perous."

In fact Luke did present signs of a betterment over his first forlorn
appearance on the circus scene.

He wore a new jacket and a neat collar and necktie. His face had no
trouble in it now. He presented the appearance of a person eminently
satisfied with the present and full of hope and animation for
the future.

"Prosperous?" he declaimed volubly--"I guess I am. Square meals, a sure
berth for a week, jolly friends--and, oh, say! you're one of the
true ones."

"Am I?" smiled Andy--"I'm glad to hear you say so."

"Billy Blow is another. He got me on at a side show. They give me my
keep, ten per cent, on what photographs I sell, and togged me out
respectable looking, gratis."

"Good for you," commended Andy heartily. "And what of the famous
chicken?"

"In capital trim. Say, that wise little rooster seems to know he's on
exhibition. There's some monkeys in our tent. He steals their food,
fights them, cuts up all kinds of antics. Boss says he thinks he will be
a drawing card. I've got him to turn a somersault now. Come on."

"Come where?"

"I want to show you. See there. Isn't that grand, now?"

Luke led Andy into the tent where the side show was. A big frame covered
with cheese cloth took up the entire width of the place. Upon this a man
with a brush was liberally spreading several quarts of glaring red and
yellow paint.

"Greatest Curiosity In The World--Remarkable Freak of Nature--The Famous
Bolivar Trick Rooster, Who Walks Backwards"--so much of the grand
announcement to the circus public had been already painted on the sign.

"They're bound to give you a chance, anyhow," observed Andy. "And I must
say I am mighty glad of it."

"And see here," continued Luke animatedly. "Come on, old fellow. Easy,
now. Ah, he wants a lump of sugar."

Luke had approached a very strongly-built cage.

Its occupant was one of the largest and ugliest-looking monkeys Andy had
ever seen.

It bristled and snarled at Andy, but as Luke opened the cage door leaped
into his arms, snuggled there, and began petting his face with one paw.

Luke gave the animal a lump of sugar, coaxed it, stroked it. Then he
took it over to where an impromptu slack wire was strung between two
posts, and set the monkey on this.

The animal went through some evolutions that were so perfect an
imitation of first-class human trapeze performance, that Andy was fairly
astonished.

"The people here give me great credit on that," announced L