Hurrah for the Circus! Page 8

  So over a delicious supper of fried sausages, potatoes in their skins, fruit salad and cream. Lotta told her story, whilst Lucky sat on Jimmy’s knee, licking Jimmy’s hand whenever he raised it to his mouth.

  The little girl was almost asleep as she finished her tale.

  Brownie carried her back to their caravan, and Jimmy and the dogs and his mother went too.

  Jimmy was very happy now. He had got back Lucky, and Mr. Galliano had told him that he had only to give the little dog a special kind of bath to get him back to his right colour—and he had got Lotta back safely too.

  “Lotta, are you asleep?” whispered Jimmy. “I just want to say I’m sorry for the unkind things I said to you. They weren’t true and I didn’t mean them. You’re the finest girl in the world!”

  “It’s all right, Jimmy,” said Lotta sleepily. “I don’t mind a bit now that everything’s all right! See you tomorrow!”

  And she fell fast asleep. But Jimmy lay awake a long, long time, planning how to reward Lotta for getting back his precious dog Lucky again. What would she like best in all the world?

  LOTTA GETS A FINE REWARD!

  WHEN Lotta awoke the next morning she was very happy. She lay in her bunk, warm and cosy, thinking of all the adventures she had had that week. She saw the golden sunshine coming in through the eastern caravan window, and she sat up.

  “Jimmy!” she whispered. “Wake up! It’s very early, and it’s a lovely day. Let’s take Lucky and Lulu for a walk!”

  Jimmy awoke. His first thought was for Lucky. He had got Lucky back again! He put out his hand and felt the little dog who was lying on his feet. But what a strange Lucky she seemed, with her altered colouring! Never mind—she should have a special bath that day and wash off all the dye that had been rubbed into her silky coat.

  “Come on, Jimmy!” said Lotta. So the two of them quickly dressed and opened the caravan door very quietly. The dogs leapt down after them.

  “Oh, Jimmy, I do feel happy now!” cried Lotta. “Down, Lucky! Down, Lulu! They’re happy too, Jimmy. Oh, I was so miserable when Fric was here, and I was so afraid you’d get hurt going in the tigers’ cage alone.”

  “Let’s forget it all,” said Jimmy, racing in front. “I loved the tigers, but when I think of Fric and how unkind he was to Jemima and to Lucky, I feel as if I hate him. My mother says it’s best not to hate any one, because you poison your own mind if you do, so I’m going to forget all about it!”

  “Good idea!” said Lotta, laughing. “Oh, what a lovely morning, Jimmy! Look at the blue sky—and those high white clouds like cotton-wool—and look at the buttercups all over the place like a carpet of gold!”

  “Lotta,” said Jimmy, suddenly standing still and taking hold of one of her hands, “I want to give you a reward for saving Lucky, but I can’t think what to give you. Tell me something. Is there anything you want?”

  “Nothing,” said Lotta. “At least, there’s only one thing I want, and that is to have Lal and Laddo back again, so that I can ride a horse in the ring once more. I miss my father and mother, though yours are very sweet to me, Jimmy. But I do long for a horse of my own to ride again.”

  “I’ll buy you one!” cried Jimmy. “I’ve heaps and heaps of money now! I was going to buy some more dogs and train them for the ring, but I’ll buy you a horse instead!”

  “Oh, Jimmy! Oh, Jimmy!” cried Lotta, her cheeks flaming red and her eyes shining like blue forget-me-nots. “You don’t really mean it?”

  “I do!” said Jimmy. “I’ll never, never forget how you ran off alone to find Lucky for me. I want to give you something for that, Lotta, though I know you don’t want any reward.”

  “Of course I don’t want a reward,” said the little girl. “But oh, Jimmy! A horse of my own! Where shall we get it? I’d like a little black one—a pony—that I can teach tricks to, and ride in the ring by myself! Oh, do you think Mr. Galliano would let me?”

  The two children were so excited about the idea that they walked for miles and came back to the camp very late for breakfast. Mrs. Brown scolded them, but when she heard their new plan, she forgot about their lateness and lifted up her hands in astonishment.

  “What will you think of next!” she cried. “Well, Jimmy dear, your money is your own to do as you like with. You had better ask Pepita and Lou their advice. But you must hurry up, because we move from here in two days, and you won’t have much holiday after that, for the next show is to be a very big one. The dancing bears are coming, you know, and they draw big crowds.”

