re. Dix and
Splash understood, I think, for they were smart dogs.

Both children were up early the next morning to see their new pet, and
they fed Fluffy some dried crackers. At first the squirrel was a bit
timid, but it soon poked its sharp nose and mouth out of a little
opening on the side of the wire netting over the box and ate from the
hands of Bunny and Sue.

"Don't let him bite you," said Mother Brown, as she started to get
breakfast.

"Oh, Fluffy won't bite," said Bunny. "He's as tame as our cat used to
be."

Once more the automobile traveled on. It rained part of the day but the
shower was not a hard one, though Bunny and Sue had to stay in the big
car when noon came, and dinner could not be served out-of-doors.

But the skies cleared before night, and when the auto was stopped the
children could run about with their rubbers on. They were near a small
town, and Mrs. Brown promised to take the children in after the meal to
see if they could buy some grain or seeds for Fluffy.

The supper was an early one, and, leaving Uncle Tad at the "Ark" with
the two dogs and the squirrel, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, with the two children
walked into town. As they reached the middle of the village, near a
public square, they heard the sound of music and saw a crowd of people
around a wagon lighted by a gasolene torch, such as is used in a circus
at night.

"Oh, it's a medicine show!" cried Mrs. Brown, as she saw a big,
long-haired man on the back platform of a wagon, holding up a bottle
about which he was talking to the people.

"Yes, and there's a banjo player with him," said Bunny. "Look, Mother!
It's a colored boy playing a banjo! Maybe it's Fred Ward!"

CHAPTER XV

WAS IT FRED?

"What's this? What's this you're talking about?" suddenly asked Mr.
Brown, as he heard what Bunny said. Or rather, Bunny's father did not
hear exactly, for he had been thinking about something else. But he had
caught the name Fred Ward.

"Bunny thinks that colored banjo player with that medicine show may be
Fred Ward," said Mrs. Brown. "Do you think it would be of any use to
inquire, Daddy?"

"Why, that _is_ a medicine show, isn't it!" exclaimed Mr. Brown, as
though he saw it for the first time. "And it's just like the one we
heard about that had a boy banjo player with it."

"There's a boy banjo player now," said Bunny. "He's going to play,
Daddy, too! Do you think it could be Fred?"

The man who was selling the bottles of me