Miss Starr put a trembling hand on Andy’s arm.  A bright tear sparkled in her eye.

“Good as gold!” she said softly, “and true blue to the core!”

“Thank you.  I think I’ll get a drink of water,” said Andy, covering his own emotion at this display of others by a subterfuge.

He went to the end of the car.  At the moment he put out his hand for the glass under the water tank, a person from a near seat put out his also.

“Excuse me,” said Andy, as they joggled.

“Certainly—­you first,” responded a pleasant voice.

“Hello!” almost shouted Andy Wildwood, starting as if from an electric shock.  “Why, Luke Belding!”

“Eh?  Aha!  Andy Wildwood.  Well! well! well!”

It was the ambitious lion tamer of Tipton—­Luke the show boy, the owner of the famous chicken that walked backwards.

They shook hands with shining faces, forgetting the water, genuinely glad at the unexpected reunion.

“What are you ever doing here?” asked Andy.

“Me?” responded Luke, drawing himself up in mock dignity, yet withal a pleased pride in his eye.  “Well, Wildwood, to tell you the truth I’ve got up in the world.”

“Glad of it.”

“And I am on my way to join the Greatest Show on Earth.”

CHAPTER XXX

WITH THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

“The Greatest Show On Earth?” repeated Andy wonderingly.  “You don’t mean—­”

“I do mean,” nodded Luke vigorously.  “The one—­the only.  Is there more than one?  I’m on my way to join it.”

“You’re lucky,” commented Andy.

“And ambitious, and tickled to death!” cried Luke effusively.  “My!  When I think of it, I imagine I’m dreaming.  And say—­I’m a capitalist.”

“Well!” smiled Andy.

“Yes, sir—­see?” and Luke spun round, exhibiting his neat apparel.  “I’m an independent gentleman.”

“You do look prosperous,” admitted Andy.

“Living on my royalties.”

“Royalties?  How’s that?”

“You remember the chicken?”

“That walked backwards.  I’ll never forget it.”

“Well, sir,” asserted Luke, “it took.  When we left you, we struck a brisk show.  Big business and the chicken a winner from the start.  Another side showman offered me a big salary, and my boss got worried.  He agreed to pay me ten per cent gross receipts for Bolivar.  I knew he had a brother who was chief animal trainer with the Big Show.  I took him up on condition that he got me a place there.  He wrote to his brother, and I’m his assistant.  On my way to Baltimore now.  The show is on its way through Delaware.”

“Wait here a minute,” spoke Andy, and he went back to his friends.

Andy told them of meeting Luke, and the whereabouts of the Big Show.  Just then the conductor came into the car, and they had to make a rapid decision.