n a little goat wagon.

The goats were decorated with the Fourth of July buntings and the
wagons had the tailboards out and were tipped up like circus chariots.

The clowns pulled up in line.

"One, two, three!" called Bert, with a really big revolver up in the
air.

"Ready! Set! Go!" Bang! went the revolver (a blank cartridge, of
course) and away started the chariots.

Jack wore a broad green belt and August had yellow. Jack darted ahead!

"Go it, green!" shouted one group of boys.

"Pass him, orange!" called another crowd.

Now August passed Jack just as they crossed the line.

"One!" called Bert. "We will have ten rounds."

In the next the wagons kept almost even until just within a few feet of
the line, then Jack crossed first.

"Two!" called Bert, while all the boys shouted for their favorite.

In the next three or four turns the riders divided even. Finally the
last round was reached and the boys had tied; that is, both were even
when the round started. This of course made the race very interesting,
as both had equal chances of winning.

"I'll put a dollar on green," called Mr. Bobbsey. "For the fresh-air
fund."

"I'll put one on orange," called Uncle Daniel, "for the same charity."

Then the ladies all wanted to bet, but Bert said it was against the
rules to allow betting.

"We will take all the money you want to give us," said Bert, "but we
cannot allow betting on the races."

"All ready!" called the ringmaster, holding his revolver high in the
air again.

Bang went the gun!

Off went the chariots!

My, how those little goats did run!

"Go it, green!"

"Go it, orange!"

Shout after shout greeted the riders as they urged their steeds around
the ring.

Suddenly Jack's chariot crossed in front of August.

"Foul!" called Bert, while Jack tried his best to get on his own side
again.

"Back! back!" yelled Jack to his horse (goat), but the little animal
was too excited to obey.

Finally fat August Stout, the funniest clown: dashed home first and won
the race!

"Hurrah for Nero!" called everybody. "Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted
the boys long and loud.

The circus was over!

The money was counted, and there was exactly twenty-three dollars to be
given the poor children in the Meadow Brook Fresh-Air Camp.

Wasn't that splendid? And to think everybody had such a good time too!

Freddie and Roy were allowed to ride home in the goat wagons, and they
tried to race along the way.