on her. He was dressed for the ring--shiny top hat, varnished boots,
and all, and Louise thought him a most wonderful looking man indeed. If
anybody had told her Mr. Bill Sorber was the president of the United
States she would have believed it.

"So you like that pony, do you?" asked the ringmaster. "He's some pony.
I reckon the little girls he belongs to will like him, too."

"Oh, isn't he a circus pony?" asked Louise, wide-eyed.

"He was. But I'm just going to send him to Milton to live with some
little girls I know, and I bet Scalawag will have a lazy time of it for
the rest of his natural life. And he'll like that," chuckled Mr. Sorber,
deep in his chest, "for Scalawag's the laziest pony I ever tried to
handle."

"Oh," murmured Louise, "he seems too nice a horse to be called by such a
bad name."

"Bless you! he don't mind it at all," declared the ringmaster. "And it
fits him right down to the ground! He's as full of tricks as an egg is
of meat--yes ma'am! Ain't you, Scalawag?"

He touched the pony lightly with his whip upon his round rump and the
pony flung out his pretty heels and whinnied. Then at a touch under his
belly Scalawag stood up on his hind legs and pawed the air to keep his
balance.

"Oh!" gasped Louise Quigg, with clasped hands.

"Just as graceful as a barrel, Scalawag," chuckled Mr. Sorber. "He's too
fat. But I just can't help feedin' critters well. I like to feed well
myself. And I know where he's going to live in Milton he'll be well
tended. Hullo! what's going on?"

For suddenly a shout was heard beyond the main tent. Somebody cried,
"Fire! Fire!" and there was a roaring of an automobile approaching the
circus grounds at a rapid rate.

"What's goin' on?" repeated Mr. Sorber, and started upon an elephantine
trot for the canal side of the field.

"Come on, Pap! We don't want to miss nothin'," gasped Louise, seizing
the gaping Quigg's hand. She left the calico pony, however, with a
backward glance of longing.

The crowd broke for the canal bank. When the captain and his daughter
came in sight of the fire the flames were shooting ten feet high out of
the cabin roof.

The boat was moored across the canal. Neale, driving down to the bank,
saw that the water was between them and the fire, so he halted the car.
A heavy man, bearing two empty pails in each hand, and followed closely
by another man and a little girl likewise bearing buckets, came
gaspingly to the automobile.

"Hi, Mister!"