"Oh, it's the circus-boy!" Flossie cried. "Did you bring any trained monkeys or elephants with you?" she asked.
"No, not this time, I'm sorry to say," replied Frank. "They wouldn't let me take any of the animals with me when I came away."
"Well, did you bring any—any peanuts?" asked Freddie. "Peanuts are good, even if you haven't any elephants to eat 'em."
"No peanuts, either," went on Frank. Poor lad! He looked so hungry that if he had had any peanuts he probably would have eaten them himself.
"Well, did you bring any—any balloons?" Flossie wanted to know.
"Well, yes, I have some toy balloons," said Frank, and he pulled some pieces of rubber from his pocket. "These are circus balloons before they are blown up," explained Frank. "You can use a hollow goose quill to blow them full of air, and then tie a string, or thread, around the bottom, so the air won't come out. They won't go up like circus balloons, though," Frank said.
"Why not?" Freddie wanted to know.
"Because they have only air in them, instead of gas," Frank explained. "Gas is lighter than air, and that makes it lift the balloon. But you can have some fun with these," and he gave two each to Flossie and Freddie. "One of the circus men gave them to me," he went on. The children were soon playing with the balloons.
By this time Mrs. Bobbsey had come out of the house, and when she saw
Frank she remembered him at once.
"Oh, it is very good to see you again," she exclaimed, and she looked sorry when he told her he had lost his place with the circus.