by Enid Blyton
They went to Mr. Galliano’s caravan. Inside they could hear Galliano’s deep voice and Laddo’s strong one, and they could hear the clatter of teacups as Mrs. Galliano washed up.
Jimmy rapped on the open door.
“I am busy, yes,” called Mr. Galliano. “Go away for a little while.”
“But please, Mr. Galliano, we must see you now!” called Jimmy. “Please let us come up.”
Mr. Galliano made an impatient noise. He was not in a good temper, for he was very disappointed to hear Laddo’s news. “Come, then,” he said. “What is it you children want?”
GOODBYE-AND GOOD LUCK!
JIMMY and Lotta ran up the caravan steps. Mr. Galliano glared at them.
“Why do you come disturbing me now?” he said. “You see I am busy—yes?”
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Galliano,” said Jimmy, “but we’ve had such a good idea, Lotta and I. Please, sir, why can’t Lotta be Laddo’s partner, instead of getting Madame Fifinella and going away to another circus? She’s as good as any grown-up circus-rider—I heard you say so yourself to Mr. Tonks the other day.”
“Your ears are too long,” grumbled Mr. Galliano. Laddo looked up, astonished.
“Has Lotta been in the ring by herself then?” he asked.
“You have not heard that—no?” said Galliano. “Ah, she is certainly a wonder, that little Lotta, though she still has much to learn. Yes, Laddo; she now has a pony of her own, the cleverest animal I have seen for years. And she and that pony perform each night in the ring with Jimmy and Lucky. It is a very good turn, yes.”
“She has worked and practised so hard, Laddo,” said Jimmy earnestly. “She could really do all you needed if only you’d teach her what she doesn’t know. She has watched Juanita and Pepita too, and she can do nearly all they can do. Couldn’t you let her try for a few weeks, and then perhaps Lal will be ready to take her place again?”
“That is for Mr. Galliano to say,” said Laddo, still looking very astonished to think that his small daughter had been working so hard and doing such surprising things.
Mr. Galliano drummed his fingers on the table. He turned to fat Mrs. Galliano, who was still washing up, and listening.
“What do you think, Tessa?” he said. “Will Lotta do for a few weeks?”
Mrs. Galliano was fond of the two children, and she looked at Lotta.
“She would do, I think,” she said. “It would be too much to give her such hard work for very long, but for a few weeks, yes, it would not matter. She is a clever little girl, and not afraid of hard work.’’ Mr. Galliano always thought a lot of his wife’s words. She did not talk much, but what she said was always sensible. He slapped his hand on the table and made every one jump “It is settled then!” he said. “Lotta becomes your little partner for a few weeks till Lal is well again—and you will write to tell Fifinella you do not need her after all—yes?”
“Yes, Mr. Galliano,” said Laddo, surprised and delighted. “Well, then, sir, Lal could come back to our caravan, couldn’t she—and we could look after her ourselves. She would be so much happier and would get better so much more quickly if she were with the people she knows and loves.”
“Certainly, certainly, certainly!” said Mr. Galliano. “Fetch her tomorrow, yes. Tessa, things look better. We will all have strawberry ice-cream for dinner!”
That was always Mr. Galliano’s way. When he was pleased he would send ice-cream or bottles of ginger-beer, or whatever came into his head, to all his circus-folk. He had a hot temper but a very kind heart, and all his people thought the world of him. He pushed his top-hat well on one side and nodded goodbye to Laddo and the children.
Lotta and Jimmy were overjoyed. Lotta ran squealing with delight to Mrs. Brown’s caravan, and for the second time that morning Mrs. Brown dropped the spoon into the stew.
“Lotta! I won’t have you ...” she began.
But Lotta didn’t let her finish. She caught hold of Mrs. Brown by the waist and danced round the caravan with her, shouting at the top of her voice: “Lal’s coming back tomorrow! I’m going to be Laddo’s partner! He’s not leaving the circus!”
Mrs. Brown, who had known nothing of what had happened, was quite bewildered. She pushed Lotta away and sat down, out of breath.
“Now, Lotta, behave!” she said. “Tell me things from the beginning, you silly child. I’ve no idea what you are talking about.”
So Jimmy and Lotta, both talking at once, told the news. Lucky barked with excitement and Lulu whined. It was difficult to understand anything, but Mrs. Brown listened patiently. In the middle of the story, Black Beauty, who had been left outside, became impatient, walked up the steps and stuck his head inside the caravan!
“Well, I never!” said Mrs. Brown. “There’s that pony of yours in the caravan now, Lotta. Well, I’ve had dogs and monkeys, but I won’t have horses. Shoo, shoo, Beauty!”
So Beauty shooed, and stood outside, whinnying for Lotta. Mrs. Brown heard the rest of the story and was pleased.
“I’m glad we can have Lal back,” she said. “Well, Lotta, you and I will be busy getting your caravan clean and tidy today, ready for Lal tomorrow, if she’s coming. Jimmy, I shall have a list of shopping for you to do, for Lotta’s larder will want stocking. You’d better have your dinners straight away, and then we can start.”
Dinner was lovely, for the pudding was strawberry ice-cream, of course, and really it was surprising how much those two children could eat!
Laddo’s horses were now safely in the circus-field. Lou and his sisters were packing up, for they were going to join another circus, after having a well-earned holiday. The children were sorry to say goodbye to them, for they were fond of the three riders and of their lovely white horses. But circus-life is made up of ‘Hallos’ and ‘Goodbyes,’ and the children were used to it.
