s for just then, so
we sat in the sun and dried ourselves and wrote the programme of the
circus. This was it:

PROGRAMME

1. Startling leap from the lofty precipice by the performing sheep. Real
water, and real precipice. The gallant rescue. O., A., and D. Bastable.
(We thought we might as well put that in, though it was over and had
happened accidentally.)

2. Graceful bare-backed equestrienne act on the trained pig, Eliza. A.
Bastable.

3. Amusing clown interlude, introducing trained dog, Pincher, and the
other white pig. H. O. and O. Bastable.

4. The See-saw. Trained donkeys. (H. O. said we had only one donkey, so
Dicky said H. O. could be the other. When peace was restored we went on
to 5.)

5. Elegant equestrian act by D. Bastable. _Haute Ecole_, on Clover, the
incomparative trained elephant from the plains of Venezuela.

6. Alpine feat of daring. The climbing of the Andes, by Billy, the
well-known acrobatic goat. (We thought we could make the Andes out of
hurdles and things, and so we could have but for what always happens.
(This is the unexpected. (This is a saying father told me--but I see I
am three deep in brackets, so I will close them before I get into any
more.).).).

7. The Black but Learned Pig. ("I dare say he knows something," Alice
said, "if we can only find out what." We _did_ find out all too soon.)

We could not think of anything else, and our things were nearly dry--all
except Dick's brown paper top-boots, which were mingled with the
gurgling waters of the brook.

We went back to the seat of action--which was the iron trough where the
sheep have their salt put--and began to dress up the creatures. We had
just tied the Union Jack we made out of Daisy's flannel petticoat and
cetera, when we gave the soldiers the baccy, round the waist of the
Black and Learned Pig, when we heard screams from the back part of the
house; and suddenly we saw that Billy, the acrobatic goat, had got loose
from the tree we had tied him to. (He had eaten all the parts of its
bark that he could get at, but we did not notice it until next day, when
led to the spot by a grown-up.)

The gate of the paddock was open. The gate leading to the bridge that
goes over the moat to the back door was open too. We hastily proceeded
in the direction of the screams, and, guided by the sound, threaded our
way into the kitchen. As we went, Noel, ever fertile in melancholy
ideas, said he wondered whether Mrs. Pettigrew was bei