"And will you go, too, mamma?" asked Bert, slipping up to her, and giving her a kiss. "Oh, yes, I suppose I'll have to help feed the elephant peanuts," she laughed. "Hurray! Hurrah!" cried Bert, swinging his cap in the air. "We're going to the circus! We're going to the circus!" The children were delighted with the pleasure in store for them. They talked of little else, and when they found that Tom Mason and Mabel Herold were also going to the show, they were more than delighted. "Oh, what fun we'll have!" cried Nan. "I--I hope none of the wild animals get loose," said Flossie, with rather a serious face. "Nonsense! Of course they won't!" cried Bert. "If they do, I--I'll squirt my fire engine on them!" cried Freddie. "Lions and tigers are afraid of water." "But elephants aren't, are they, mamma?" asked Flossie. "I saw a picture of an elephant squirting water through his nose-trunk just like your fire engine, Freddie. Elephants aren't afraid of water." "Well, elephants won't hurt you, anyhow," spoke the little fat fellow. "And if a lion or tiger gets loose, I'll play the hose on him, just as I did at The Five-Pin Show." Mr. Bobbsey was obliged to go back to the city next day, but he said he would return to Meadow Brook as soon as he could. "And if you see that poor boy, bring him back with you, and we'll take him to the circus with us," said Freddie. "What poor boy?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "You know, the one who had the no-good money, and who ran away when we were out with you in the auto that time, and the two girls in the boat--don't you remember?" asked Freddie, ending somewhat breathlessly, for that was rather a long sentence for him. "Oh, you mean Frank Kennedy, who worked for Mr. Mason," said the lumber merchant. "Yes, that's the boy," went on Freddie. "If you see him, tell him to run this way, and we'll take him to the circus with us." "Poor boy," sighed Mrs. Bobbsey. "I wonder what has become of him?" "I don't know," answered her husband. "I'll ask Mr. Mason, if I see him. He said Frank was sure to come back. It is a hard life for a boy to lead. Well, take care of yourselves, children, and I'll come back as soon as I can. Have a good time at the circus." "We will, papa!" chorused the Bobbsey twins. Uncle Daniel readily promised to take the whole family to the circus. Rosedale, where the show would be held, in the big tents, was not far from Meadow Brook. "I'll just hitch up the team to the big wagon," said the farmer, "put plenty of soft straw in the bottom, and we'll go over in style. We'll take our lunch with us, and have a good time." "Is Dinah going?" asked Flossie. "Yes, I think we'll take her and Martha, too," said Mrs. Bobbsey, but when Flossie went to tell the colored cook the treat in store for her, Dinah cried: