"Then came the difficult task of bringing down the little lad."
'You are a silly, you are; fancy wasting a brand-new shilling on a circus kid!'
'Nonsense!' was the elder boy's answer; 'first you nearly get run over by dragging her away from the horse's hoofs, and then you go and give her all your pocket-money—I've no patience with you.'
Secretly, Dick Chilcote admired the plucky action, but he was too proud to say so. But Phil, knowing nothing of this, looked very downcast.
The two lads were standing in the road which overlooked the meadow where 'Bagster's World-renowned Circus' had put up its huge tent, the place having a fascination for them.
'Those sort of people,' went on Dick, who was a bit too fond of hearing his own voice, 'have no gratitude.'
'Haven't they, young master?' said a voice in their ears.
It was Tom Venner—otherwise known as 'Long Tom, the Stilt-walker'—who spoke.