  “Hey! Is Jimmy there—yes?” called Mr. Galliano’s voice. “Ah, there you are, Jimmy! Come with me and bring Lucky. Mrs. Galliano has got ready his special bath, and she is waiting, yes!”

  Jimmy and Lotta ran to Mrs. Galliano’s caravan with Lucky. Lulu followed too. A big tin bath was steaming outside Mr. Galliano’s caravan. It was a most peculiar colour, for the water was pale mauve with little yellow blobs floating about in it. Mrs. Galliano was stirring it.

  Lilliput came up to watch, with Jemima as usual round his neck. Mr. Wally came up with Sammy the chimpanzee, and Tonks the elephant-man came up too. It was fun to see Lucky being bathed and brought back to her right colour again!

  Sammy put his arm round Jimmy and Lotta. He loved both children. He took off his own straw hat and put it on Jimmy’s head. Then he reached out to take Mr. Galliano’s top-hat to wear himself. But Mr. Wally shouted to him: “Now, Sammy, now! You mustn’t take people’s hats!” So Sammy took back his own hat and tried to look good.

  Lucky was put into the mauve water. She didn’t like it, but Mrs. Galliano held her in firmly, whilst Jimmy rubbed gently. Gradually the water became black, as all the dye slid off the dog’s coat. Lotta danced round in excitement.

  “It’s Lucky now! She looks like herself again, dear little dog! Good old Lucky!”

  Lucky tried to wuff, but yelped instead, for she did hate the mauve bath. But very soon she was out of it and was being well dried, her little brown-and-black head shining in the sun. She was herself once more! Everybody cheered and clapped Lotta and Jimmy on the back. They were proud of the two children, and especially of Lotta that day, for they had all heard of her adventures.

  Suddenly there was a splash. Lulu had jumped into the bath and was looking patiently up at Jimmy. “My turn now,” her brown eyes said. She did so like to have a fuss made of her, even if she had to have a bath as well! Jimmy laughed and lifted her out.

  “Your black won’t come off, Lulu,” he said. “Dry her, Lotta. Isn’t she funny!”

  Soon two excited, half-dried dogs were racing about the camp in the sunshine. Jimmy pulled Lotta’s arm. “Come and talk to Pepita and Lou,” he said. “They’re over there, exercising their horses. Let’s go and ask them if they know of any pony that would do for you, Lotta.”

  They went over to Lou, who was just dismounting from his beautiful white horse, Starshine. Juanita and Pepita were cantering round the field, leading a horse each as they went.

  “Hallo,” said the great big Lou, his kind face breaking into a smile. “I am glad you have your little dog back. Lotta is a good girl—she has had a queer adventure! She dressed up as a boy and rode strange horses! She should have a horse of her own!”

  “Oh, Lou, that’s just what we’ve come to talk to you about!” said Jimmy eagerly. “I’ve saved a heap of money, you know, because Lucky has earned a lot for me, and I want to buy Lotta a pony of her very own that she can train and ride!”

  “So!” said Lou, nodding his big head. “Ho there, Juanita, Pepita! Come and talk to Jimmy!”

  The two young women leapt down from their black horses and came over to the children, their dark heads shining as brightly as their horses’ backs. They were big and kindly, slow in their talk, and gentle with their horses.

  “Jimmy wants to give Lotta a black pony to train,” said Lou. “Has our brother such a one, little sisters?”

  The two dark-eyed, dark-haired young women looked at one another and
spoke quickly in a language that Jimmy could not understand. Lou nodded. He turned to the children.

  “Our brother keeps horses,” he said. “Tomorrow we go to see him. You shall go, too, if you like, and see if he has a pony for Lotta.”

  “We will all go,” said Pepita, in her soft, husky voice. “Be ready at nine o’clock, children.”

  Lotta rushed to tell Mrs. Brown. She was so excited that she fell up the caravan steps and knocked over a tub standing just inside the caravan.

  “Good gracious, Lotta, anyone would think you were an escaped bear, you are so clumsy!” said Mrs. Brown with a laugh. “Pick up the tub. What’s the excitement now?”

  “We’re going tomorrow to buy me a pony, we’re going tomorrow to buy me a pony!” yelled Lotta, catching Mrs. Brown round the waist and dancing all over the caravan with her.