Lotta and Mrs. Brown spent very happy, busy hours getting ready Lal’s caravan. The little girl hummed as she scrubbed the floor. Lulu wondered why she was so happy and kept coming up to lick her. Lotta had to keep pushing her down the caravan steps because her paws dirtied the nice clean floor!
The mats were beaten well. Jimmy cleaned the windows. Mrs. Brown sent him down to the town for some new blue cotton, and quickly made some pretty curtains herself for the windows.
The stove, which had not been used for months, was cleaned so that it shone. The little larder was washed from top to bottom, and as soon as the shelves were dry Jimmy put clean paper on each one.
“Goodness!” said Lotta, in surprise. “Lal won’t know her larder all dressed up in paper-lined shelves. We’ve never done that before.”
“Well, it’s time you began then,” said Mrs. Brown, briskly. “You know enough now, Lotta, to be able to keep your caravan beautifully, and just see that you do, or I’ll be after you with a broom!”
Lotta laughed in delight.
“You can come after me with six brooms!” she said. “But you wouldn’t catch me!”
Then off she went with Jimmy to buy all the things for her mother’s larder. She skipped along very happily, and Jimmy was glad too. What a good thing he had given Lotta her lovely Black Beauty, and how lucky it was that the little girl had worked so hard!
Laddo set off to fetch Lal from the hospital. He had hired a car and put plenty of soft cushions at the back. Lotta wanted to come with him but he said no, he wanted Lal to be quite quiet in the car, and she would get too excited if Lotta were there, telling her all the news.
So the two children waited in patience—or rather, in impatience, for they hopped up and down, ran into the road to see if the car was coming back, hopped up and down again, chased each other, and were altogether quite mad!
Then at last the car came back and the two children set up such a yell! Everyone came running up for all the circus-folk wanted to welcome back Lal, whom they loved. The car drove slowly in at the field-gate, Laddo trying not to bump over the ruts. Lal waved to everyone from the back.
“Welcome home,
Lal, welcome home!” yelled everyone. “Hurrah! Hurrah!”
How glad Lal was to come back to the circus she knew and loved so well!
Laddo carried her carefully into the pretty caravan and Mrs. Brown tucked her into bed.
The day passed quickly, and the night came; the circus was due to open once more. People began to stream in at the gates. The lights flared in the ‘big top’, and Oona strewed fresh sawdust over the ring.
We will leave Jimmy and Lotta whilst they are so happy. It would be fun to follow them on their way, but all stories have to end. Soon the circus will begin once more, and shouts and laughter and the cracking of Mr. Galliano’s huge whip will fill the great tent.
Oona has finished spreading the sawdust. He has gone to change into his glittering circus-suit. Sticky Stanley the clown is already in his suit, and is painting his face a queer mixture of red and white.
Mr. Wally is with Sammy the chimpanzee, dressing him in a new coat, talking to his beloved pet as if he were a child. Mr. Tonks is rubbing down Jumbo, and he has to climb a ladder to do that!
He too is talking to his elephant as if Jumbo were his best friend—and, indeed, he is!
Lilliput is dressing his four monkeys ready for their nightly tea-party in the ring. He is scolding Jemima because she has put four hats on, one after the other, so that Lilliput could not imagine where they were when he looked for them to put on his monkeys’ heads.
Laddo and Lotta are with their horses, giving them a last rub-down to make them shine for the ring. Lotta is very happy. She has on her beautiful frock and looks like a silvery fairy as she trots to and fro. Each time she passes Black Beauty she whispers in his ear, and he whinnies gently, nuzzling after her as she goes.
And Jimmy is—well, where is Jimmy? Not in his caravan, for only Mrs. Brown is there, stirring another of her lovely stews.
Brownie is busy somewhere, as he always is. Jimmy is not with him. He is not with Lotta either, nor is he in the ring, for that is empty, waiting for the first tan-tan-tara of the trumpets and the crack of Galliano’s whip.
We must find him and say goodbye to him. He is not with Lilliput. Mr. Tonks hasn’t seen him. Mr. Wally doesn’t know where he is.
What is that noise over there in the bears’ cage? It sounded like Jimmy laughing!
It is Jimmy, and he is playing with the five bears as if he were a bear himself! Mr. Galliano has said he may, and Mr. Volla is only too pleased to have someone who will make his bears so happy. Lucky is barking in glee.
Jimmy is fighting one of the bears with a pair of boxing-gloves on! Smack! Thud! Biff! What a game! How the bears love Jimmy, and what fun they are going to have with him!
Goodbye, Jimmy! Have a good time. Goodbye, Lucky, little dog Lucky! Maybe we’ll see you again someday!
The End.
Table of Contents
MR. GALLIANO AGAIN TAN-TAN-TARA!
FUN FOR JIMMY AND LOTTA
THE CIRCUS DOES WELL
THE TIGERS JOIN THE CIRCUS
BAD TEMPERS
JIMMY AND THE TIGERS
LOTTA DISCOVERS JIMMY’S SECRET
OH, POOR LITTLE JEMIMA!
MR. GALLIANO IS ANGRY
GOODBYE TO THE TIGERS
WHERE CAN LUCKY BE?
LOTTA DISAPPEARS
LOTTA’S AMAZING ADVENTURE
LITTLE DOG LUCKY!
LOTTA GETS A FINE REWARD!
THE TAMING OF BLACK BEAUTY
THE BEARS JOIN THE CIRCUS
LOTTA GETS HER CHANCE!
GOOD LUCK FOR THE CHILDREN
THINGS GO WRONG
GOODBYE-AND GOOD LUCK!