Each one had a doll, and they practised a little song which they had sung in school.  It was about putting the dollies to sleep in a cat’s cradle, and a little mouse came in and awakened them, and then they went out to gather flowers for the honey bees.

Just a simple little song, but Sue and her friends sung it very nicely.

“And I know something else you can do, Sue, besides being a keeper of wild animals,” said Bunny.

“What?” asked his sister.

“You can ride in the wheelbarrow and drive Ned and Tom for your horses—­make-believe, you know.”

“But I don’t want to be upset, even on the hay!” Sue said.

“No, we won’t upset you,” promised Ned.

Then they practised that little act with Sue.

“When we give our real circus,” said Bunny, “we can cover the wheelbarrow with flowers, and nobody will know what it is you’re riding in, Sue.”

“That will be nice!”

As the days went on, Bunny and Sue found they would have to have more children in their little circus, so others were invited.  One boy brought an old rocking horse, and another had one almost like it, so they gave a “pretend” horse race around the barn floor.

Bunker Blue made a big sea-saw for the children, and every one who came to the show was to have a free ride on this.

“We ought to have a merry-go-’round,” said Bunny one day.

“I’ll make you one,” offered Ben Hall, the strange boy, who was still working on grandpa’s farm.

“Oh, will you!  How?” asked Bunny.

Ben took some planks and nailed them together, criss-cross, like an X. Then he put them on a box, and on the ends of the planks that stuck out he fastened some wagon wheels.  When four children sat down on the planks, and some one pushed them, they went around and around as nicely as you please, getting a fine ride around the middle of the barn floor.

“But we ought to have music,” said Sue.

“I’ll play my mouth organ,” offered Bunker Blue.

At last the day of the little circus came.  Bunny and Sue had decided that it was to be free, as they did not want pins, and none of the country children had any money to spend.  So the circus was free to old folks and young folks alike.

“You’ll come; won’t you, Mother?” asked Bunny the morning of the circus.

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“And will you, Daddy?” Sue wanted to know.

“Yes, little girl.  I want to see you ride in your chariot, as you call it.”  For Bunny had named the wheelbarrow that was to be covered with flowers, a chariot, which is what they use to race with in a real circus.

Splash had been most beautifully striped with blue, and, though he did not like being shut up in a box, with slats nailed in front to serve as iron bars, still the big dog knew it was all in fun, so he stayed quietly where Bunny put him.

The striped calf was in another cage, and he was given a nice pail full of milk to keep him quiet, so he would not kick his way out.  Calves like milk, you know.