -suit.” - -“A man may change his suit,” remarked the detective. “He cannot so -easily rid himself of a telltale mole. Would you say he was short or -tall?” - -“Fairly short,” declared Sunny before Connie could speak. - -“And did he have a pointed nose?” - -“Yes, he did!” exclaimed Veve in astonishment. She wondered how the -detective could know so much about the pickpocket. - -“Your description fits Joe Potassick,” declared the detective. “‘Joe -the Pick’ we call him. I thought I saw him in the crowd today. But he -slipped away from me again.” - -“Then you know of the man?” inquired Miss Gordon in surprise. - -“Every circus detective knows Pickpocket Joe. He’s given us plenty of -trouble.” - -“Does he steal from the circus people?” inquired Jane curiously. - -“No,” replied the detective, smiling down at the Brownie with the -shining braids. “Joe the Pick follows the circus from town to town. He -mingles with the crowd and takes pocketbooks and jewelry.” - -“Just as he stole Miss Gordon’s billfold and the Brownie money,” -supplied Jane. - -“That’s right,” agreed the detective. “As a rule we have little trouble -rounding up the average pickpocket. But Joe is a slippery fellow. So -far he has managed to elude me.” - -“What do you do with pickpockets if you catch them?” Belinda asked -curiously. - -“Sometimes we merely run them out of town,” the detective replied. “But -if ever we catch Joe in the act, we’ll have him arrested and sent up.” - -“I realize there is little chance to recover the money taken from -my billfold,” said Miss Gordon. “I plan to make up the loss to the -Brownies. The watch, however, was a prized keepsake.” - -The detective asked the teacher for a description of it, as well as her -name and address. Carefully he wrote the information in a little red -booklet. - -“If the watch ever turns up, I’ll notify you,” he promised. “The -chances are though, that Pickpocket Joe will pawn it.” - -While Miss Gordon and the detective talked, Mr. Carsdale chatted with -Veve, asking her if she had enjoyed the show. - -“Oh, yes, especially your act,” she replied politely. “Was it hard to -make the tiger jump through the hoop?” - -“Not when you know how,” laughed the animal man. “What else did you -like?” - -“Oh, the beautiful golden coach. And the little circus girl rider.” - -“Eva Leitsall? She’s standing over there now.” - -Mr. Carsdale nodded toward the entrance of the big tent. The circus -child stood there, watching the Brownies. But when the little girl saw -them looking at her, she slipped back out of sight behind the flap of -the canvas. - -“Bashful, I guess,” chuckled Mr. Carsdale. - -A few minutes later, Mr. Carsdale went away to talk to one of the -circus workmen who was driving a stake. Again Eva peeped out at the -Brownies. This time she did not appear in the least shy. - -“H--ist!” she whispered, looking directly at Veve and Connie. - -The two Brownies scarcely could believe their eyes. Plainly, Eva was -motioning to them, signaling for them to come over to the entranceway -of the tent. - - - - -CHAPTER 7 - -The Lost Keys - - -“What do you suppose _she_ wants?” whispered Veve. - -“Let’s go over and see,” replied Connie, who also had seen Eva’s -strange motions. - -The two girls sauntered over to the entranceway of the tent where the -circus rider stood. - -“Hello,” Connie greeted her politely. - -“Hello, yourself,” answered Eva Leitsall. “Why are you talking with the -detective?” - -Connie and Veve told her how the pickpocket had stolen Miss Gordon’s -billfold and the organization’s money. Her curiosity satisfied, Eva -lost interest immediately. - -“Oh, that happens lots of times,” she said with a shrug. “It’s nothing -at all.” - -“I guess you would think it something if you lost _your_ money,” -retorted Veve. She thought Eva acted entirely too important. - -“I thought you said it was Miss Gordon’s money,” Eva shot back. - -“It belonged to all of us,” explained Connie. “The Brownies sold circus -tickets to earn enough money to go on a camping trip. Now we may have -to stay home.” - -“That is bad luck,” Eva agreed. “Who are the Brownies?” - -“It’s an organization,” Veve told her. “We have secret passwords and -loads of fun! Last winter we spent a week at Snow Valley.” - -“I wish I could belong to a club,” Eva said wistfully. “This old circus -always travels, and I never have a chance to join anything.” - -“We liked your riding act,” said Connie shyly. “Is it hard to turn -somersaults?” - -“’Course it is,” promptly answered the circus girl. “Not many grown-up -riders can do it.” - -“Aren’t you ever afraid?” questioned Veve. - -Eva Leitsall hesitated before she replied. Now in truth, she often was -afraid of the somersault from one horse to another. Once in practice, -she had fallen and hurt her shoulder. But, being proud, she had no -intention of admitting this to Connie and Veve. - -“I’m not afraid of anything,” she said boastfully. - -“I guess you’d be afraid to walk a tightrope,” retorted Veve. - -“I would not,” Eva denied. “Anyway, riding a horse and somersaulting is -much harder than any tightrope act.” - -Veve and the circus girl acted as if they might argue, so Connie said -quickly: - -“Guess what we found under the stands?” - -“What?” asked the circus girl, all interest. - -“Money.” - -“How much?” - -“Fifty cents. Veve spent most of it for peanuts and pop.” - -“Fifty cents isn’t much,” said the circus child. “Once I found a five -dollar bill.” - -Connie, who usually was very even tempered, began to feel a bit -provoked. She was quite sure now that Eva was trying to put herself -forward as a very important person. - -“What did you do with the money you found?” she inquired, attempting to -be polite. - -“Savings bank,” replied Eva briefly. - -“I have a savings account too,” said Connie. “I’ve built it up to -fifty-eight dollars and twenty-nine cents.” - -Eva laughed in a superior sort of way. “I make that much money every -week,” she said. - -Now the Brownies did not like the circus girl’s boastful manner. But -they were rather impressed. - -“You make that much money just riding a horse?” asked Veve. - -“And I only have to be in two performances daily,” added Eva, smoothing -an imaginary wrinkle from her costume. - -“You don’t go to school either, do you?” questioned Connie. - -“Do you see any schoolhouse around here?” asked Eva. She was careful -not to say that she never had to study. During winter months, she and -the other circus children were sent away to boarding schools in the -East. And each night when she traveled with the circus, her parents -made her study in her tent or sleeping car. - -“I wish I could be in the circus,” sighed Veve. - -“What could you do?” demanded Eva discouragingly. - -Veve thought she might learn to do a tightrope act or perhaps help Mr. -Carsdale. - -“Children aren’t allowed to handle wild animals,” Eva told her. “You -couldn’t do anything at all in our circus.” - -“Who wants to be in _your_ circus?” retorted Veve crossly. “I would be -in a better one.” - -“Our circus is the best on the road,” Eva said, scowling as she turned -away. “But I can’t waste any more time talking to you. I have to go now -and get my dinner before the next performance.” - -She disappeared into the big tent. - -“Miss Know-It-All,” muttered Veve. “That old Stuck-Up makes me sick!” - -“Don’t you mind,” Connie comforted her friend. “I didn’t like her very -well myself.” - -By this time Miss Gordon had finished talking to the circus detective. -She called to Veve and Connie, who quickly rejoined the group. - -“Well, I see you met Eva Leitsall,” remarked Miss Gordon as she and the -Brownies left the circus lot. - -Connie and Veve repeated the conversation, adding that they had not -liked the little circus girl because of her boastful manner. The leader -of the Brownie Scout troop only laughed. - -“You shouldn’t have taken her remarks so seriously,” she advised. “No -doubt Eva only was trying to make you envious. I am sure circus life -couldn’t be the fun she would have you believe.” - -“All the same, I wish I might try it,” declared Veve. “I’d ride the big -elephant all day long.” - -“And I’d eat popcorn until I couldn’t hold any more,” laughed Sunny. - -“I’d ask for a job selling balloons,” announced Jane, her gaze on a -roadside stand where a circus man was vending all sorts of novelties. - -During the long walk to their homes, the Brownies chatted gaily about -everything they had seen. Miss Gordon, however, seemed unusually quiet. -Although she did not say so, the girls knew the teacher was very -discouraged about losing her wrist watch and the Brownie camping money. - -During the next few days, the girls gradually forgot the circus, for -examinations occupied their attention. Then came the class picnic at -Elk’s Grove. After that, report cards were handed out, and school was -over until fall. - -At the regular Brownie Scout meeting held in Belinda Matthews’ home, -Miss Gordon was quite cheerful about the lost camping money. - -Taking the blame entirely upon herself, she told the girls again that -she would make up the loss. - -“Well go ahead exactly as we planned,” she declared. “Our reservation -is in for the third of June at Shady Hollow. This very afternoon we’ll -go downtown and buy our camping equipment.” - -“Will we have enough money?” Connie asked anxiously. “None of the girls -have paid their five dollar individual fee yet.” - -“I brought mine today,” announced Eileen, waving a five dollar bill. - -“I’ll have my money by tomorrow,” added Rosemary. “I guess I’ve wiped a -million dishes to earn it!” - -All the other troop members except Veve, said they would have their fee -within two days. - -The Brownies were careful not to look directly at her. Veve, they knew, -had tried to earn money, but had failed. - -Except for the idea of putting on a home circus, she had not thought up -a single way to earn her fee. And now it was so late she would have no -further opportunity. - -“Shall we start for the camping equipment store?” Miss Gordon proposed -quickly. “Girls, you may go on ahead. Veve and I will catch up.” - -The Brownies thought it rather strange that the troop leader should -remain behind with Veve. However, they did not ask questions. Instead, -by pairs, they started slowly down the street toward the bus stop. - -Left alone with Veve, Miss Gordon came directly to the point. - -“Veve,” she said kindly, “I believe you haven’t been able to earn your -camp fee.” - -Veve gazed down at the rug and shifted from one foot to another. - -“I’m not going with the girls,” she said, trying to look unconcerned. -“It doesn’t matter.” - -“Oh, but it does,” insisted the Brownie leader. “The girls all want -you, and so do I.” - -“I can’t earn any money, Miss Gordon. Last week I offered to run -errands for Mr. Vargo, who lives down the street. He said I could do it -if I wanted to, but he couldn’t pay me.” - -“That is discouraging, Veve. But I think I have an idea.” - -“You have, Miss Gordon?” - -“Yes, I’ll advance your five dollar fee. Then you may have until fall -to earn the money and repay me.” - -Veve’s face brightened momentarily, only to collapse. - -“But if I can’t earn the money by then, Miss Gordon?” - -“I’m sure you’ll think of a way,” the troop leader encouraged her. “If -not, well perhaps I’ll have a suggestion or two. Now shall we hurry and -catch up with the Brownies?” - -“Oh, yes,” Veve declared happily. “I’m really going to camp?” - -“Of course,” Miss Gordon assured her, slipping an arm about the girl’s -slim waist, “and this little talk will be our own secret. You needn’t -tell anyone that I am putting in your five dollars.” - -“I’ll earn it before fall,” Veve announced firmly as they went down the -street together. “I’ll think of some way!” - -Now when the couple joined the Brownies at the bus stop, neither told -of their conversation. However, Veve was so cheerful, the other girls -guessed that Miss Gordon had said something very pleasant to her. - -And at the camping equipment store, Veve unintentionally let the secret -out. - -“I’m going camping after all,” she announced to Connie as the girls -rode up the elevator to the fourth floor. - -“But what about your camp fee?” her companion asked. - -“Oh, I’ll have it,” Veve announced confidently. “I know a way now.” - -“So that’s why Miss Gordon kept you! She’s paying your fee!” - -“I didn’t say so,” Veve answered quickly. - -The elevator had reached the fourth floor. Veve left it hurriedly, and -refused to say anything more about the camping trip. - -However, all the girls had heard her remarks and were quite certain -Miss Gordon had offered to pay Veve’s way. - -“I’m glad she’s going with us,” Jane whispered to Connie as the troop -walked toward the camping equipment department. “All the same, it’s -hardly fair for Miss Gordon to have to pay for everything.” - -“I know,” Connie agreed. “I know Veve would much rather pay her own -way. But what could she do?” - -For the next half hour, the Brownies had a thoroughly enjoyable time -looking over camping equipment. They tested beds, darted in and out of -umbrella tents, and examined nested cooking pans. - -One of the tents had not been set up very well. Veve and Eileen were -giggling and laughing as they whirled around one of the supporting -poles. - -The support suddenly gave way, and down came the canvas upon their -heads. Clawing wildly, the girls fought their way out from beneath the -folds. - -“Oh, see what you’ve done!” Jane exclaimed indignantly. “The salesman -will think Brownies have no manners. Just look at that tent!” - -“It wasn’t our fault,” Veve insisted. “The old pole slipped!” - -“That’s right,” agreed Eileen. “We didn’t do a thing!” - -The tent salesman was very nice about the accident. He told Miss Gordon -and the Brownies that because the canvas could not be staked down, all -of the support came from the center pole. - -“Not a bit of harm has been done,” he assured Veve and Eileen. - -After much debate, Miss Gordon finally selected a tent which was just -large enough for seven Brownies and one adult “sleeping end to end.” - -“We’ll have no room for beds,” the teacher said regretfully. “Each girl -will have to make her own of balsam boughs.” - -Miss Gordon paid for the tent and bought other items which would be -needed on the camping trip. Then, en route home, she gave each girl a -list of the things she should take with her to Shady Hollow. - -For the next two days the Brownies were so busy gathering together -everything they would need, that they barely had time to see one -another. - -Connie and her mother made repeated trips downtown for shorts, a heavy -jacket, a new bathing suit and a dozen and one odds and ends. - -When towels, blankets, camera, a heavy bathrobe and Brownie uniforms -were added to the mounting pile of clothing on the little girl’s bed, -she wondered where it would be packed. - -“If all the Brownies take as much, you’ll need another tent just to -hold your luggage,” laughed Connie’s mother. - -According to plan, the Brownies were to leave for Shady Hollow Saturday -afternoon, there to spend a week in camp. - -Miss Gordon would take her coupe loaded with equipment. Mrs. Williams -and Mrs. Davidson also had promised to drive their cars. However, the -two mothers expected to return home that same night after the Brownies -were settled. - -On the day scheduled for the departure, the girls met at Connie’s -house. As early as twelve-thirty they began to arrive with their -bedrolls and knapsacks. Soon the lawn near the driveway was dotted with -luggage, boxes of equipment and odds and ends. - -“Dear me, where will we put everything?” Miss Gordon asked in despair. - -Her car was packed first so that she might drive on ahead with the -tent. The leader expected to have it set up by the time the Brownies -arrived in the other cars. - -After Miss Gordon finally pulled away, it took a long while to pack -Mrs. Davidson’s sedan. Eileen, Sunny, Belinda and Jane were to ride -with her. But when they climbed in, the luggage was stacked so high on -the floor, they had little space for their feet. - -Presently the Davidson car drove away, and only Mrs. Williams, Connie, -Veve and Rosemary remained. So eager were they to be off that they -fairly threw suitcases and bedrolls into the car. - -“Oh, Mother, we’re terribly late,” Connie fretted as Mrs. Williams -carried one thing after another from the house. - -“Now, do relax,” her mother soothed. “We’ll reach Shady Hollow in ample -time. Is everyone ready?” - -“We’ve been waiting for hours,” groaned Veve, scrambling into the car -beside Rosemary. - -“I believe were ready to start,” declared Mrs. Williams. “Now let me -see--my car keys.” - -A baffled expression came over her face as she searched, first in one -pocket and then another. The keys were nowhere to be found. - -“Oh, now I remember,” she said, as the Brownies watched her anxiously. -“They’re in my purse, lying on the kitchen table.” - -Intending to fetch the purse for her mother, Connie ran to the side -door. She found it locked. Her mother also had snapped the night latch -on the other doors. - -“Mother, I can’t get in anywhere,” she called. - -Mrs. Williams knew this to be true. Unwittingly, she had