all the row was
about, and while the owner of the dog was shaking his fist in the
farmer's face, and the farmer was trying to explain that the goat
and mule, as he called Betty, did not belong to him, Billy and
Betty sneaked off and disappeared down a side road and to their
surprise found themselves facing the circus tents.

If they went forward the circus people would catch them, and if
they went back, the angry man and farmer would be after them. As
they stood discussing which way to go, it was decided for them,
for the animal keeper on his horse turned into the lane behind
them and drove them to the circus in double-quick time with his
long whip.

All the way there he scolded them as he tried to crack them with
his whip, and it was no fun being hit with it as it seemed to
take a piece of flesh out each time it struck.

[Illustration]

Betty ran in among the Shetland ponies where she belonged and
Billy dodged into the first tent he saw with the flap open. For a
wonder it turned out to be the one where he belonged, and in less
time than it takes to tell it Billy found himself chained beside
the elephant.

"There, Master Billy, I guess you won't chew yourself loose in a
hurry again, and have me chasing all over the country for you,"
said the animal keeper.

And to make up for his past bad behavior Billy performed better
the next day than he had at any time.

_What Billy Did on Tuesday_

Tuesday turned out to be a dismal, cold, rainy day and Billy was
glad enough to stay quietly in the tent. He thought it would be a
good chance to become better acquainted with the animals in the
cages and he decided to call on them all by beginning at one cage
and visiting each in order until he had completed the circle.

He could not stay where he was, for Nancy, the old maid camel,
made him nervous; she talked so much, and when she was not
talking she chewed her cud like an old maid chews gum.

"How can you stand her?" Billy whispered to the elephant.

"Oh, I have got used to it," said the elephant, "and I don't hear
her half the time, and when she gets _too_ bad I just pull the
flops of my ears down tight to my head, and I can't hear a word.
And then I set my trunk to wobbling and make it nod 'yes' half
the time and 'no' the other, and I find it answers quite well."

"But how do you know when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'?"
Billy asked.

"I don't mind if I do answer wrong part of the time, and if I get