“Get a fall?” he asked.

The strange boy shook his head.  “I guess I fainted.  I must have ridden too hard.  I’ll be all right in a minute.”  He leaned his head against a tree and closed his eyes.

Sandy eyed him curiously, taking in all the details of his riding-costume down to the short whip with the silver mounting.

“I say, Ricks,” he called to his companion, who was inspecting the horse, “can’t we do somethin’ for him?”

Ricks reluctantly produced the short bottle.

“I’m all right,” insisted the boy, “if you’ll just give me a lift to the saddle.”  But his eager eyes followed the bottle, and before Ricks had returned it to his pocket he held out his hand.  “I believe I will take a drink if you don’t mind.”  He drained the contents and then handed a coin to Ricks.

“Now, if you’ll help me,” continued the stranger.  “There!  Thank you very much.”

“Say, what town is this, anyway?” asked Ricks.

“Clayton,” said the boy, trying to keep his horse from backing.

“Looks like somethin’ was doin’,” said Ricks.

“Circus, I believe.”

“Then I don’t blame your nag for wantin’ to go back!” cried Sandy.  “Come on, Ricks; let’s take in the show!”

Half-way down the hill he turned.  “Haven’t we seen that fellow before, Ricks?”

“Not as I knows of.  He looked kinder pale and shaky, but you bet yer life he knowed how to hit the bottle.”

“He was sick,” urged Sandy.

“An’ thirsty,” added Ricks, with a smile of superior wisdom.

The circus seemed such a timely opportunity to do business that they decided to rent a stand that night and sell their wares on the street corner.  Ricks went on into town to arrange matters, while Sandy stopped in a grocery to buy their supper.  His interest in the show had been of short duration.  He felt listless and tired, something seemed to be buzzing continually in his head, and he shivered in his damp clothes.  In the grocery he sat on a barrel and leaned his head against the wall.

“What you shivering about?” asked the fat woman behind the counter, as she tied up his small package.

“I feel like me skeleton was doin’ a jig inside of me,” said Sandy through chattering teeth.

“Looks to me like you got a chill,” said the fat woman.  “You wait here, and I’ll go git you some hot coffee.”

She disappeared in the rear of the store, and soon returned with a small coffee-pot and a cup and saucer.  Sandy drank two cups and a half, then he asked the price.

“Price?” repeated the woman, indignantly.  “I reckon you don’t know which side of the Ohio River you’re on!”

Sandy made up in gratitude what she declined in cash, and started on his way.  At the corner of Main street and the bridge he found Ricks, who had rented a stand and was already arranging his wares.  Sandy knelt on the sidewalk and unpacked his basket.