“I wonder what will happen to me now,” thought Tinkle, and very many strange things were to happen. I am going to tell you about them.
CHAPTER X
TINKLE AND TUM TUM
“Well, come along now, pony. I’ll see how many tricks you know and how many I can teach you.”
It was the circus man who had bought Tinkle who was speaking, but Tinkle was so taken up with looking about him, at the strange sights all round that he did not at first listen.
“Come along!” called the man again, and then Tinkle heard a whistle. This time he turned around quickly. For a moment he thought his dear little master George had come for him, but he saw only the circus man, and other strange men and animals all about.
“It must have been the man who whistled to me,” said Tinkle to himself. “I guess, though, he wants me to come with him, as George used to want me to go with him when he whistled. I’ll go.”
So Tinkle followed the man, which was just what the man wanted. He led Tinkle along by the rope made fast to his halter.
“Well, you know something, to start with,” said the circus man, smiling at Tinkle. The pony, of course, did not know what a smile meant, but he did know that the man spoke in kind tones and not sharp and cross as had the moving men, sometimes. Besides the circus man talked to the pony, and the other men had not.