by Enid Blyton
“I can’t help pinching you, I feel so glad!” she said.
“Well, it’s a funny way of showing you’re glad,” said poor Jimmy, rubbing his arm. “But you’re a funny girl altogether, Lotta—more like a boy—so I don’t mind much—I don’t mind anything today, because I’m joining the circus, the circus, the circus!”
“He’s joining our circus, circus, circus!” shouted Lotta, and she threw herself over on to her hands and turned cart-wheel somersaults all round the field. That made Jimmy laugh. It always looked so easy and was so dreadfully difficult when he tried to do it!
He went to find Mr. Galliano. Mr. Galliano was so pleased that Jumbo had been found and brought back safely that his hat was almost falling off, it was so much on one side. He was glad to see Jimmy again.
“You are coming with us—yes?” he cried, and banged Jimmy on the back.
“Yes, Mr. Galliano,” said Jimmy, his brown eyes shining brightly. “But we haven’t a caravan, you know. How can we manage it?”
“Easy, easy!” said Mr. Galliano. “We have an old small caravan that is used for storing things in. We will take them out, and put them into an empty cage for now. Your mother can clean out the old caravan and you can all come in that! Yes? But we go today, Jimmy, we go today! Is that your father I see over there—yes!”
It was. “Good-day, sir,” said Mr. Brown, smiling at Jimmy, who was capering round in delight. “We’ll all come with you, sir.”
Mr. Galliano took Mr. Brown to the old caravan and told him he could have it, if he would store the things inside it into an empty cage they had. Mr. Brown listened. He turned to Jimmy.
“Go back to your mother and tell her all this,” he said. “Take Lotta with you. She may be able to help.”
“We will not start till two hours later than usual, yes?” said Mr. Galliano generously. “That will give you and your family time to get everything ready.”
My goodness, what a day that was! Jimmy, Lotta, and Lotta’s mother, Lal, went rushing off to Jimmy’s home to help his mother. Lal was a great help. She looked quickly round the bare little house and said at once what was to go and what was to be sold. She found a man who would buy the things that were not wanted. She helped to take down the curtains. She said that the frying-pans must certainly all be taken—and the big kettle—and the oil-stove for cooking—and the little stool—but only one chair. The big bed could go into the caravan, for it was not a very large size and Jimmy would have to sleep on a mattress at night, in a corner of the caravan.
It did sound exciting. Lotta said they must take their two candlesticks, and a little folding-table. The iron must be taken, for circus clothes must always be fresh and stiffly ironed. The wash-tub could hang under the caravan. Jimmy entered into everything, and was so thrilled to think he would sleep on a mattress only and not on a bed that he could hardly stop dancing around.
“Jimmy, you are more hindrance than help,” said his mother at last. “Go to your father and ask him if he can bring the caravan down to the house as soon as possible, for we can easily put the things into it here.”
Off went Jimmy and Lotta, rushing at top speed. Neither of them could walk that day, things were too exciting! They found Mr. Brown. He had stored all the things from the old caravan into an empty cage, and had given it a rough clean. It was a small and rather ugly old caravan, badly in need of paint—but to Jimmy’s eyes it was beautiful! It was a home on wheels, and what more could a little boy want?
He went to fetch one of the circus horses to take the caravan down to his house. Soon there was great excitement in Jimmy’s street when the neighbours learnt what was happening. “The Browns are going off with the circus!” people shouted to one another, and they came to help. Lal scrubbed the floor of the old caravan for Jimmy’s mother. Lotta cleaned the windows. There were four—two little ones at the front and one at each side. There was a door at the back and the usual little ladder hanging down.
The carpet was put down. It was the one out of Jimmy’s little bedroom, for the other carpets were too big for the small caravan. No curtains fitted the windows, so those would have to be put up later. The stove was put in its corner. The bed was put in, but not put up. There wasn’t time for that. In went the one chair and the little stool, the frying-pans, and the kettle and all the rest.
In the middle of it all Lotta, who had gone back to help her own mother pack up, came flying down the road. “Jimmy! Jimmy! We’re off! Oh, do hurry! Don’t get left behind!”
The last few things were bundled into the old caravan. Jimmy waved goodbye and ran up the steps. His father sat on the front and clicked to the horse. His mother shut the door of her house for the last time and ran down the path, half laughing and half crying. The neighbours kissed her and wished her luck.
“Goodbye, Goodbye!” they cried. “We’ll come and see you all when next the circus comes here. Goodbye!”
