Mr Galliano's Circus Page 12

  “Well, do I look nice?” asked Jimmy impatiently.

  “Oh, Jimmy! You look simply grand,” said Lotta. “I don’t feel as if I shall ever dare to make a face at you again.”

  But as the cheeky little girl immediately made one of her very worst faces at him, she couldn’t have meant what she said!

  Jimmy felt a bit nervous when the time came for him to take Sammy into the ring. There were crowds of people there that night to see the chimpanzee, for everyone had heard of his adventures that day. Sammy was delighted to have Jimmy going into the ring with him. He did not seem to miss Mr. Wally at all.

  He did everything just as he should—but in the middle of it all, what do you suppose happened?

  Why, Lucky escaped from her kennel and tore into the big tent to find her little master. She raced straight into the ring, barking madly. Jimmy stared in dismay.

  “Go back, Lucky, go back!” he said. But Lucky was too excited to listen. She had had a thrilling day and she meant to play with Jimmy and Sammy, and not go back to her kennel.

  Mr. Galliano cracked his whip. That meant that Jimmy was to go on with his turn. He did hope that Lucky wouldn’t spoil it! Wouldn’t that be too bad, his very first night in the ring?

  Sammy was just dressing himself after getting out of the cot. He was about to sit down and wash when Lucky dashed up to him. Sammy looked down at his small playmate. He lifted her up on his knee, and—whatever do you think he did?

  He washed Lucky’s face for her, cleaned her teeth, and brushed her hair. Oh dear, how everyone shouted and laughed! Lucky didn’t like it at all and she tried to get away, but Sammy held her tightly. Then he washed his own face, cleaned his teeth and did his hair.

  When the time came for him to ride off to school, Sammy jumped nimbly on his bicycle with Lucky still tucked under one arm. How everyone cheered! They did not know that this was all Sammy’s own idea—they thought the chimpanzee had been taught to play with Lucky like this.

  When the turn came to an end and Jimmy went off with Sammy and Lucky, the people cheered till they were hoarse, and Jimmy had to come back three times with Sammy and bow. He was so delighted that the tears came into his eyes and he had to blink them back. Good old Sammy! Good old Lucky! They had both done their very best for him that night.

  Mr. Galliano was delighted with Jimmy. He told him that he could do the turn in the ring with Sammy and Lucky every night till Mr. Wally was ready to come back. Then perhaps Mr. Wally would let Jimmy help him.

  So night after night Jimmy took Sammy into the ring and the chimpanzee grinned to hear the clapping and cheering he got—and when Lucky came dashing into the ring at exactly the right moment to be washed and brushed by Sammy, the people clapped all the more.

  Jimmy’s days were very full now. He had to practise a good deal with Sammy and Lucky, besides helping Lotta with the other dogs, and giving Mr. Tonks a hand with Jumbo. He practised his riding too, and could now walk the tight-rope just as well as Oona the acrobat could. He was teaching the clever little Lucky as many tricks as he could whilst she was young and eager, for he knew that is the best time for any animal to learn. So, from dawn to dusk Jimmy was busy, and his mother said she hardly ever saw him except at meal-times.

  Mr. Wally had been pleased to hear that Sammy had been found and rescued. But he was not so pleased to hear that Sammy would go into the ring each night with Jimmy and do just as well with the little boy as he did with him, his trainer and master.

  Nobody thought that Mr. Wally would be jealous of Jimmy. Everyone was quite sure that when Mr. Wally's leg was better he would tell Jimmy that he might help him in the ring each night with Sammy and Lucky.

  But everybody was wrong. When Mr. Wally came back to the circus, limping slightly, he watched Jimmy and Sammy in the ring for one night. And then he went to Mr. Galliano.

  “Mr. Galliano, sir,” he said, “tomorrow night I take Sammy into the ring myself. I am quite better now.”

  “That is good, yes,” said Mr. Galliano. “You will like Jimmy to help you, Wally—he is a very good boy.”

  “I won’t want him to help me,” said Mr. Wally. “He is a good boy with animals, but I do not want him to come into the ring with me when I take Sammy there. Sammy is mine and I trained him. No one else shall share him in the ring when I am there.”

