girls to make society belles,” he smiled. “But seein’ that’s who they are, I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Oow-wee! That was grand!” exclaimed Marjory, who now came up with her sister. “Did we make good. Can we stay?”

“You made good, but you can’t stay,” smiled Johnny. “What do you suppose your grandparents are thinking of about now?”

“Oh, they won’t know about it at all. We are supposed to be over here with friends who live down on Pine street. That’s how they let us come at all. These friends are real old folks and don’t go to circuses. When we got here, we called them up as if we were at home and told them we couldn’t come; so you see it’s all right. And, Johnny, if we can’t stay and be circus folks, we can stay just one night, can’t we, and have a real ride in a circus train?”

Johnny looked at the manager.

“Sure,” grinned the good natured boss of the circus. “We’ll put you in the care of Ma Kelly, the circus girls’ matron, and you’ll be safe as a bean in a bowl of soup.”

“How far do we move?” asked Johnny, a bit anxiously.

“Only forty miles, and that leaves us less than thirty miles from their grandfather’s place. They can make it back all right.”

“I’ll borrow one of the rough riders’ ponies, and hoof it back with them,” said Johnny. “But remember,” he turned to the twins, “remember, this is the last. To-morrow morning you turn your faces toward home. And by thunder! I wish I could go along to stay!”

“Why? Why can’t you?” cried Marjory. “We want you to. Indeed, we do.”

“I can’t tell you now. Maybe some time. You stay right here. I’ll send Ma Kelly around. Then I’ve got to go box the bear.”

Johnny rushed away, and that was the last they saw of him for some time.

CHAPTER XVI THE WRECK OF THE CIRCUS

That night, as Johnny listened to the chant of the negroes as they went about their tasks of breaking camp and loading, he fancied that there was a weird and restless tone to it, foretelling some catastrophe brooding over all.

The night was dark, with black, rainless clouds hurrying across the sky. Johnny shivered as he walked toward his sleeping car. His hand was on the rail when someone touched his arm. It was Pant.

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