"Think so!" cried the one-eyed man, spiritedly. "W'y, he must jes' about go broke at it! Lookee! Twicet as much shirt as y' need, and at least five times as much pants!" Certainly there was no denying the statement. However, there was another side to Barber's generosity that Johnnie longed to discuss. Yet once more he decided to invite no argument. "It'll be worse if I had t' wear girl's clothes," was what he returned, philosophically. The street was dark just there. He was not able to mark the facial expression which now accompanied a curious sound from the region of the Adam's apple. But when the light at the palace corner was reached, a quick glance showed a stern visage, with mouth set hard and that green eye burning. And Johnnie's heart went out of him, for now he doubted again. They paused at the foot of those steps. "Do y' go t' school?" asked the one-eyed man. Johnnie shook his head. "He don't let me," he declared. But he was as careful as ever to speak with no bitterness. Without question, in this tall stranger Big Tom had an ally. "He don't let y'," drawled the other. "Don't let y' go t' school. Hm!--Say, y' know, I think I'd like that feller!" He must get away! Suddenly throwing all the weight of himself and his books into the effort, Johnnie tried to pull free of his companion, using both hands. The one-eyed man held on. His grasp was like steel--yes, even like Big Tom's grasp. "Aw, sonny!" he cried, as if suddenly repentent. Then seizing Johnnie under both arms, he swung him to the top of those steps. That same moment wide doors opened before them, and a vast, dim place was disclosed to the boy's astonished view. "Why--! What--! Oh--!" he marveled. The one-eyed man shut the doors by retreating and giving them a push with his back. Then he thrust Johnnie toward a second flight of steps. These led down to a basement only partly lighted, full of voices, tramplings, and strange smells. Frightened, Johnnie made out the upraised heads of horses--lines of them! He could see a group of men too, each as big-hatted and shaggy-trousered as this one who still had him about his middle. A great cry went up from that group--"Yip! yip! yip! yip! _yee-e-e-e-eow!_ One-Eye!" "Oh, Mister," breathed Johnnie, "is it the circus?" CHAPTER X THE SURPRISE "GIT on t' the size of it! . . . . Oh, my Aunt Sally! . . . . Lookee what the cat brung in! . . . . Boys, ketch me whilst I faint! . . . . Am I seein' it, or ain't I--w'ich? . . . . Say! they's more down cellar in a teacup!"