Circus Days Again Page 9

  The parrot cocked his head on one side, and said “There was a young lady of Riga, Who went for a ride on a tiger.”

  “No, no,” said Madame Prunella impatiently. “Your new piece, Sally—your new piece. Come on now—Britomart . . .”

  “Britomart Thinks he’s smart, But he’s got a stony heart!

  Britomart Thinks he’s-----”

  chanted the parrot, and then stopped suddenly as Prunella shook her finger at him. Britomart was coming across the field! Daring as Madame Prunella was, she was not brave enough to let Sally go on singing that song at the top of her loud parrot voice! Sally stopped singing and looked at Lotta.

  “Pip-pip-pip-pip-pip!” she said solemnly.

  “She’s heard that on the wireless,” said Madame Prunella. “Stop it, Sally.”

  “Irish stew and Scotch eggs,” said Gringle loudly.

  “Oh, he’s off again,” said Prunella. “You’d be surprised at the amount of food he knows, Lotta. Everyone has taught him something!”

  Britomart had gone to see Mr. Wally. Since he had told him that Sammy was not to run loose, the chimpanzee had been kept in his big cage. He was puzzled and unhappy about this. He sat huddled up in a corner and looked very miserable. Jimmy went to play with him every day, and Lucky often popped in to say how-do-you-do, but the chimpanzee missed wandering round the circus, in charge of either Mr. Wally, Jimmy, or Lotta.

  Lilliput, too, had been told that Jemima the monkey must be kept on a lead, or else she too must keep with the other monkeys, who had a big cage of their own in Lilliput’s caravan. Jemima had been used to leaping about all over the camp, playing tricks on everyone, even on the other animals—but Britomart said she upset the zebras by sitting on their backs, and so Lilliput now had to keep her on a lead. She sat on his shoulder as he went about, and flew into tempers at times because the lead would not let her go bounding off as she pleased.

  “Now, Jemima—now, Jemima,” said Lilliput to the impatient monkey one morning, as she tugged at the lead and tried to bite through it. She wanted to go and talk to the parrots, whom she loved—but Lilliput had other things to do, so she must stay with him.

  Britomart came by, and Jemima chattered rudely at him. The conjurer sat down on a bench and began to tell Lilliput of a good idea he had thought of for a new trick. Lilliput listened. Britomart’s ideas were usually good.

  “I have a little silver-and-purple carriage, which I once used for a trick,” said Britomart. “I think that it would look amusing, Lilliput, if we put two of the dogs to draw the carriage, and let your four monkeys ride in it round the ring, when all the performers parade at the beginning of the show. Jemima could drive the carriage—she is so clever that you could easily teach her this.”

  Lilliput thought it was a fine idea. He knew Jemima would simply love to drive her own little carriage!

  “Thank you, sir,” he said. “That’s a good idea. I’d like to have the carriage, and I’ll teach Jemima in afew days. I’ll talk to Lal and Laddo, and choose two of their sharpest dogs.”

  Jemima suddenly jumped from Lilliput’s shoulder to Britomart’s, just the length of her lead. She snatched off Britomart’s hat, and jumped back to Lilliput’s shoulder. She put it on to her master’s head—and it went right over it, right over his nose, and right down to his chin! He couldn’t see anything at all.

  Britomart did not even smile. Jimmy, who was nearby, laughed till he cried at the sight of Lilliput buried under Britomart’s big hat—but the conjurer merely put out his hand, took his hat again, slapped Jemima, and stalked off, putting his big top-hat on carefully.

  Lilliput told Jimmy Britomart’s idea, and both of them agreed that it was a good one.

  “Could Lucky be one of the dogs?” asked Jimmy. “And I know the best one to choose for the other—old Punch! He’d do anything for me. I once saved his life, you know, and he’s always been willing to learn any new trick that I wanted to teach him. Lotta! Lotta! Come here a minute! I’ve something to tell you.”

  “I’m going to play with Lisa,” said Lotta.

  “Oh, do come just a minute,” begged Jimmy. “It’s something interesting, Lotta.”

  Lotta left Lisa, and came over. She listened whilst Jimmy told her of Britomart’s new idea.

  “I think it’s silly!” she said. “I think all Britomart’s ideas are silly. I won’t help you with Punch at all.”

