k as if he
was used to this hard life. I wish we could do something for him."

"Let us try to look into the dressing-room and see what is going
on," suggested Snap.

The four boys watched their chance, and walking around the main tent,
crawled under some slanting seats and then got close to the canvas
that divided the main tent from that used by the performers in
"making up."

"Grandy, you must know what became of the little rascal," they heard
the ringmaster say. "He came in here."

"So he did, sir," was the answer of a canvasman. "But he didn't stay.
He just caught up some clothing and dusted."

"What! Ran away?"

"He dusted. I don't know where he went."

"Humph! He wouldn't dare to run away. If he tries that game I'll
take his hide off when. I catch him."

"He couldn't run very far, Mr. Jones---he was too weak."

"Bah! He isn't sick. He wants to shirk his act, that's all. Just
wait till I get hold of him---I'll teach him to get me into hot water
with the audience!" fumed the ringmaster.

"Well; I don't know where he went," answered the canvasman, and
resumed his work on the wall of the menagerie tent. Then the
ringmaster walked to another part of the dressing-tent to put on
his street clothing, for he did not dare appear in the ring again
at that performance.

"I hope that boy did run away," said Snap as he and his friends
turned back to look at the rest of the performance. "I don't see
why such a nice looking lad should travel with such a crowd as this."

"Oh, I suppose some of the circus folks are good people," answered
Whopper. "But not that ringmaster."

"He ought to be tarred and feathered, and I'd like to help do it,"
came from Giant.

"Wonder who the boy is?" asked Shep.

"He is down on the bills as Master Buzz, the Human Fly. Of course,
Buzz isn't his real name."

"No. It is more likely to be Smith or Jones," answered Whopper. "I'd
like to see him and have a talk with him."

"Perhaps we'll get a chance to-morrow. The circus is to stay two
days, you know," said Snap.

"Maybe the boy is all alone," said Shep. "If he is it might be that
he would like it first rate if we would help him."

The boys had lost interest in the show, and were not sorry when it
came to an end. They were among the first out, and hurried directly
toward Mrs. Carson's house. In doing this they had to cross the
railroad track, and here a passing freight train held them up.
The freight came to