uch a
funny mixture of fear, fatigue, determination, and relief in her dirty
little face, that the boys could not look awful if they tried.

"How dared you come after us, miss?" demanded Sam, as she looked calmly
about her, and took a seat before she was asked.

"Sanch would come after Ben; I couldn't make him go home, so I had to
hold on till he was safe here, else he'd be lost, and then Ben would
feel bad."

The cleverness of that excuse tickled the boys immensely; and Sam tried
again, while Ben was getting the dog down and sitting on him.

"Now you expect to go to the circus, I suppose."

"Course I do. Ben said he didn't mind paying, if I could get there
without bothering him, and I have; and I'll go home alone. I ain't
afraid. Sanch will take care of me, if you won't," answered Bab,
stoutly.

"What do you suppose your mother will say to you?" asked Ben, feeling
much reproached by her last words.

"I guess she'll say you led me into mischief; and the sharp child
nodded, as if she defied him to deny the truth of that.

"You'll catch it when you get home, Ben; so you'd better have a good
time while you can," advised Sam, thinking Bab great fun, since none of
the blame of her pranks would fall on him. "What would you have done if
you hadn't found us?" asked Billy, forgetting his impatience in his
admiration for this plucky young lady.

"I'd have gone on and seen the circus, and then I'd have gone home again
and told Betty all about it," was the prompt answer.

"But you haven't any money."

"Oh, I'd ask somebody to pay for me. I 'm so little, it wouldn't be
much."

"Nobody would do it; so you'd have to stay outside, you see."

"No, I wouldn't. I thought of that, and planned how I'd fix it if I
didn't find Ben. I'd make Sanch do his tricks, and get a quarter that
way; so, now! answered Bab, undaunted by any obstacle.

"I do believe she would! You are a smart child, Bab; and if I had enough
I'd take you in myself," said Billy, heartily; for, having sisters of
his own, he kept a soft place in his heart for girls, especially
enterprising ones.

"I'll take care of her. It was very naughty to come, Bab; but, so long
as you did, you needn't worry about any thing. I'll see to you; and you
shall have a real good time," said Ben, accepting his responsibilities
without a murmur, and bound to do the handsome thing by his persistent
friend.

"I thought you would;" and Bab folded her arms, as if she had nothin