locked her -purse into the house, and with it both the car keys and those of the -dwelling. - -“Oh, Mother, what can we do?” Connie asked miserably. “All the other -Brownies have gone on without us! Without the car keys, we can’t drive -to Shady Hollow!” - - - - -CHAPTER 8 - -Shady Hollow Camp - - -Confronted with the problem of how to drive a car without an ignition -key, Mrs. Williams was deeply concerned. - -“I don’t know how to get into the house without breaking a window,” she -said anxiously. “I dislike to do that, for it would mean leaving the -home unprotected while we’re at Shady Hollow.” - -“Perhaps one of the windows was left unlocked,” Rosemary said -hopefully. Getting out of the sedan, she wandered around the house -testing the ones she could reach. All were securely fastened. - -“I’m certain I locked all the windows,” Mrs. Williams sighed. “Unless--” - -“Unless what, Mother?” Connie demanded. - -“I may have overlooked that tiny one in the washroom. But it’s too far -overhead to reach.” - -“Lift me up and I think I can,” Connie urged her mother. - -Mrs. Williams raised her daughter high on her shoulders. Connie wobbled -and weaved but finally held her balance. - -Then she tried the window. But though she tugged and shoved and pushed -it would not budge an inch. - -“It’s no use,” said Mrs. Williams, lowering Connie to the ground. “The -window is locked.” - -“What can we do?” Rosemary asked in deep despair. “Won’t we get to go -to camp with the other Brownies?” - -“We’ll get there somehow,” declared Mrs. Williams. “If only I could -think--” - -“I see a window that is open!” Veve suddenly broke in. - -“Where?” demanded Connie and Rosemary, taking new hope. - -Veve pointed to a small attic window which during the summer months -always was left open for ventilation purposes. - -“I’m afraid it’s a little out of reach,” smiled Mrs. Williams. - -“Couldn’t we get up there if we had a high ladder?” Veve insisted. - -“It would take a very tall one indeed,” said Mrs. Williams. - -“I know how Mrs. Bevens once got into her house when she had locked -everything up,” Connie announced suddenly. “She called the fire -department!” - -“Now that is an idea, Connie. But dear me, how mortified I’d be to have -a fire company car pull up here.” - -“Let’s be mortified,” urged Veve. “It’s terribly important that we get -to the Brownie camp.” - -“Yes, it is,” agreed Mrs. Williams reluctantly. “Very well, I’ll call -the fire station and see if they can help us.” - -Going to the home of a neighbor, she immediately telephoned the nearest -station, explaining the situation. Greatly to her relief, the Chief -assured her that he would send a ladder crew immediately. - -Rosemary, Veve, and Connie scarcely could contain their excitement when -the big red truck drove up to the front door. - -“I wish they’d blow the fire siren,” Veve said, skipping down the walk -to meet the firemen. - -Even a glimpse of the equipment had brought many spectators. Neighbors -and children began to gather, thinking that the Williams home might be -on fire. - -The firemen talked to Connie’s mother and then they ran a ladder up to -the second-story windows. However, all of them had been locked. - -“We’ll have to break a window,” one of the firemen said at last. “That -is, unless we can get in through the attic.” - -The window was much too small for a fireman to crawl through. But as he -spoke, the ladder man gazed speculatively at Veve. - -“How would you like to be a fireman?” he asked. - -“I’d like it!” Veve declared promptly. - -“Then do exactly as I say,” instructed the fireman. “Climb up the -ladder just ahead of me. I’ll keep close beside you, so you can’t fall.” - -While Mrs. Williams and the other children watched from below, Veve -began the exciting climb. She was not in the least afraid, for the -fireman kept a firm hold on her arm. - -When Veve had reached the attic level, she gazed down. The lawn and the -watching people looked very far away. She waved to Connie, and then she -felt a trifle dizzy. - -“None of that,” the fireman scolded her. “Just keep your eyes on the -window. I’ll boost you in.” - -With the fireman helping, it was easy for Veve to wriggle through. Once -she thought she would stick fast, but her dress merely had caught. The -fireman loosened it for her, and she squeezed on into the attic. - -“Now scoot downstairs and open one of the doors or lower floor -windows,” the fireman instructed. - -Veve groped her way past the dusty boxes and barrels in the attic. A -door blocked the entranceway to the second floor. For a second she was -afraid it might be locked. - -However, it opened readily to her touch, and she ran on downstairs. -With scarcely any trouble, Veve unlocked the front door. Everyone drew -a sigh of relief as she stepped out into the yard. - -“Oh, thank you, Veve!” declared Mrs. Williams gratefully. “You’ve saved -the day!” - -Entering the house, she found the car keys on the kitchen table where -she carelessly had dropped them. - -Mrs. Williams thanked the firemen for their trouble and then prepared -to lock up the house again, ready for their departure. - -“Mother, do you have everything now?” Connie asked, an instant before -the front door closed. - -“Every single thing,” laughed Mrs. Williams. “At least I think so! But -let’s start before anything else goes wrong.” - -“Yes, let’s!” chorused the Brownies, piling into the car. - -With the other two automobiles now far ahead, Mrs. Williams drove -rather fast, hoping to make up for lost time. The girls kept watch for -the Davidson car. However, it was nowhere to be seen on the winding -woodland road. - -By three o’clock Mrs. Williams had arrived at the village of Shady -Hollow. Stopping at a filling station, she bought cool drinks and -inquired the way to the Girl Scout Camp. - -“It’s a half mile farther on,” the filling station man said. “Turn left -at the next traffic light. You’ll see a sign. You can’t miss it.” - -The side road leading to the Girl Scout Camp wound through a dense -growth of trees, and along the banks of a wide river. All along the -shore, the girls saw attractive bathing areas and summer cottages. The -woods gave off a fresh, springlike aroma which made them breathe deeply. - -“I believe we’re coming to the camp now,” Mrs. Williams said a moment -later as the car rounded another curve. She had caught a fleeting -glimpse of a cleared area with a cluster of tents and cabins. - -A moment later the automobile swept through a gateway which bore a -sign: “Shady Hollow Girl Scout Camp,” and pulled up at a little office -constructed of logs. - -Connie ran inside to ask how to reach the area where the Brownies were -to camp. - -“Follow the roadway to the left and you can’t miss it,” she was -instructed. “Your friends already are here.” - -On the car rolled, while the three girls twisted their heads this way -and that, trying not to miss a single detail of the camp. - -In the central area were several large buildings made of logs. Beyond -them were a number of tents. - -At the beach on the river, they saw several girls lounging on the sand. -Others in Scout uniforms or shorts and blouses were playing tennis or -practicing archery. - -“Oh, this camp has everything!” Veve declared breathlessly. “But where -are the Brownies?” - -Just then she glimpsed the tent which the Rosedale Troop had bought at -the store. Already it had been set up and staked down. Nearby, crackled -a fire over which hung a kettle of steaming food. - -“Hi!” shouted Veve, leaping from the car almost before Mrs. Williams -brought it to a standstill. “We’re here at last!” - -“Whatever kept you girls?” demanded Jane, coming to meet her. “We’ve -been here ages and explored half the camp.” - -Veve explained about the lost car keys. - -“Well, at least you got out of some work by being so late,” Jane -laughed. “The tent is up and most of our things unpacked. We have to -make our beds next.” - -“But we didn’t bring any,” said Veve. “Aren’t we going to sleep rolled -up in blankets?” - -“Not unless you want to break your back,” Jane rejoined, helping Veve -to lift a suitcase from the car. “Miss Gordon will show us all how to -make balsam beds.” - -“What’s a balsam bed?” - -“You’ll find out,” laughed Jane, pointing to a pile of cut boughs which -Miss Gordon had brought in from the woodland. - -The troop leader instructed the girls on how to insert the butt end of -the boughs into the ground at a slant, thus making a slight arch. - -“The needles must point downward or they’ll work through the blanket -and prick you,” she explained. “If you take care all the branches are -at the right angle, and that there are no gaps, your bed should be -quite springy and comfortable.” - -“All this seems a lot of bother,” grumbled Veve, who was rather tired -from the long automobile ride to Shady Hollow. “Wouldn’t it be easier -just to sleep on the ground?” - -“Easier perhaps, but not very comfortable,” replied Miss Gordon, -smiling. “While you’re making up the beds, I’ll attend to supper.” - -Selecting the shorter ends of balsam, the girls struggled with their -beds. Although it had looked easy when Miss Gordon showed them how, -they found it no simple task to place the branches evenly. - -“You’re not doing it right,” Jane told Veve severely. “Pine needles are -sticking out everywhere like porcupine quills.” - -“I don’t care!” Veve retorted, losing patience. “Who wants an old -balsam bed anyhow? I’ll sleep on the ground.” - -Flinging aside a branch, she sauntered out of the tent. Miss Gordon -crouched over the fire, browning steak in a frying pan. - -“Why, Veve,” she said in surprise. “How quickly you made your bed.” - -“I didn’t make it,” Veve replied, avoiding the troop leader’s direct -gaze. “I’m not going to have a balsam bed. I’d rather sleep on the -ground.” - -Miss Gordon acted as if she were about to say something, and then -changed her mind. She turned another piece of steak before she remarked -indifferently: - -“Suit yourself, Veve. But I’m afraid by morning you may find the ground -rather hard and cold.” - -While the other girls were making their balsam beds, Veve wandered down -to the beach. She also toured the camp, noticing the lodge where some -of the other campers took their meals. Shady Hollow seemed very nice, -she thought. - -By the time Veve returned to the Brownie tent, Mrs. Davidson and Mrs. -Williams had started home. The girls had made their beds and now were -washing up for supper. - -“Come and get it!” called Miss Gordon. - -As the girls filed past, she filled their plates with steak, potatoes -and buttered carrots. They also had milk and ice cream bought at the -scout dining room. - -“Yum! Wonderful food!” declared Veve, presenting her plate for a second -helping. “I love camp!” - -“Who wouldn’t, if you never do any of the work,” said Jane pointedly. - -“Speaking of work,” interposed Miss Gordon as she began to clear away -the cooking pans. “We all must do our share. Each girl is expected to -wash her own utensils and dry them.” - -“Will you do all the cooking?” Rosemary inquired, feeling that so far -the troop leader had taken the heavy end of the camp work. - -“I’ll take the responsibility for lunches and the main meal at night. -With the training you girls have had in cooking, I think you’re capable -of assuming the planning and preparation of breakfast.” - -“When do we start?” Connie asked. - -“In the morning. I’ll appoint the committee now. Veve is in charge and -must do the planning. Her assistants are Jane and Eileen. Remember -girls, breakfast at eight o’clock sharp.” - -“But what will we have?” Veve asked in panic. - -“That’s entirely up to you,” smiled Miss Gordon. “You’ll find bacon, -eggs and oatmeal in the supply box.” - -“And what about the fire?” Jane inquired uneasily. - -“I’ll start it, and after that you must keep it going. I suggest you -gather a good supply of fuel before you go to bed tonight.” - -Veve, Jane and Eileen were somewhat troubled by their appointment as -cooks. After the dishes had been done, they gathered in a group to plan. - -“Let’s have something easy like boiled eggs,” suggested Eileen. - -Veve promptly overruled her. “No, we’re going to have a good breakfast, -so all the girls will say we’re the best cooks in camp!” she insisted. -“We’ll have scrambled eggs, bacon and oatmeal and maybe toast.” - -“Isn’t that too much?” protested Jane. “Think of the work.” - -“I’m chairman and do all the planning,” Veve reminded her helpers. -“Miss Gordon said so. Each one of us will cook one thing. I’ll fry the -bacon. Jane can cook the oatmeal while Eileen scrambles the eggs.” - -“But I don’t know how to cook oatmeal,” Jane complained. “Let’s settle -for packaged breakfast food.” - -“No! Oatmeal is easy to cook. I’ve watched Mother lots of times. You -just measure some in and add water. That’s all there is to it.” - -When the girls told Miss Gordon of the menu they had planned, she -raised her eyebrows slightly and said: “A little elaborate for a first -meal, isn’t it?” - -However, the Brownie leader did not suggest any changes. She merely -showed the girls where they could find needed supplies. - -“Now if you need advice, don’t hesitate to come to me,” she remarked. - -“Oh, we’ll get along fine,” said Veve confidently. “Cooking is easy.” - -Deep shadows presently crowded in upon the little camp by the willows. -Miss Gordon tossed a log on the fire, and the girls gathered about to -sing and tell stories. By nine o’clock everyone was sleepy and ready to -retire. - -One by one the girls tumbled into their balsam bough beds, snuggling -down under the blankets. The only space left for Veve was near the door. - -Rolling up in her blankets, she pretended to be very comfortable. And -at first she did not mind lying on the ground. - -But as the night wore on, her back began to hurt. She rolled onto -her side. In a moment it felt paralyzed, so she twisted into another -position. - -“Quit squirming,” Jane said in a drowsy voice. “We want to go to sleep.” - -Veve lay still as long as she could. The ground had begun to feel cold -through her cocoon of blankets. Then something bit her squarely in the -back. - -Veve jumped and flung an arm out across Jane’s face. - -“Say, quiet down or we’ll toss you out of the tent,” Jane said crossly. -“We want to go to sleep.” - -Except for Jane and Veve, the others already were in dreamland. - -“Can I help it if something bit me?” Veve muttered. “I’m cold. I’m -going out and sit by the fire.” - -Some distance from the tent, the remains of a log still smoldered. -Taking her blankets, Veve snuggled down by the glowing coals. At first -she was fairly comfortable. But as the log died down, the cold of the -night again needled her shaking body. - -Finding a pile of wood which had been left for the breakfast fire, Veve -kindled the dying flames. Again she was comfortable for an hour or so. -After that, the wood was gone and the night went on and on. - -Shivering and shaking, Veve wondered if the dawn ever would come. Not -a sound could be heard from the tent where the other girls apparently -were sleeping snugly. - -When the sun finally broke through the willows, Miss Gordon, arising -to start the fire, was surprised to discover Veve huddled by the dead -ashes. - -“Why, Veve, you look half frozen!” she exclaimed. “Didn’t you sleep -comfortably last night?” - -“Oh, I decided to get up early,” Veve replied quickly. “I’ll start -breakfast right away.” - -However, she continued to hunch by the dead embers of the fire, waiting -until Miss Gordon had started a lively blaze. Gradually, she began to -thaw out. - -“We seem to be rather short of wood,” the Brownie troop leader -remarked. “I’m afraid you’ll have to gather more in order to keep the -fire going.” - -“I’ll tell Eileen and Jane,” Veve said. “They should be up now to help -me.” - -Soon all the girls began to arise and dress. The sun climbed higher, -drying the tent and warming the air. - -“While breakfast is being prepared the rest of us may as well have a -dip in the river,” Miss Gordon suggested. “Last one in is a sissy!” - -Clad in bathing suits, the Brownies all dashed off to the beach, -leaving Eileen, Veve and Jane to struggle with the fire. - -“I can’t keep it going without more wood,” Veve complained, “and you -two stand here loafing.” - -“We do not!” Jane retorted. “There was a good pile of wood there last -night. I know because I gathered some the last thing before I went to -bed.” - -“Well, it doesn’t matter,” said Veve quickly. “Just get some more, -while I start the bacon. We have to have breakfast ready by eight -o’clock.” - -Soon the bacon began to sizzle in the pan. Satisfied that it was frying -well, Veve turned to help Eileen break eggs into a dish. They could not -decide how many it would take to feed eight hungry persons. - -As they debated the matter, Veve suddenly noticed smoke rising from the -frying pan. - -“The bacon is burning!” she screamed, turning to rescue it. - -“It’s burned you mean--to a crisp,” mourned Eileen as she saw the -shriveled, blackened strips of meat. “Now what’ll we do?” - -“Why bother with bacon?” Veve asked. “With eggs and oatmeal we’ll have -enough. Here comes Jane with the wood now.” - -The girls built