ongratulating himself on the happy thought which had induced him to
join the circus. It was true, and he could not help noticing it, that
the men around him were not such people as Mr. Grant, and others whom he
had been in the habit of seeing at Woodville. All of them swore
terribly; their breath smelt of liquor, and they talked the language of
a depravity to which Noddy, with all his waywardness, was a stranger.
There were boys no older than himself in the company, but they did not
seem a whit less depraved than the older ones.

Though the novice was not a young man of high aims and purposes, he was
not much pleased with his companions. He was what they termed "green,"
and it was quite plain to him that there would be a fight before many
days had passed by, for he was too high-spirited to submit tamely to the
insults which were heaped upon him.

During the afternoon performance, he stood at the gates of the ring,
where the horses enter; and Mr. Whippleby sent him before the public for
the first time, to bring out a whip which had been left there.

"Noddy Newman!" shouted a boy among the spectators.

The young athlete heard his name, and too late he remembered that he had
exposed himself to the gaze of the constables, who might by this time be
in search of him. During the rest of the afternoon he kept himself out
of sight; but the mischief had already been done.

CHAPTER VII.

THE RING-MASTER.

When the performance was over, Noddy, with the assistance of one of his
companions, dressed himself in "trunk and tights," and appeared in the
ring to take his first lesson in graceful movements. He could turn the
somersets, and go through with the other evolutions; but there was a
certain polish needed--so the ring-master said--to make them pass off
well. He was to assume a graceful position at the beginning and end of
each act; he must recover himself without clumsiness; he must bow, and
make a flourish with his hands, when he had done a brilliant thing.

Noddy had not much taste for this branch of the profession. He did not
like the bowing and the flourishing. If the feat itself did not please
the people, he could not win them by smirking. He was much pleased with
his costume, and this kept him good-natured, under the severe training
of the ring-master, for a time. Mr. Whippleby was coarse and rough in
his manners. During the show he had been all grace and elegance, and did
not use any big words, but now he was