  “Now, now, Lotta,” said Mrs. Brown. “I can’t dance with a full teapot in my hand, it’s dangerous!” But Lotta was too excited to listen to anything or anyone. She longed and longed for nine o’clock next day to come!

  And when at last it came, what a happy party set off to the farm up on the moors, where Lou’s brother kept his beautiful horses! They rode on horseback, for most of the way was on grass and heather. Lou rode his beautiful white Starshine, a most magnificent horse with a tail that reached the ground. Pepita rode a smaller horse with a little proud head that tossed all the time. Juanita had her favourite, a gentle old horse, rather fat, but clever in all the ways of the circus.

  The children had borrowed two of Mr. Galliano’s horses for the day. Lotta had a fiery one that got up on its hind legs every now and again, and made Jimmy very nervous indeed; for Jimmy was not a good horseman and never would be, though horses all loved him. He rode the safest horse in the camp, and, even so, he felt quite scared when it began to trot!

  They came to the farm, and the keen moorland air blew around them, tossing the hair of Juanita and Pepita about. But poor Lotta had hair like a boy’s still, though it curled tightly and would soon grow.

  “Go and look at the horses whilst I see our brother,” said Lou, and he pointed to a sloping hillside where a great many horses galloped. Jimmy and Lotta rode to the hillside, and then Lotta gave a shout.

  “There’s the one I want!” she cried. “Oh, Jimmy, look, there’s the one I want!”

  THE TAMING OF BLACK BEAUTY

  JIMMY looked to see which horse Lotta was pointing to. He saw a pony, jet-black all over, save for four white socks and a shining white star right in the middle of his black forehead. His eyes shone wickedly, and as the children looked at him he kicked up his heels and galloped away like the wind!

  “Oh!” said Lotta, her face shining like the sun. “Oh! He’s the loveliest pony I’ve ever seen. Oh, Jimmy, dear Jimmy, do buy him for me!”

  So when Lou came galloping across the fields with his brother—an even bigger, just as kindly man—the two had already made their choice.

  “That’s the one we want!” said Jimmy, and he pointed to the black pony. “Is he very expensive?”

  “He is a very good pony, yes,” said Lou’s brother, Philip. “But he is not for you. He is wild, so wild! No one can ride him. Already two people have bought him and sent him back because they cannot manage such a wild creature.”

  “I want him,” said Lotta obstinately. “Let me have him, please do. I’m not afraid of any horse! I can ride any horse that’s got four legs!”

  “Ah, but this one might have a hundred legs, he is so wild!” said Philip, smiling at the little girl. “He bites, he kicks, he gallops like the wind. He has a wicked eye.”

  “Yes, I saw that,” said Lotta. “But he’s the kind I like. Please let me have him.”

  “It’s impossible,” said Philip. “Now you look at all my horses, little Miss Lotta, and you choose another. I go to speak to my sisters, for I do not see them often.”

  The two big men galloped back to the farmhouse. Lotta looked sulky and her eyes gleamed as wickedly as the black pony’s.

  “Come, Lotta, let’s choose another,” said Jimmy. “What about that brown-and-white pony over there?”

  “I want that black one,” said Lotta. “And I’m going to get him. Jimmy, make your horse-noises.”

  Jimmy laughed. He could make all kinds of animal noises, and could bring dogs to him by whining, cats to him by mewing, and other animals by making strange noises that no one, not even Lotta, could make. He began making a queer noise, half like a horse’s whinny and half like a gramophone running down.

  The horses nearby pricked up their ears. One or two cantered close. Jimmy went on. More horses came up and nuzzled his hand. Horses always adored Jimmy.

  “Go on, Jimmy, go on,” whispered Lotta. “The black pony has heard. He’s coming nearer!”

  So Jimmy went on making his strange noises, and gradually the horses began to talk back to him, whinnying and nuzzling round him.

  The black pony came close too, its ears upright, its wicked eyes watching and gleaming.

  Then Lotta did a daring thing. She suddenly leapt straight from her own horse’s back on to the pony’s! She caught hold of its mane. In fright and anger it reared up and stood on its hind legs.

  Lotta clung to its back like a limpet to a rock.