up the fire, but for some reason it refused to burn -down to coals. Instead, it caused more smoke than flame. - -“Oh, bother!” Jane exclaimed impatiently. “Who wants to wait all day? -I’m putting the oatmeal on now.” - -Following instructions printed on the cereal box, she added water to -the oatmeal and placed the pan on the fire. In a short while, the -kettle was black from smoke, but the water refused to boil. - -“I’m sick and disgusted and mad!” Jane announced furiously. “Who ever -thought camping would be fun?” - -The girls still were struggling with the fire when the other Brownies -raced in from the beach, dripping wet. - -“We’ve had a marvelous swim!” Connie shouted. “And we’re starved. Is -breakfast ready?” - -“No, it isn’t,” announced Veve. “What’s more, I don’t think it ever -will be!” - -Miss Gordon, without saying anything, rebuilt the fire. Veve, Eileen -and Jane expected her to cook the breakfast, but instead she sat down -nearby with her back to a tree. - -“If first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” she remarked. “We’re all -pretty hungry, but I guess we can wait a while longer.” - -For the three cooks nothing remained but to start in all over again. -Veve put on another pan of bacon, and this time watched it closely. - -After the bacon was crisp, Eileen cooked the eggs. Miss Gordon told -her when to take them off the fire so they would not scorch. As for -the oatmeal, it proved so lumpy that no one wanted to try any. In any -event, the cooks had forgotten to go to the camp store for milk or -cream. - -“On the whole, I think our cooks did very well,” Miss Gordon praised -the girls. “However, as supplies have been used rather lavishly, we’ll -need to go into Shady Hollow for more.” - -“Can’t we get what we need at the camp store?” inquired Belinda. - -Miss Gordon explained that the camp sold only perishables. Staple foods -must be purchased at one of the village stores. - -“I’ll go,” offered Veve. “After all, I used up the extra bacon.” - -Miss Gordon also named Connie and Rosemary to make the trip, offering -to take the three girls in her car some time after lunch. Meanwhile, -she told the Brownies they might have a free hour in which to write -letters or do whatever they liked. - -“I want to make myself a balsam bed,” Veve announced promptly. - -“I’ll show you how,” Miss Gordon offered. - -The bed did not take long to make. After the balsam boughs had been -laid in place, Veve went swimming with Eileen and Jane while the other -girls explored the woodland trails. - -At noon, the Brownies trooped in, eager for the stew, hot biscuits and -canned peaches which Miss Gordon had ready for them. - -“Camp is great when someone else does the cooking,” Jane sighed -blissfully. “I wish we could stay here forever.” - -In the early afternoon the girls played games, loafed on the beach and -gathered stones. At three o’clock, Miss Gordon told Connie, Veve and -Rosemary it was time to start for Shady Hollow. She had made out a long -list of needed supplies. - -“We should buy a water bucket also,” she remarked. - -At Shady Hollow, the four separated, Miss Gordon and Rosemary going to -the grocery store, while Veve and Connie went on to the hardware to -purchase the water pail. - -Now, directly behind the hardware store ran a railroad siding, but the -two girls did not notice this immediately. - -Carefully they made their purchase of the bucket, paid for it, and left -the store. - -Only then did Veve see the railroad tracks. A train with circus cars -stood on the siding. The engine did not appear to be hooked on. - -“Why, it’s a circus!” she exclaimed. “It looks like _our_ circus!” - -Veve meant that it appeared to be the same one the Brownies had -witnessed a week earlier at Rosedale. - -“It does look like the same one,” Connie admitted in astonishment. “I -wonder if it is playing here?” - -“Shady Hollow is too small a place. Probably it has pulled up on the -siding so another train can go by.” - -Thinking that perhaps they might see Eva Leitsall or Jim Carsdale, the -girls cut through a vacant lot to the railroad tracks. - -The Pullman cars were far up ahead. However, directly in front of them -was a gaudily painted box car, the door of which stood slightly ajar. - -“Wonder what’s inside!” Veve speculated. “I think I’ll see.” - -Upending the newly purchased bucket, she stood on it and peeped into -the car. - -“Oh, Connie!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “Guess what? The golden coach -is in here!” - -“The one we saw in the circus?” - -“The very same. Oh, it’s beautiful, Connie. Raise me up higher.” - -“I can’t,” said Connie. “Pull yourself up on the edge of the car. Then -you can see better.” - -Veve swung herself to the edge of the circus car. She sat in the open -doorway, her feet swinging over the side. - -“Now help me up,” Connie commanded. “I want to see too.” - -Veve pulled her up and they both sat there gazing at the beautiful -golden coach. - -“Maybe we shouldn’t sit here,” Connie said uneasily. - -Now, neither she nor Veve once thought of being carried away by the -circus train. So far as they could tell, the engine was not even hooked -on. They knew too, they could jump to the ground any time they liked. - -Veve scrambled to her feet the better to gaze at the golden coach. - -“Let’s sit in it!” she proposed. - -“Oh, no, Veve.” - -“Just for a minute,” coaxed Veve. “Then we’ll meet Miss Gordon.” Before -Connie could stop her, she ran over to the coach. “Say, it has red -plush seats and everything. Do come see!” - -Veve climbed into the coach and began to bounce up and down on the soft -cushions. - -Connie, against her better judgment, decided it would do no harm to sit -in the coach for only a minute. She went over and climbed in beside -Veve. - -“Wouldn’t it be fun to ride in the grand procession?” she asked, her -eyes shining. - -“You play you’re the Queen,” proposed Veve. “I’ll drive the white -horses.” She scrambled up into the high box at the front of the coach. - -Taking a long whip from its holder, she pretended to switch the horses. - -But Connie felt very uneasy. “Veve, we must meet Miss Gordon,” she -reminded her friend. - -“Oh, all right,” Veve agreed, replacing the whip. - -Now the two girls had been so engrossed in inspecting the beautiful -coach, that they had failed to hear footsteps outside in the gravel. - -Before they could climb out or say a word, the heavy door of the box -car was slammed shut. - - - - -CHAPTER 9 - -The Golden Coach - - -When the door of the box car slammed shut, Connie and Veve were so -startled that for an instant they scarcely could think. - -Then they both jumped from the coach and ran to the door. - -“Let us out!” screamed Connie. - -“Open the door!” shouted Veve. - -The man who had locked them in by accident did not hear. He had walked -away. With the door closed, the box car was very dark. - -Badly frightened, the two girls beat on the door with their fists. But -they could not force it open. - -“Oh, why doesn’t someone let us out?” wailed Connie. - -Even as she spoke, the car gave a hard jolt. Veve nearly was thrown -from her feet. - -“The engine is being hooked on!” she cried. “Oh, Connie, we’ll be -carried away with the circus.” - -Connie was nearly as terrified as her little friend. Frequently she had -remarked that she would like to go away with a circus. Of course, she -hadn’t really meant it. And certainly she didn’t wish to be carried -away in a locked box car. - -“What will Miss Gordon think?” she gasped. “She will wait and wait at -the car for us, and we’ll never get there.” - -Frantically, the two girls began to beat on the door again with their -fists. “Let us out! Let us out!” they shouted over and over. - -Veve screamed as hard as she could. She even called Miss Gordon’s name, -though she knew the Brownie troop leader was too far away to be of any -help. - -The screams of the two girls went unheard. Already the circus man who -had locked the door was far away. - -All too soon, the girls heard a loud hissing sound. - -“I know what that is,” whispered Veve. - -“What, Veve?” It was all Connie could do to be brave. - -“The engineer is letting air out of the brakes. That means the train is -about to start.” - -Veve was right too. Within a few minutes the car lurched forward and -the couplings between the other cars went, “chunk-chunk, chunk-chunk.” -The two girls nearly were thrown to the floor. - -Despair overcame them as they heard the wheels going “clickity-click” -every time they passed from one rail to another. The sound came faster -and faster. Connie and Veve knew the train was leaving Shady Hollow, -moving along at a lively clip. - -“Oh, Connie, were being carried away with the circus,” Veve wailed. -“How will we ever get back to camp? How will we ever get home?” - -Connie wondered the same thing. She was desperately afraid it might be -a long while before anyone came to open the car door. And by that time -they would be miles away from Shady Hollow. - -Only a little light filtered into the car through a small ventilator -door high in the wall. Although they could see each other, objects -about them were hazy. - -“Stay close to me, Connie,” Veve shivered. “I’m afraid.” - -“I don’t feel so brave myself,” answered Connie. - -“Do you think we ever will get out of here?” Veve asked in a quavering -voice. She stared at the canvas bundles and boxes stacked in the car. -They looked as if they might be alive, though she knew they weren’t. - -“Of course we’ll get out,” replied Connie staunchly. - -“But when?” - -“I don’t know when,” admitted Connie. “But they will have to open up -this car sometime. Probably at the next stop.” - -Clinging together and bracing themselves against the side of the car, -the girls tried not to think about Miss Gordon and the Brownie camp. -But they couldn’t help worrying. What would the troop leader do when -they failed to meet her at the car? Would she ever guess that they had -been taken away on the circus train? - -And the good times they would miss at camp! Even now, the other -Brownies probably were enjoying a swim at the beach. - -“We never should have crawled into this hateful old box car,” Connie -said, raising her voice above the rattle and bang of the rolling -wheels. “Miss Gordon’s told us a thousand times that Brownies THINK -before they act. We didn’t at all, Veve.” - -“It was a mistake to get into the car,” Veve admitted. “But the engine -wasn’t hooked on. How did we know a man would come along and slam the -door shut?” - -“That’s where we didn’t think,” Connie sighed. “Oh, dear! Miss Gordon -will be about frantic wondering where we are. And no one ever will -guess we’re on this circus train.” - -Veve said nothing for a few minutes. With all her heart she wished that -she were back at Shady Hollow camp or at least home with her mother. -The nice house in Rosedale with its green lawn and trees seemed a -million miles away. - -“Connie,” she called. Her voice was scarcely louder than a whisper. - -“What, Veve?” - -“Do you think we will starve to death in here?” - -“No,” answered Connie. “I have a chocolate bar in my pocket. I brought -it from home and haven’t eaten it yet.” - -Veve felt greatly relieved. Now, at least she thought they would have -something to eat for their dinner. Already she was beginning to feel -hungry too. - -“Let’s eat the candy right away,” she proposed to Connie. - -“No, we must save it until we’re terribly hungry,” Connie told her. -“We may be in here a long while, and it’s all the food we have.” - -The train was moving very rapidly, causing the car to sway back -and forth. Connie could feel the floor trembling beneath her feet. -She wondered if riding in a box car was anything like being in an -earthquake. - -Both girls were feeling a little less afraid when suddenly they heard a -terrific roar. Plainly it came from the car just ahead of theirs. - -Veve clutched Connie’s hand. “What was that?” she whispered. - -“It sounded like an old lion,” Connie said. Her teeth were chattering. - -“Oh, Connie, what if it should try to break in here?” - -“It won’t,” replied Connie. However, she did not feel too certain. - -Other animals on the train had started to make strange noises also. Now -and then something banged hard against a car wall. The girls imagined -it was the lion trying to break out. - -For a long while, Veve and Connie huddled together, listening. The wild -animals had become quieter now. - -“That old lion can’t get us,” Veve said presently. “I’m not afraid of -him.” She stood up to stretch her cramped legs. - -By this time, Connie felt more at ease too. As her eyes became more -accustomed to the darkness, she began to gaze about the car. - -“Let’s find out what has been stored in here,” she proposed. “Maybe we -can find some food.” - -Crawling through the body of the golden coach, the two girls came out -on the other side. Stacked high against the sides of the car were -several large bundles of canvas. - -“What do you think they are, Connie?” inquired Veve, kicking one of the -bundles. - -“Side show tents.” - -“We could slide down ’em,” said Veve. “Only I don’t think it would be -much fun.” - -“Neither do I. We’d get all dirty.” Connie looked down at her Brownie -uniform, already wrinkled. - -Veve’s white blouse was smudged with dust and her hands felt gritty. -The box car seemed to be very dirty. - -“Let’s climb back into the golden coach,” Connie suggested. “It will be -more comfortable there than sitting on the car floor.” - -For a while, the girls amused themselves by playing imaginary games. -Connie pretended she was queen of the circus while Veve drove the -horses. Tiring of that, they tried Wild West. The girls took turns -driving the mail in their stagecoach and saying that the Indians were -after them. But soon they became tired of that game too. - -“It’s no fun without real Indians,” Veve complained. “What time do you -suppose it is?” - -“We’ve been on the train at least an hour--maybe two or three. It must -be nearly six o’clock.” - -“Then let’s eat the candy bar. I’m terribly hungry, Connie.” - -“So am I,” admitted Connie. - -From her pocket she took the candy bar. Somehow it had become crushed, -the tinfoil pressing down into the chocolate. - -However, the girls did not mind. Peeling off the foil, they divided the -bar into equal parts and ate every crumb. - -Veve now became very thirsty. She thought of the cool glass of milk she -might have had at camp, and felt like crying. - -“Do you suppose Miss Gordon has missed us yet?” she asked. - -“Of course she has, Veve. She must have known something happened to us -soon after we failed to meet her at the car.” - -“But she can’t know we were taken away by the train.” - -“Not unless the hardware man saw us climb into the car. And I don’t -think he did.” - -Veve was silent for a while and then she said: - -“Do you suppose Miss Gordon will tell our folks that we’re missing? -Then they might look for us.” - -“But they can’t find us,” Connie said dismally. “We must be a hundred -miles from Shady Hollow by this time. Maybe two hundred. The only -persons we can expect to find us now are the circus folk.” - -Both girls were very tired and worried. But they were careful not to -blame each other for their predicament. They knew they both had been -equally careless in climbing into the car. - -Gradually, it became darker in the golden coach where the children sat. -Too discouraged to play games, they merely rode in silence. - -Then suddenly, the car gave several little jerks as it rolled along. - -“The engineer is putting on the brakes!” cried Veve. “We’re slowing -down!” - -With Connie close beside her, she scrambled from the coach and ran to -the car door. Pressing their faces close to the cracks, they tried to -see out. - -“We’re stopping all right!” exclaimed Veve hopefully. - -“Now someone should find us!” cried Connie. “Let’s yell as loud as we -can.” - -The two girls waited until the train came to a complete stop. Then they -pounded as hard as they could on the door and shouted. - -“Oh, Connie, won’t anyone _ever_ hear us?” wailed Veve. - -No one came to open the door. In the cars nearby, the animals had -started to roar again. The shouts of Connie and Veve were completely -drowned out. Within a few minutes, the train began to move again. - -“I guess we only stopped to take on water,” said Connie in a -discouraged voice. “It wasn’t a regular station.” - -“How much longer do you think we will have to stay in here?” - -Connie didn’t try to answer. She really was worried. But she kept -telling herself the circus couldn’t have a show without using the -golden coach. When that time came, it would be unloaded and they -surely would be found. - -Seeking a comfortable place to sit, the girls climbed back into the -rear coach seat. The steady rocking of the train made them feel rather -drowsy. - -Connie curled up in a ball, kitten fashion, and went to sleep. Veve -made up her mind she would stay awake, but soon she had dozed off too. - -However, it seemed to Connie that she scarcely had closed her eyes when -someone shook her arm. - -At first Veve thought she must be dreaming. The car was dark and she -didn’t know where she was. - -“Wake up!” commanded