about on the carrousel could reach up and pull a ring from the
arm, if they were quick and skillful enough.

"Get the brass ring and have a free ride!" sang out the boy dropping the
black, iron rings into the hollow arm. There were, a great many iron
rings, but only a few brass ones. Of course, every one wanted to get the
brass ring, but this went by luck as much as by skill.

Flossie and Freddie were too small to reach over and try for any of the
rings. But Nan, like the older boys and girls and some of the grown
folks, had no trouble in catching rings.

"Get the brass ring, and have an extra ride!" cried the boy in charge.

"I wish I could!" thought Nan.

Once she almost got it. She saw the brass ring gleaming at the end of
the arm. A boy two horses ahead of her made a grab for it and missed. So
did the girl directly in front of Nan. When Nan reached for the ring
she did not put out her arm far enough, and she, too, missed it. A girl
riding on a camel behind Nan got it.

"Oh, dear!" sighed Nan.

"Never mind," said a voice at her side, and she saw Bob Guess. "Here's a
brass ring for you. Take it and have the next ride free!"

"Oh, will that be right?" asked Nan.

"Sure it will! I'm in charge of taking the tickets when Blipper is away.
Some one grabbed this ring and dropped it. I picked it up. It's good for
a ride. Take it. I don't know who dropped it or I'd give it to 'em. You
take it!"

And Nan did. It was not to be dreamed of that Flossie and Freddie would
be content with one ride. They had to stay on for the second. Mr.
Bobbsey got off to buy more tickets.

"I don't need a ticket!" Nan called to him. "I have the brass ring,
Daddy!"

"Oh, you were very lucky!"

"Bob gave it to me," she explained, telling how it came about.

"Well, I suppose it is all right to take it," her father said. "Bob
knows what he is doing."

"But I want to get a brass ring my own self," Nan said. And she did,
though not on the next trip. Her father had to buy her a ticket for
that.

Then came the final ride, for though Flossie and Freddie would have
remained and ridden all day, their father knew this was not good for
them. And it was on the last ride that Nan got her brass ring.

"Oh, now I can ride again!" she gayly cried.

"Not now," her father told her. "If you ride, Flossie and Freddie will
want to, and I'm afraid they'll be ill."

"But what shall I do with the ring?" asked Nan, slipping down off the
wooden horse