“Lion,” said Dan, as he took one of the big fellow’s paws in both his hands, “I am sure that this nose of mine showed extremely good sense in leading me first of all to your door. And now we will take the cages as they come.” So Dan, accompanied by Lion, went to the gilded home of Tiger; then the three of them passed on to that occupied by Leopard—and so, on around the great circle, until every single one of the animals had been loosed from its cage. With Dan in the lead, they formed a long, winding line and then—the serpentine entirely complete—moved forward, for all the world like a troupe of children playing at lock step. Round and round they marched, swaying from side to side and singing at the very tops of their voices, with Dan tossing his head from right to left, like the drum-major in a band, and holding out the sides of his baggy white trousers, just as clowns ofttimes do at the circus. But after the strange procession had paraded three times around the circle, Dan signaled a halt. “No! No! Let’s do it some more,” pleaded all the animals. And, though he was somewhat out of breath, Dan gave consent and off they all pranced again, making more of a din than before. But, at the farther end of the great tent, the old clown clapped his hands and the long line stopped in its tracks. And doffing his round, funny hat, Dan saw that the Petal Watch was all but closed. “Quick! Quick! There! Into your cages or we’ll all be caught!” he cried. “Monkey, you will go in last and, meantime, help me close all the doors.” And, with Dan scurrying about and Monkey running so very fast that he fastened two doors to the old clown’s one, the task was completed in no time at all. “Now,” said Dan, after Monkey had been tucked away, “I’ll say good-by till to-morrow. And then, at half-past twilight, I’ll come again and we’ll hold a great meeting and lay all manner of plans. In the meantime, remember, not a word to a soul.” “Not a word to a soul,” echoed the animals in chorus. So, swinging his hat as he went, Diggeldy Dan danced down the length of the menagerie tent and then, stopping at the end of it to give a last wave to his friends, disappeared in the depths of the dusk. CHAPTER IV IN WHICH THE ANIMALS ELECT OFFICERS On as fine an evening as one might wish for and at exactly seven minutes past half-past twilight by the Petal Watch, Diggeldy Dan stood in the very center of the great menagerie tent, while before him were grouped all the animals of Spangleland. Coming from their cages and from out their corrals or, like Elephant, Zebra, and Camel, being unhooked from their chains by Monkey and Dan, they had arranged themselves much as one sees them pictured in great atlases or on gayly colored posters, but never, strangely enough, at the circus itself.