It was a splendid circus, and there were more things than Pony ever saw
in a circus before. But instead of hating to have it over, it seemed to
him that it would never come to an end. He kept thinking and thinking,
and wondering whether he would like to be a circus actor; and when the
one came out who rode four horses bareback and stood on his head on the
last horse, and drove with the reins in his teeth, Pony thought that he
never could learn to do it; and if he could not learn he did not know
what the circus men would say to him. It seemed to him that it was very
strange he had not told that circus man that he didn't know whether he
could do it or not; but he had not, and now it was too late.

A boy came around calling lemonade, and Pony's father bought some for
each of the children, but Pony could hardly taste his.

"What is the matter with you, Pony? Are you sick?" his father asked.

"No. I don't care for any; that's all. I'm well," said Pony; but he felt
very miserable.

After supper Jim Leonard came round and went up to Pony's room with him
to help him pack, and he was so gay about it and said he only wished
_he_ was going, that Pony cheered up a little. Jim had brought a large
square of checked gingham that he said he did not believe his mother
would ever want, and that he would tell her he had taken if she asked
for it. He said it would be the very thing for Pony to carry his clothes
in, for it was light and strong and would hold a lot. He helped Pony to
choose his things out of his bureau drawers: a pair of stockings and a
pair of white pantaloons and a blue roundabout, and a collar, and two
handkerchiefs. That was all he said Pony would need, because he would
have his circus 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