“Wouldn’t it be awful if we couldn’t go to the circus?” said Bobby solemnly, as the last of the procession, the clown driving his own cunning pony and cart, went up the street. “After 116 seeing that parade I never could be happy ’less I saw them at the circus.”
“Well, we are going,” Meg reminded him practically.
“Let’s hurry,” urged Twaddles. “Maybe all the seats will be gone.”
“Daddy bought tickets,” said Dot dreamily. “Wasn’t the first pony pretty? And did you see the little dog riding on him? Do you suppose Philip could ride a pony, Meg?”
Meg was sure Philip could, if he had a pony to ride and some one to teach him.
As the four little Blossoms and Sam went downstairs whom should they meet but Doctor Maynard, an old friend of the whole Blossom family, and the doctor who had helped them set Philip’s leg when he had broken it.
“Well, well,” said the doctor, smiling, “I think I know what you have been doing upstairs––watching the circus parade. And now where to?”
“Home,” replied Meg. “We have to hurry, ’cause Daddy is going to take us to the circus this afternoon.” 117
“Do you suppose you would have time to have a soda?” asked the doctor.
The children thought they would, and Doctor Maynard lined them up before the fountain and let each one choose. Meg and Bobby, who always liked the same things, took chocolate, and Dot asked for strawberry, while Twaddles said he would have orange. Doctor Maynard and Sam had ginger-ale, which Meg privately thought unpleasant stuff, it tickled one’s throat so.