Circus Days Again Read online

  “I shall listen to you no longer,” said Britomart, white with anger. He turned and walked off. But Mr. Wally hadn’t finished with him yet.

  “And what about little Lotta?” he yelled. “You go and shut her out of the ring and put in those two silly red-haired kids instead. They can’t ride for toffee! They . . .”

  But Britomart was out of hearing. Sammy the chimpanzee suddenly began to whimper. He knew that Mr. Wally was angry and he did not like it. He was frightened. Jimmy put his arm round the chimpanzee and hugged him.

  “It’s all right, Sammy,” he said. “Mr. Wally is just telling Mr. Britomart a few things he ought to know. Good for you, Mr. Wally! But, I say—you won’t really go, will you?”

  “I certainly will,” said Mr. Wally in a most determined voice. “And what’s more, I’ll take old Tonks with me, and Volla too, and Stanley and Lilliput! If anyone thinks I’m going to put up with Britomart, they’re mistaken!”

  And off he marched to put Sammy into his cage. Jimmy watched him with a sinking heart. It seemed as if the circus would break up before his very eyes!

  “I’ll have to go too,” he thought. “I can’t possibly stay here without all my friends.”

  He went off, thinking hard. “I shan’t tell Lotta I’m going,” he thought. “She won’t care anyhow! So she shan’t hear any of my plans from me!”

  Jimmy Learns the Truth

  LOTTA was very miserable now. She hated to think of Lisa and Jeanne going in the ring to take her place each night. She would not speak to the two girls, nor would she speak to Jimmy. She just moped about the field, sometimes riding Black Beauty to give him the exercise he needed.

  Jimmy did his turn with Lucky in the ring, but he would not let Lisa and Jeanne help him. The two girls begged and begged him to let them, but Jimmy shook his head.

  “No,” he said, “you are both mean and horrid. I won’t have you helping me with Lucky in the ring. And if you dare to ask Britomart if you can, I’ll walk right out of this circus like Madame Prunella!”

  He looked so fierce that the two girls said no more. Neither of them would have dared to ask anything from Britomart, for cheeky as they were, they were just as much afraid of the stern ring-master as anyone else was.

  But Jeanne, the younger girl, wouldn’t give up trying to make friends with Jimmy. She had suddenly decided that if only she could make Jimmy really friendly with her, he might let her, and not Lisa, go into the ring with him and Lucky. “Then wouldn’t Lisa be jealous!” she thought.

  So Jeanne began to be very nice to Jimmy. She brought him a hot chocolate-cake that her mother had just made. But all that Jimmy said was—“Hmmm! I suppose you took that when your mother’s back wasturned. I don’t want any, thank you! I think you and Lisa are untruthful, dishonest girls.”

  “Oh, Jimmy! Don’t be so unkind!” said Jeanne. “I know Lisa is horrid and unkind often—but I’m quite different. I don’t tell dreadful fibs like Lisa.”

  “Well, I’ve never noticed that you were any better than Lisa,” said Jimmy, polishing some horse harness so hard that his arm ached. “Anyway, I don’t like you, so go away.”

  Jeanne squeezed a few tears out and sniffed dolefully. “Well, Jimmy,” she said, “I was very sorry that Lisa told that dreadful story the other day—you know, about letting Neptune out.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Jimmy in surprise. “What dreadful story?”

  “Why, don’t you remember? Lisa said that Lotta had unlocked the door of the seal’s van, so that Neptune might go after you, and then you’d get into trouble,” said Jeanne. “Well, it wasn’t Lotta. Lotta said she wouldn’t play a mean trick like that. But Lisa did, and then she said it was Lotta who had done it.”

  Jimmy stared at Jeanne in the greatest surprise and anger. Lisa had played the trick—and had blamed Lotta for it! The horrid girl!

  “If I could get hold of Lisa, I’d pull her red hair till she yelled the place down!” said the boy furiously. “It was Lisa who got me into trouble over the seal, then, and not poor old Lotta—and here I’ve been blaming Lotta for it, and thinking horrid things about her—and they weren’t a bit true! Oh, I do feel mean!”

  “Yes, and Lisa got Lotta into trouble too,” said tell-tale Jeanne, thoroughly enjoying herself. “It was Lisa who gave Lotta the wand to hide, and who told Britomart that Lotta had found it and taken it.”