  “Oh, Lotta!” said Jimmy, in dismay. “You really might! It would be so much easier if you would help me. We could teach the dogs quickly then.”

  “Well, I just shan’t,” said Lotta. “I won’t do anything for horrid old Britomart.”

  She ran off to join Lisa, and told her what Jimmy had said. “You’re quite right to say you won’t help,” said Lisa, who didn’t like Jimmy. “Let Jimmy do it by himself.”

  All the same Lotta felt rather sorry she had been so determined not to help, when she saw Jimmy and Lilliput teaching Lucky and Punch to draw the beautiful little silver-and-purple carriage. Once the dogs knew what they were to do, they simply flew round the ring, with the carriage jerking behind them.

  “Hie, hie! Not so fast!” yelled Jimmy. “You are not race-horses! Come back here, and trot slowly.”

  Then the monkeys were trained to sit in the carriage—and Jemima sat up on the little driving-seat, as proud as could be, holding the reins in her tiny paws. She even clicked to the two dogs, just as she heard Lilliput click to them. Off went the tiny carriage, rumbling round the sawdust ring, the dogs trotting beautifully, Jemima driving and clicking, the other three monkeys sitting quietly on the seat together.

  Jimmy laughed to see them. Britomart came in to watch. He was very pleased, but he did not say so, nor did he smile or laugh.

  “I don’t believe he can smile!” whispered Jimmy to Lilliput. “I don’t think he knows how to. Wouldn’t we all get a shock if he grinned at us!”

  Jemima was not on a lead just then, for she had been driving round the ring. When she saw Britomart she made a little chattering noise, bounded from her seat, jumped up on to his shoulder, and once again snatched off his hat! It was all done so suddenly that Britomart hadn’t time to stop her. He roared angrily at her.

  Jemima darted up a steel ladder set up for Oona the acrobat, and perched the big top-hat right at the top. Then she darted down again, giggling in her monkey-way, and went to Lilliput’s shoulder.

  “Climb up and get my hat, boy,” commanded Britomart. So, with many chuckles that he really couldn’t stop, Jimmy climbed up and took down the big top-hat, keeping a sharp eye on Jemima in case she made a dart at it again.

  Everyone was waiting anxiously for news of Mrs. Galliano. At last the postman brought a letter for Mr. Tonks and he opened it eagerly. If only it would say that Mrs. Galliano was better, and that Mr. Galliano was coming back!

  Mr. Tonks read the letter out loud to the circus-folk, who came gathering round to hear it.

  “DEAR TONKY,” said the letter,—” This is to say that Mrs. Galliano is a little better, but it will be a long time before she is well. When she leaves the hospital she must go away to get really well, so I shall go with her and have a holiday for the first time in my life. I hope the circus is doing well, and that everyone is doing what they can to help Britomart. I miss you all very much, yes, and I long to be back.

  “My good wishes to you all.

  “GALLIANO.”

  So Galliano was not coming back for a long time! Everyone was sad and disappointed. They said nothing but went slowly back to their work.

  “It’s not Galliano’s circus any more, it’s Britomart’s!” said Jimmy to Lotta.

  “It isn’t, it isn’t, it isn’t!” said Lotta fiercely. “I won’t have it called Britomart’s!” And she stamped her foot so hard that her shoe button flew off and nearly hit Jimmy on the nose!

  Lisa Plays a Trick

  THE circus went on doing very well, although the circus-folk did not like their new ringmaster. Only Pierre, and Google
the clown seemed to like him, and they talked to him, and even laughed, though Britomart did not smile with them any more than he did with the others.

  Pierre’s performing seal was a marvellous creature, and Jimmy and Lotta really loved it. It was so gentle and loving, and so clever that it seemed to know what trick to do before it was even taught.

  Pierre had taught it to blow a tune on a whistle, and the seal loved to play the tune over and over again. It was the tune of “Yankee-doodle went to town,” and very soon all the parrots were whistling it too. Everybody got very tired of “Yankee-doodle” and begged Pierre to teach the seal something else.

  But it was Jimmy who taught Neptune to play “God Save the King,” and the seal was cheered and clapped in the ring, when he came flipping in after the last turn, and set the band going with whistling “God Save the King” on his own whistle!

