rcus that morning, and how
kind-hearted he must be to have made such an effort for his children's
pleasure. As we went out they stared at us gloomily. The shadow of their
disappointment touched and chilled our pleasure.

Somebody had turned the horse so that he was heading toward home, and by
his actions he showed that he was the only one of the party who was
glad. We were so sorry for the children; perhaps it had promised to be
the happiest day of their lives, and now they must go back to their
uninteresting home without having seen the great show.

"I am so sorry you are disappointed," said Kate, as we were wondering
how the man who had followed us could ever climb into the wagon.

"Heh?" said he, blankly, as if he did not know what her words meant.
"What fool has been a turning o' this horse?" he asked a man who was
looking on.

"Why, which way be ye goin'?"

"To the circus," said Mr. Craper, with decision, "where d'ye s'pose?
That's where I started for, anyways." And he climbed in and glanced
round to count the children, struck the horse with the willow switch,
and they started off briskly, while everybody laughed. Kate and I joined
Mrs. Kew, who had enjoyed the scene.

"Well, there!" said she, "I wonder the folks in the old North
burying-ground ain't a-rising up to go to Denby to that caravan!"

We reached Denby at noon; it was an uninteresting town which had grown
up around some mills. There was a great commotion in the streets, and it
was evident that we had lost much in not having seen the procession.
There was a great deal of business going on in the shops, and there were
two or three hand-organs at large, near one of which we stopped awhile
to listen, just after we had met Leander and given the horse into his
charge. Mrs. Kew finished her shopping as soon as possible, and we
hurried toward the great tents, where all the flags were flying. I think
I have not told you that we were to have the benefit of seeing a
menagerie in addition to the circus, and you may be sure we went
faithfully round to see everything that the cages held.

I cannot truthfully say that it was a good show; it was somewhat dreary,
now that I think of it quietly and without excitement. The creatures
looked tired, and as if they had been on the road for a great many
years. The animals were all old, and there was a shabby great elephant
whose look of general discouragement went to my heart, for it seemed as
if he were miserably consc