  Jimmy simply couldn’t believe his ears. He couldn’t think that anyone could be so horrid. He stood and stared at Jeanne till that bold little girl began to feel uncomfortable.

  “I’ve only told you all this, Jimmy, because I want to show you I’d like to be friends,” she said.

  “You’ve told tales of your sister, you’ve shown me exactly how mean and nasty you both are—and then you say it’s to show me you want to be friends,” said Jimmy at last in a disgusted voice. “Well, listen to me, Jeanne—you and Lisa have made a lot of trouble and mischief, but it’s the last time you do it to me or to Lotta. I don’t want to have anything more to do with you. I don’t want to speak to you. I don’t want to look at you. I won’t even work in the same circus as you! After we leave here I shall join another circus—and I hope I never meet either you or Lisa again!”

  The angry boy turned on his heel and went away, taking the jingling harness with him. Jeanne stared after him, red in the face. For the first time in her life she felt ashamed of herself. Perhaps after all it was a better thing to tell the truth, to be honest and loyal and kind, like Jimmy. Jeanne began to cry, and wished that she hadn’t told tales.

  Jimmy hung up the harness in the stable-van and went off by himself. He wanted to think. Lucky ran silently at her master’s heels, knowing that he was worried. Together they went off over the fields, and when Jimmy found a sweet-scented gorse-bush throwing its delicious smell over a common, he sat down, by it.

  Lucky lay flown by him, her head on Jimmy’s knees. Jimmy stroked the soft head. “You know, Lucky,” he said, “I’ve been unfair to poor old Lotta. I thought she had played me that mean trick, and let Neptune out to get me into trouble—but I might have known Lotta would never do a thing like that, little monkey though she is.”

  “Woof,” said Lucky softly. She loved Jimmy to talk to her like this. She put out her pink tongue and licked her master’s brown hand.

  “And Lotta’s got into dreadful trouble all because of Lisa, too,” said Jimmy. “She’s very unhappy. And she must be puzzled to know why I’ve been so extra horrid to her. So we’ve got to put things straight, Lucky. Haven’t we?”

  “Woof, woof!” said Lucky, quite agreeing.

  “Well, the first thing we’ll do, Lucky, is to go down into the town and buy Lotta the biggest and best doll we can find,’’ said Jimmy. “She loves dolls, you know, and she’s never had one of her own. Perhaps that will make her feel happier. And then, Lucky, we’ll tell her that everything has been a silly, horrid mistake, and we’ll all be friends again. What do you think of that idea?”

  “WOOF!” said Lucky, sitting up. It was plain that she thought it a very good idea indeed!

  “You’re a marvellous dog,” said Jimmy, hugging Lucky. “I believe you understand every single word I say! I really do. And, Lucky, we’ll wait and see what Mr. Galliano’s next letter says, shall we—and if he is coming back soon, we’ll stay here—and if he’s not, we’ll give Britomart notice that we are both going off to another circus. Lotta must come too. Things will soon be better, once we make up our minds to face them and see how we can beat the things we don’t like!”

  Lucky bounded round, her eyes shining, as she heard her master’s determined voice. She knew quite well that Jimmy had made up his mind about something and was feeling happier. Then little dog Lucky was happy too!

  The two went back to the camp. Jimmy looked about for Lotta, but the little girl was nowhere to be seen.

  “Well, never mind, I’ll go down to the town now and buy that doll,” said Jimmy. “It’s funny that girls like things like do
lls—but they all seem to, even Lotta. So maybe they can’t help it. Come on, Lucky!”

  Jimmy took some money from his money-box and went off with his dog at his heels. He couldn’t help feeling much happier now that he knew it was Lisa who had got him into trouble and not Lotta. He caught a tram and was soon in the heart of the big town.

  He looked about for a toy-shop. He soon found one—a rather marvellous one, with all kinds of toys in it, from bears to rabbits, dolls to trains, bricks to scooters, cars to books—everything that could be thought of Jimmy gazed in at the window.

  He looked at the dolls carefully. There were all kinds. There was a baby-doll dressed in long clothes, whose eyes were shut, and who had tiny shining nails like a real baby. There was a cheeky-looking doll dressed in a coat and hat—but it had red hair and reminded Jimmy of Lisa and Jeanne. He couldn’t possibly have that doll!

