IN WHICH DAN PARTS WITH OLD FRIENDS AND PREPARES TO CLAIM A REWARD
“Never, I’ll warrant you, had the greatest of woods resounded with so
strange a commotion,” continued Diggeldy Dan, as he again took up the
thread of his story. “Never, I’ll make bold to surmise, had so singular
a carry-all with such a gayly dressed passenger boomed through the quiet
of its sunset hour. For what could have proved more of a surprise to
those peaceful surroundings than the approach of an elephant most as big
as a house, coming onward with strides as wide as a wall, and a clown
clinging fast to one foot!
“Yet, forward we crashed and we plunged, making straight for the
littlest town. Far ahead the tree trunks and the low-hanging boughs
showed blue-black against the russet and red of the sky that windowed
the woods to the west. And from this very same spot sprang long,
fan-like rays with edges of silver and edges of gold, travelling to meet
us and bathing all that they passed in soft, yellow light. Straight for
this light the two of us lunged—smashingly, dashingly onward—shaking the
ground and the glades as we went: bound for the edge of the town. Now we
came to the top of a leaf-covered slope that played floor to an open
space lined on both sides with trees. And there, at the end, was the
fast sinking sun, while smack up against its ruby-red face stood the
spire of a church in the town.
“At sight of the steeple we slackened our pace, veered a bit to the
left, and—in a half-minute more—reached the fringe of the trees for
which I had sped when I first took flight to the woods. Another stride
and Gray Ears had thrust his huge head through a rift in the foliage,
and we looked out over the field. And then I made a most startling
discovery.
“The circus was nowhere to be seen!
“Thinking I might have mistaken the spot, I sprang from my place to the
ground. But, alas! there were the holes that had once held the stakes,
and the tracks and the scars left by the red wagon wheels to prove what
I feared to be only too true.
“As I stood there, sadly surveying the spot, Gray Ears strode across to
my side.
“‘They have gone,’ I said to him, sadly, ‘gone on, leaving Diggeldy
Dan.’
“‘Gone, to be sure,’ he agreed, ‘but tush, tush—what a queer tone of
voice. And whoever heard of a clown with a mouth that turned down! So
cheer up, for doubtless it is all for the best. And in the meantime let
us again seek the trees, for I think I heard someone approaching.’
“True enough, as we slipped out of sight three figures came toward us
along a path that skirted the field. And, there walking hand in hand
with a big, broad-shouldered man, were the tow-headed boy and the little
girl with the forget-me-not bonnet.
“‘Of course, they’ll get another one, won’t they, Uncle Tommy-Tom?’ the
little girl was asking as they came within hearing.
“‘Oh, by all means. Every circus must have its clown.’
“‘But where-from will he come?’
“‘Well, I’m not certain,’ replied the one called Uncle Tommy-Tom, ‘but I
saw the ringmaster getting a gayly colored suit from out a big trunk
just after we had returned from the chase. And there was a man fussing
with an odd-looking wig and mixing some red and white paint. Then I
heard the two of them talking, and the man with the paint said he’d have
everything in shape by the time they reached the next town.’
“‘Oh, then, of course, they were getting ready to make a new clown,’
spoke up the tow-headed boy in a most knowing and positive fashion.
“‘Make one?’ questioned the little girl. ‘Make one how?’
“‘Why, up, to be sure,’ answered the boy. ‘Clowns are always made up,
though I can’t tell you up where ’cause the piece I read didn’t say.’
“And so, still talking, the three of them melted away in the gathering
dusk. Even as I stood gazing down the path they had taken, I felt my
companion’s trunk on my shoulder.
“‘Come, come, Friend Dan, there’s nothing to be gained by tarrying here.
Besides, I have already put my wits back to work and hit upon a plan by
which even now you are as good as engaged as a clown with the Very
Biggest Circus.
“‘No, not a word,’ was his warning command, as I sought to ply him with
questions. ‘For I have not yet completed the whole of my scheme.
Besides, our first thought must be of a lodging place for the night.
So—your arms round my leg once again.’
“Obeying, I mounted the big fellow’s foot and we plunged back into the
depths of the woods. Presently we came to a space well covered with
grass and here we made ready for bed. Hollowing a hole for the bumpy
part of his head, Gray Ears was soon stretched out on his side, while I,
using the curve of his trunk for a pillow, snugly bunked in the lee of
his ponderous front knees.