a voice. She was given another hard shake. “How -did you get in here?” - -Before Veve could answer, the man went to the door of the box car. He -shouted to someone far down the tracks. - -“Hey, Bill! Come here! I’ve found a couple of kids asleep in the golden -coach! Runaways!” - -Both Connie and Veve sat up, rubbing their eyes. By now they were very -much awake. - -“We’re not runaways,” Veve said quickly. “Someone locked us up in this -old car by mistake. And we want to get out right away!” - - - - -CHAPTER 10 - -Rescue - - -“You’ll get out of here all right,” said the circus man to Veve. - -He spoke rather gruffly because he was annoyed to find the two girls in -the car. To send them home to their mothers would cause considerable -trouble. - -“We want to go back to the Brownie camp,” said Veve with a half-sob. -“Miss Gordon will be worrying about what happened to us.” - -“Who is Miss Gordon?” asked the circus man. - -“Our Brownie Scout troop leader,” explained Connie. - -The circus man lifted both girls down from the golden coach. Their -limbs were so cramped they barely could stand on their feet at first. - -“How long have you youngsters been in this car?” he asked in a more -friendly voice. - -“We don’t know,” Veve answered between sobs. “Ever since the circus -train left Shady Hollow.” - -“That was late yesterday afternoon. It’s practically morning now. How -did you get in this car anyhow?” - -Veve and Connie told him of their excursion into Shady Hollow to buy -groceries to take back to the Brownie Scout camp, and of their desire -to sit in the golden coach “just for a minute.” - -“We didn’t mean to be carried away,” Connie explained earnestly. -“Someone just slammed the door and we couldn’t get out.” - -“What will become of us?” inquired Veve anxiously. - -“You’ll have to stay with the circus until your parents send for you.” - -“But we don’t want to go home,” Connie said quickly. “We want to return -to Shady Hollow Camp.” - -“Then we’ll notify your troop leader,” the circus man agreed. “What is -your name, little girl?” - -“Connie Williams, and this is Veve McGuire.” - -“I’ll send a telegram to your Brownie Scout leader right away,” the -circus man promised. “Hungry?” - -“Practically starved,” said Connie. - -By this time, the man who had been called “Bill” came to the doorway of -the car. He reached up his arms and the other workman handed the two -girls down to him. - -Veve and Connie were relieved to escape from the dark, cramped -quarters. However, the night air was very chilly and they had no -sweaters or jackets. - -“The sun soon will be up,” one of the men said, slipping his jacket -over Connie’s shoulders. “Then as soon as the cook tent is up, we’ll -have breakfast.” - -“When will we get back to Shady Hollow camp?” Veve asked. - -“That depends. We’re several hundred miles from there now. Someone will -have to come after you.” - -“Oh,” said Connie in a thin little voice. She was thinking how very -much trouble and expense Miss Gordon would be caused. - -The circus man asked for the full name of the Brownie Scout leader, -writing it on an envelope. As he talked to the girls, other circus folk -wandered by from the sleeper cars. They too paused to ask questions. -Everyone seemed quite friendly. - -Suddenly, in the group, Connie caught sight of Mr. Carsdale. The animal -trainer saw her at the same instant. - -“Hello!” he exclaimed. “How did _you_ get here?” - -Once again Connie related how she and Veve had been locked inside the -box car. - -“Mr. Carsdale, do you know these youngsters?” asked the workman who had -found them. - -“Sure, they’re old friends of mine,” replied the animal trainer. He -told of his meeting with the entire Brownie troop at Rosedale. - -“Then suppose I turn the girls over to you,” proposed the first man. -“You might see that they get breakfast and a place to sleep if they’re -tired. I’ll send off the telegram right away.” - -“Sure, I’ll be glad to look after them,” promised Mr. Carsdale. - -“Are we to have something to eat right away?” asked Veve, who was very -hungry. - -“Just as soon as the cook tent is up,” replied Mr. Carsdale. “That -shouldn’t be long now, for we’re unloading the circus. Meanwhile, I’ll -get some chocolate bars to tide you over.” - -“I’m thirsty too,” said Connie, licking her dry lips. - -Mr. Carsdale led the two girls into the railroad station. There he -bought four chocolate bars, giving them each a couple. At the fountain, -Veve and Connie drank all the water they wanted. - -“Now we’ll hop a truck and ride to the circus grounds,” declared Mr. -Carsdale. “The lot isn’t far from here.” - -“Will there be a show today?” asked Veve eagerly. - -“Not until tomorrow,” replied the animal trainer. “The circus is having -a day of rest.” - -“I hope we get to see another show while we’re here,” declared Veve. - -Already she was beginning to feel very much at home with Mr. Carsdale. -Now that she knew she was safe, she thought it would be fun to stay -with the circus several days. However, that would mean missing camp, -and neither of the girls wanted to do that. - -Mr. Carsdale boosted the children up into the truck. When it was fully -loaded, the driver started off for the circus lot. - -By this time the sky was brightening. Near the circus lot torches were -burning. - -“Why are the torches lighted?” questioned Connie, who wished to learn -about everything. “Is it so the drivers can see better?” - -“Oh, no,” laughed Mr. Carsdale. “We ‘torch the road’ so the truckmen -will know how to reach the lot. When the torch is on the left-hand -side of the curb, it means we are to turn left.” - -“And a torch at the right-hand side means turn to the right?” asked -Veve. - -“Yes, when there are no torches, we keep straight ahead.” - -The sun was up by the time the truck rattled into the circus lot. -Workmen were driving stakes and setting up the big canvas tent. Already -nearly all of the smaller ones used by the performers were in place. - -“Yonder is the cook tent,” said Mr. Carsdale, pointing it out to the -girls. “When the flag goes up, it means breakfast is ready.” - -As Connie and Veve watched the work around the circus lot, they kept -within view of the cook tent. They could see curls of smoke arising -above the canvas. And then at last, the flag was raised. - -“There it goes!” Veve shouted to Mr. Carsdale. “It’s flying now!” - -“Then we’ll go right over,” smiled the animal trainer. “I’m pretty -hungry myself.” - -The air was fragrant with the odor of frying sausages. Walking toward -the cook tent, Connie and Veve sniffed the air. They thought they never -had smelled anything so utterly delicious. - -At the entrance of the tent a man stood taking tickets. - -“Do we have to pay to get in?” asked Veve in surprise. - -“No,” answered Mr. Carsdale, “but the workmen must have tickets. -They’re required to prevent those who don’t belong to the circus from -getting free meals.” - -Veve and Connie observed that the animal trainer seemed well acquainted -with the man at the entrance of the cook tent. He guided them into -another tent which served as the circus dining room. - -Already a number of performers were seated at several long tables set -with heavy china. - -“Where do we sit, Mr. Carsdale?” asked Connie politely. - -“My place is over here near the tent wall,” said the animal man. “You -may sit next to me.” - -A waiter in a white coat brought the girls pancakes, sausages, tomato -juice and fruit. The food was very good and there was a great deal of -it. However, Veve and Connie saw so many interesting persons that after -the first few minutes they nearly forgot to eat. - -Across the table from Veve sat the Thin Man from the side show. Next -to him were several little people no taller than Connie or Veve. -Although adults, they never would grow any larger, and were known as -Lilliputians. - -“Why are they so small, Mr. Carsdale?” Veve asked in a whisper. “Didn’t -they have enough cod liver oil when they were children?” - -Connie gave her friend a quick kick under the table. However, Mr. -Carsdale merely laughed and answered the question. - -“They’re not small from any lack of food,” he explained. “They’re just -that way because they’re freaks of nature.” - -Veve and Connie were only half through breakfast when Eva Leitsall -sauntered into the tent. The little circus girl stopped short on seeing -them at the table. She certainly never had expected to meet Veve and -Connie again. - -“Come over here, Eva!” called Mr. Carsdale. - -The little girl sat down in an empty seat next to Veve. Now that she -was not dressed in her circus costume she looked like any ordinary -child. Her curly hair had not been combed very well and her eyes were -sleepy. - -“Have you joined the circus?” she asked Connie and Veve. - -“Sure, they both have,” laughed Mr. Carsdale, who had decided to have a -little fun. “At least for a while.” - -“What have you signed on to do?” asked Eva, not very well pleased. - -Now, Mr. Carsdale liked Eva but he also enjoyed teasing her. He knew -the little circus girl was inclined to feel rather proud of her -accomplishments and that she sometimes boasted. So he said quickly: - -“I may make Veve my assistant in the animal act. And Connie might be in -the riding act.” - -“We don’t need anyone,” replied Eva, scowling. “Besides, she can’t -ride, can she?” - -“Didn’t I hear your father say he needs someone who can do the -somersault without being afraid?” teased Mr. Carsdale. - -Eva stared at the animal trainer and didn’t say a word. - -“Connie wouldn’t mind practicing hard either, would you, Connie?” Mr. -Carsdale went on. - -“Oh, no,” replied the little girl. “I would like to be a wonderful -rider.” - -“I guess it wouldn’t seem so wonderful if you had to be in two shows -every day,” retorted Eva. “I have to work all the time. My parents -make me practice that silly old somersault over and over.” - -“That’s so you will be sure of it and never fall and injure yourself,” -said Mr. Carsdale. - -“Anyway, I’m sick of doing it,” announced Eva. “I’m tired of riding on -trains. I’d like to live like other children do and just have fun.” Her -gaze rested for an instant on the dancing elf pin attached to Connie’s -Brownie uniform. “I’d like to be a Brownie,” she added. - -“Don’t you like the circus?” Connie asked in astonishment. - -“Not when I have to work all the time.” - -Connie and Veve were very much surprised by the circus girl’s words. -They realized now that Eva had only been pretending before. She had -tried to make them think circus life was exciting, only to arouse their -envy and admiration. - -“Suppose you take Connie and Veve in tow and show them around the lot,” -Mr. Carsdale suggested to Eva. “Everything is new to them, you know.” - -“All right,” agreed Eva willingly enough. “As soon as I finish my -breakfast.” - -Presently Mr. Carsdale went away, leaving the three girls together. - -“Are you really joining the circus?” Eva asked when the animal trainer -was out of hearing. - -“Oh, no,” answered Connie. “We’re returning to Shady Hollow just as -soon as someone comes for us.” - -She told Eva about the Brownie camp and how she and Veve had been -locked inside the railroad car. - -“I knew Mr. Carsdale was teasing me,” the little circus girl said in -relief. “I was sure no one else would be given my place in the riding -act.” - -Eva finished her breakfast. Then she asked the girls what they would -like to see first. - -Veve said she would enjoy visiting the big kitchen. Eva took the girls -into a nearby tent where nearly all the circus food was prepared. -Instead of ordinary sized pans, huge steam cookers were used. - -“My, it must take a lot of food to feed so many people,” remarked -Connie. - -“We buy a hundred and seventy loaves of bread a day,” said Eva. She -spoke as if she did the ordering herself. “And we bake nearly that many -pies.” - -Stacked outside the tent were many unopened crates of fruit and -vegetables. Connie and Veve saw oranges, grapefruit, apples and even -strawberries. - -Next, the little circus girl led her companions to the butcher shop. -Entire quarters of beeves were lying on long wooden tables. Men in -white aprons chopped off huge steaks and tossed them into cooking pans. - -“My, wouldn’t the Brownies like to see this?” murmured Connie. “I -wonder if they know yet where we are?” - -Although she and Veve had been told that a telegram had been sent to -Shady Hollow Camp, as yet no reply had been received. - -After seeing the butcher shop, the three girls wandered about the lot. -Eva introduced her friends to several other circus boys and girls. - -However, few of the children had time to talk for more than a few -minutes. All of them seemed to have work to do. Two boys were -practicing on the trampoline, a taut canvas which tossed them into the -air when they sprang from it. - -Over and over the boys would practice backward and forward somersaults. - -“Want to see Sniff, our dog, do it too?” one of the boys asked. “He’s -better than we are.” - -Whey they dropped Sniff on the canvas, he leaped into the air and -turned several somersaults backwards. - -“Are you in an act together?” Connie asked, greatly impressed. - -“Not yet,” one of the boys answered. “We’re not good enough.” - -A little farther on, a mother was teaching her five year old daughter -how to hang by her teeth from a rope. The rope, however, was only a few -inches from the ground. - -“That’s Fifi,” said Eva, nodding toward the child. “She’ll be in the -butterfly act when she’s older.” - -Now Connie and Veve did not say much, but already they recognized that -to be in the circus one needed to be very skillful. Apparently, even -the children had to work hard and practice almost constantly. - -“How many children are there on the lot?” Connie asked curiously. - -“Oh, eight or ten or twelve,” Eva said. “I never know for certain. They -come and go.” - -“Any girls your own age?” inquired Veve. - -“Oh, sure. Elsie, Mae, Charmaine and Cleo.” - -“Enough for a Brownie Scout troop,” said Connie jokingly. - -“I wish we could have a club,” replied Eva in a serious tone. “But no! -All we do is work, work, work.” - -Now that Veve and Connie were getting fairly well acquainted with the -little circus girl they liked her much better than they had at first. -She did not act as know-it-all as she had at Rosedale. - -“What do you want to see now?” asked Eva. - -“Could we look at the elephants?” Veve requested. - -“Of course. I think the elephants are the most interesting part of the -circus myself. They’re one of the smartest animals in the world.” - -The elephants had been chained to heavy iron stakes now that their -morning’s work was done. An attendant had just given them their ration -of hay. - -Veve and Connie laughed aloud as they watched the elephants swish it up -with their long, snaky trunks. - -“That big fellow over there is Old Sal,” said Eva. She pointed to an -elephant with a very wrinkled skin. “You should see her boss the others -around.” - -“And do they really obey her?” asked Veve. - -“They have to,” answered Eva. “When they don’t, she beats them hard -with her trunk. That makes them come to time right away.” - -The little circus girl told the pair more about the ways and habits of -elephants. - -“Don’t get too near Old Sal,” she warned Veve. “She might take that -blue hair ribbon when you’re not looking.” - -“Why would she want my ribbon?” Veve asked, backing away. - -“Old Sal collects everything bright colored,” explained Eva. “You’ll -notice she has bits of paper and ribbons hidden in the hay. Old shoes -too and cigar butts.” - -At another stake the circus girl pointed out Bubbles, an elephant that -had been captured in Ceylon. - -“My, it must be hard to tame an elephant,” Connie said. “They’re such -big animals.” - -“You’d think so if one ever stepped on you,” laughed Eva. “Bubbles -weighed nearly five tons when she first came to the circus!” - -“How was she captured?” Veve asked curiously. - -“Oh, elephants always travel in herds, you know,” the circus girl -explained carelessly. “To catch one elephant you have to catch a herd -of them.” - -“You didn’t ever do it?” Veve questioned, for Eva talked exactly as if -she had taken part in the big elephant drive. - -“Oh, no, but I’d like to! I’ve heard the circus men talk about it lots -of times. To trap a herd of elephants, the hunters first mark out -a huge circle in the jungle and set up log posts all around. That’s -called the _kraal_.” - -“Why do they build a _kraal_?” Connie asked, puzzled. - -“Because after they trap the elephants, they’d break right out again if -the pen weren’t terribly strong. After the fence has been built, the -hunters cover it with leaves and underbrush.” - -“That’s to fool the elephant?” Veve guessed. - -“Elephants are pretty smart,” the circus girl nodded. “If they wised up -that they were being driven into a trap, they’d put up an awful fight.” - -“How do the hunters get the elephants into the _kraal_?” inquired -Connie. - -“Oh, hundreds of native boys go into the jungle and frighten the -elephants by shouting and beating on toms-toms. The herd is driven -through the gates into the enclosure. Then quick as a flash, they light -fires, so the elephants