"Well, then, my dear, if you want tea you shall have it," replied Uncle William.
He hailed a fly, and took the children immediately to the best hotel in the town.
When Fortune found herself alone she turned round, and gazed to right and left of her. The great tent was almost empty, for the spectators had all departed; a few, however, were standing in little groups talking to one another. Fortune edged near one of these. It consisted of a good-looking young man and two pretty girls. They were standing opposite the poster which gave such a lifelike account of little Diana and Orion.
"I see you are reading that poster," said Fortune, "and maybe you're interested?"
"Why, of course we are," said one of the girls, turning and looking at Fortune.
"Now, I wonder," continued Fortune Squeers, "if it lies anywhere in your power to give me a bit of help? Fact is, I'm interested in the children described in that poster, and as I was sitting inside the circus, I heard a neighbor say that the children belonging to your show were not present. Being an American, I never lose any clews, and there may be just the ghost of a chance that the children who were not at the performance to-day are the very identical same children that are written about in that there poster. Maybe you has heard of those children—that is, if you are Madersley folk?"
"Yes, yes; we are Madersley folk," said the young man, now turning and speaking eagerly to Fortune.
"Well, sir, do you know anything about the children who were not in the circus to-day?"
"I have heard of them, of course," said the man. "Don't you remember, Amelia," he added, "when I came home last Saturday night how I told you we must go and see Holt's circus, for he had got a little girl who was riding wonderfully? I could not manage it on Saturday, and to-day, it seems, she's off."
"And he had a boy as well, hadn't he?" said Fortune.