Billy looked very scrumptious in his silver-plated harness, newly polished, especially after he was hitched to the new wagon, marked in gilt letters on the sides “Overland Limited,” with Master Dick in the seat, reins in hand, but no whip for Billy Whiskers had early given them to understand that a whip was worse than useless where he was concerned.
The procession finally moved off with Tom on one side of Billy and Harry on the other.
“We’ll have to keep this up,” whispered Harry, “until we get out of mother’s sight, and then we can go as we please.” Harry was always called a “queer child.”
At The Corners Billy Whiskers saw for himself the wonderful bill posters that Tom had told Jack Wright about.
The boys spent as much time as they dared looking at them, which gave Billy a good chance to carefully examine the marvelous sights.
As all my readers know how circus billboards look and how much they make one want to go to the show, they will not be surprised that Billy Whiskers quite forgot the warning of old Mr. Coon and again decided that he must see for himself these wonderful animals and astonishing performances that the reading at the bottom said were but faintly portrayed by the pictures above.
When Billy reached home, having brought little Dick and his wagon safely through, he lay down to think over once more the Circus, the difficulties in the way and the fun it promised.
All of a sudden he bethought him of his old friend and fellow-traveller, Terrence Bull Pup, who, he now remembered, was living in Springfield where the Circus was to hold forth. Although Billy had not answered Terrence’s last letter, having made up his mind to cut loose from his reckless friends when he came to Cloverleaf to live, he nevertheless now decided to write to him, telling of his intention to come to the Circus and ask his advice about a place to stay.
“Of course,” thought Billy, “he’ll ask me to come and stop with him.”