"Now there is going to be a circus procession on Fifth Avenue. It is just about time for it; so we will go round the corner and see it."
"What is a circus procession?" she inquired gravely.
"You shall see for yourself in a few minutes," I answered briefly.
We went across Twenty-ninth Street to Fifth Avenue, and stationed ourselves on a high brownstone stoop, which, fortunately for us, was not yet crowded. All along the streets people were waiting in serried rows. Small boys were mounted on trees, calling out jeering exclamations to those below; fruit venders and venders of peanuts elbowed their way about, or stood on corners with furnaces aglow for the roasting of chestnuts. It was a busy, animated scene; while the cheerful laughter and the shrill, gleeful voices of the children added to the general mirth.
Presently the arrival of the procession was announced by the small boys and the blowing of a bugle by a man on horseback. The first to appear was a train of magnificent horses, some with Arab riders, some controlled by wonderfully dexterous women. Next in order was a beautiful lady, clad in a gorgeous, bespangled costume, seated in a gilt chariot and driving with the utmost skill six snow-white horses.
"A gold carriage!" whispered Winifred, awestricken. "Oh, if Barney and Moira could only see that!"
"All is not gold that glitters," I replied promptly. "But the white horses are certainly beautiful."
"Oh, what are these?" she asked.
I looked. It was the camels that had attracted the child's attention. Their appearance so astonished and amused her that she went off into peals of merry laughter, which caused many a responsive smile around us.