All Persons Are Warned to Keep Off These Premises
“‘Yes,’ I cried, ‘but that can’t possibly mean us because we’re not persons but just Gray Ears and Diggeldy Dan.’
“‘Not persons, eh,’ repeated the watchman as he scratched his head, ‘Well, now, I don’t know about that—’
“‘Besides,’ rumbled Gray Ears, ‘you see the—’
“And he placed the nose of his trunk near the big watchman’s ear and whispered something I couldn’t quite hear.
“‘Oh!’ came the reply, ‘Oh, in that case—of course. Why in the world didn’t you say so at first!’
“While to my utter surprise, he hurried to the gates that led to the street, unfastened the lock and threw them apart with so much of a flourish that one might have supposed us a prince and his train.
“Through the opening strode Gray Ears and we were once more on our way. Long rows of warehouses as dark and as silent as the depths of the night now shut the Very Biggest Circus from view. But over the edge of their frowning black tops a warm, yellow glow lighted the face of the sky. And we knew that this came from the tents for which we were bound.
“Up street and down street the two of us went, meeting no one at all. And then, of a sudden, our path was beset by a burly policeman who seemed not one whit less than a whole half-mile tall. There he stood—twirling his moustache and his round, polished club, and whistling a tune from over the seas. But at sight of us he shut his lips with a start, brought his club to his side and, raising one hand, signaled an immediate halt.
“‘Stop!’ he commanded. ‘You cannot come down this street.’