out and talked to us and said
that I did fine.

He said I was the idol of thronging multitudes-that's just what he said. I
was good and thirsty, I know that. Gee, didn't Harry Donnelle laugh.

Mr. Costello said, "The boy scouts are an honor to this great and glorious
country and I should like to take our intrepid young friend to Europe to
appear before the high nobility."

Harry said that I was a modest kid and that he guessed one continent was
about all I could carry in my pocket. He said that some day maybe I'd pick
up Europe if I happened to be passing that way.

Then Mr. Costello gave us all tickets to the show that night and after
that he made me a speech and said how I was beloved by all the world
renowned personages in the side show. He said that Madame Whopper told
him I was a little gentleman. 'A' scout is courteous-oh joy.

Then he put his arm over my shoulder and walked away with me and told me
not to talk very much about Jib Jab being human, because he wanted the
people to decide for themselves. He said it wasn't telling a lie, because
he never said Jib Jab wasn't human. He just said, "Is he human?"

He said it's all right to ask a question.

Gee whiz, nobody can deny that.

CHAPTER XXI

WE VISIT THE SIDE SHOW

Those scouts that we met were nice fellows. They were hiking back to
Newburgh; that's where they lived. They told us they had hiked up along the
river to visit a place named Elm Center, about ten or fifteen miles west of
Kingston. They said they had a bivouac camp just outside the city and that
they had stayed there for a couple of days, so as to take in the circus.

We all went to the show together that night, and I sat on Marshal Foch's
cage wagon and rode around in the parade at the beginning of the show. All
the fellows cheered me, even those new fellows. After the show I told them
all that I wanted to go into the side show and say good-bye to my friends.
We were all standing outside and Dorry Benton said, "I'll go with you."

Of course, as soon as he said that, they all wanted to go, but Harry said
he guessed two were enough. So Dorry and I went in and made a call. The
freaks were getting ready to go to bed, but anyway, they were glad to see
us. I guess Madame Whopper slept in another tent; anyway, we didn't see
her. Maybe she had a whole tent to herself.

Mr. Lemuel Long said he was hungry and he wished he could eat a lot like
scouts do. Gee, I have to admit that scouts eat a