cus
clothes right away, and there was no use taking things that he would
never wear.

Jim did these up in the square of gingham, and he tied it across
cater-cornered twice, in double knots, and showed Pony how he could put
his hand through and carry it just as easy. He hid it under the bed for
him, and he told Pony that if he was in Pony's place he should go to bed
right away or pretty soon, so that nobody would think anything, and maybe
he could get some sleep before he got up and went down to wait on the
front steps for the circus to come along. He promised to be there with the
other boys and keep them from fooling or making a noise, or doing anything
to wake his father up, or make the constable come. "You see, Pony," he
said, "if you can run off this year, and come back with the circus next
year, then a whole lot of fellows can run off. Don't you see that?"

Pony said he saw that, but he said he wished some of the other fellows
were going now, because he did not know any of the circus boys and he was
afraid he might feel kind of lonesome. But Jim Leonard said he would soon
get acquainted, and, anyway, a year would go before he knew it, and then
if the other fellows could get off he would have plenty of company.

As soon as Jim Leonard was gone Pony undressed and got into bed. He was
not sleepy, but he thought maybe it would be just as well to rest a little
while before the circus procession came along for him; and, anyway, he
could not bear to go down-stairs and be with the family when he was going
to leave them so soon, and not come back for a whole year.

After a good while, or about the time he usually came in from playing, he
heard his mother saying: "Where in the world is Pony? Has he come in yet?
Have you seen him, girls? Pony! Pony!" she called.

But somehow Pony could not get his voice up out of his throat; he wanted
to answer her, but he could not speak. He heard her say, "Go out to the
front steps, girls, and see if you can see him," and then he heard her
coming up the stairs; and she came into his room, and when she saw him
lying there in bed she said: "Why, I believe in my heart the child's
asleep! Pony! Are you awake?"

Pony made out to say no, and his mother said: "My! what a fright you gave
me! Why didn't you answer me? Are you sick, Pony? Your father said you
didn't seem well at the circus; and you didn't eat any supper, hardly."

Pony said he was first-rate, but he spoke very low, and his mothe