“Oh, Uncle Bill, I almost forgot!” cried the boy. “Have you that trick mule yet—Uncle Josh? The one I taught to play dead?”
“Uncle Josh? No, I haven’t got him, but I wish I had,” said the circus owner. “One of the stablemen took him away—stole him in fact—and I’d give a hundred dollars to get him back!”
Neale held out his hand, smiling.
“What do you mean?” asked his uncle.
“Pay me the hundred dollars,” was the answer. “I have Uncle Josh!”
“No! Really, have you?”
“I have! I thought you hadn’t sold him!” exclaimed the boy, and he told the story of the man on the towpath.
“Well, that is good news!” exclaimed Mr. Sorber. “I’ll send for Uncle Josh right away. I sure am glad to have him back. He was always good for a lot of laughs. He’s almost as funny as Sully, the clown.”
A few minutes later Neale and Mr. Howbridge joined Ruth and the others in the main tent.
Tess and Dot especially enjoyed the performance very much. They took in everything from the “grand entry” to the races and concert at the end. They were guests of the show, in fact, Neale having procured complimentary tickets.