“It's a swell place,” she conceded grudgingly.
“We are comfortable,” he admitted, as a tell-tale smile again hovered about his lips. He was thinking of the changes that he must presently make in Miss Polly's vocabulary.
“Is this the 'big top?' she asked.
“The—what?” he stammered.
“The main tent,” she explained.
“Well, no; not exactly. It's going to be your room now, Miss Polly.”
“My room! Gee! Think a' that!” she gasped, as the possibility of her actually having a room all of her own took hold of her mind. “Much obliged,” she said with a nod, feeling that something was expected of her. She knew no other phrase of gratitude than the one “Muvver” Jim and Toby had taught her to say to the manager when she received from him the first stick of red and white striped candy.
“You're very welcome,” Douglas answered with a ring of genuine feeling in his voice.
“Awful quiet, ain't it?” she ventured, after a pause. “Guess that's what woke me up.”
Douglas laughed good-naturedly at the thought of quiet as a disturber, and added that he feared it might at first be rather dull for her, but that Jim and Toby would send her news of the circus, and that she could write to them as soon as she was better.