won’t try to get out the way they came in.” - -“That doesn’t sound very hard,” Veve said. “I thought it would be a -much bigger job to catch an elephant.” - -“I guess it would be if you were doing it,” Eva replied. “Sometimes -the elephants get so angry at being trapped that they tear down the -_kraal_. But if it has been strongly built, they can’t get away. After -a while, the elephants quiet down and behave themselves. Then the men -ride in on tame elephants and pick out the elephant they want.” - -“After going to all that trouble, why not keep them all?” questioned -Veve. “If I were a hunter, that’s what I would do.” - -“Oh, no you wouldn’t!” corrected Eva, tossing Bubbles a peanut. “One -can’t hunt elephants without a permit. And the government never allows -many to be taken at one time. That’s to protect the herds from being -destroyed.” - -“Well, anyway, it would be fun to capture even one elephant,” Veve -declared. “And once you had him, he would live a long time.” - -“Wrong again!” laughed the little circus girl. “Elephants have a life -span the same as a man. They do their best work in their twenties and -thirties and are old when they get to be seventy or eighty.” - -“Eva, did you ever hear of a rogue elephant?” Connie asked. She had -read the name in an animal book but did not understand its meaning. - -“Oh, sure,” the circus girl replied, eager to impart information. -“Every elephant herd has a natural leader. Usually it’s the bull that -is the best fighter. But sometimes another elephant will try to become -the leader. Then he fights him. The winner becomes the herd leader, and -the loser usually goes off, turning bad.” - -“What do you mean, he turns bad?” Veve inquired, rather puzzled. - -“Oh, if it’s in the jungle, he tears up small trees and smashes -branches. Sometimes he raids the plantations. Such an elephant is -called a rogue. We had one once here in the circus and had to get rid -of him because he made so much trouble.” - -Connie and Veve very much enjoyed watching the elephants and hearing -about them. But despite their interest, they were growing very tired. -Veve especially, kept rubbing her eyes. - -“I guess you’ve seen enough of the circus for now,” said Eva. “After -you’ve rested, I’ll show you more. We’ll go now and ask Mr. Carsdale -where you’re to sleep.” - -“Do circus folks sleep in the daytime?” Veve asked, trying to cover a -yawn. - -“You can if you like,” Eva answered, leading the girls across the lot. -“I guess you had a hard time of it in that box car and are pretty -tired.” - -“We’re dead,” admitted Connie. - -She felt very grateful to the little circus girl for showing so much -interest in helping them. Eva really was very nice. - -“I wonder when we’ll hear from Miss Gordon,” remarked Veve anxiously, -following the other two girls. - -“Probably by the time you’ve had your snooze a telegram will be here.” - -“Then we’ll have to go home or back to camp,” said Veve. “I won’t mind -if it’s the latter. But first, I want to see the circus performance -again.” - -“I know something I should like to do too,” declared Connie earnestly. -“Something important.” - -“What?” asked Veve and Eva. - -“I should like to find the man who took Miss Gordon’s wrist watch and -the Brownie Scout money. Then maybe she would forgive us for riding -away on the circus train.” - -“I don’t think there’s a chance we’ll ever see that old pickpocket -again,” replied Veve. - -“We might,” insisted Connie. “Detective Clem Gregg told us that -pickpockets usually follow the circus from one town to another.” - -“That’s so, they do,” agreed Eva. “That man might be in the crowd at -the show tomorrow.” - -“I intend to watch for him if we’re still here,” announced Connie. “If -Miss Gordon should recover her wrist watch, she might be glad we were -carried away on the circus train!” - -“I’ll keep my eyes open too,” offered the little circus girl. “If we -see that old pickpocket, we’ll make Clem Gregg arrest him.” - - - - -CHAPTER 11 - -Feeding the Animals - - -The next morning before Connie and Veve were dressed, Eva Leitsall came -to their tent door. - -“Wake up, you sleepy heads!” she called. “You slept most of yesterday, -and now you’ll miss your breakfast if you don’t hurry.” - -“Breakfast?” Connie mumbled, throwing off the covers. “Is it morning? -What happened to last night?” - -Jumping out of bed, she began to dress as rapidly as she could. Veve -also leaped out and scrambled into her clothes. Both girls were annoyed -to think they had spent so much time sleeping when they could have been -exploring the circus lot. - -“What time is it?” asked Veve, stepping outside of the tent. The bright -morning sunlight made her blink like an owl. - -“Seven o’clock,” laughed Eva. “If you want to see the animals fed, -we’ll have to move right along. And the afternoon circus performance is -at one-thirty. Worse luck!” - -“Can’t you get out of being in the act just for today?” suggested Veve. - -“It wouldn’t do any good to ask,” sighed Eva. - -“You mean you _always_ have to be in the show?” Connie inquired. -“Whether or not you want to?” - -“Always. You daren’t be a minute late either.” - -“I shouldn’t like that,” declared Connie. - -“At least you don’t have to go to school and study,” remarked Veve. -“That part might be nice.” - -The circus girl gave a quick laugh. “A lot you know about it! My mother -makes me study my lessons every single night.” - -“Summer time too?” - -Eva nodded. “In the winter months I go to a regular school in the East. -’Course then I don’t get to see my mother or father.” - -“Do you have to study lessons all by yourself here on the circus lot?” -Veve asked. - -“Sure. And if I don’t know them, then I can’t have any candy or ice -cream.” - -Connie and Veve both liked school even though sometimes they pretended -they didn’t. But the part they enjoyed best was playing with other -boys and girls at recess. And if they occasionally missed having -perfect lessons, no one made them go without candy or ice cream. - -“I suppose you must get plenty of candy and good things to eat,” -remarked Veve. “If I traveled with a circus, I would eat Cracker Jack -all day long.” - -“Oh, no, you wouldn’t,” Eva corrected her quickly. “Every single -package of it has to be paid for.” - -“You mean you can’t have popcorn and peanuts whenever you want them!” -exclaimed Connie. - -“Every sack is counted. If even one is missing, well there’s trouble!” - -“Don’t you have any fun at all?” demanded Veve. - -“Oh, I get to play some between shows. When we’re in the larger cities, -the circus bus takes all the children to the swimming pool, or maybe a -picture show.” - -“Don’t you like being in the riding act?” Connie questioned. - -“I like it when folks clap and applaud. Only I so hate to do that old -somersault. Once I fell--” - -“I just wouldn’t do it,” announced Veve firmly. - -“Oh, yes you would,” corrected the circus child. “My mother and father -tell me that unless I practice every day and keep doing it, I’ll never -be a really great performer.” - -Again the girls went to the cook tent for their breakfasts. They were -given eggs, bacon, cereal and milk--all they could eat. The food was -excellent, but Connie was not very hungry. - -She kept thinking of her mother and father, Miss Gordon, and the Shady -Hollow camp. She wondered why no answer had been received to the -telegram sent to the Brownie Scout leader. - -“Now what would you like to see this morning?” Eva asked her friends as -they left the tent. - -“May we see the giraffe?” inquired Veve eagerly. - -Eva led the two girls to a high iron screen enclosure where the -long-necked animal was kept. An attendant was giving the giraffe water -from a wooden bucket. - -“What a distance the water has to travel!” chuckled Veve. “Does a -giraffe ever have a sore throat, Mister?” - -“He never told me about it if he had one,” laughed the attendant. “But -then, a giraffe can’t make a single sound, you know.” - -“Not even a tiny one?” Veve questioned. All she ever had known about a -giraffe was that it had a long neck. - -“Not a squeak,” replied the attendant. “Sometimes a giraffe will cry, -but the tears come without any sound.” - -Connie asked the man what a giraffe liked to eat. - -“Clover, oats, corn biscuits,” the man replied. “And as a special -treat, onions.” - -Now Veve and Connie considered this a very strange diet, even for an -animal. They would have asked other questions, but Eva warned them they -must hasten on. - -Before they had walked very far, Veve stopped to listen. She had heard -a loud roar. - -“That was Buster,” said Eva. “He’s mad because the attendants are slow -in uncovering his cage this morning.” - -“Can you tell which lion it is so far away?” asked Connie in surprise. - -“Oh, sure,” replied Eva carelessly. “Every lion has a different kind of -roar. Buster’s voice is real deep.” - -“Let’s go to see him,” Veve proposed. - -The three girls drew near the lion cages. An attendant had removed -nearly all of the canvas cage covers. - -Buster, a sleek old animal with a mane, kept pacing up and down. Now -and then he would give a loud roar. - -“Buster is in a hurry for his breakfast,” laughed Eva. “And here it -comes now.” - -A man brought several large chunks of raw meat for the lions. Buster’s -allotment fell just outside his cage. The lion kept trying to pull the -meat through the bars, but could not get it easily. - -“He can’t get his food,” said Connie anxiously. She thought someone -should help the lion. - -“Yes, he can,” replied Eva. “Buster enjoys his meal more if he has to -work to get it. The attendant always puts it just outside the cage.” - -In a moment Buster managed to pull the big hunk of meat through the -iron bars. Holding it in his teeth, he leaped up on a shelf in the -cage. There he lay, chewing contentedly. - -“Now what shall we see?” asked Veve. She was a little tired of watching -the lion. - -“I can’t show you anything more,” said Eva regretfully. “It’s time for -me to practice my riding act. See you later.” - -Left to themselves, Connie and Veve wandered slowly about, watching the -men feed the other animals. As they were staring at the camels, they -heard footsteps directly behind them. - -“Hi, there!” greeted a familiar voice. - -Veve and Connie whirled around to see Clem Gregg, the circus detective. - -“Well, if it isn’t my young friends from Rosedale,” he said gaily. “I -heard you two had joined the show. How do you like it by this time?” - -“Oh, hello, Mr. Gregg,” said Connie. “We like the circus, but we’re not -intending to stay.” - -“You don’t think you’d care for it as a steady thing?” - -“Well,” returned Connie politely, “we would miss our parents. Besides, -we want to go back to Shady Hollow Camp.” - -“When will someone come for us?” Veve asked. - -“We haven’t received word from Shady Hollow yet. I imagine there may be -a telegram at the railroad station now.” - -“How soon will you know?” inquired Veve. - -“I’m on my way to the station now,” returned the detective. “Would you -like to come along?” - -“Oh, yes, let’s!” cried Veve. - -Mr. Gregg said they would walk to the station which was only three -blocks away. - -“We haven’t any time to waste,” he told the girls. “The nine-fifteen -train will arrive in ten minutes.” - -“Are you expecting someone?” Connie asked him. - -“Well, no one in particular,” answered the detective. “I always meet -all of the morning trains.” - -“Why do you do that?” inquired Veve curiously. By this time she knew -circus people almost never did anything without a special reason. - -“It’s my job to keep watch for the slick-fingered lads,” explained the -detective. “Whenever I recognize one, I tell him to get out of town -right away.” - -“Do you mean pickpockets?” questioned Veve, walking fast to keep up -with the long-legged detective. - -“Yes, they frequently ride in on the excursion trains.” - -“I wish we’d see Pickpocket Joe,” remarked Connie. - -“Not much chance of it,” replied the detective. “He gives me a wide -berth because he knows I’m looking for him.” - -Mr. Gregg and the girls reached the station only a minute before the -train came in. The detective attentively watched passengers alight -from the coaches. - -“Ah, there’s someone I know!” he exclaimed. - -Going over to the man, he touched him on the arm. The fellow looked -worried when he saw Clem Gregg. - -“You’re not wanted around here,” the detective said to him. “Get right -back on the train. Keep riding unless you want my boys to take you out -of town the hard way.” - -The man answered something which Veve and Connie did not hear. Clem -Gregg took him by the arm and shoved him back onto the train. - -Connie had been watching other people who were leaving the train. -Suddenly she noticed a man coming around the end of the last car with a -small suitcase in his hand. - -“Oh, Veve!” she whispered excitedly. “See that man sneaking away from -the train! Doesn’t he look almost like Pickpocket Joe?” - - - - -CHAPTER 12 - -Pickpocket Joe - - -Before Veve could turn to look where Connie pointed, the man had turned -his back to the two girls. Walking rapidly, he mingled with the crowd -of passengers leaving the railroad station. - -“Oh, that fellow is wearing a black suit,” said Veve carelessly. “Don’t -you remember? Pickpocket Joe had on a brown one.” - -“Just the same, it looked like him,” insisted Connie. - -“Did he have a mole on his cheek?” - -“I couldn’t see that far. But I am almost certain it was Pickpocket -Joe, Veve.” - -“Then let’s tell Mr. Gregg.” - -The girls hastened over to where the detective stood. He was watching -the train to make sure that the other pickpocket did not alight from -the coach again. - -“Oh, Mr. Gregg!” Connie cried excitedly. “He’s here!” - -“Who is here?” inquired the detective. - -“Pickpocket Joe! Veve and I saw him only a minute ago.” - -The detective whirled quickly around. “Where?” he demanded. “Do you see -him now?” - -“No, he melted into the crowd.” - -“Then I’ll not have much chance of catching him,” said the detective -regretfully. “I wonder if the man you saw really was Pickpocket Joe.” - -“It looked exactly like him except for the color of his suit,” insisted -Connie. - -“The man might have left the coach from the other side of the train,” -Mr. Gregg said thoughtfully. “But I’m inclined to think you were -mistaken.” - -Connie said no more about the matter. However, she did not believe she -was wrong in her identification. She determined to watch the crowd for -the man. Perhaps she would see him later on the circus grounds. - -After the train had pulled out, Mr. Gregg escorted the girls into the -station. He asked the agent if there were any telegrams for him. - -“Three,” replied the man. He gave the detective the yellow envelopes. - -Pressing closer, Connie and Veve waited anxiously as the detective -ripped open the first message. - -“Does it say anything about us?” inquired Veve. - -“This one concerns routine business,” replied Mr. Gregg. “We’ll look at -another.” - -He slit the second envelope. - -“Is it from Miss Gordon?” questioned Connie hopefully. - -The detective shook his head. - -Connie and Veve waited uneasily as he finally slit the third envelope. -They were worried lest it fail to contain a message from the Brownie -Scout leader or their parents. - -Eva had told them the circus would leave late that night for another -city fifty miles away. They did not wish to travel any farther from -Shady Hollow Camp. - -“Yes, this telegram does concern you,” Mr. Gregg announced. - -Connie drew a deep breath. “What does it say?” she asked. - -“The message is signed by Miss Gordon. She says she is driving through -with Mrs. Williams and should arrive sometime this afternoon.” - -“Mrs. Williams!” laughed Connie. “Why, that’s my mother!” - -“I wonder if the Brownies are coming?” speculated Veve. “It would be -nice if they all get to see the circus tonight.” - -“What else does the telegram say?” asked Connie. - -“It merely instructs us to keep you until they arrive,” said the -detective, handing her the telegram. - -“At least Miss Gordon didn’t say a word about being angry with us,” -said Veve as she reread the message over Connie’s shoulder. “But then, -it probably would have cost more money to have wired that!” - -After attending to a few errands at the railroad station, Mr. Gregg -took the girls back to the circus lot. - -“What shall we do now?” Veve asked rather listlessly. - -Both girls were rather tired of looking at the wild animals. And nearly -all of the circus performers seemed to be too busy to talk with them. - -For a while they watched the men anchoring the big tent so that it -would be secure should a hard wind blow up. By this time the girls knew -that the mammoth canvas was familiarly known to the circus folk as “the -old rag.” - -In fact, they had noticed that circus people seemed to have a different -name for almost everything. The stand where pop was sold was spoken of -as “the juice joint,” and the hamburger sandwich stand, “the grease -joint.” - -Veve thought it especially funny the first time she heard the balloon -seller called “the bag guy.” After that she became used to it and spoke -of him the same way herself. - -“I know what let’s do,” she