ive them a ticket
to the show."

"Aaron, suppose we go to the circus?"

"What for?"

"You may get hold of the boy, and bring him back. The giant won't be
with him all the time."

"I'd like to get the boy back," said Bickford, in a wavering tone. "I'd
give him a lesson."

"And so would I. I guess between us we could subdue him. But of course
he must be got back first."

"I'll think of it, Sarah."

Later in the day Mr. Bickford told his wife he would go to the circus,
but he tried to evade taking her in order to save the expense of another
ticket. To this, however, she would not agree. The upshot was, that
after supper the old horse was harnessed up, and the amiable pair, bent
on vengeance, started for Grafton.

CHAPTER XVI.

MR. BICKFORD AT THE CIRCUS.

Mr. Bickford's chief object in going to the circus was to regain
possession of Kit, his runaway apprentice, as he chose to consider him.
But, besides this, he really had a curiosity to see the show, and
thought this would afford him a good excuse for doing so. The same
remark will apply to Mrs. Bickford, whose curiosity had been excited the
year previous by seeing a circus procession. The blacksmith and his wife
were not prejudiced against amusements, like many others, but were too
frugal to attend them. Now that they could combine business with
pleasure, they threw to the winds all hesitation.

"Do you think you'll get the boy, father?" asked Mrs. Bickford, as they
jolted over the road to Grafton.

"I'll make a try for it, Sarah. He's a good strong boy, and he'll make a
capital blacksmith. Did you notice his broad shoulders?"

"He looks like he'd have a hearty appetite," said the careful spouse.

"We won't pamper him, Sarah," replied Bickford, smiling grimly. "He
won't get no such victuals as he did at home. Plain food and plenty of
it, that's the way to bring up boys."

"Perhaps he won't be at the circus," suggested Mrs. Bickford.

"I'd be surprised if he wasn't. Boys have a natural hankering for the
circus. I had when I was a boy."

"Did you ever go, Aaron?"

"No; I didn't have the money."

"Do you know how much they charge?"

"Fifty cents, I believe."

"It's an awful sight of money to pay for amusement. If it lasts two
hours, that makes twenty-five cents an hour."

"So it does, Sarah. That's as much as I can earn by hard work in that
time."

"I don't know as it's right to fling away so much money."

"I wouldn't do it if it was