was hitched to a heavy circus wagon on a car and pulled it
down a board incline to the road. The funny, awkward animal walked
right along as though the wagon were as light as a feather. Many of the
boys complained because the sides of the wagons in which the wild
animals were kept were closed, but not so Jerry. As long as he could
feast his eyes on the elephants he was content. He had but a passing
glance for the humpbacked camels and the two long-necked giraffes until
after the elephants had been taken away.
When the train had been unloaded and the last wagons were hauled away,
the troop of small boys--and many older ones and grown men as
well--followed them out to the circus ground.
Already one big tent and several smaller ones had been erected and the
elephants and the other animals were not to be seen. There was a
delightfully circusy smell of oils and sawdust and hay and animals
pervading the air. Then through it all came another smell that made
Jerry and Chris and many of the boys and men sniff. It was the smell of
bacon and eggs frying. The cooks were preparing breakfast for the circus
troupe.
"I'm hungry," said a man back of Jerry to the two boys with him. "We'd
better get home. Mother will be waiting breakfast for us." They left the
circus grounds reluctantly, the two boys stopping every now and then to
look back.
That inviting odor of frying bacon and eggs was a clarion call to
breakfast to scores of the onlookers, and the crowd fairly melted away
until not more than a dozen boys were left, among whom Jerry saw Darn
Darner.
"I'm awful hungry," said Chris, after they had wandered around half an
hour longer. "Let's go home. I guess we've seen about all there is to
see."
Jerry protested. "Let's wait a while longer an' mebbe they'll bring the
el'funts out."
"Mebbe they will," said Chris and seemed straightway to forget all about
his hunger. They went about the tents again and once caught sight of the
elephants and camels in the second largest tent, as one of the canvasmen
came out and held back the flaps. He was followed by another man with a
thick, black beard, who wore something that flashed in his shirt front.
"Gee, look at the size of that diamond!" exclaimed Darn Darner's voice
back of Jerry.
The man looked sharply about. Jerry thought he seemed very much
surprised and was afraid he might be angry because he and Chris were so
close to the tent. He started to go away, but upon hearing the
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