proposed to Connie as an idea suddenly -struck her. “Let’s look at the steam calliope.” - -“The horse piano!” laughed Connie, who had heard Eva use that name. -“Yes, that should be fun!” - -The girls found the calliope in a large wagon decorated with gold and -white carvings. Pat Dawson, the operator, was working on the instrument -when they climbed up beside him. - -“Why, the keyboard looks almost like our piano at home!” Connie -exclaimed in astonishment. - -“Want to play a tune?” the operator invited. - -“Oh, I can’t play a circus calliope,” Connie said, shrinking back at -the thought. - -“Can you play the piano?” - -“I know ‘The Buttercup,’” Connie admitted, after thinking a moment. -“And I can play part of ‘The Merry Sleigh Ride.’” - -“Then sit right down here,” the man urged, making room for her at the -keyboard. “The steam is on. Go to it!” - -Connie was almost afraid to touch the keys. But plucking up her -courage, she began to play the first measure of “The Merry Sleigh Ride.” - -The keys played almost like those of her piano at home. However, as she -touched them, a terrific blast of sound shook the wagon. - -With a startled exclamation, Connie jerked her fingers away from the -keyboard. - -“You’d get used to it if you played a calliope all day,” the operator -laughed. “But it helps to keep cotton in your ears.” - -To show the girls how easily the instrument operated, the man began to -play “There Will be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.” - -Veve and Connie hastily scrambled down from the wagon. - -“Why, I’m surprised you don’t like my music,” the man laughed. - -“Oh, we like it very much,” Connie said politely after he had stopped -playing so she could make herself heard. “It’s just a little bit loud.” - -“Well, it should be,” Pat chuckled. “This horse piano is a -special-built job and can be heard for nearly six miles on a quiet day.” - -After leaving the calliope wagon, Veve and Connie chatted for a while -with the Fat Lady and Madam Womba, the sword swallower. - -“Is it hard to learn to swallow a sword?” Veve asked the woman. - -“It takes years of practice,” she replied. “I shouldn’t advise either -of you ever to try it.” - -The girls watched the midgets for a time, and then they could think of -nothing else to do. - -“Let’s see if we can find Eva,” proposed Connie. “She must be around -here somewhere.” - -The little circus girl was not in her dressing tent or anywhere to be -seen on the lot. - -“You’ll find Eva in the big top working on her riding act,” a workman -finally told them. - -By this time Connie and Veve knew that they must never disturb their -little friend when she was practicing for the circus. - -Accordingly, they entered the main tent quietly and sat down in the -front row of bleacher seats. - -Eva was so busy she did not see them at first. She was riding a large -white horse around and around the sawdust ring. Close by stood the -little girl’s parents, who were watching her work quite critically. - -“Now the somersault, Eva!” called her father. - -“Oh, please, not today,” the little girl pleaded. “I don’t feel well. I -will do it tonight at the regular performance, if only you won’t make -me practice it now.” - -“The somersault, Eva!” ordered her father again. He knew that his -daughter only said she did not feel well as an excuse to avoid the -turn. “You must practice it over and over until you have no fear.” - -Connie and Veve couldn’t keep from feeling sorry for the little -circus girl. They didn’t blame her a bit for being afraid to try the -somersault. - -Eva rode her horse at a prancing trot around the sawdust ring. Behind -her came another white horse without a rider. However, its gait was -even and the animal knew exactly what to do without being guided. - -At a signal from her father. Eva stood up on her mount. Then at exactly -the right moment, she turned a quick somersault in the air, landing on -the broad back of the second horse. - -“Well done, Eva!” praised her father. - -Then to the surprise of Connie and Veve, he made the little girl do -the somersault several times more. Once Eva slipped and would have -fallen had not her father caught and held her. - -“Now you may rest for a few minutes,” he told his daughter at last. - -Eva went over and sat down beside Connie and Veve. - -“Must you always work so hard?” asked Connie. - -“Every day except Sunday,” sighed Eva. “I wouldn’t mind, if only I -could learn to do that somersault the right way.” - -“One must keep trying,” said Connie soberly. “That’s how it is when -you’re a Brownie Scout. Miss Gordon says if a job is hard, one always -should do his best.” - -“Scouts always are courageous too,” added Veve. “And they believe in -being courteous, kind, helpful and fair.” - -“I’d give anything to be a Brownie Scout,” sighed Eva. “But I never -can.” - -While the little circus girl rested, her mother and father led another -horse into the ring. They were trying to train it for their act. For a -long while they merely kept the horse trotting around the circle at an -even pace. - -“A rosinback must be trained so he’ll never miss a single step,” -explained Eva to her friends. - -“Why do you call your horse a rosinback?” asked Veve, who was learning -a great deal about circus animals. - -“Oh, that’s because we rub powdered rosin on their backs,” answered -Eva. “We do it so a performer won’t slip and fall. A horse’s hide is -real slick.” - -After a while Mr. and Mrs. Leitsall announced that the horse was ready -for his next lesson. - -“How would you girls like to help train him?” Eva’s father asked. - -“Oh, fine!” cried Connie eagerly. “Only we don’t know how.” - -“Your part will be easy,” encouraged Mr. Leitsall. “All you need to do -is to shout and scream when I raise my hand.” - -“But how will that help to train the horse?” inquired Connie, deeply -puzzled. - -“A ring horse must learn to pay no heed to noise,” explained the circus -man. “Even if a storm blows the tent down he must not lose a single -step.” - -Eva found several old tin cans. She offered Veve two of them. - -“What are these for?” Veve asked. - -“Bang them together and they’ll make a lot of noise,” laughed Eva. -“We’ll see if we can frighten the horse.” - -Connie and Veve never had heard of training a horse in such a strange -way. However, they were very willing to help. - -While the three girls sat by the ringside, Eva’s father made the horse -canter around the ring. Suddenly he raised his hand. - -“Now!” shouted Eva. “Make all the noise you can!” - -Connie screamed at the top of her lungs. Veve rattled her tin cans, -yelling as hard as she could. Eva’s father cracked his long whip and -shot off a revolver which had been loaded with blanks. - -The horse had been so well trained it did not appear to notice. -Undisturbed, the animal kept cantering around and around the ring at -the same steady space. - -Mr. Leitsall raised his hand in signal again. The girls became quiet -once more. - -“Well done, old boy,” the trainer said to the horse. “Here is your -reward.” He took two lumps of sugar from his pocket. - -After Eva had tried her somersault again, her father told her she need -not practice any more. The little girl started gaily away with Connie -and Veve. - -Before she could leave the tent, however, her mother called: - -“Oh, Eva, aren’t you forgetting something?” - -“Oh, bother!” exclaimed the circus girl. “Must I do my stupid old -lessons now? Let me off, just this once.” - -“Every child has to go to school,” replied her mother firmly. -“Yesterday you missed three words in your speller.” - -“Oh, all right,” grumbled Eva. - -She told Connie and Veve she would see them at lunch time. Then she -went with her mother to do her lessons. - -“I don’t think I should like to travel with the circus after all,” -announced Veve. “It’s much more fun just to come and visit.” - -“Everyone has to work so hard here,” agreed Connie. “I think living in -Rosedale and going to camp with the Brownies is much better.” - -At a loss for a way to spend their time, the two girls wandered about -the circus lot. They watched the trained seals and talked to several -of the clowns. Then before long it was luncheon time. - -Eva sat beside the girls in the cook tent, but she did not eat very -much. - -“Don’t you feel well?” Connie asked. - -“I’m all right,” muttered the little girl. - -“Maybe you are tired from practicing so hard,” said Veve. - -“I’m not tired at all,” denied Eva, a trifle irritably. “I wish you -wouldn’t keep talking about it.” - -Connie knew then that the little girl was worried about her act. -Already she was thinking about the somersault she would be required -to do in the afternoon and evening shows. When luncheon was over, Eva -walked away to talk to her father. - -“Please don’t make me do the turn today,” she pleaded. “If you will let -me off this once, I will try it tomorrow without fail.” - -“I have excused you too many times as it is,” replied her father. -“Unless you do the somersault every day you never will overcome your -fear. You never will become a great rider.” - -“I don’t care,” said Eva crossly, although she really cared a great -deal. “I wish I could leave this old circus! Then I could do exactly as -I please.” - -Connie and Veve were astonished to hear the little girl’s remark. And -Veve recalled she once had said almost the same thing. She had wished -to join the circus so that she could enjoy an easy life. - -“No one ever is allowed to do exactly as he pleases, Eva,” her father -told her. “But if you’re serious about leaving the circus, it might -be arranged. I might send you back to that city called Rosedale with -Connie and Veve. You’d like that?” - -“I don’t know,” Eva replied, hanging her head. - -Mr. Leitsall turned to Connie and Veve. “Do you girls always get to do -exactly as you please?” he asked them. - -“Oh, no,” answered Connie. “At home I usually have to go to bed at -eight o’clock.” - -“I’d hate that,” announced Eva quickly. “Here I always stay up until -the circus is over. I never go to bed before midnight.” - -“We have lessons to study too,” added Veve. “And jobs to do at home.” - -“Well, you might think it over, Eva,” remarked her father. “When Miss -Gordon and Mrs. Williams arrive here, I’ll talk to them about taking -you to Rosedale. No doubt they could find a nice place for you to board -and room.” - -“We should like to have you, Eva,” declared Connie politely. - -“You could join our Brownie troop,” added Veve. “Of course we have -rules you would have to obey.” - -“I’d like to be a Brownie,” said Eva slowly. “That would be the best -part.” - -“Then you’ll return home with us?” Connie asked. - -But Eva was not ready to give her answer. - -“I don’t know,” she said soberly. “I will think about it hard today -and let you know later. After all, perhaps I would rather stay in the -circus.” - - - - -CHAPTER 13 - -The Silver Whistle - - -While Eva was dressing for the afternoon circus performance, Connie and -Veve mingled with the crowd which was arriving for the show. - -“This will be our last day with the circus,” Connie said as they -wandered about the grounds listening to the barkers. “In a way, I will -be sorry to leave.” - -“So will I,” agreed Veve, “but I’ll be glad to go back to camp too.” - -The girls visited several of the side shows and did not have to pay to -get in. By this time they were known to nearly all of the circus people. - -“Keep watch for Pickpocket Joe,” Connie urged Veve. “I am sure he is -somewhere in the crowd.” - -The two Brownies did not see anyone who resembled the man in the least. -Before entering the big tent to watch the afternoon show, they talked -again to Clem Gregg. He told them he had not seen Pickpocket Joe -either. - -When it was time for the circus to start, Connie and Veve found seats -in the front row near the center ring. - -Veve enjoyed watching a man in a white suit who held a silver whistle. -Whenever he blew it, she noticed that the band music changed. Then a -new act went into the ring. - -“I guess he must be the most important person in the circus,” she -declared. “Without him, the acts couldn’t start or stop.” - -The girls were quite worried when Eva’s riding act came on, for she -had told them she had decided to try the difficult somersault that -afternoon instead of waiting for the night performance. - -“I’m almost afraid to watch,” whispered Connie nervously. “What if she -should fall?” - -She closed her eyes tightly as the beautiful horse cantered about the -ring. But she opened them just in time to see Eva spring lightly from -her mount. The little circus girl made a perfect turn, landing firmly -on the back of the other horse. - -“That’s the best somersault she’s done yet!” cried Veve, clapping hard. - -Eva seemed rather proud of herself too. She was smiling from ear to ear -as she rode out of the ring. And she blew kisses to Veve and Connie. - -“Let’s not watch the rest of the show,” said Veve, getting up from the -hard seat. “We’ll be seeing it again tonight anyway.” - -In the lot behind the big top, the girls found Eva who had made a quick -change from her costume into jeans. - -“Did you see my somersault?” she demanded as they strolled up. - -“It was fine!” Connie praised her. - -“Father said it was perfect,” Eva laughed. “And I did it easy as -anything. I didn’t even think twice before I went into the snap.” - -“Weren’t you afraid?” asked Connie. - -“Only for a second,” replied the circus girl truthfully. “But I never -will be again. I am sure I can do it from now on.” - -“Of course, Eva, you won’t need to do somersaults if you leave the -circus,” chuckled her father who stood nearby. - -“Who is leaving the circus?” demanded Eva. “I have decided to stay -right with it. Why, that turn was almost fun!” - -The circus girl was in high good humor. Many of the performers came -to praise her, telling her they were proud because she had practiced -so hard and conquered her fear. Even the man with the silver whistle -stopped by to say a few words. - -“Why aren’t you two girls in the show?” he asked, turning to Veve and -Connie. - -“Because we don’t know how to do anything,” replied Veve. - -“I could give you a job,” laughed the man. - -“What doing?” asked Veve. She was afraid the task might be too hard. - -“I might let you blow my silver whistle,” the man proposed. “How would -you like that?” - -“You mean--when the circus is going on?” demanded Veve, stammering a -little because she was so surprised and pleased. - -“Why not? Here, let me see you try it now.” - -He handed Veve the silver whistle. She took a deep breath and blew a -long, hard blast. - -“That’s the idea,” declared the man. “Only you must blow it sharp and -quick.” - -“May I try it too?” asked Connie eagerly. - -The circus man handed her the whistle and she blew two quick blasts. - -“That’s the way, little lady,” said the starter. “It’s not hard at all.” - -“But what if we should blow at the wrong time?” questioned Connie -anxiously. - -“I’ll see that you don’t,” he assured her. “I’ll stand beside you and -tell you when to toot the whistle.” - -Connie and Veve were so thrilled they scarcely could wait until the -evening performance. However, they were a tiny bit nervous. What if -they should blow the silver whistle at the wrong moment? It might ruin -the circus! - -“Do you suppose Miss Gordon, Mother, and the Brownies will get here in -time for the show?” Connie remarked anxiously. - -“I hope so,” said Veve, “but it’s a long distance for them to come. -Something might go wrong so they wouldn’t get here.” - -The afternoon wore on. Never had time seemed to pass so slowly. -Veve and Connie wandered through the animal tent and visited the -sleek-backed horses which were picketed back of the main top. - -As shadows began to enfold the circus lot, the two girls became very -uneasy. If Mrs. Williams, Miss Gordon, and the Brownies failed to -arrive, they knew they would have no other course but to travel on to -the next town. - -“I don’t think they’re coming,” Veve declared in a discouraged voice. - -“Neither do I,” agreed Connie. “If we travel on with the circus train, -they may never find us.” - -Just at that moment Eva came running across the lot toward her friends. -The girls could tell from her smiling face that she had exciting news. - -“Guess what!” she cried, skipping up to them. “They’re here!” - -“Mother and Miss Gordon?” cried Connie. - -The question was unnecessary, for behind Eva trooped all the Brownies, -Miss Gordon, and Mrs. Williams. Although the newcomers looked rather -tired from having driven so far, everyone was smiling. - -“Connie, are you all right?” asked her mother, giving her a hug and a -kiss. “And you, Veve?” - -“We’re fine!” both girls answered together. And Veve added: “We’re to -be in the show tonight!” - -“Not in a real circus act?” demanded Jane, impressed. - -“Just you wait and see,” laughed Veve. “Connie and I are going to have -one of the most important parts in the show!” - -For the next hour, everyone tried to talk at once. Veve and Connie told -the Brownies about their exciting experiences with the circus, while -the Brownies in turn related many interesting camp incidents. - -“Oh, I’d love to go camping, especially at a