  Lisa and Jeanne were jealous of Jimmy because the seal liked him much better than he liked them. This was not surprising, for the two girls were not so patient as Jimmy, though they were quite kind to Neptune. The seal still tried to follow Jimmy everywhere, and he had to shut the door behind him whenever he left the big tank, or else Neptune would be out of the water and galloping after him gaily!

  Once Britomart had seen the seal going after Jimmy, and had ordered him to take Neptune back at once.

  “How many times in this circus do I have to say that performing animals are not to be allowed loose in the camp!” he thundered. “Pierre! Report this boy to me if he lets your seal loose again. I tell you I will be obeyed in my circus!”

  Pierre took Neptune back. “I know he will try to follow you,” he said to Jimmy, “but you mustn’t let him. You must remember to lock the door after you, when you leave him.”

  “I did shut the door this morning,” said Jimmy.

  “That’s not enough,” said Pierre. “Neptune can get the handle in his mouth and turn it. He is as clever as twenty dogs!”

  “All right, Pierre,” said Jimmy. “I’ll always remember to lock the door.”

  So he did, because he had a good memory, and rarely forgot anything that he was told. Every day, when he went to see Neptune, he carefully locked the door behind him after he had said good-bye.

  Jeanne and Lisa were always teasing Jimmy. They jumped out at him round corners. They poured jugs of water over him as he passed by the window of their caravan. They told him that Lucky wasn’t the cleverest dog in the world, and Lisa told him all about other dogs she had known, all of which could do far more marvellous things than Lucky.

  “I believe you are making all these stories up!” said Jimmy impatiently. “Everything you know of is always better, more marvellous and wonderful than anything we know. I’m tired of listening to you!”

  He went off. Lisa made a face after him. “Bad-tempered boy,” she called. “I suppose you think you’re Britomart, stalking off with a scowl like that!”

  “Let’s pay him out for not believing all we say,” said Jeanne. “Lotta! Come here! We’re thinking of a trick to play on Jimmy.”

  Lotta was an angry little girl these days, not friends with anyone except Madame Prunella and Jeanne and Lisa. She nodded at Jeanne. “All right,” she said. “What trick shall we play on Jimmy?”

  “I know!” said Lisa. “Next time he comes to call on Neptune, and locks the door behind him, we’ll unlock it again—and Neptune will go galloping after him, and maybe Britomart will see him and scold Jimmy hard.”

  Lotta shook her head. “No, that’s not a joke,” she said. “I don’t think I want to do that.”

  “Don’t be so silly,” said Lisa impatiently. “Of course it’s a joke! We’ll do it tomorrow.”

  Lotta said no more, but she made up her mind she wouldn’t share that trick. It was a mean trick. She didn’t mind a joke, but she wasn’t going to play a mean trick on Jimmy.

  Next morning Jeanne, Lisa, and Lotta were sitting on top of Pierre’s caravan. They had an old rug up there, and all three little girls loved to lie on it, basking in the sun, playing with the dolls. Lisa saw Jimmy coming along, with Lucky at his heels as usual.

  “Here he comes,” said Lisa in a low voice. “We’ll play the trick on him that we planned yesterday.”

  “I don’t want to,” said Lotta at once. Lisa laughed at her.

  “You’re afraid to,” she said. “Hallo, Jimmy! Come and play up here.”

  “No, thanks,” said Jimmy. “You and Jeanne pushed me off last time. If I came up, I’d push you off, and then you’d howl the place down. I hate girls that howl.”

  He went in to talk to Neptune, who was most excited at hearing Jimmy’s voice. He came to the top of the tank, and rested his head there, looking at the little boy out of loving brown eyes. Jimmy talked to him.

  “You’ve the whitest whiskers I ever saw! You’ve the brownest eyes in the world! You’re the cleverest seal that ever lived!”

  Neptune loved hearing all this. He put his big head on Jimmy’s shoulder and heaved such a sigh that he nearly blew the boy’s ear off!

  Then Brownie, Jimmy’s father, called him from the other end of the field. “Jimmy! Come and help me to get some water, will you?”

  There was a stream at the end of the field, and the circus-folk got their water from it. All the horses and animals had to have their drinking-troughs cleaned out and refilled each day. It was quite a job to do them all, and Jimmy and Brownie were usually very busy until they had taken water to every caravan and cage.

