flaps that opened up the entire front, so that all
the exhibits could be shown nicely to the people on the seats out side.

The seats were made of boards set on most anything that would hold
them, with a few garden benches for reserved seats at the front.

Everything was ready, and the circus day came at last.

"Lucky it isn't raining," the boys declared as they rushed around
putting the final touches to everything.

August Stout was appointed to collect the tickets, and Ned Prentice was
to show the people to their seats.

Two o'clock!

Only one hour more!

Lots of children came early to get good seats. Roy Mason sat right in
the front row alongside of Freddie. Nettie Prentice was on the very
first bench back of the reserved seats. The Herolds came next, and had
Aunt Sarah's front garden bench, the red one. Mildred Manners' folks
paid ten cents each too, and they had the big green bench from the side
porch.

"Give Mrs. Burns a front seat," Harry whispered to Ned, as the busy
farmer's wife actually stopped her work to see what all the excitement
was about.

The Bobbseys had come--Mr. Bobbsey and all,--and Dinah wore her best
black bonnet.

"When will it begin?" Flossie asked, just trembling with excitement.

"I saw Harry and Bert go in the tent some time ago," whispered Nan;
"and see, they are loosing the tent flap."

There was a shout of applause when Harry appeared. He actually wore a
swallowtail coat and had on a choker--a very high collar--and a bright
green tie. He wore long trousers too, and looked so queer even Aunt
Sarah had to laugh when she saw him.

"Oh!" exclaimed all the children when they looked inside the tent.

"Isn't it grand!" whispered Flossie.

Then Bert stepped up on the soap box in the middle of the ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, making a profound bow, "ladies and
gentlemen."

Then everybody roared laughing.

Bert had to wait until they got through laughing at his funny costume,
which was a good deal like Harry's, only the latter wore a red tie.

In a few moments Bert went on again.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Our first number is Frisky, the Sacred Calf of
India!" he exclaimed, imitating that queer-voiced man called a "Barker"
and used at circuses.

Snap! snap! went Bert's whip, and out from a side place, back of a big
screen, came Jack Hopkins dressed like a real clown, leading our old
friend Frisky, the runaway calf.

How awfully funny it was!

The calf had ov