ty answered? seating himself again
on the box. "Dey's showin' in Wakefield to-night, and next month dey's
comin' here."

"Dat same circus what Miss Polly used to be wid?" Mandy's eyes grew
large with curiosity.

"De very same," and Hasty nodded mysteriously.

"How you know dat?" Mandy was uncertain whether to believe him.

"'Cause da's a big, red wagon downtown wid de name ob de show painted on
it. It's de advertisin' one what goes ahead wid all de pictures what dey
pastes up."

"And you been hangin' 'roun' dat wagon?"

"I done thought Miss Polly might want to know."

"See here, lazy nigger, don' you go puttin' no circus notions into Miss
Polly's head. She don' care no more 'bout dem things since her Uncle
Toby done die. She done been satisfied right whar she am. Jes' you let
her be."

"I ain't done nothin'," Hasty protested.

"Nebber do do nothin'," growled Mandy. "Go long now, and get a-work.
Mos' four o'clock and dat Sunday-school-room ain't ready yet."

Hasty picked up the empty box and the step-ladder and went out through
the gate. He had barely disappeared when a peal of laughter was heard
from the hillside, and before Mandy could get out of the way, the
youngsters came tumbling down the path again.

"Lawsy, lawsy," she gasped, as Polly circled around her, dodging the
children. "You'se cheeks is red as pineys, honey."

"Tag! you're it!" Polly cried, as she touched the widow's auburn-haired
offspring on the sleeve. There was much wailing when Willie passed the
tag to little Jennie, the smallest girl in the crowd.

"I won't play no more," she sobbed; "'cause I's always it."

To comfort her, Polly began to sing an old circus song that the children
had learned to love; and the little ones huddled about her in a circle
to hear of the wonderful "Van Amberg" who used to "walk right into the
lion's cage and put his head in the lion's mouth." The children were in
a state of nerves that did credit to Polly as an entertainer, when Hasty
broke in upon the song.

"When you get a minute I want ter tell yer somethin'."

"I have one right now." And turning to the eager mites at her side,
Polly told them to run along into the grove, and that she'd come pretty
soon to teach them a new game.

The youngsters went screaming and laughing on their way, and she
breathed a sigh of relief as she threw herself down on the rustic seat
that encircled the elm tree.

"What is it, Hasty?" she asked, suspecting that he was