some of the grown-ups if they'd only
tell the truth about it," said Douglas, laughing.

"What!" exclaimed Miss Perkins.

"Why not?" asked Douglas. "I am sure I don't know what they do inside
the tents, but the parade looked very promising."

"The PARADE!" the two women echoed in one breath. "Did YOU see the
parade?"

"Yes, indeed," said Douglas, enthusiastically. "But it didn't compare
with the one I saw at the age of eight." He turned his head to one side
and looked into space with a reminiscent smile. The widow's red-haired
boy crept close to him.

"The Shetland ponies seemed as small as mice," he continued, dreamily,
"the elephants huge as mountains, the great calliope wafted my soul to
the very skies, and I followed that parade right into the circus lot."

"Did you seed inside de tent?" Willie asked, eagerly.

"I didn't have enough money for that," Douglas answered, frankly.
He turned to the small boy and pinched his ear. There was sad
disappointment in the youngster's face, but he brightened again, when
the parson confessed that he "peeped."

"A parson peeping!" cried the thin-lipped Miss Perkins.

"I was not a parson then," corrected Douglas, good-naturedly.

"You were GOING to be," persisted the spinster.

"I had to be a boy first, in spite of that fact."

The sudden appearance of Hasty proved a diversion. He was looking very
sheepish.

"Hyar he is, Mars John; look at him!" said Mandy.

"Hasty, where have you been all day?" demanded Douglas, severely.

Hasty fumbled with his hat and sparred for time. "Did yo' say whar's I
been, sah?"

"Dat's what he done ast yo'," Mandy prompted, threateningly.

"I bin 'ceived, Mars John," declared Hasty, solemnly. Mandy snorted
incredulously. Douglas waited.

"A gemmen in de circus done tole me dis mawnin' dat ef I carry water
fo' de el'phants, he'll let me in de circus fo' nuffin', an' I make a
'greement wid him. Mars John, did yo' ebber seed an' el'phant drink?" he
asked, rolling his eyes. John shook his head.

"Well, sah, he jes' put dat trunk a'his'n into de pail, jes' once
an--swish--water gone."

Douglas laughed; and Mandy muttered, sullenly.

"Well, sah," continued Hasty, "I tote water fo' dem el'phants all day
long, an' when I cum roun' to see de circus, de gemmen won't let me in.
An' when I try to crawl under de tent, dey pulls me out by de laigs an'
beats me." He looked from one to the other expecting sympathy.

"Serves you right," was Mand