  There were airmen-dolls, soldier-dolls, and sailor-dolls—but Jimmy didn’t feel that they were the kind of dolls that Lotta would like. And then he saw the Very Doll! It was sitting in a little chair, and had a sweet smiling face, with bright blue eyes, tiny teeth, and red cheeks. Its hair was real, and fell in golden curls.

  Jimmy stared at the doll. He couldn’t help rather liking it himself, it was such a friendly, smiling doll. It was dressed in a gay overall, and beside it were a red hat and coat, ready to put on—and a little red umbrella too!

  “That’s the doll for Lotta!” thought Jimmy. He looked at the price-ticket. It was very expensive—seventeen shillings and sixpence! Jimmy counted up his money. He could just buy it!

  “Well, it’s worth it, to make poor old Lotta a bit happy again,” thought Jimmy, going into the shop. He pointed out the doll to the shop-girl and she took it out of the window. Jimmy took it and looked at it. The doll smiled up at him and almost seemed as if it was going to laugh.

  “Put it into a box, please,” said Jimmy, “and wrap it up nicely. It’s for a present.”

  The girl wrapped up the doll and Jimmy paid her his money. He went out of the shop and caught the next tram back, out of the town. He walked down the country lane that led to the camp, whistling happily. It was a simply lovely feeling to carry a fine surprise like that under his arm, ready to give to someone who was miserable!

  He got to the camp. “Lotta!” he yelled. “Lotta! Where are you?”

  “She’s in her caravan,” said Oona. “I saw her going up the steps twenty minutes ago.”

  Jimmy went and banged on the door. “Lotta! Let me in. I’ve something to show you.”

  “Don’t want to see it,” said a sulky voice. But Jimmy wasn’t going to take any notice of that. He flung open the caravan door and went in, beaming all over his brown face.

  A Fine Old Muddle!

  LOTTA was alone in her caravan. She was untidy and dirty, for since Britomart had forbidden her to go into the ring, she had been too sulky and unhappy to care how she looked.

  She spent a good deal of time shut up in her caravan, for she didn’t like to meet Lisa and Jeanne in the camp. They were unkind, and loved to tell her how well they were getting on, riding in the ring each night. She didn’t like to meet Jimmy either, for he too seemed more of an enemy than a friend these days. So the sad little girl shut herself up with Lulu the spaniel and thought back to all the happy days when Mr. Galliano had the circus.

  “I know what I shall do,” she decided. “I shall do what I did once before—dress up as a boy, cut my hair short, and run away. I shall take Black Beauty and I shall join another circus. Yes—that’s what I shall do—run away. Nobody cares about me any more. Jimmy isn’t my friend. Mrs. Brown says I am spoilt and rude. Even Lal tells me I deserve to be punished. So I shall run away from everybody—and then perhaps they will be sorry.”

  It was whilst she was thinking this that Jimmy arrived and banged on the door. It flew open, and Lotta saw Jimmy standing there, a broad smile on his face—the first smile she had seen on Jimmy’s face for quite a long time.

  “Lotta! I’ve got a present for you,” cried Jimmy.

  “A present? What for? It isn’t my birthday,” said Lotta, surprised.

  “I know that. It’s a present to make up for being horrid to you, and thinking untrue things about you,” said Jimmy. “Oh, Lotta—I thought you had opened Neptune’s door and let him out after me to get me into trouble, and I thought it was simply horrid of you and I wouldn’t be friends at all—and now Jeanne has told me it was Lisa who did it.”

  “Oh—the mean creature!” cried Lotta in a rage. “As if I’d play a trick like that on you, Jimmy. You might have known I’d never do a thing like that.”

  “Yes, I might have known it,” said Jimmy. “I’m terribly sorry I was so horrid all for nothing, Lotta—just when things went wrong for you too. And I’ve found out that it was Lisa who got that wand, not you—and she gave it to you and told Britomart you had stolen it. But I never, never once thought that, Lotta. Really I didn’t.”

  “I should just hope you didn’t,” cried Lotta, her eyes flashing. “Good gracious! To think that awful Lisa said things like that about me. I’ll pull her hair out. I’ll pinch her hard. I’ll—”

  “Well before you do all that, just take a look at this,” said Jimmy, afraid that Lotta would fly out of the caravan to find Lisa that very minute. He pushed the big parcel into Lotta’s hands. The little girl looked at it, and then began to tug eagerly at the string. Like all the circus-folk, she really loved a present.