  “Coming, Dad!” shouted Jimmy. He gave Neptune one last pat and went out of the van. He carefully turned the key in the lock and went across the field.

  No sooner was he gone than Lisa slipped down the side of her caravan, ran to the van, and unlocked the door. The seal was out of the tank, butting the doorwith its nose, as it always did when someone left it. When it heard the key turn again, it took the handle in Its mouth and twisted it to one side. The door opened!

  By this time Lisa was on top of the caravan again, giggling with Jeanne. Lotta watched the seal gallop out of the doorway, and go after Jimmy. She did hope that Britomart wouldn’t come along at just that moment!

  Just as Jimmy was dipping a big bucket into the stream, something plopped into the water with a big splash. He turned in surprise—and there was Neptune, swimming joyfully in the water!

  “I say, Dad, look! Neptune is having a fine old swim!’ cried Jimmy. “I wonder if Pierre let him out. I locked him in just now.”

  The seal loved the stream. It rolled itself over and over, made funny grunting noises, and tried to catch a small fish that darted by.

  Just then a shout went up from Neptune’s caravan. Pierre had come along, and had found the door open and the tank empty.

  “Where’s Neptune?” he yelled. Lisa answered him from the top of the caravan: “Over in the stream, playing with Jimmy.”

  Pierre was so annoyed that he fired off a lot of queer-sounding words in French that Lotta couldn’t understand at all. Britomart put his head out of his caravan not very far off, his black eyes almost hidden by his frowning eyebrows.

  “Pierre! What is the matter?” he called in his deep voice.

  “Matter enough!” shouted Pierre. “That boy has taken my seal to swim in the stream!”

  Britomart came out from his caravan, and walked over to Pierre. “First it is Lotta who disobeys, and now it is Jimmy,” he said. “We will see what he has to say, the disobedient rogue!”

  Jimmy was astonished to see two such angry men beside him, one pouring out grumbles, the other sternly demanding why he had taken the seal.

  “I didn’t take him,” said Jimmy. “I went to see him as usual, and I locked the door after me. I really did. Someone must have unlocked it, Pierre. The next thing I knew was seeing the seal splashing about in the stream, and I thought Pierre must have let him out.”

  “I think you are not telling the truth,” said Britomart in his cold voice. “In future you will not go into the cages of any animals excepting t
he dogs and the horses. Is that quite clear?”

  “Oh! but, sir, can’t I go and play with old Sammy, and the bears, and Jemima?” said Jimmy. “I really must. They do so love it, especially Sammy, now he’s shut up.”

  “You understand my orders, I think!” said Britomart. “If you disobey I shall know how to punish you. Pierre, take the seal back.”

  The three girls had watched all this from the top of the distant caravan. They did not know what was being said, but they guessed that Jimmy was getting into trouble. When Britomart came up with Pierre and the seal, Lotta slipped down the opposite side of the caravan and ran away.

  Pierre waited till Britomart had gone into his own caravan and then he looked up at the two watching girls. He knew how they disliked Jimmy.

  “Did you girls unlock the door after Jimmy had gone?” he asked. He did not see Jimmy nearby, carrying a pail of water. Jimmy heard the question and looked up.

  “Lotta slipped down and unlocked the door, to play a trick on Jimmy.” said Lisa. This was not the truth, but the naughty little girl wanted to make trouble between Lotta and Jimmy.

  Jimmy heard what she said and went very red in the face. What! Lotta played that mean trick on him!

  Oh no, it couldn’t be! He couldn’t believe it. Lotta would surely never, never get him into trouble. He went on his way, very puzzled and upset.

  “I don’t believe it,” thought Jimmy stoutly. Lotta wouldn’t do that. And yet—she’s changed so much lately. She’s even horrid to Mother, and she used to love her. Perhaps she did do it—and wanted me to be punished for it. What will old Sammy do if I don’t go and see him? Oh, it’s too bad. Lotta’s horrid and mean!’’ And so, although Jimmy could hardly believe that Lotta would play such a mean trick on him, and didn’t want to believe it either, he ended by thinking that what Lisa said was true.

  “Everything’s gone wrong since dear old Mr. Galliano went,” thought the boy sadly. “You won’t change, will you, little dog Lucky? Promise me you won’t!”