CHAPTER IX
NERO SCARES A BOY
Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him. At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.
But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:
"Well, well! it must be true. He isn't a circus animal at all." And then to Don the lion said:
"How do you happen to know Dido, the dancing bear?"
"Well, that's a long story," answered Don. "You can read all about me, and how I ran away, if you want to, for it's all in a book a man wrote about me."
"Thank you," returned Nero. "But I can't read, and I don't know what a book is, anyhow."
"Well, I can't read, either," said Don. "But I know a book when I see one. The little boy in the house where I live goes to school, and he has books. Sometimes I carry them home for him in my mouth. So I know a book when I see one.