pty joined him, and there were tears in her eyes.
What Poor Jane had said was so very, very sad. The twins had so much to
think about now that they talked very little during their walk, but when
they did, it was all about Poor Jane and her brother, who was the clown
in a circus.

When they got home the children had tea and games downstairs, and
altogether it was great fun, but they did not mention their meeting with
Poor Jane. That was their secret.

For days afterwards they talked it over and wondered whether Jane would
speak to them the next time they met on the road, but when they went
down the village again with nurse the old woman passed them by without a
sign of recognition.

Three months passed and June had come, and one day Nan and the children
went down to the village shop to buy slate-pencils.

[Sidenote: Mrs. Moses' Question]

"Are you taking the children to the circus?" asked Mrs. Moses, the
shopwoman.

The twins pricked up their ears.

"When is it?" asked Nan.

"To-morrow, at Woodstead," answered Mrs. Moses; and she showed the
children two large bills with pictures on them, of a beautiful young
lady with yellow hair, who was walking on a tight-rope, a dark lady
balancing herself on a golden globe, a young man riding, bare-back, on a
fierce white horse, and a lion jumping through flames of fire, while in
the corner was the picture of a clown grinning through a hoop.

"Oh, Nan!" said Humpty, when they were outside, "can we go?"

"I shall ask mummie when we get home what she thinks about it," said
nurse, "but you are not to be disappointed or cross if she won't let
you."

That evening when mummie came up to bid good-night to the twins in bed
they were told that they might go. Nurse had been promised to-morrow
off, so that she might have tea with her sister, who lived at Woodstead,
but she had very kindly said that she would be quite willing to take the
twins with her, and put them into seats in the circus, and then she
would come for them at the end of the performance.

The twins were delighted, and almost too excited to speak. After mummie
had gone they lay awake thinking.

"Humpty," said Dumpty presently, "what are you thinking about?"

"The circus," answered Humpty promptly.

"And I," said Dumpty pensively--"I have been thinking about Poor Jane."

"I have been thinking about her lots too," said Humpty.

"And oh, Humpty! supposing the clown should be her brother, what should
we do?"