the wonderful
things they had seen in the village. Outside the blacksmith's forge
there was a great bill pasted, which showed in bright colours the
brilliant performance of "Floretta the Flying Fairy" on horseback; there
was also a full-length portrait of Mick Murphy the celebrated clown.

Even more exciting were the strange caravans and carts arriving in the
field where the large tent had already been put up; and Ambrose had
caught sight of a white poodle trimmed like a lion, which he felt quite
sure was one of the dancing-dogs.

The circus was to stop two days--might the children go to-morrow
afternoon?

There was a breathless silence amongst them whilst this question was
being decided, and mother said something to Miss Grey in French; but
after a little consultation it was finally settled that they were to go.
Dickie had listened to it all, leaving her rice-pudding untasted; now
she stretched out her short arm, and, pointing with her spoon at her
mother, said:

"Dickie too."

But Mrs Hawthorn only smiled and shook her head.

"No, not Dickie," she said; "she is too young to go. Dickie will stay
at home with mother."

Now the vicar was not there--if he had been he would probably have said,
"Let her go;" and Dickie knew this--it had happened sometimes before.
So now, although she turned down the corners of her mouth and pushed up
one fat shoulder, she murmured rather defiantly:

"Dickie will ask father."

The next day was Saturday--sermon day, and the vicar was writing busily
in his study when he heard some uncertain sounds outside, as though some
little animal were patting the handle of the door--the cat most likely--
and he paid no attention to it, until he felt a light touch on his arm.
Looking down he saw that it was Dickie, who, having made her way in,
stood at his elbow with eager eyes and a bright flush of excitement on
her cheeks.

"Please, father," she said at once, "take Dickie to see the gee-gees."

The vicar pushed back his chair a little and lifted her on to his knee.
He would have liked to go on with his sermon, but he always found it
impossible to send Dickie away if she once succeeded in getting into his
study.

"What does Dickie want?" he asked rather absently.

"Please, father, take Dickie to see gee-gees," she repeated in exactly
the same tone as at first.

The vicar took up his pen again and made a correction in the last
sentence he had written, still keeping one arm round Dicki