“Twice I sought to speak of the plan he had named and twice did my
companion bid me be silent. And so, lying there gazing upward through
the canopy of boughs to the patches of star-sprinkled sky, I pictured
the future that unfolded before me.
“The night was balmy and there were sweet-smelling flowers near my head.
Gray Ears’ trunk made a most comfortable cushion, and close by a cricket
sang. So, in spite of my musings, I was soon ready for sleep. Indeed, I
rather resented being suddenly roused and told to make ready for another
march through the woods. Still, I obeyed, and in what seemed even less
than a twinkling, found myself in a tent of marvelous size. In it were
simply whole battalions of clowns and, most wonderful of all, a
fireplace quite as big as the side of our own Hippo’s cage. Then from
somewhere there dangled dozens upon dozens of mile-long vine branches,
and taking hold of the ends of them the clowns began to bind some one
fast to the ground. Even as I looked I saw that the ‘some one’ was Gray
Ears. Yes, the strange clowns were making the big fellow a prisoner,
and, prying his great toes apart, were extracting the peanuts one at a
time! As fast as the nuts were removed they were taken to the front of
the fireplace. In vain did their owner protest. All were to be burned on
the spot.
“Finally the first of the peanuts was pushed to the edge of the fire. In
a moment I recognized it as my friend’s favorite nut—the delicately
colored pindar that had come from the islands. And crying, ‘No! No! Not
that one!’ I bounded straight for the hearth, bent upon rolling the nut
from the flames. The heat was intense. I could feel its hot breath on my
brow. Then a wind seemed to fan the flames into great, leaping tongues
and, looking about, I saw that all the clowns had joined round with
hand-bellows, which they were pumping for all they were worth. At the
same moment I reached forward to rescue the peanut. And then—I opened my
eyes.
“Above me was the same canopy of boughs, but through one of the chinks
where there once had shone stars a great shaft from the sun poured its
warm, dazzling light full in my eyes. Next, though not so much as a leaf
was astir, I felt the touch of a breeze and, turning my head, saw a
vast, moving car flopping first up and then down! And under that ear was
a face wearing a most mischievous smile.
“‘Why—Why—it’s morning!’ I cried, springing up. ‘But where is the tent!
And the clowns!’
“‘Morning, sure enough,’ answered Gray Ears, as he ponderously rose to
his feet. ‘As for tents and clowns and all that sort of thing, I’m sure
I’ve seen none, though I must say you were making fuss enough just
before you waked up to have been playing hide-and-go-seek with all in
existence. But tell me what it all was about.’
“And so, as we busied ourselves gathering berries and green grass for
breakfast, I related the whole of my dream.
“‘Now, really,’ I questioned in ending, ‘are there that many clowns with
the Very Biggest Circus?’
“‘Goodness, no,’ laughed Gray Ears. ‘Still, there are many—two score and
more.’
“‘Alas, then,’ I sighed, ‘they will not need Diggeldy Dan.’
“‘Nevertheless they will keep you,’ answered my friend, as we sat down
to our meal, ‘and for this reason: as you of course know, I am a runaway
from the Very Biggest Circus, and one of its very great features. Now,
while I said nothing at the time, I came upon this placard tacked to a
tree while you were examining the circus grounds at the edge of the town
last night.’
“And with that Gray Ears produced a square of bright yellow cardboard
with these words in tall type printed on it:
LOST
Gray Ears, The Elephant
Large and Suitable
Reward if Returned
to
The Very Biggest Circus
“‘Goodness,’ I cried at the sight of it, ‘we must be careful else some
one will capture you and take you back home before you are ready to go!’
“‘Careful, bosh,’ retorted Gray Ears. ‘Why begin being careful when I am
already captured?’
“‘Already captured!’ I exclaimed in amazement. ‘By whom?’
“‘Why,’ said he, ‘by none other than Diggeldy Dan.’
“‘But I don’t understand,’ I began. ‘You mean—’
“‘That you are to take me back to the Very Biggest Circus and claim the
reward—the reward of being allowed to be one of its clowns. So come now,
make haste and let us break camp. For we must be ready to enter the big
tent to-night and between now and then we have a long way to go.’”