g
further to do but enjoy herself.

"Are you hungry?" asked Billy, fishing out several fragments of
gingerbread.

"Starving!" and Bab ate them with such a relish that Sam added a small
contribution; and Ben caught some water for her in his hand, where the
little spring bubbled up beside a stone.

"Now, you wash your face and spat down your hair, and put your hat on
straight, and then we'll go," commanded Ben, giving Sanch a roll on the
grass to clean him.

Bab scrubbed her face till it shone; and, pulling down her apron to wipe
it, scattered a load of treasures collected in her walk. Some of the
dead flowers, bits of moss, and green twigs fell near Ben, and one
attracted his attention,--a spray of broad, smooth leaves, with a
bunch of whitish berries on it.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, poking it with his foot.

"In a swampy place, coming along. Sanch saw something down there; and I
went with him, 'cause I thought may be it was a musk-rat, and you'd like
one if we could get him."

"Was it?" asked the boys all at once, and with intense interest.

"No; only a snake, and I don't care for snakes. I picked some of that,
it was so green and pretty. Thorny likes queer leaves and berries, you
know," answered Bab, "spatting," down her rough locks.

"Well, he won't like that, nor you either; it's poisonous, and I
shouldn't wonder if you'd got poisoned, Bab. Don't touch it!
Swamp-sumach is horrid stuff,--Miss Celia said so;" and Ben looked
anxiously at Bab, who felt her chubby face all over, and examined her
dingy hands with a solemn air, asking, eagerly,--

"Will it break out on me 'fore I get to the circus?"

"Not for a day or so, I guess; but it's bad when it does come."

"I don't care, if I see the animals first. Come quick, and never mind
the old weeds and things," said Bab, much relieved; for present bliss
was all she had room for now in her happy little heart.

CHAPTER XIV

SOMEBODY GETS LOST

Putting all care behind them, the young folks ran down the hill, with a
very lively dog gambolling beside them, and took a delightfully
tantalizing survey of the external charms of the big tent. But people
were beginning to go in, and it was impossible to delay when they came
round to the entrance.

Ben felt that now "his foot was on his native heath," and the superb air
of indifference with which he threw down his dollar at the
ticket-office, carelessly swept up the change, and strolled into the
ten