wel and napkin.

"I wish you'd hurry up, Sam. Folks are going in now. I see 'em;" and
Billy pranced with impatience for this was his first circus, and he
firmly believed that he was going to behold all that the pictures
promised.

"Hold on a minute while I get one more drink. Buns are dry fodder,"
said Sam, rolling over to the edge of the bank and preparing to descend
with as little trouble as possible.

He nearly went down head first, however, for, as he looked before he
leaped, he beheld a sight which caused him to stare with all his might
for an instant, then turn and beckon, saying in an eager whisper: "Look
here, boys--quick!"

Ben and Billy peered over, and both suppressed an astonished "Hullo!"
for there stood Bab waiting for Sancho to lap his fill out of the
overflowing trough.

Such a shabby, tired-looking couple as they were! Bab with a face as
red as a lobster and streaked with tears, shoes white with dust,
play-frock torn at the gathers, something bundled up in her apron, and
one shoe down at the heel as if it hurt her. Sancho lapped eagerly,
with his eyes shut; all his ruffles were gray with dust, and his tail
hung wearily down, the tassel at half-mast, as if in mourning for the
master whom he had come to find. Bab still held the strap, intent on
keeping her charge safe though she lost herself; but her courage seemed
to be giving out, as she looked anxiously up and down the road, seeing
no sign of the three familiar figures she had been following as
steadily as a little Indian on the war-trail.

"Oh, Sanch, what _shall_ I do if they don't come along? We must have
gone by them somewhere, for I don't see any one that way, and there
isn't any other road to the circus, seems to me."

Bab spoke as if the dog could understand and answer, and Sancho looked
as if he did both, for he stopped drinking, pricked up his ears, and,
fixing his sharp eyes on the grass above him, gave a suspicious bark.

"It's only squirrels; don't mind, but come along and be good, for I'm
so tired I don't know what to do!" sighed Bab, trying to pull him after
her as she trudged on, bound to see the outside of that wonderful tent,
even if she never got in.

But Sancho had heard a soft chirrup, and with a sudden bound twitched
the strap away, sprang up the bank, and landed directly on Ben's back
as he lay peeping over. A peal of laughter greeted him, and having got
the better of his master in more ways than one, he made the most o