nds. He
looked around at the audience, and then in a sing-song voice said:

"Ladies an' gen'men: With your kind attention an' permission I will now
show you what my dogs can do. Let 'em on, Jack," he called to someone
back of the platform.

A moment later about ten dogs rushed up on the platform, barking and
wagging their tails. Every one of the dogs looked anxiously at the
black-eyed and black-moustached man, as if afraid he would hit them with
the whip he carried. Each dog seemed to know his or her place, and went
to chair, box, or platform, until all were arranged in a half circle back
of the man.

"First Lulu, the highest jumper in the world, will perform some tricks,"
said Professor Montelli. "Here, Lulu," he called, and a long, thin
greyhound leaped from a chair and stood ready. This dog jumped over a
pile of high baskets, and through some of them, there being no bottoms to
them. Then the greyhound leaped over a high pile of chairs.

In turn the other dogs did tricks, some of which the Curlytops had seen
before, and some of which were new. They quite enjoyed the show, or they
would have done so had they not been worrying about getting their own
dogs back. They looked anxiously at the dogs on the platform. None of
them was Tip or Top.

I shall not tell you all about the tricks the dogs in this show did, for
I want to tell you about the circus the Curlytops had. Enough to say that
Professor Montelli seemed to know a great deal about dogs, though I can
not say the trick animals loved him. They seemed more afraid than
anything else.

"Well, I guess we shan't find Tip or Top here," said Ted to Janet after a
while. "There aren't any white poodles like ours."

"No, I guess not," sadly agreed the little girl.

But just then Professor Montelli stepped to the edge of the platform and
said:

"This ends our regular performance, ladies an' gen'men, but I have two
more dogs to show you. I have not finished training them yet, an' they
can do only a few tricks, but I want you to be satisfied, an' think that
you got your money's worth, so you will recommend my show to your
friends. I will now show you two more trick dogs. Bring on the poodles,
Jack," he called to his assistant.

Ted and Janet looked at each other, quickly.

"Poodles!" they murmured, but they did not speak out loud.

The same thought was in each of their minds. If the poodles should be Tip
and Top!

A barking was heard back of the platform, and, a