HANT BUYS AN AUDIENCE

The Mullarkey children regarded Jerry for a long time without a word.

Jerry, knowing that for once he had Danny at a disadvantage, wanted to
prolong that pleasant sensation.

"I'm running away," he repeated, without stirring from the fence.

"What'll mother do?" Danny asked from underneath the elephant's trunk
and Jerry knew from the earnestness of his voice that Danny was scared.
"What do you want to run away for?"

"Because," replied Jerry.

"That's no reason," Chris stated.

"What'll become of you?" Danny asked, drawing closer to the fence, the
elephant's beaver-like blue tail dragging forlornly on the ground.

"I dunno," Jerry replied carelessly.

"You won't find many folks who'd bring you home like father did and keep
you," Danny pursued.

"I'm going to run away," was all that Jerry replied.

"What'll you do for something to eat?" demanded Chris, in a tone that
showed admiration for a boy not afraid to run away, even if he wasn't a
Mullarkey.

"I dunno," said Jerry, "but I'll find a way."

"Come on an' play, Jerry," coaxed Danny, "an' you can be the el'funt the
next time we play circus."

"I want to be the el'funt this time," said Jerry.

"You can't be this time, because you're too little for the costume to
fit you," Danny told him. "It'll have to be cut down an' made over for
you. It's a little too big for me an' it's awfully hard work actin' as a
el'funt would when your skin's so loose it gets in the way of your feet
when you walk."

Jerry hadn't thought of that but it looked reasonable to him. He
hesitated and Danny, seeing his advantage, was quick to push it.

"Besides, mother wouldn't like it if you ran away. She'd think I was to
blame when I'm not at all. I never even once thought of your runnin'
away. You thought of it yourself, now didn't you?"

"Yes," Jerry admitted.

"Mother'd think I had done something to you when I ain't, have I?" Danny
appealed.

"You wouldn't let me play--" Jerry began but was interrupted by Danny's
saying quickly:

"You can next time we play circus, when I've had a chance to make the
el'funt skin over for you."

That did not seem inducement enough for Jerry and he decided to continue
his interrupted running away. He rose and turned slowly away from the
fence and tried to imitate Darn Darner's off-hand style of leave-taking.
"Well, so long, fellows," he called nonchalantly over his shoulders, "I
must be on my way."

"Good-by, Je