ing to town. Among the attractions were
the "Wild Man of Borneo," fresh from his native jungles, and "The Monster
Tuscarora," the greatest buffalo in the world.

[Illustration: "'HOW QUICKLY YOU HAVE LEARNED,' SAID AUNT KATE."]

That was the buffalo that he was to ride in the procession! Sonny Boy felt
that even Polly ought to understand that this was a very great honor to
come to one of the Plummers!

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WHO WAS CAPTAIN OF THE COMPANY?

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CHAPTER VI

WHO WAS CAPTAIN OF THE COMPANY?

The great show, the "Wonder of the World," had come to town. It came in
the night and packed itself away in the big tents on Lawton's field.

A "monster street procession" was announced for the next morning, and the
Bolton boys and girls lay awake as if it were the Fourth of July.

Sonny Boy had received a large square ticket, marked "Season," and
"Complimentary," and in the same envelope was a slip of paper on which was
written, "_Ask for J. Simpkins at the door._"

J. Simpkins was, of course, Sonny Boy's friend, the Wild Man.

Aunt Kate said she felt doubtful about "that Wild Man business," and she
wrote to her husband about it.

"It won't do him any harm to learn to be a Wild Man." That was Uncle
William's answer; and Sonny Boy thought he was a very sensible man.

Aunt Kate also wrote to Mamma Plummer about the Wild Man and the buffalo,
although she didn't tell Sonny Boy of that. And Mamma Plummer answered,
"Sonny Boy could never learn to be a wild man; the dear boy is so quiet.
And he would be scared to death at the sight of a buffalo."

Mamma Plummer did not quite understand her Sonny Boy.

[Illustration: "OTTO HAD HIS ONE GOOD TIME."]

Sonny Boy asked for J. Simpkins at the tent door, showing his bit of
paper, and he was told to follow a porter straight to the cage of the most
ferocious-looking Wild Man that ever was seen!

He had horns, and he had tusks, and a mane like a horse, and yet when he
laughed, Sonny Boy could see, as plainly as could be, that he was only the
sailor who had bought the parrot!

If one could only be a Wild Man like that, in their barn at Poppleton,
thought Sonny Boy, what fun it would be!

But there was no time to take a lesson in being a Wild Man this morning,
as the procession was to start soon. And it happened that the boy who rode
th