it, too."
[Illustration: The big hippopotamus wagon rolled out of the mud, and on
to the firm, hard road. Page 84]
But I do not believe they could. And Tum Tum did not think he was
"smart," either. He only felt that he had done what he had been told to
do, even though it was hard work, and did hurt his head.
So the hippopotamus wagon was pushed out of the mud, and the circus
procession went on down the road.
It was not long after this that something else happened to Tum Tum. The
elephant seemed to be having many adventures since he came from the
jungle.
The circus had gone on and on, showing in many different places. Tum
Tum, in each place, had looked to see if Mappo had come back, but the
little monkey had not. Perhaps he was still off in the woods with
Squinty, the comical pig.
It was a very hot day, and the animals in their cages, and the
elephants, camels and horses, in the tent, had hard work to get a cool
breeze or find any fresh air to breathe. In the west were some black
clouds that looked as though they would bring a thunder shower.
Just before the show began, Tum Tum was taken out of the tent to help
push some of the heavy wagons into place.
"Oh, look at the elephant!" cried some boys who had no money to go
inside and see the show. They were glad to see even an elephant.
Tum Tum finished his work of pushing the wagons into place and his
trainer led him toward a big tub filled with water, for he knew his pet
elephant would want a drink, as it was so hot.
Near the water tub stood a peanut wagon, and the smell of the roasting
nuts made Tum Tum hungry for some. But he knew the children in the
circus would soon give him plenty.
All of a sudden some boys, who were trying to get closer to Tum Tum, ran
into the peanut wagon, and tipped it over. All at once the red-hot
charcoal that kept the peanuts warm, spilled out, and the wagon, and
some straw near it, caught fire. My, how it blazed!
"Fire! Fire!" cried the peanut man. "Oh, somebody put out the fire, or
all my peanuts will be burned up!"
Tum Tum looked at the fire, and wondered if he could help put it out.
CHAPTER IX
TUM TUM AND THE BALLOONS
"Come away, Tum Tum!" cried the elephant's keeper. "I don't want you
getting all excited about a fire, and maybe burned. A few peanuts are
not worth it. We'll let some of the tent men put out the fire. Come
away!"
But Tum Tum did not want to go away from the fire. He was not much
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