  The black pony came down on all four legs, and then streaked off like the wind, galloping round the enormous field, faster than a car! Lotta bent forward and held tight. Her knees gripped the pony’s back and her hands were tangled in its thick mane. Round and round the field went the pony, snorting with fear and anger.

  At last, tired out, it stood still again, and Lotta began to talk to it. She had a way with horses just as Jimmy had a way with dogs. But this pony was not easy to calm or tame. In a trice it was up on its hind legs again, trying to throw Lotta off. Then it took it into its head to lie down and roll over, knowing that this was a sure way to make any rider get off.

  But Lotta was waiting for this. She slipped off at once, and then, as the horse got up after rolling, the little girl leapt straight on to his back again, and off they went round the field like lightning!

  Jimmy watched, open-mouthed. He had never seen such a thing before. He knew that both the pony and the little girl were trying to conquer one another. But how in the world could Lotta stay on like that with nothing to help her? She was a marvel! Only a girl brought up in the circus from babyhood could do such a thing.

  Others were watching too. Lou, Philip, Pepita, and Juanita had come out to see. They said not a word, but watched gravely.

  Jimmy’s heart beat very fast. He hoped nothing would happen to daring little Lotta. She looked like a boy on the pony, with her short hair.

  At last the pony stopped. It could go no farther, could gallop no more. Foam dripped from its mouth. Its beautiful head hung down. Its legs trembled, and its eyes were dull. It was conquered.

  Lotta slipped down from its back. She put her arm round its neck and stroked its soft nose. She spoke lovingly into its ear, and the tired pony listened. Jimmy came up quietly. He spoke to the pony in his low, gentle voice, and the pony nuzzled against him.

  Then Philip cantered up and called to the children, “Take the pony to the stables and rub him down.”

  “Can I have him, oh, can I have him?” called Lotta.

  “You have made him yours!” answered Philip. “We have never seen such riding, no—not in all our years in the circus. One day you will be a wonder, little girl!”

  Lotta was red with excitement and delight. She led the pony away to the stables and she and Jimmy rubbed the trembling little beast down.

  “I was frightened for you, Lotta,” said Jimmy.

  “Well, it’s tit for tat then!” said Lotta, laughing. “I was just as frightened when you were with the tigers! Oh, Jimmy! I’m so happy. This is just the pony I’ve always wanted—wild, strong, beautiful, clever! Look at his eyes! You can see he’ll learn anything I want to teach him!”

  Jimmy knew that the pony would be clev
er. He, too, liked the wilful, independent little thing, and he thought secretly that the pony was rather like Lotta herself, wild and daring and clever! He was very glad that the little girl had the one she wanted.

  “I shall ride him home,” said Lotta. “He will be fresh again by the time we’ve had our dinner. What shall we call him?”

  Jimmy looked at the pony with its sleek black coat, four funny white feet, and the white star gleaming on its forehead.

  “I once read a book called Black Beauty,” he said. “Couldn’t we call your pony that? He’s black and he is a real beauty!”

  “Oh yes!” cried Lotta. And so Black Beauty was named and became Lotta’s, and the little girl could hardly bear to leave him in his stable and go to her dinner.

  They all rode home afterwards, talking and laughing. Lou led the horse that Lotta had ridden, and Lotta herself rode on Black Beauty, who now had saddle and bridle and was as meek as before he had been fierce.

  The little girl was very proud. This was the first horse she had ever had that was really and truly her own. She meant to train him herself, and her head was full of all kinds of things that she would teach her lovely Black Beauty.

  She was so happy that she sang aloud, and Jimmy was glad. He thought she looked fine riding the little pony, her hair as black as the pony’s shining coat!

  They rode into the camp and everyone turned out to see Black Beauty. Mr. Galliano praised the pony loudly.

  “You have chosen well, Lotta,” he said. “It is a good beast, yes.”

  “This girl is a wonder with horses,” said Lou. “She should be in the ring, Mr. Galliano.”

  “Well, her mother and father thought it would be better for her not to go into the ring whilst they were abroad,” said Mrs. Brown. “They thought she might do something too daring if they were not there with her.”

  “Oh!” cried Lotta. “So that’s why I wasn’t allowed to go into the ring! Oh, it’s a shame! Oh, Mr. Galliano, please say I may, if I train Black Beauty properly! I will, I will, I will!”