ded he would go there and put in the time until next morning.

At midnight the show would pull up stakes at Centreville. He would be on
hand to welcome its arrival at Clifton.

"Then I will see Miss Starr and Mr. Marco," he thought. "If the circus
manager will only take me on, I'll fall into great luck."

Andy got to Clifton about noon. He changed the five-dollar bill, buying
a cheap but big dinner, for he was nearly famished.

He learned where the circus was to exhibit, and went to the spot. Some
workers were already there, digging trenches, distributing sawdust
and the like.

Andy volunteered to help them. It would be good practice in the way of
experience, he told himself. Until four o'clock in the afternoon he was
quite busy about the place.

He had heard so much circus talk during his free labors that his mind
was more full of the show than ever.

Andy had heard one of the workers describe to a new hand all the
excitement, bustle and novelty attending a jump from one town
to another.

He strolled about the place but grew restive. Just before dusk he bought
some crackers and cheese, filled his pockets with the eatables, and
started down the road leading towards Centreville.

Andy met an advance guard of the circus about two miles out of Clifton.
Some wagons carried the cooking camp outfit. A little farther on he was
met by some menagerie wagons.

"They'll come in sections," ruminated Andy.

"The big tent people won't make a start till after the evening
performance. I won't risk going any farther. There's an open barn near
the road. I'll take a little snooze, and wake up in time to join the
procession of big loads."

Andy secured his little cash reserve in a marble bag. He ate some lunch
and made for the open structure he had observed.

It was an old doorless barn near a hay press. A great many bales were
stack up at one side. Climbing among these Andy found a cozy boxed in
space, carried some loose hay to it, and composed himself for sleep.

"Twenty cents a day is pretty economical living," he reflected, as he
studied the stars visible through a chink in the roof. "I wonder what
the circus people pay a beginner?"

Wondering about this, and a variety of similar themes, Andy dozed, but
was suddenly awakened by the sharp snap of a match and a brief flare.

He got up and peered over the edge of the bales of hay that enclosed his
resting place.

The moon was shining brightly. Outlined at the open doo