Tom's costume was a splendid imitation of a cowboy. He wore tan- colored overalls and a jumper, the jumper being slashed up at the sides like an Indian's coat. On his head was a very broad sombrero, this hat having really come from the plains, as it belonged to a Western farmer who had lately moved to Meadow Brook.
Presently Tom appeared again, this time riding the fiery Sable. "Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys, as Tom drove into the ring like amajor.
Bert now stepped into the middle of the ring alongside of some soap boxes that were piled up there.
"Now you see ladies and gentlemen," began Bert, laughing a little at the show in broad daylight, "you see this (the soap boxes) is a mail coach. Our cowboy will rob the mail coach from his horse just as they used to do in the mountains of Arizona."Snap went the whip, and away went Sable around the ring at a nice even canter. After a few turns around Tom urged his horse on a little until he was going on a steady run. Every one kept quiet, for most of Meadow Brook people had heard how Sable had run away some days before.
"There ought to be music," whispered Jack to Harry, for indeed the circus was so real it only lacked a brass band.
Now Bert put on top of the soap boxes Harry's canvas schoolbag stuffed full of papers.
"This is the United States mail," he said. "We will understand that the coach has stopped for a few minutes."Sable was going along splendidly by this time, and everybody said what a pretty little horse he was.
"He's goin' to steal the mail box now!" whispered Flossie to Freddie. "I hope Sable won't fall or anything."Snap! snap! went the whip as the horse ran faster and faster.
All of a sudden Tom got a good tight hold on the reins, then he pulled up alongside of the mail coach, leaned over, grabbed the mail bag, and spurred his horse at full speed around the ring.
"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted everybody. "Well done!" called Uncle Daniel.
"Couldn't be better!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey.
Tom waved his hat now and patted Sable affectionately, as all good riders do when their horses have done well in the ring.
The men admired the little horse so much they came up and asked the "cowboy" a lot of questions about him, how old he was and who broke him in.
"One more number," called Bert. "The chariot race."At this all took their seats again, and out trotted two clowns, Jack and August, each riding in a little goat wagon.
The goats were decorated with the Fourth of July buntings and the wagons had the tailboards out and were tipped up like circus chariots.
The clowns pulled up in line.
"One, two, three!" called Bert, with a really big revolver up in the air. "Ready! Set! Go!" Bang! went the revolver (a blank cartridge, ofcourse) andaway started the chariots.
Jack wore a broad green belt and August had yellow. Jack darted ahead!
"Go it, green!" shouted one group of boys. "Pass him, orange!" called another crowd.
Now August passed Jack just as they crossed the line. "One!" called Bert. "We will have ten rounds."In the next the wagons kept almost even until just within a few feet of the line, then Jack crossed first.
"Two!" called Bert, while all the boys shouted for their favorite.
In the next three or four turns the riders divided even. Finally the last round was reached and the boys had tied; that is, both were even when the round started. This of course made the race very interesting, as both had equal chances of winning.
"I'll put a dollar on green," called Mr. Bobbsey. "For the fresh-airfund."
"I'll put one on orange," called Uncle Daniel, "for the same charity."Then the ladies all wanted to bet, but Bert said it was against the rules toallow betting.
"We will take all the money you want to give us," said Bert, "but we cannotallow betting on the races.""All ready!" called the ringmaster, holding his revolver high in the air again.
Bang went the gun! Off went the chariots!
My, how those little goats did run! "Go it, green!""Go it, orange!"
Shout after shout greeted the riders as they urged their steeds around thering.
Suddenly Jack's chariot crossed in front of August.
"Foul!" called Bert, while Jack tried his best to get on his own side again.
"Back! back!" yelled Jack to his horse (goat), but the little animal was tooexcited to obey.
Finally fat August Stout, the funniest clown: dashed home first and won therace!
"Hurrah for Nero!" called everybody. "Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted theboys long and loud.
The circus was over!
The money was counted, and there was exactly twenty-three dollars to begiven the poor children in the Meadow Brook Fresh-Air Camp.
Wasn't that splendid? And to think everybody had such a good time too!
Freddie and Roy were allowed to ride home in the goat wagons, and they triedto race along the way.
A committee of five boys, Bert, Harry, Jack, Tom, and August, took the money over to the fresh-air camp the next day, and the managers said it was a very welcome gift, for new coats were needed for some sickchildren that wereexpected to come out from the city as soon as provision could be made forthem.