  Mr. Galliano was angry. “Jimmy did a great deal for Sammy and you should be grateful, yes,” he shouted. “It is not much to ask that he should help you. The boy loves to go into the ring.”

  “I am grateful to Jimmy,” said Mr. Wally firmly, “and I shall pay him well for all the time he has been taking Sammy into the ring for me. But he shall not share Sammy in the ring now I am back. And if you tell me I must take him into the ring, Mr. Galliano, then I will go away with Sammy and you will not see me again.”

  Mr. Wally went out of the caravan. He knew quite well he had beaten Mr. Galliano. Mr. Galliano could not afford to let him go just when the chimpanzee was drawing such big crowds to the circus every night. Mr. Galliano sat and thought. Then he shouted for Jimmy.

  He told the little boy what Mr. Wally had said. Jimmy was surprised and upset. Not go into the ring any more, just when he had got used to it and loved if so! He stood and stared at Mr. Galliano in dismay. “Am I not to go into the ring any more?” he asked, his voice trembling a little.

  “Some day perhaps, yes,” said Mr. Galliano. “But not now. There is nothing you can do except with Sammy, and Mr. Wally will not have that.”

  Jimmy went to his own caravan, sad and disappointed. How horrid of Mr. Wally! He sat down on the big bed and thought about it. His mother found him there, his bright face looking miserable for once.

  “What’s the matter, Jimmy?” she said in alarm. Jimmy told her. His mother put her arm around him and squeezed him.

  “Jimmy, you mustn’t mind when things go wrong,” she said. “You have been a lucky boy in many things lately. Now that an obstacle has come and you can’t get what you want, don’t worry about it. The best way to treat obstacles is to use them as stepping-stones. Laugh at them, tread on them, and let them lead you to something better. As for Mr. Wally, don’t think hardly of him. He loves Sammy, and it’s quite natural that he should want him all to himself in the ring. You wouldn’t like any one to share Lucky with you, would you?”

  “No, I shouldn’t, Mother,” said Jimmy, feeling much better already. “You’re a darling, Mother—you just say the right things. I won’t worry about this, and I won’t be horrid to Mr. Wally. I’ll do as you say and make this obstacle into a stepping-stone to something better.”

  And how did Jimmy do that? Ah, you will soon see.

  GOOD OLD LUCKY

  Jimmy ran to find Lotta to tell her that Mr. Wally would not let him help in the ring with Sammy any more. Lotta was angry.

  “Nasty, horrid Mr. Wally,” she said fiercely. “I’ll creep into his caravan tonight whilst he is in the ring and put butter into his tin of paraffin and empty his tea into his cocoa-tin and . . .”

  “Lotta! You mustn’t say things like that!” said Jimmy, astonished. “You would be more horrid than Mr. Wally if you did that. Don’t be silly.”

  Lotta stared at Jimmy, surprised. “But aren’t you angry with Mr. Wally too?” she asked.

  “I was,” said Jimmy. “But I’m not now. You know, Lotta, my mother says when obstacles come it is best to tread on them and use them as stepping-stones to something better. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I shall have a try. If I can’t go into the ring one way I shall find another.”

  “Good for you,” said Lotta, giving Jimmy a hug. “Look—there’s Mr. Wally going to feed Sammy. He’s not looking at us. I expect he thinks you are angry with him.”

  “Well, he won’t think that for long,” said Jimmy. “Hie, Mr. Wally! Can I help you to feed Sammy?”

  Mr. Wally turned in surprise and looked at the bright-faced little boy. He had expected him to be sulky and rude to him. For a moment he didn�
��t know what to do.

  “All right,” he said. “You can feed him. Thanks very much. I’m busy and could do with a bit of help.”

  “I’ll clean out his cage too,” said Jimmy, and ran off cheerfully to get a pail and broom. Mr. Wally stared after him. He had never known a boy behave like that before when something horrid had happened. “All the same, he is not going into the ring with Sammy and me,” said Mr. Wally to himself.

  One day, when Jimmy was practising walking the tight-rope under Oona’s sharp eye, Lucky came up. The little dog watched her master balancing carefully on the rope, and cocked her head on one side.

