man speak
he stood rooted to the spot.

"What in the world has become of all the small boys?" the black-bearded
man had asked the other. "There were hundreds about a few minutes ago.
Don't they know they can get to see the circus if they want to carry
water for the elephants?"

"I guess the boys in this town never saw a circus before, Mr. Burrows,"
replied the canvasman.

"Here, you," Mr. Burrows called to Darn. "Want to earn a ticket to the
circus?"

"No," said Darn loftily. "I've got a reserved box seat." He turned and
walked off.

"What did I tell you, Sam?" laughed Mr. Burrows. "There's money in this
jay town and we're going to get a bunch of it."

Jerry stepped hastily forward, a light of joy dancing in his eyes, with
Chris treading on his heels. "Please, mister," said Jerry eagerly,
"we'll carry water for the elephants."

"We want to see the circus," added Chris.

"You're too little to carry water," said Sam. "Where're all the bigger
kids?"

"They've gone home to breakfast," replied Chris. "Please, mister, we can
carry water. I'm big enough."

"Yes, I guess you're big enough," said the man with the diamond in his
shirt, "but the elephants are awful thirsty and it will take you a long
time. Sam, you see if you can find some other boys to help you."

Sam departed instantly.

"Where'll we get the water?" asked Chris.

"From that house across the road. You'll have to pump it. Your brother
there had better go home; he's too little to carry water."

"No, I ain't, mister," said Jerry eagerly. "I'm awful strong for my
age."

"How old are you?" asked the man.

"I don't know," Jerry confessed. Then, fearful of losing this
opportunity to see the circus, he continued, "I guess I'm almost seven
or mebbe eight."

"You don't know how old you are!" exclaimed the man. "You look much
younger than seven or eight."

"He's not my brother," Chris explained. "He's a orfum my father found
when he was alive. My brother's at home with mother and my sisters. We
couldn't wake him up. But Jerry's awful strong."

"A orfum, hey? And awful strong?" said the man and seemed to be studying
over something in his mind. "Have you ever seen a circus?" he asked.

"No, sir," they both assured him and Chris continued: "Mother did once,
just after she was married to father. She wished she could bring us all
to the circus but she didn't have money enough."

"H'm," said the man. "I used to be a orfum myself and I know how you
f