ard, where no one could see him. He tried so hard that at last he
succeeded in rolling his hoop from the porch to the gate without letting
it fall a single time. He was greatly encouraged then, but he had to
continue practising, because he could not even yet guide the hoop very
well, and he could not turn corners at all.

When Saturday came, he went to the park to watch the first procession.
It was a very pretty sight, for the hoops had been decorated with bright
ribbons, and with bells which made a merry tinkling sound. Ned was the
captain, as he was the oldest and could manage his hoop most skilfully.
He led the children through the park, stopping now and then for breath.
Whenever anyone dropped his hoop, he had to go to the end of the line,
for that was the rule of the club.

All the next week Johnnie Jones worked very hard, learning to guide his
hoop in a straight line, and to turn corners. He went to the park to
practise now, so that he might have more room.

Mother watched him every day, and after a while she told him that he had
become quite skilful enough to join the club. Then he was very happy,
and began to decorate his hoop with the bright pink ribbon and shining
brass bells which Mother had bought for him.

The next Saturday morning, Johnnie Jones took his hoop with him when he
went to the park with the other children, all of whom were glad to hear
that he had learned to roll it.

"But you had better be last in the procession," they told him, "because,
most likely, you can't manage it very well yet."

They did not know how hard he had worked.

When the procession started off, Johnnie Jones kept up with the other
children. Not once did he let his hoop fall, and he made it go so
straight, and turned such square corners, that, presently, the children
noticed how well he was doing.

"Well, look at little Johnnie Jones!" they said. "He can roll his hoop
better than anyone here, even better than Ned!"

After they had watched him for a while, they decided he must be their
captain, until Ned, or one of the other children had learned to do
better than he.

Then Johnnie Jones was the proudest, happiest little boy in the whole
world, as he led the procession through the park.

[Illustration: Then Johnnie Jones was the proudest, happiest little
boy--]

* * * * *

The Fire at Johnnie Jones's House

One night, while Father was away from home on a business trip, Mothe