the cabin. She had
squeezed the sum out of her bits of housekeeping money during the past
two months. For all that time the dead walls and hoardings about
Durginville had been plastered with announcements of a happening the
thought of which thrilled little Louise Quigg to the very tips of her
fingers and toes.

When they reached the Bumstead Lock this afternoon there was a chance
for the girl to leave the mules grazing beside the towpath while the
water rose slowly in the basin, and she could board the boat and talk
with Cap'n Bill.

The hound, awakened by her approach, began sniffing around the edge of
the forward hatch cover.

"Wonder what Beauty smells there?" Louise said idly. But her mind was on
something else. The captain shook his head without much reflection and,
now more thoroughly awakened, lit his pipe again.

"I say, Pap!"

"Wal, Lowise?" he drawled.

"We're going to lay up to-night short of the soapworks at Durginville."

"Heh?" he demanded, somewhat surprised, but still drawling. "What for,
Lowise?"

"I want to hitch there by the Lawton Pike."

"Lawsy, Lowise! you don't wanter do no sech thing," said Cap'n Bill.

"Yes I do, Pap."

"Too many folks goin' to be there. A slather of folks, Lowise. Why! the
circus grounds is right there. This is the day, ain't it?"

"That's it, Pap. I want to see the circus."

"Lawsy, Lowise!" the man stammered. "Circuses ain't for we folks."

"Yes they are, Pap."

"Ain't never been to one in all my life, Lowise," Cap'n Bill said
reflectively.

"No more ain't I," agreed the girl. "But I'm goin' to this one."

"You goin'?" he demanded, his amazement growing.

"Yes. And you're goin' too, Pap."

"Git out!" gasped Cap'n Bill, actually forgetting to pull on his pipe.

"Yes, you are," declared Louise Quigg, nodding her head. "I've got the
two half dollars. Beauty will stay and mind the boat. I jest got a taste
in my mouth for that circus. Seems to me, Pap, I'd jest _die_ if I
didn't see it."

"Lawsy, Lowise!" murmured Captain Bill Quigg, and was too amazed to say
anything more for an hour.

The _Nancy Hanks_ got through the lock and the mules picked up the slack
of the towrope again at Louise's vigorous suggestion. Inside the hold
Sammy and Dot both wondered about the stopping of the boat. Dot was
awakened by this.

"Sammy," she murmured, "is it morning? Have we been here all night?"

"I--I guess not, Dot. It can't be morning. Are you hungry?"

"No-o.