ur he ran into the
house to learn how the sick boy was getting on.

All of Aunt Olive's replies were the same: Abner slept a good portion of
the time, and during the few moments he was awake said nothing, except
in answer to questions. He did not complain of any pain, nor did he
appear to take any notice of what was going on around him.

"I think it's because he got all tired out yesterday, an' that he'll be
himself again to-morrow," said Aunt Olive, after Toby had come in for
at least the sixth time, and she saw how worried he was.

This hopeful remark restored Toby to something very near his usual good
spirits; and when he went back to his work after that, his partners were
pleased to see him take more interest in what was going on.

The tent was up firmly enough to resist any moderate amount of wind, but
it did not look quite so neat as it would have done had it not been
necessary to perform the operation of "tucking in" one end, which made
that side hang in folds that were by no means a pleasing addition to the
general appearance.

The small door of the barn, over which the tent was placed, served
instead of a curtain to their dressing-room; and at one side of it, on
an upturned barrel, arrangements were made for a band-stand.

Mr. Mansfield's flag covered the one end completely, and all the boys
thought it gave a better appearance to the whole than if they had made
it wholly of canvas.

The ring, which Reddy marked out almost before the tent was up, occupied
nearly the whole of the interior; but since they did not intend to have
any seats for their audience, it was thought there would be plenty of
room for all who would come to see them. The main point was to have the
ring, and to have it as nearly like that of a regular circus as
possible, while the audience could be trusted to take care of itself.

The animals to be exhibited were to be placed in small cages at each
corner. Reddy had at first insisted that each cage should be on a cart
to make it look well; but he gave up that idea when Bob pointed out to
him that six mice or two squirrels would make rather a small show in a
wagon, and that they would be obliged to enlarge their tent if they
carried out that plan, even provided they could get the necessary
number of carts, which was very doubtful.

In the matter of getting sheets from their mothers they had not been as
successful as they had anticipated. No one of the ladies who had been
spoken to on th