  The string came off. The paper slid to the floor. Lotta took off the lid of the box—and the blue-eyed, golden-haired doll smiled up at her in its friendly, lovingway.

  “Jimmy! A real doll of my own—and the loveliest, darlingest one too!” squealed Lotta in the greatest delight. “Jimmy, how did you think of such a present? Oh, Jimmy, I do love it. It’s the most beautiful doll I ever saw—much, much nicer than Lisa’s or Jeanne’s. And oh, look at its overall—and its little red coat and hat—and gracious goodness, it’s got an umbrella too!”

  Jimmy stood and grinned all over his face at Lotta’s delight. He had never felt so pleased in his life as when he saw Lotta’s face at that moment. Lotta was his friend, and she had been unhappy, and now she was happy again. Jimmy felt warm and happy too.

  Lotta lifted the lovely doll out of the box and hugged her. She swung her to and fro and the doll opened and shut her long-lashed eyes. Lotta looked at her lovingly, and wondered what to call her.

  “You give her a name, Jimmy,” she said.

  “Lisa,” said Jimmy at once, with a grin.

  Lotta squealed and made a face. “Don’t be silly. I wouldn’t give the name of a horrid girl to a lovely doll like this. I’ll call her Rosemary Josephine Annabella—there, dolly, three beautiful names for you!”

  Lotta put the doll back into its box and looked atJimmy. She flung her arms round his neck and hugged him, “You’ve made me feel happy again,” she said. “Let’s be friends again, Jimmy. I’m awfully sorry I was horrid to you when I went to play with Lisa and Jeanne. I can’t think how I behaved like that now.”

  “Well, we’ll forgive one another and begin all over again,” said Jimmy. “You know, Lotta, it’s not been all our fault really—things have gone so badly since Mr. Galliano went away, and Britomart seems to have upset everything and everybody. Did you know that half the circus-folk are leaving after this show is ended?”

  “No,” said Lotta, startled. “I haven’t talked to anybody, really, these last few days. Do you mean they’re leaving Galliano’s Circus—not coming back? I know Oona was thinking of it, but I didn’t know all the others were too.”

  “Well, Mr. Wally’s going,” said Jimmy, and he told Lotta about the quarrel between Britomart and Mr Wally. “And Mr. Volla’s going—and Tonks—yes, and I’m going too, Lotta!”

  “Jimmy!” cried Lotta in dismay, clutching at his arm. “Don’t say that! I couldn’t stay here without you—oh, just think of having to live with Lisa and Jeanne always!”

>   “You needn’t,” said Jimmy. “You and Lal and Laddo must leave too. See, Lotta? We’ll all leave together. We’ll go and join another circus, and have a fine time, just as we always used to have.”

  “But suppose Mr. Galliano comes back?” asked Lotta. “He’d be very unhappy to find his circus split up.”

  “Well, we’ll wait and see what his next letter says,” promised Jimmy, “I won’t tell Britomart I’m going until after we’ve heard from Mr. Galliano. Then we’ll know what to do.”

  So it was left like that, and the children waitedimpatiently for more news of Galliano. Lotta was much happier now. She loved her doll, and spent hours dressing and undressing it. She was very sweet to Jimmy, and tried her best to be good and helpful to Mrs. Brown and Lal. They were pleased, and thought that the old nice little Lotta had come back once more.

  Britomart at last had another letter from Mr. Galliano. The news went round the camp at once, for the postman gave the letter to Sticky Stanley to deliver to Britomart and the clown knew the writing at once. Everyone gathered in a crowd outside Britomart’s caravan to hear the news. Soon the ring-master appeared with the letter in his hand, his face as stern as ever.

  “You seem to know that I have a letter from Mr. Galliano,” he said, glancing round at everyone. “You will wish to hear what he says. I will read it to you.”

  He unfolded the letter and read it.

  “DEAR BRITOMART, AND DEAR FRIENDS ALL,—You will be happy to know that Mrs. Galliano is much better now, and in six months’ time she will be as well as ever she was. She has to go for a long holiday now, in the south of France—and as the show is going so well under the direction of your new ring-master, I shall take a holiday and go with her. So I shall not be back with you for some time. I will write again as soon as I have news. I send my best wishes to you all, and hope that the show will go on doing as splendidly as ever.

  “GALLIANO.”