Dene paused for just one moment, then, with a shrug of the shoulders, he turned and went back to the horses. He heard the snorting and panting of the tug, felt the vessel move, heard some cheers from the deck, and knew the tug was towing the vessel from the quay. For the next hour Dene was convinced that he was the most-needed man on earth; for everybody wanted him. He helped to get the horses into their stables; he bore a hand in putting the cages into position; he carried hay to the elephants and shins of beef to the lions; and while he was doing these and innumerable other tasks, someone was perpetually shouting in his ear, "'Ere, matey, lend a hand, will you?" But at last the confusion simmered down, and, wiping his face, Dene went with the other men below, where a meal had been hastily prepared for them. The insufficient light of a waving lamp fell upon a group of men and women he had seen on the quay. They were of the usual types which go to make up a circus company, and they all seemed merry and bright, and utterly indifferent to the noise and the discomfort. There were some nice-looking girls amongst them, and they were laughing and talking excitedly, their eyes flashing merrily as they crowded round the trestles which bore the steaming coffee, the chunks of bread, and the slabs of meat. With a not-unnatural shyness, Dene stood aside for a moment or two; but feeling that, at any rate, he had earned his supper, he drew near the board. As he did so, one of the men he had seen in the coffee-house caught sight of him, scanned him curiously, and said:-- "New hand, eh? What's your line?" This was a somewhat awkward question, and Dene temporized. "Well, I don't quite know," he said. "I've been lending a hand generally." The man looked at him with an increased interest, as if struck by the tone of Dene's voice. "Oh!" he said, thoughtfully. "Engaged at the last moment? Well, you'd better go and see the guv'nor." "Gentleman in the fur coat?" asked Dene. "The same," said the man, with a grin. "You haven't met him yet? Engaged through an agent, I suppose? Well, you've got a novel experience awaiting you. Better look him up at once; he's in his cabin at the present moment." "Thanks. I will," said Dene. "My name's Sidcup," said the man, in a friendly way. "What's yours?" This was another staggerer. "Oh, mine's--Sydney Green," said Dene. Mr. Sidcup smiled and winked. "Good name," he said. "Short; descriptive; good professional name." Dene coloured, but passed off his embarrassment with a laugh. "You'll find you've not joined a bad lot, Mr. Green," said Sidcup, with a jerk of his head towards the collected company. "It's a good show, and some of us"--he passed his hand over his smooth chin, and pulled down his waistcoat complacently--"are not without talent." "I'm sure of that," said Dene, with an air of conviction. "I'll go and see--what is the proprietor's name?"