"Certainly—you first," responded a pleasant voice.
"Hello!" almost shouted Andy Wildwood, starting as if from an electric shock. "Why, Luke Belding!"
"Eh? Aha! Andy Wildwood. Well! well! well!"
It was the ambitious lion tamer of Tipton—Luke the show boy, the owner of the famous chicken that walked backwards.
They shook hands with shining faces, forgetting the water, genuinely glad at the unexpected reunion.
"What are you ever doing here?" asked Andy.
"Me?" responded Luke, drawing himself up in mock dignity, yet withal a pleased pride in his eye. "Well, Wildwood, to tell you the truth I've got up in the world."
"Glad of it."
"And I am on my way to join the Greatest Show on Earth."