"Oh, you mean the circus posters," went on Harry, for Bert had pointed to the bright-colored pictures advertising the performance. There were shown men jumping through paper hoops or hanging from dizzy heights on trapeze bars, ladies riding galloping horses, and all sorts of wild animals, from the long-necked giraffe to the hippopotamus, who appeared to have no neck at all, and from the big elephant to the little monkey. "Oh, I do hope we can see it!" cried Bert, as he and his cousin stood before the gay pictures. "I'm going to do my best to go!" declared Harry. The two boys hurried home, talking on the way of the circus posters they had seen, and wondering if there really would be shown all the wild animals pictured on the side of the barn. Bert saw his father and mother sitting out in the side yard under a shady tree, and, running up to them he asked: "Oh, can't we go? We want to so much! Nan, you ask, too!" he cried. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey looked at him rather surprised. "What's it all about?" asked Mr. Bobbsey, with a smile. "And what am I to ask?" "For a circus--wild animals--moving pictures--the parade--an elephant--lions, tigers--everything!" cried Bert, stopping because he ran out of breath. "Ask for all that?" exclaimed Nan, wonderingly. "No, Bert means the circus is coming," explained Harry, with a laugh. "The moving picture people are going to get views of the parade. The posters are up on the barns and fences. It's coming to Rosedale, the circus is, and--" "Oh, do let us go!" broke in Bert. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey looked at one another, questioningly. "Oh, wouldn't it be just grand!" sighed Nan. "What is it?" demanded Freddie, toddling up just then. "Is there going to be a fire? Can I squirt with my engine?" "Always thinking of that, little fat fireman!" laughed his father. "No, it isn't a fire, Freddie." "It's a circus coming!" cried Bert "Can't you take us, father?" "I'm afraid not, son," he said. "I have just had a letter calling me back to Lakeport on business." "Oh!" cried Nan and Bert in a chorus. "Do we have to go back to the city, too?" asked Bert, after a pause. "No, I am going to let you and mamma stay here," said Mr. Bobbsey, "but I have to go. I'll come back, of course, but not in time to take you to the circus, I'm afraid." "Mamma can take us," said Freddie. "Hardly," said Mrs. Bobbsey with a smile. "I want papa along when I have four children to take to a circus." "My father will take us," said Harry. "He always goes to a circus when one comes around here." "Oh, fine!" cried Bert. "Uncle Daniel will take us! Uncle Daniel will take us!" and he caught Nan around the waist and went dancing over the lawn with her. "Now may we go, papa?" asked Nan, when Bert let her go. "Well, I guess so," answered Mr. Bobbsey. "Uncle Daniel can look after you as well as I could." "If Uncle Daniel goes, it will be all right," Mrs. Bobbsey said.