le here, and you have more than earned your board. I don't like
to lose you, but if you want to be a clown, the circus is the best place
for you."

"All his folks were circus people," said Mr. Hooper. "And when that's
the case the young folks nearly always stay in the same business. Ben
will make a good clown when he grows up, and he will be a good jumper,
too."

"I'm going to be a circus man," said Bunny. "Can I be in your show, Mr.
Hooper?"

"Well, we'll see about that when you get a little older. But you and
your sister can come and see our circus, any time you wish, for nothing.
I watched you two do your scarecrow and pumpkin dance, and you did it
very well."

Bunny Brown and his sister Sue were pleased to hear this.

"Yes, it was a pretty good circus for young folks to get up all by
themselves," said Grandpa Brown. "But how soon do you have to take Ben
away with you, Mr. Hooper?"

"As soon as I can, Mr. Brown. Our show is going to move on to-night,
and I'd like to have Ben back in his old place if you can let him go."

"Oh, yes," said Grandpa Brown. "He can go. I hope you'll be happy, Ben."

"I'll look well after him, and he shall have no more trouble," said Mr.
Hooper. Then Ben told what a hard time he had after he ran away from the
circus. He had to sleep in old barns, and under hay-stacks, and he had
very little to eat. And when he came to grandpa's house he did not tell
that he had run away from the show, for fear some one would make him go
back to the bad clown who beat him.

But everything came out all right, you see, and Ben was happy once more.
Of course, Bunny and Sue felt sorry to have their friend leave them, but
it could not be helped.

"But we'll be going back home ourselves pretty soon," said Daddy Brown.

Bunker Blue and Ben Hall shook hands and said they hoped they would see
each other again.

"And to think," said Bunker, "that you were from a circus all the time,
and never told us! But I sort of thought you were, for you knew so much
about ropes, and putting up tents, making tricks and acts and pretend
wild animals, and all that."

"Yes," answered Ben with a laugh, "sometimes it was pretty hard not to
do some of the other tricks I had learned in the circus. I didn't want
you to find out about me, but the secret came out, anyhow."

"Just like ours about the scarecrow and the pumpkin!" laughed Bunny
Brown. "Wasn't ours a good secret?"

"It certainly was!" cried Mother Brown.

Tha