Ben and Bunker were putting away the boxes and boards that had been used for seats in the circus.  And, as Ben spoke, one of the boards slipped off a box.  Bunker pulled his foot away, but not in time to prevent being struck by the board.

“Ouch!” he cried, and then he forgot that he had asked Ben about that boy’s having been in a circus.  Ben was glad he did not have to answer that question.

When Bunker and Ben had made the barn look as neat as it was before the little circus was held, and when the blue stripes had been washed off Splash, the two big boys sat and talked until supper was ready.

“What do you think about getting up a larger circus?” asked Bunker.

“Why, I guess we could do it,” said Ben.

“Are there some big boys around here?”

“Lots of ’em.  I’ve met some since I came here with Bunny, Sue and their family.  We could get the big fellows together, and give a real show, in a tent.”

“Would we have any little folks in it?”

“Well, we’d have Bunny and Sue, of course, because they started this circus idea.  They’re real cute; don’t you think?”

“They certainly are,” agreed Ben.  “I like ’em very much.  Well, we’ll think about another circus.  We’ll need a larger tent than the one Mr. Brown has.  Can we get one?”

“I think so.  The folks around here used to have a county fair in a tent, and we might get that.  We could charge money, too, if we gave a good show.”

“That would be nice,” said Ben, with a laugh.  “I’d like to earn some money.”

That night after supper, when Bunny and Sue were getting ready for bed, after having talked the circus all over again, they heard their grandfather saying to Daddy Brown: 

“I can’t make out what sort of boy that Ben Hall is.”

“Why, isn’t he a good boy?” asked Bunny’s father.

“Oh, yes, he’s a very good boy.  I wouldn’t ask a better.  He does his work on the farm here very well.  But there is something strange about him.  He has some secret, and I can’t find out what it is.”

That was all Bunny heard.  Sue did not stop to listen to that much.  But Bunny wondered, as he was falling asleep, what Ben’s secret was.  It was some time before he found out.

“What are we going to do to-day, Bunny?” asked Sue, as she and her brother went outdoors, after breakfast next morning.

Bunny did not answer at first.  He walked slowly down to the edge of the little pond where the ducks swam, and there he saw an old barn door that had been laid down so Grandma Brown would not have to step in a wet and muddy place when it rained.

“What can we do to have some fun, Bunny?”

Still Bunny did not answer.  He went closer to the old door, and then he suddenly said: 

“Sue, we’re going sailing!”

“Going sailing?”

“Yep.  This will be our ship.  All we’ll have to do will be to put a sail on it and we’ll sail across the duck pond.  Come on.”