Brownie Scout camp,” -declared Eva with an envious sigh. “It would be lots more fun than -traveling all summer with a circus.” - -Taking Jane and Sunny aside, she asked them a multitude of questions -about the Brownie organization. - -Meanwhile, Veve and Connie were catching up on events which had -occurred since they had been carried away in the circus box car. - -“When I couldn’t find you girls anywhere in Shady Hollow, I was nearly -frantic,” Miss Gordon related. “First, I went to the hardware store, -but the man there had no idea where you had gone.” - -“Then what did you do?” Veve asked, enjoying every detail of the story. - -“We searched the town high and low. Not only the Brownies but the Girl -Scouts helped. However, it wasn’t until late in the day that the water -bucket was found along the railroad tracks.” - -“The one we bought at the store,” supplied Connie. - -“When we found that water bucket, you might know we were more worried -than ever,” Miss Gordon resumed her story. “We were afraid you might -have been carried away by a tramp.” - -“I guess we did make a lot of trouble,” Veve sighed. “When we climbed -into the circus car the engine wasn’t hooked on. We never dreamed the -train would start off.” - -“Finally, we learned that the circus train had gone through just about -the time you two girls turned up missing,” the leader of the Brownies -continued. “We began to put two and two together.” - -“Was Mother real worried?” asked Connie. - -“She was as soon as she learned that you were missing. And so was Mrs. -McGuire. I wired both your mothers at Rosedale. Mrs. Williams started -immediately for Shady Hollow. Before Mrs. McGuire could come, a wire -arrived from the circus people, telling us you had been found.” - -“I already was at Shady Hollow with my car,” Mrs. Williams completed -the account. “So it seemed advisable to start here at once. The trip -was rather hard on everyone. We must return early in the morning.” - -After hearing the story, Connie and Veve knew that the Brownies could -not have had too pleasant a time during the past few days. - -Not only had the camping trip been interrupted, but both Mrs. Williams -and Miss Gordon had spent considerable of their own money on the long -automobile journey. - -However, no one blamed the two girls for the way matters had turned -out. Being good sports, the Brownies all said they didn’t really mind -missing several days of camping fun. - -“But they do,” Connie whispered to Veve. “I’m as ashamed as I can be -for having upset everyone’s plans.” - -Now the Brownie Scouts were pleased to learn that Connie and Veve -were to be allowed to blow the silver whistle for the night circus -performance. But, as was to be expected, they were a trifle envious. - -Eva, who talked with all the Brownies, soon realized this. - -“I know!” she exclaimed as an idea popped into her mind. “How would you -_all_ like to be in the show?” - -“How could we?” Rosemary asked doubtfully. “We couldn’t very well take -turns blowing the silver whistle.” - -“No, but you could ride in the golden coach in the opening number! -Would you like to do it?” - -“Oh, yes!” cried all the Brownies. - -“Then I’ll ask right now!” Eva dashed away and soon ran back to report -to the Brownie Scouts that everything had been arranged. - -“Be sure to wear your Brownie uniforms so you’ll all look alike,” she -advised the girls. - -Miss Gordon had no objection to the girls riding in the golden coach, -so the matter quickly was arranged. Eva told the Brownies their part -would be very easy. - -“When the coach passes the American flag, you’re to salute it,” she -instructed. “That’s all you need to do.” - -“Brownies always salute the flag, so it won’t be a bit hard,” declared -Jane confidently. “I wish we had speaking parts too!” - -Just before the dinner hour, Eva brought nearly all of the children of -the circus lot to meet the Brownie Scouts. At first they were a trifle -shy, but soon everyone was chattering as if they had known each other -for years. - -Without intending to make the circus children envious, the Brownies -told them about the wonderful camp at Shady Hollow and of the good -times their organization had in Rosedale. - -“Brownies have so much fun,” sighed one of the little circus girls. - -“I wouldn’t mind traveling with the circus if only I could be a Scout,” -Eva added wistfully. “But I never can be.” - -“Why, you have enough girls of the right age to form your own troop,” -declared Miss Gordon, who had overheard the remark. - -“You mean we could have a Brownie troop here in the circus?” Eva asked -in amazement. She never before had considered such a possibility. - -“Certainly.” - -“But we have no leader.” - -“Is there no one in the circus who likes children and would enjoy -helping them with their organization?” - -Eva thought for a long while. Nearly everyone she knew was too busy to -take on any added duties. Then suddenly she had an idea. - -“Miss Whitlock might do it!” she cried. “She helps write publicity for -the circus and is a nice college girl.” - -“Shall we talk to her?” Miss Gordon proposed. “Miss Whitlock may be -just the person to organize the troop.” - -And so it proved to be. As first, Miss Whitlock said she was entirely -too busy to direct a Brownie Scout troop. However, after Eva and the -other circus girls had teased and teased, she agreed to become their -leader. - -“We might arrange a mass investiture ceremony tonight,” Miss Gordon -said thoughtfully. “But would it be possible on such short notice?” - -“I guess you don’t know the circus!” laughed Eva in delight. “Just tell -me what you’ll need and we’ll have everything ready after the show.” - -“Everything?” - -“I’ll just tell the wardrobe man what we need,” declared Eva -confidently. “Scenery--costumes--flowers--just give me a list.” - -“The requirements really are very simple.” - -“Then may we have the ceremony tonight?” Eva pleaded. “I’ve waited such -a long time to be a Brownie.” - -Miss Gordon gazed from one expectant face to another. All the girls -were waiting hopefully for her answer. - -“Yes, Eva,” she agreed. “If matters can be arranged we’ll have the -investiture immediately after the show.” - -“Just leave everything to me!” laughed the little circus girl. - -With a shout of pleasure, she darted off to find the wardrobe man and -tell everyone the exciting news. - - - - -CHAPTER 14 - -Miss Gordon’s Watch - - -That night not only the Brownies, but the circus children as well, were -so excited they could not eat much dinner. - -“Just think!” Eileen declared to Rosemary. “We’re to be in a real -circus performance--not just a make-believe show! What a story we’ll -have to tell when we return to Rosedale!” - -While the Brownies were excited at the thought of being in the circus, -Eva and the circus children could talk only of the Brownie Scout troop -which was to be organized. Miss Gordon and Miss Whitlock had spent an -hour together, discussing the investiture ceremony. - -Eva, happier than she had been since Connie and Veve had joined the -circus, flew everywhere, issuing instructions. She was not satisfied -until she knew every detail had been arranged for the initiation. - -“Will you do your somersault tonight?” Veve asked her as the time -approached for the evening performance to start. - -“Of course,” replied Eva. “Who’s afraid? Not I. I’ll do that turn in -the air without thinking twice. Just don’t forget to blow the whistle -for my act.” - -“We won’t forget,” promised Connie. - -Just before the circus started, she and Veve were taken into one of the -dressing tents to be fixed up for their “special” number. - -One of the clowns who was an expert at make-up, coated the children’s -faces with a cold-cream-like covering of zinc oxide and olive oil. This -was not very pleasant. - -Then their faces were heavily dusted with white powder. Next the clown -painted on heavy red lines and lips with a stick of grease paint. -Connie sat very still while the job was being done, but Veve kept -twisting and wiggling. - -“It tickles,” she complained. - -Veve and Connie were dressed in clown suits and then they were ready -for their act. The starter of the circus told them where they were to -stand. They were instructed to remain out of view near the band players -until time for them to blow the silver whistle. - -“I’ll let Connie start Eva’s riding act,” the man said. “And Veve may -end it.” - -The music soon struck up, filling the big tent which by this time was -crowded with spectators. - -Veve and Connie stood very still, feeling a tiny bit frightened. - -“I’m glad we don’t have to ride a horse or swing on a trapeze,” Veve -whispered. “Then I _would_ be scared.” - -The music had changed tempo, the signal for the opening procession. -Into the arena trooped the elephants, the horses and the performers in -their spangled costumes. Expectantly, Veve and Connie waited for the -arrival of the golden coach. - -Soon it rolled into the sawdust ring, drawn by spirited white horses -with red and purple plumes. - -Seated proudly in the coach were all the Brownies--Jane, Eileen, -Rosemary, Belinda and Sunny, who grinned from ear to ear. - -“How grand they look!” Connie whispered. - -Half way around the big ring the coach was drawn, and then the driver -halted the steeds in the center of the tent facing a large American -flag. - -The band struck up a piece which the girls knew very well indeed, for -it began: - - “We’re the Brownies, here’s our aim-- - Lend a hand and play the game!” - -As the coach halted, the Brownies smartly saluted, raising right hand -to the temple with the first two fingers straight and the baby finger -held down. - -Everyone cheered and clapped, Connie and Veve longer and louder than -anyone else. - -Then the music changed, the golden coach rolled on, and the circus -began. With their part over, all the Brownies except Veve and Connie, -crowded into the front seats to watch the show. - -Whenever the whistle blew, the circus acts would change. - -“It’s nearly time for Eva to ride now,” Veve whispered nervously. - -“I--I wish we hadn’t promised to blow the whistle,” Connie said, her -teeth chattering. - -The man in charge stepped over to where the two girls stood. - -“All right,” he said in a low tone. “Come with me.” - -Connie and Veve followed him to the edge of the center ring. The stands -were so filled with people they scarcely could see a vacant seat. High -in the tent, trapeze performers whirled back and forth on their swings. - -The man thrust the silver whistle into Connie’s hand. - -“Now!” he ordered. - -Connie took a deep breath and blew a shrill blast. Instantly, the music -changed. Down the ropes slid the trapeze performers. And into the ring -rode Eva, her mother and father on their beautiful white horses. - -The three riders went through their act, winning thunderous applause. -Eva at the right moment did the difficult somersault just as well as -she had in the afternoon show. - -The man in charge of the circus was watching the act closely. Turning -to Veve, he gave the command: - -“Now!” - -Veve raised the whistle to her lips and blew as hard as she could. - -Again the music changed. The riding act left the ring. - -“Now scamper back to your places,” the circus man instructed the two -girls. “That will be all.” - -Connie and Veve moved toward the exit, trying not to walk in front of -spectators. They both felt very proud and relieved, for they had blown -the silver whistle at exactly the right moment. - -Suddenly Connie paused, staring at a man in the audience. - -“Veve, look over there!” - -“I can’t hear you,” answered Veve. “The band is making too much noise.” - -“Look over in the fifth row of seats!” exclaimed Connie in a louder -voice. “Doesn’t that man look like Pickpocket Joe?” - -Veve turned to stare at the spectator. - -“Why, it does look a little like him,” she agreed. “Only I can’t see -him very well because of the bright lights.” - -“Let’s find Clem Gregg right away,” proposed Connie. She was very -excited now. - -“But are you sure it’s Pickpocket Joe, Connie? If we made a mistake, -Mr. Gregg might be annoyed at us for bothering him.” - -Connie gazed again at the man who was watching the ring acts. - -“I’m not real sure,” she admitted. - -“Then let’s sneak out into the audience and get behind him,” suggested -Veve. “Perhaps we can see him better then.” - -“All right,” agreed Connie. “Don’t look at him when we walk past.” - -The girls found vacant seats almost directly behind the man. Connie -was certain he was the same person she had seen that morning at the -railroad station. But was he Pickpocket Joe? - -“I wish he would turn his face this way,” she whispered to Veve. - -“Watch me! I’ll make him do it.” - -Deliberately, Veve gave the man a little kick with her shoe. The fellow -turned around quickly enough then. - -“Say, be careful,” he said, scowling. “That’s my back you’re kicking.” - -Now the man didn’t really glance at Veve or Connie. On the other hand, -the girls obtained an excellent view of his face. Plainly, he had a -large mole on his cheek. - -“It’s Pickpocket Joe!” whispered Connie after the man had turned around -again. “Now what shall we do?” - -“We ought to get Clem Gregg.” - -“The circus is nearly over,” whispered Connie. “He might start to leave -before we could find Mr. Gregg and get back here.” - -“Then let’s just keep watch. If we could catch him taking a pocketbook, -we’d have proof he’s a pickpocket.” - -Connie thought for an instant and then had an even better plan. - -“I’ll stay here and watch,” she offered. “You go as fast as you can for -Mr. Gregg.” - -“I’ll get back as quickly as I can,” Veve promised, scurrying away. - -For a while after she had been left alone, Connie sat very still, -scarcely taking her eyes from the man. He did not attempt to take -anyone’s money, but only watched the circus. - -The minutes passed and Veve did not return with Mr. Gregg. Anxiously, -Connie looked about for them. She could not see Veve or the detective -anywhere in the audience. - -All too soon, the show came to an end. As the crowd started to leave -the tent, the man also arose. - -Connie scarcely knew what to do. She decided to follow the man, but -that was not easy because he walked directly into the dense crowd. -Connie had to wriggle and push to keep up with him. - -The pickpocket was walking toward the exit. He did not appear to notice -that he was being followed. - -After a while, Connie saw him press quite close to a fat, bald-headed -man. - -“Beg pardon,” he mumbled. “Did I step on your foot?” - -As Pickpocket Joe spoke, his hand slid deftly into the man’s coat -pocket. His fingers were very nimble. Had Connie not been expecting it, -she never would have seen him steal the billfold. - -Hardly knowing what else to do, she tugged at the fat man’s sleeve. - -“Oh, Mister!” she cried. “Your billfold has been taken. And _he_ took -it.” She pointed to Pickpocket Joe. - -The bald-headed man clutched at his coat pocket. - -“My watch is missing too!” he exclaimed. “Hey, you!” - -Whirling around, he seized Pickpocket Joe by the coat-tails. The man -jerked away and started to squeeze through the crowd. - -“Oh, he’s escaping!” cried Connie in alarm. - -The fat man started after the pickpocket. However, he never could have -overtaken him, for he was too large to get through the crowd easily. - -Connie also darted after the pickpocket, calling for help. - -Now, unknown to her, assistance was close at hand. Veve, unable to find -Clem Gregg, had gathered the Brownies together. Even at this moment, -Miss Gordon, Mrs. Williams and the girls were coming directly toward -the pickpocket. - -Miss Gordon saw the man at the very instant that Connie called for -help. And she recognized him as the stranger who had brushed against -her at the Rosedale circus. - -“Spread out, girls!” she gave the order. “Form a ring around him.” - -Veve and the other Brownies obeyed the command, hemming the pickpocket -in. Their action gave the fat man time to rush up and seize Pickpocket -Joe. - -“Help! Help!” he shouted, and his voice carried a long distance in the -tent. - -“Clem Gregg!” shrieked Connie. - -Now the circus detective stood near the tent exit. Hearing the shouts, -he elbowed his way to where the Brownies had ringed in the pickpocket. - -The thief jerked free from the fat man only to run straight into Clem -Gregg. - -“Not so fast, Joe,” said the detective, seizing his arm and holding it -in a tight grip. “I’ve been looking for you.” - -“Let me go!” the man demanded angrily. “I’ve not done anything.” - -“Yes, he has,” accused the fat man. “He took my billfold.” - -“And he’s the same one who stole Miss Gordon’s watch and our Brownie -camp money,” added Veve excitedly. - -Detective Gregg went through the man’s pockets. He found only one -wallet which did not belong to the fat gentleman. Nor was his missing -watch there either. - -Veve and Connie were deeply puzzled. What had become of the articles? -They knew the pickpocket had taken them. - -“I suppose you dropped the watch and billfold when you ran,” said the -detective to Pickpocket Joe. “An old trick of yours!” - -“It may be an old trick, but you can’t prove anything,” the man -retorted. “You’ve