  “Wuff!” she said, which meant “I’ll have a try too!” And before Jimmy could say a word, Lucky gave a spring and landed with three legs on the rope. She fell off again at once, but she didn’t care a bit. No—up she went again, and this time she got all four legs on, one behind the other. How funny she looked, to be sure. She stood there, swaying, and then jumped down. Oona and Jimmy stared at her. Whatever would Lucky do next?

  “Jimmy!” said Oona suddenly. “I believe you could teach that dog of yours to walk the tight-rope. She is as clever as ten terriers rolled into one. Here, Lucky! Let’s have a look at your paws.”

  Lucky ran to Oona and put up a paw. She really seemed to know everything that was said to her. Even Lal said she had never met a dog like Lucky. Oona looked carefully at her hard pads.

  “See, Jimmy,” he said to the little boy. “A dog has good strong pads, divided into pieces—and if I made Lucky a thin rubber sock to wear on each foot I believe she could grasp the tight-rope well, and get a fine grip. I say! A dog that walked the tight-rope! Such a thing has never been heard of before.”

  Jimmy listened with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. He petted Lucky and stroked her silky head. How glad he was he had chosen her and not one of the other puppies he had seen!

  “I’ll make the rubber socks today,” said Oona, as excited as Jimmy. “We’ll see how they work. Lucky would have to wear something—her feet are not quite right for this sort of work.”

  Well, Oona kept his word. He got some thin white rubber, and with strong gum he shaped them into socks to fit Lucky's small paws. When Lucky had them on she did not seem to mind at all. Oona had been afraid she might bite them off.

  “Now bring her to the tight-rope in the ring,” said Oona excitedly. “Nobody’s there just now. We’ll have it all to ourselves.”

  So they took Lucky to the ring, and put up the tightrope there. Jimmy ran along the rope lightly, and whistled to Lucky. “Come up, then, come up!” he called. Lucky did not have to be told twice. Up she sprang and stood on the rope with all four feet. The rubber socks gave her a fine grip. She tried to walk a step, missed her footing and fell off. But up she went again and again—and again! Lucky loved trying new things, and her greatest joy was to try and do what her little master did. At the end of twenty minutes she had learnt to keep her balance and to walk three steps.

  Oona and Jimmy were too excited to say a word. They just looked at one another in glee.

  “Wuff!” said Lucky, and licked Jimmy’s hand. Then Jimmy found his tongue—but not to lick with. He poured out all his hopes and plans to Oona—how he would teach Lucky marvellous things, and the little dog would be famous—and he, Jimmy, would take her into the ring each night and show the people what a wonderful dog he had! Oona listened and nodded his yellow head. He was a good friend to have.

  How Jimmy worked to teach Lucky! Soon the little dog could run along the tight-rope as fast as Jimmy could. Then Jimmy took his mother into his secret and she made Lucky a dear little red skirt to wear, and bought her a little parasol to carry over her head—for Lucky could walk on her hind-legs on the tight-rope now. It was marvellous to see her. She loved her tricks and was always anxious to show off.

  Jimmy worked at Lucky’s other tricks too. She thought nothing of wheeling the doll’s pram about and tucking up the doll. She could jump like a hare too, and could hold on to a swing-bar with her teeth and swing like that. She could dance round with Jimmy in time to music, her little hind-legs twinkling in and out merrily. And then Jimmy noticed that she seemed to understand when Sammy did his tricks of counting. When Mr. Wally said to the chimpanzee, “Which is figure 4?” Lucky would go to the right figure even before Sammy picked it himself.

  “I believe she could count too—and perhaps spell,” thought Jimmy in glee. So he made some big figures and letters and began patiently to teach Lucky.

  Lucky learnt easily. Soon she knew all the figures up to five, like Sammy. Then she learnt to spell her own name. This is how Jimmy taught her. He put all the letters of the alphabet out in front of Lucky, and rubbed a piece of meat on to the L. Lucky soon sniffed that out and fetched the letter. Then Jimmy rubbed the meat on the letter U and Lucky fetched that out. After that she fetched out C, K, and Y. Jimmy did it all over again—and again—and soon Lucky knew that she had to fetch out the five letters.

  “Wuff, wuff!” she said, her little head cocked on to one side. That meant, “I understand, Master. And I understand too that you want special letters fetched out, for some reason or other.”

