there?" asked Bunny.

"Yes, the white mice are in the tent," said Bunker.

One of the country boys, who had a lot of white mice had promised to
lend them to the circus. He had taught them to do some little tricks,
and this was to be a part of the show.

"Oh, I can hardly wait!" cried Sue. "I want to see the circus."

"Well you can now, in a day or so," said Bunker. "Hi there! What have
you?" he asked of a boy who came up to the tent with a box on a
wheelbarrow.

"This is the wild lion," was the answer.

"Oh-o-o-o-o!" exclaimed Sue, getting closer to Bunny. "A lion!"

"Oh, I've got him well trained," said the boy. "He won't hurt you at
all. He won't even roar if I tell him not to."

Certainly the lion in the cage seemed very quiet, and the boy carried
him very easily.

"I guess maybe he's a baby lion," whispered Sue to Bunny.

That afternoon there was a great deal of excitement down at the "circus
grounds," as Bunny and Sue called the place in the meadow where the
tents stood.

One of the boys who had been helping Bunker and Ben, came running out of
the tent crying:

"They're gone! They're gone!"

"What's gone?" asked Ben.

"My white mice! The cage door is open and they're all gone!"

CHAPTER XXI

THE BIG CIRCUS

Bunny Brown and his sister Sue looked at one another. If the white mice
had escaped from the circus tent, some of the other animals might also
get away. And suppose that should happen to the lion, which Ben had said
was in one of the boxes! Just suppose!

"I--I guess we'd better go home, Bunny," said Sue, in a whisper.

"Yes," he answered. "I--I guess mother wants us. Come on!"

"What's the matter?" asked Bunker Blue. "I thought you were going to
stay and help us, Bunny."

"I--I was. But if those mice got away--"

"Oh, I see!" laughed Bunker Blue. "You're afraid some of the other
animals might also get out. But don't be afraid. We haven't any of the
other wild beasts in here yet."

"But that--that lion," said Bunny, looking toward the animal tent.

"Oh, he's asleep," said Ben. "Besides he wouldn't hurt anyone even if he
was out of his cage. You needn't be afraid. He's the only animal, except
the mice, that we've put in the tent yet. But how did your mice get out,
Sam?" he asked the boy who owned them.

"I don't know. They were all right last night, but, when I went to feed
them this morning, the cage door was open, and they were all gone."

"Will--will they bite?" asked