"There now, old fellow," said the circus man kindly. "No one is going to hurt you. You'll be all right. Just sit on. Prince won't run away with you."
Mappo was not so frightened now, and as the man held him on the dog's back, he did not fall off. [Around and around in a ring went Prince carrying Mappo.] Finally the monkey saw that he was in no danger of falling, and he sat up straighter.
"I guess you can go alone now," said the man. "Go on, Prince!"
Mappo sat up proudly, holding the reins. He was riding alone, though of course not very fast, for Prince only walked now.
For two or three days Mappo practiced this trick, and each day he did it better. Each day, too, when he had finished it, he was given something good to eat, and so was Prince.
"Now we'll try it faster to-day," said the man, after Mappo had been in the circus about a week. "Run, Prince, and give Mappo a fast ride."
Off started Prince, almost before Mappo was ready for him. And, just as you might expect, Mappo fell off and rolled over and over in the sawdust.
"Chatter-chatter-chat! Bur-r-r-r! Buz-z-z-z-z! Wur-r-r-r-r!" went Mappo, excitedly.
"Bow wow!" barked Prince, capering about.
"Hold on! That's not the way to do it! You must hold on tightly!" cried the circus man.