  In a week Lucky had learnt to fetch out the five letters of her name, bringing them in the right order—L-U-C-K-Y! When Oona first saw her doing this, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

  “Now she knows what I want her to do with these letters, it will be easy to teach her other words,” said Jimmy, in delight. “And I’m teaching her to do sums, Oona. Listen, Lucky—one bone and two bones—how many?”

  Lucky cocked her head one side, her bright eyes shining. She scraped with her paw on the ground three times. Then she barked three times.

  “There you are,” said Jimmy. “She can do the answer in paw-scrapes or barks—one and two make three!”

  “She is a marvellous dog,” said Oona. “I will make her a tiny shoe for her right fore-foot, Jimmy, and then when she paws the ground in her answers she will make a knocking sound that everyone will hear. We will stand her on a box.”

  Lotta knew about Lucky, but she didn’t tell anyone. Only when Lucky was quite perfectly trained was Mr. Galliano to know. Then perhaps he would say he would see Lucky and Jimmy at practice in the ring. Jimmy and Lotta watched over Lucky carefully, fed her well, brushed and washed her till her coat shone, and gave her all the love that her little doggy heart needed. She was the happiest dog in the show.

  Jimmy would not let Lucky practise her tricks for long at a time, for Lal had told him that little and often was the best way. Any animal got tired and cross if it did the same thing too long. They were like children. But Jimmy did not need to be told of this. He knew without telling everything that was right and good for the animals in his care.

  All the same he listened to Lal carefully, for he was always eager to pick up any bits of circus knowledge. He knew all kinds of things now—how to rub resin on to the horses’ backs before they went into the ring at night, so that Lotta would not slip when she stood on them—how to test every rope and bolt and pin before Oona or Sticky Stanley the clown did their tricks—how to sense when any animal was not well.

  Often one of the grooms would come to Jimmy for help if one of the beautiful stallion horses was restless and nervous. Then Jimmy would speak a few words in the low, gentle voice he always kept for animals, and the horse would listen and calm down. The circus-folk said that Jimmy was as good as Mr. Galliano with the horses—though Mr. Galliano was a marvel with animals, and had been known to go into a cage of angry fighting tigers and calm them at once with a few words.

  At last Lucky was perfectly trained. She did all her tricks quickly and smoothly, and even Jimmy could not wish her to do better. Now he would ask Mr. Galliano to see them in the ring.

  But what a disappointment for poor Jimmy! Mr. Galliano was in a bad temper that day. Someone whom he had engaged to come to his circus with five beautiful tigers had sent word to say he could not come—and Mr. Galliano roared angrily.

&nb
sp; So, when Jimmy went timidly up the steps of the caravan and called Mr. Galliano, he was met by a frowning face and an angry shout. “Well! What do you want, boy?”

  “Please, sir, I’ve come to ask you if you will see my dog Lucky in the ring with me?” began Jimmy nervously, for, like everyone else, he was frightened of Mr. Galliano when he was angry.

  “See you and your dog in the ring!” cried Mr. Galliano. “Indeed I won’t! You want to waste my time—yes? Go away—and if you dare to ask me such silly things again I will send you away!”

  Of course Mr. Galliano did not mean all this—but Jimmy was very miserable and disappointed as he went back to his own caravan. How he wished he had not asked Mr. Galliano just then—he might have listened if he had not been cross. Poor Jimmy! After he had worked so hard too!

  Someone had heard what Mr. Galliano had said—and that someone was Mr. Wally. He remembered how good Jimmy had been when he would not let him help with Sammy in the ring. He ran over to the little boy.

  “Cheer up!” he said. “I’ll see old Galliano for you tomorrow—and I’ll make him see you and Lucky in the ring. You see!”

  LUCKY HAS A CHANCE

  Jimmy was so pleased when Mr. Wally spoke kindly to him. If only he would see Mr. Galliano and speak for him and Lucky, things might be all right.

  “How kind you are, Mr. Wally,” he said gratefully.

  “Jimmy, I once did you a bad turn,” said Mr. Wally, “and instead of paying me back with rudeness and unkindness you were just the same to me as you had always been—helping me with Sammy and doing everything you could. Well, if I can do you a good turn now, I will. You couldn’t go into the ring any more with Sammy because I wouldn’t let you—but I’ll get you there with Lucky or my name’s not Wally!”