faulty harness and smiled back cheerily at an eager little fellow in the
wagon who inquired if he was going to the show, too.

"Jump in, youngster, if ours is your way," invited the farmer.

Andy promptly availed himself of the offer. He sat with his feet
dangling over the tailboard. The farther he got from Fairview the less
he thought of the manifold troubles and complications he was leaving
behind him there.

Andy did not intend to run away from home. He had business in view which
demanded his presence in Fairview the next day. He was, however,
resolved to go to Centreville. He would at least see the outside of the
circus, and could put on the time until evening.

It was only six miles from Fairview to Centreville, and they soon came
in sight of the county seat.

Andy caught more and more of the circus fever as they progressed. At
every branch road a new string of vehicles joined the procession. They
passed gay parties of ruralites on foot. Andy leaped down from the wagon
with a "Thank you" to his host, at the first sight of the mammoth white
tents over on the village common.

This was the second day of the circus at Centreville. It was scheduled
to remain one more day. Its coming was a great event for the town, and
the place was crowded with pleasure-seekers.

Andy reached the principal street just as the grand pageant went by. It
was a spectacle that dazzled him. The music, the glitter, the pomp, the
fair array of wild animals made him forget everything except that he was
a boy enjoying a rare moment of existence.

It was the inner life of the circus people, however, that attracted
Andy. It was his great ambition to be one of them. He was not content to
remain a spectator of the outside veneer of show life. He wanted to know
something of its practical side.

Andy did not dally around the ticket seller's booth, the side shows or
the crowded main entrance of the show.

Once, when a small circus had visited Fairview, he had gotten a free
pass by carrying buckets of water to the cook's tent.

He had now a vague hope that some such fortunate chance might turn up on
this new occasion.

Andy soon discovered, however, that the present layout was on a far
different scale to the second-class show he had seen at Fairview.

It was a city in itself. There were well-defined bounds as to the circus
proper. Ropes strung along iron stakes driven into the ground kept
curious visitors at a distance.

The performers' t