"Well," said Mr. Brown, to the Italian, after he had listened carefully, "I'm sorry you had your trip for nothing. But of course the children did not know any better. It is only a little circus, and you would not sell many balloons. But, as long as you came away back here, I guess we can give you something to eat, and we'll buy some balloons of you for the children."
"Thanka you. Mucha de 'bliged," said the Italian with a smile.
He seemed happy now, and after Grandma Brown had given him some bread and meat, and a big piece of pie, out on the side porch, he started off down the road again, smiling and happy. Bunny and Sue were each given a balloon by their father, who bought them from the Italian.
"And don't invite any more peddlers to your circus, children," said Mr. Brown.
"We won't," promised Bunny. "But we thought the balloons would be nice."
"We can have the hired man sell pink lemonade and peanuts; can't we?" Sue wanted to know.
"Yes, I guess so—if he wants to," laughed Grandpa Brown.
"Well, we have some balloons ourselves, anyhow," said Bunny to his sister that night.
The children had much fun with their balloons next day. They tied long threads to them, and let them float high in the air. Once Sue's nearly got away, but Bunny ran after the thread, which was dragging on the ground, and caught it.
The big boys had not forgotten about the circus, all this while. Bunker, Ben and their friends had put up the tent Grandpa Brown let them take, and Bunny and Sue went inside.