no evidence.” - -Mr. Gregg knew the pickpocket was right. If he turned him over to the -police, the man might bring a charge of false arrest. - -Hearing the detective’s words, the Brownies started back through the -thinning crowd. Carefully they searched the sawdust for the missing -billfold and watch. - -The girls still were searching unsuccessfully when Connie heard a lady -directly behind her exclaim: - -“Well, I never! See what I’ve found!” - -Connie whirled around in time to see the lady pick up an object from -beneath one of the board seats. She knew Pickpocket Joe had passed that -same place only a moment before his capture. - -“Oh, give it to me, please!” she cried, hurrying toward the lady. - -“Surely two watches and a billfold can’t belong to you,” replied the -one who had found the articles. - -“_Two_ watches,” repeated Connie. “I saw Pickpocket Joe steal only one.” - -Just then she caught a glimpse of the two watches. The large yellow -gold one obviously belonged to a man. The other was a lady’s wrist -watch, tiny and made of white gold. - -Connie scarcely could believe her own eyes. - -“Why, that’s the watch Pickpocket Joe stole back in Rosedale!” she -exclaimed. “It belongs to Miss Gordon!” - - - - -CHAPTER 15 - -The Traveling Brownies - - -While Connie was trying to explain to the lady about the two watches, -Clem Gregg hurried over, bringing Pickpocket Joe. - -Close behind him were the Brownies, the fat gentleman, Miss Gordon and -Connie’s mother. - -Seeing the big yellow gold watch, the stout man immediately identified -it as his property. - -“And this is my billfold too!” he exclaimed. Rapidly he counted the -money. None of it was missing. - -“Miss Gordon, isn’t this your lost wrist watch?” Connie asked the -teacher, showing her the other recovered article. - -“Why, it certainly is!” cried the amazed Miss Gordon. “See, my initials -are on the case!” - -“How about the Brownie camp money?” Jane interposed hopefully. “Is it -here too?” - -The Brownies and Mr. Gregg searched carefully under the seat where the -lady had found the two watches. Miss Gordon’s billfold was not to be -found. - -“Pickpocket Joe undoubtedly threw it away long ago and spent the -money,” commented Mr. Gregg. “In my opinion, Miss Gordon, you’re lucky -to recover your watch.” - -“I think so too,” agreed the troop leader. “My, how proud I am of Veve, -Connie, and all my girls.” - -“Then you’re not annoyed at us for being carried away with the circus?” -Veve asked quickly. - -“It was an accident,” smiled the Brownie Scout leader. “A rather -fortunate one for me as matters turned out. Otherwise, I might never -have recovered my wrist watch.” - -“All the same, don’t ever ride away with another circus,” interposed -Connie’s mother. - -Veve and Connie both assured her that they intended to be very careful -in the future. - -Detective Gregg had tried without success to force the pickpocket -to admit he had taken Miss Gordon’s billfold as well as her watch. -However, the man stubbornly refused to answer questions. - -“Oh, well,” the detective said with a shrug, “it doesn’t matter one way -or the other. Now that we’ve recovered and identified the watches, we -have a case against you. Come along to jail.” - -As Mr. Gregg started to lead the pickpocket away, he thought of an -important matter. - -“By the way,” he said, “I suppose you know of the reward for Pickpocket -Joe’s capture. The circus offered it three months ago when he was -giving us so much trouble.” - -Now this indeed was news to the Brownies. - -“A reward?” echoed Veve. “How much?” - -“A hundred dollars.” - -The girls considered the offer a very large one. Jane asked Mr. Gregg -who would receive the money. - -“The person or persons responsible for capturing Pickpocket Joe.” - -“That was Connie,” said Veve promptly. “She saw him first.” - -“No, Veve should have the reward,” returned Connie. “Without her, I -never would have had the courage to have trailed Pickpocket Joe. And -she brought help just when we needed it.” - -“All the Brownies were responsible for capturing Pickpocket Joe,” Veve -insisted. “It wasn’t any one person.” - -“Yes, his capture was a cooperative affair,” admitted the detective. -“As nice an exhibition of team-work as I ever hope to see. All the -same, I can’t give the reward to seven girls. How about splitting it -evenly between Connie and Veve?” - -“Oh, yes!” cried the Brownies. - -Veve and Connie, rather dazed at the thought of receiving fifty dollars -apiece, did not speak. - -“I’ll see that you receive your checks tonight before the circus moves -on,” Mr. Gregg said, starting to take Pickpocket Joe away. - -“And may we use the money in any way we like?” Veve asked. - -“Sure, if your parents give their okay.” - -“Then I know what I’ll do with my money!” cried Veve, her face crinkled -in smiles. “First of all, I am going to pay Miss Gordon for my camp -fee. This really is money I earned myself, isn’t it?” - -“Certainly,” laughed the Brownie Scout leader. - -“I still have forty-five dollars,” Veve continued, thinking aloud. -“Next I intend to buy myself a Brownie Scout uniform so I’ll have one -to wear to meetings.” - -“Splendid!” approved Miss Gordon. “I couldn’t think of a better use for -the money.” - -“I still have lots of it left,” laughed Veve. “It was mostly my fault -that Connie and I were carried away on the circus train. So I want to -make up for it by paying for the camping trip.” - -“Oh, no!” broke in Connie. “That is what I plan to do with _my_ reward -money! I intend to repay Miss Gordon the amount she advanced to the -troop after Pickpocket Joe stole her billfold.” - -“How sweet of you both, and I do appreciate it,” returned Miss Gordon. -“However, I never expected the money to be repaid. This reward money is -your very own.” - -“To spend as we like,” added Veve quickly. “And we want to pay for the -camping trip, don’t we, Connie?” - -Connie nodded soberly. “The Brownies lost out on some of their fun at -Shady Hollow because of us. So it’s only fair that we use a little of -our money to pay for the trip.” - -“Especially when the Brownies helped capture Pickpocket Joe,” added -Veve quickly. - -Miss Gordon thought for a moment and then said that she might allow -Veve and Connie to repay the amount that had been lost, but only on one -condition. - -“And what is the condition?” inquired Connie. - -“That some of the money be used to provide a few days extra camping -time at Shady Hollow.” - -“To make up for the days we were with the circus!” Veve cried -instantly. “Oh, I’d like that!” - -“So should I,” agreed Connie. - -“Your balsam beds are waiting for you at Shady Hollow,” laughed -Belinda. “You’ll have to practice your cooking though, because the rest -of us have improved since you went away.” - -The matter of the reward money settled, the girls set off to find Eva -and the other circus children who were to take part in the Brownie -investiture ceremony. - -A moment later the circus rider came into the big top, accompanied by -the girls who had decided to join the organization. Altogether there -were five circus children, ranging in age from seven to ten years. - -“Workmen will tear down this tent in a few minutes,” Eva explained. -“So we will have the ceremony in one of the dressing rooms. Everything -should be ready by now.” - -As the Brownies and the circus girls walked to the nearby dressing -tent, Connie and Veve related the manner in which Pickpocket Joe had -been captured. Eva was greatly impressed by the story. - -“Brownies certainly know how to work together,” she declared. “I’m more -than ever glad I’m going to become one.” - -Because the hour was so late, Miss Gordon and Miss Whitlock had decided -to make the investiture ceremony a mass affair and quite brief. All the -circus children would be taken into the organization in a group. - -Upon reaching the dressing tent, the Rosedale Troop Brownies went -inside. Eva and the other circus girls waited at the doorway until they -were summoned. Finally they were told they might ask for admittance. - -“Who comes to the fairy woods?” Connie asked as Eva scratched on the -tent flap. - -“Five girls who wish to become Brownies,” replied Eva promptly. She had -been told what to say. “May we come in?” - -“Why do you wish to become Brownie Scouts?” inquired the voice from the -darkened tent. - -“To form a troop of our own,” answered Eva. - -“Then enter the fairy wood,” directed the voice. - -Scarcely knowing what to expect, the circus girls tiptoed into the -tent. In the glare of the gasoline lamp they beheld a room which had -been transformed into a bower of beauty. - -A thick carpet of artificial grass covered the tent floor. Canvas walls -had been completely hidden with a painted backdrop of forest trees. - -Embedded in the mat of grass were five diamond-shaped mirrors, which -had been borrowed from dressing rooms of the circus performers. Behind -the row of mirrors in a semi-circle, sat Connie, Veve and the other -members of the Rosedale Troop. - -Briefly Miss Gordon explained the purpose of the Brownie Scout -organization and its aim to help each girl find and develop her -particular abilities so that she might become a happy, resourceful -person. - -Then the circus girls were instructed to line up in front of the -mirrors which represented fairy pools. - -“Gaze deep into the water at your own reflection,” Miss Gordon said. -“Then--presto-chango!” - -As she spoke, Brownies of the Rosedale Troop stepped forward, turning -each circus child so that for a moment her back was to the mirror. - -On the heads of the circus girls were clapped Brownie Scout caps which -the wardrobe mistress had bought that very day in the city. - -Then the five girls were whirled around again so that once more -they gazed down into the mirror. This time as they studied their -reflections, Brownies appeared to be gazing up at them. - -“Now let’s all repeat the Brownie Scout Promise and try to live up to -it,” Miss Gordon said. - -“_I promise to do my best to love God and my country, to help other -people every day, especially those at home._” - -The circus girls repeated the words, speaking them very clearly. Then -the Rosedale Brownies saluted the new scouts and the ceremony was over. - -“Do you suppose we’ll be the first troop of traveling Brownies?” Eva -asked, cocking her new Brownie cap at different angles to see which was -the most becoming. - -“I shouldn’t be in the least surprised,” laughed Miss Gordon. “When you -register your troop with national headquarters you might inquire.” - -“Having a Brownie troop will be fun,” Eva declared. “I’ll write the -Rosedale Troop members letters reporting how we get along. You must -send me all your ideas.” - -“We’ll exchange them,” smiled Miss Gordon. “I’m certain your own troop -will think of many ways to be useful.” - -All too soon it came time for the Rosedale Brownies to say goodbye to -their many circus friends. Eva must board the circus train sleeper at -midnight, traveling on to another city. The Brownies, who would spend -the night at a nearby tourist camp, expected to return to Shady Hollow -the next morning. - -Eva told the Rosedale Brownies how nice it had been knowing them. “But -I hate to think that soon your car will be traveling one direction and -our circus train another,” she sighed. - -“Why not come home with Connie and me?” Veve invited impulsively. - -“Thank you,” replied Eva politely. “I have thought it over and I would -rather stay with the circus. Especially now that we have organized a -Brownie Scout troop of our own.” - -“But you’ll visit us sometime?” inquired Connie. - -“I’ll see you again next year,” promised Eva. “Watch for the circus -when it comes to Rosedale.” - -Before Miss Gordon, Mrs. Williams, and the Brownie Scouts were ready to -leave the circus lot, Mr. Carsdale and Clem Gregg came around to shake -hands and bid them goodbye. - -The detective had not forgotten to bring the reward money. - -With a flourish, he handed Connie and Veve each a check for fifty -dollars, which they in turn gave to Mrs. Williams to keep for them. - -“You did a very real service in capturing Pickpocket Joe,” the -detective praised the two girls. “Thanks to you, he’s in jail now where -he’ll make no further trouble for a while.” - -“And don’t forget,” added Mr. Carsdale in parting. “When the circus -hits Rosedale next year, you’re all to be my guests.” - -“We’ll remind you,” laughed Rosemary, and to this, all the other -Brownies agreed. - -The tourist camp where Miss Gordon, Mrs. Williams and the Brownies were -to spend the night, was situated not far from the railroad siding. - -Accordingly, the party stopped there briefly to see Eva and to watch -the circus train pull away. - -“Are you sorry not to be traveling on with the show, Connie?” asked her -mother. - -“Oh, no,” Connie answered honestly. “I would much rather return to -Shady Hollow Camp. Besides, don’t you need me?” - -“Indeed I do,” declared her mother, giving her a squeeze. “Neither -your father nor I could manage to get along without you.” - -“A circus is interesting to watch,” added Veve thoughtfully, “but for -every day I think it would become rather tiresome.” - -“Just the same, it was fun to capture Pickpocket Joe and earn the -reward,” sighed Connie, watching soberly as the circus train pulled -from the siding onto the main track. “I hope we have another adventure -sometime.” - -Now you may be sure that many surprises awaited the Brownie Scouts at -Shady Hollow Camp, but of course they could only guess at the good -times in store for them. - -The circus train slowly began to pull from the siding. Windows of the -long line of sleepers were dark. - -Although the Brownies knew Eva was somewhere aboard, they had no idea -where her berth was located. It made them feel a trifle sad to think -that they wouldn’t be able to wave a last farewell. - -“We may as well go now,” suggested Miss Gordon. - -“No, wait!” cried Veve. - -Suddenly on the darkened circus train, a single light twinkled in one -of the sleepers toward the end of the line. As the Brownies watched, it -winked on and off three times in rapid succession. - -“That’s Eva!” cried Connie. “It’s her way of saying goodbye.” - -Soon the car rolled slowly past the place where the Brownies stood. -Eva’s smiling face was pressed against the window glass. - -“Goodbye! Goodbye!” shouted the Brownies, though they were afraid she -might not hear. - -But Eva did. Still wearing her new Brownie cap, she nodded and smiled. -She kept tugging at the window. - -Suddenly it flew up and the little circus girl shouted: “See you next -summer! Have a good time in camp!” - -The Brownies kept waving until the circus train was far up the track. -Then they turned to walk to the waiting automobile. - -“Say, won’t we have tales to tell when we reach home,” remarked Veve. -“All the girls in Rosedale will wish they were Brownies when they hear -what happened to us!” - -“Even after we pay for the camping trip, we’ll have some of our reward -money left,” added Connie, linking arms with her friend. - -Already the circus train had been forgotten. The Brownies, you see, -were happy just to be going home. - - - - -BROWNIE SCOUT BOOKS - -By MILDRED A. WIRT - -Fascinating stories about a group of youngsters and their activities as -BROWNIE SCOUTS. Every girl will enjoy reading about the fun and -excitement they experience on camping trips, skiing parties, outings, -etc. Ideal books for girls from 7 to 10. - - 1 Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley - 2 Brownie Scouts in the Circus - 3 Brownie Scouts in the Cherry Festival - 4 Brownie Scouts and their Tree House - 5 Brownie Scouts at Silver Beach - 6 Brownie Scouts at Windmill Farm - - -GIRL SCOUT BOOKS - -By MILDRED A. WIRT - -The GIRL SCOUTS is dedicated towards building character in our -youngsters and teaching them the more wholesome ways of American life. -Each troop has its own leader and they hold regular meetings at which -the girls engage in good, clean fun and learn about the history of the -GIRL SCOUTS, its laws and motto. - -This world wide organization strives to instill within our young girls -the desire to always do their best in both work and play, and to be -helpful to others at all times. Ideal stories for girls from 10 to 14. - - 1 The Girl Scouts at Penguin Pass - 2 The Girl Scouts at Singing Sands - - -For sale at all book and department stores. - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - 200 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK 10, N.Y. - - - - -Transcriber’s Note: - - Page 79 - was very even tempered, beban _changed to_ - was very even tempered, began - - Page 95 - scoot downstars and open _changed to_ - scoot downstairs and open - - Page 134 - She certanly never had expected _changed to_ - She certainly never had expected - - Page 162 - With a startled exclaimation _changed to_ - With a startled exclamation - - Page 199 - it certanly is _changed to_ - it certainly is - - Page 208 - come home with Connie and Me _changed to_ - come home with Connie and me - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Brownie Scouts in the Circus, by -Mildred A. 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