small houses on wheels, with
windows and curtains painted on them, such as Jimmy had often seen at
Ramsgate, with men selling brooms and baskets, walking by the horses.

There were no men selling brooms or baskets here, although they all
seemed to be very busy: some being dressed just as they had left the
ring, and others leading cream-coloured and piebald horses, instead of
going to bed, as Jimmy thought it was time to do.

'Come along,' said the clown, as the boy seemed inclined to stop to look
on.

'Where are we going?' asked Jimmy.

'You'll see,' was the answer.

'But where is it?' asked Jimmy.

'Where I live,' said the clown.

'Oh, we're going to your house,' cried Jimmy, feeling pleased at the
chance of entering a house again, for it seemed a very long time since
he had left Aunt Selina's.

'Well,' said the clown, 'it's a sort of house. You might call it a house
on wheels, and you wouldn't be far out.'

Suddenly Jimmy seized the clown's arm and gave a jump.

'What's that?' he exclaimed.

'Don't be frightened,' said the clown.

'Only what is it?' asked Jimmy, with a shaky voice.

'He won't hurt you,' was the answer. 'It's only old Billy, the lion.'

Jimmy heard him roar as if he were only a yard or two away, and he felt
rather alarmed, until they had left his cage farther behind.

'Is that the lion who had your head in his mouth?' asked Jimmy.

'Well,' said the clown, 'it isn't in his mouth now, is it?'

'I didn't see the little clown,' exclaimed Jimmy, and the clown stared
down at the ground.

'No,' he answered, as if he felt rather miserable, 'we shan't see him
again ever.'

Then they stopped at the back of one of the vans, and Jimmy saw that
there was a light inside it.

'Up you get,' said the clown, and Jimmy scrambled up a pair of wide
steps which put him in mind of a bathing-machine.

The door seemed to be made in halves, and whilst the lower part was shut
the upper part was open. Through this Jimmy could see inside the van,
and it looked exactly like a small room, only rather dirty and untidy.
As Jimmy stood on the steps staring into the van, with the clown close
behind him, a girl came out from what seemed to be a second room behind
the first. She had yellow hair, and her face looked very white; but
although she must have changed her dress, Jimmy felt certain she was the
same girl who had worn the green velvet riding-habit.

'Hullo!' she cried, seeing Jimmy, but not seeing her fa