The horse trotted down the street, with Lotta riding on its back, and Mr. Brown holding the reins. Lotta always jumped on a horse if she could!
They came to the circus field. Everyone there was on the move. The tents were down. The cages were in order. The caravans were passing out of the big gate one by one, Jumbo pulling three of them as usual. There was a great deal of shouting and yelling. It was all most exciting.
Jimmy’s father joined the line of caravans. Jimmy leaned out of his caravan. He saw Jumbo a good way in front, plodding along steadily—good old Jumbo. He saw Lilliput with Jemima the monkey cuddling him. He caught sight of Mr. Galliano shouting to someone, his hat well on one side.
Soon the field was empty. The circus was on the way to its next stopping-place. And with it were Jimmy and his mother and father, cosy in their caravan, wondering where they were going to, and what was going to happen to them.
“We’ve got a house on wheels, Mum,” said Jimmy happily. “I’ve always wanted to live in one. We belong to the circus now. Oh, isn’t it lovely?”
Jimmy’s mother busied herself in putting up the bed. There was very little room left in the caravan when that was up! Jimmy had to sit on it when he looked out of the window—but usually he sat on the top step at the door, whistling a merry tune as the circus procession passed through villages and towns, enjoying all the stares and shouts he got. Ah—Jimmy felt very grand—for he was a proper circus-boy now!
THE CIRCUS GOES ON THE ROAD
The first day that Jimmy travelled with the circus was really very exciting. The circus had to go slowly, for Jumbo the elephant plodded along in a very leisurely manner, and the caravans kept up with him. Sometimes the horses went on a good way in front and left old Jumbo behind with the three caravans he pulled—but then the horses had a good rest later on, so that Jumbo always caught up with them in the end.
Anyway, nobody ever minded how slow or fast the procession went along. Mr. Galliano always decided how long they were to be on the road to the next town. He sent one of his men in front of him to paste up great posters in the town they were going to, telling the people there about the circus.
This time they were to be two days on the road. They were going to a very big town—the town of Bigchester—and it was a long way off. They hoped to be there on Tuesday night, and by Thursday evening everything would be ready for the circus to give its first show. Lotta told Jimmy all this as they went along. She had come to Jimmy’s caravan and was sitting on the steps with him, being jolted up and down. Their caravan was being pulled by one of the ordinary horses, not one of the show horses, who were only used for pulling Mr. Galliano’s carriage.
“Oh, Jimmy, I am so glad you are coming with us!” said Lotta, her blue eyes shining like forget-me-nots. “I shall have you to help me every day now. I wonder what jobs Mr. Galliano will give you to do. You’ll help with the animals, I expect.”
“Yes, that’s what I’m to do,” said Jimmy proudly. “But I say, Lotta—won’t it be funny not going to school? I’ve always been, you know—and now I shan’t go any more.”
“Lotta!” said Jimmy, in horror. “You can’t write! How dreadful!”
“It isn’t dreadful,” said Lotta, going red. “I don’t mind! I’ve got nobody to write letters to, have I?”
“You want writing for other things besides that,” said Jimmy. “I shall teach you to read and write properly, Lotta. You will have to come to our caravan in the evening, and I’ll show you my books and teach you lots of things.”
“All right,” said Lotta. But she didn’t look very pleased. Lotta didn’t want books—they seemed dull to her. She made up her mind to be silly and stupid when Jimmy was trying to teach her, so that he would soon give it up.
Lilliput waved to them from the next caravan. He too was delighted that Jimmy was coming with them. Everyone liked the merry little boy.
“Hallo, Lilliput!” shouted Jimmy to the little fellow. “How are Jemima and the other monkeys? Were they frightened of the storm last night?”
“Not a bit!” yelled back Lilliput. “Jemima got down under the bedclothes and cuddled my feet. She always does that if there’s a noise going on outside. The others never made a sound.”
“Oh, fancy having a monkey cuddling your feet all night!” said Jimmy, surprised. That was the best of a circus. The most extraordinary and amusing things happened every day. Jimmy beamed. He was very happy. He could hear his mother in the caravan singing a little song. She was happy too. His father had a good job with the circus, Jimmy was going to work too, and she was going to be with them. Everything was lovely.
Just then the caravan went over a big stone and gave such a jolt that Jimmy fell off the steps and rolled on the ground. Lotta laughed till she cried. “That shows you’re not a real circus-boy,” she said. “A real circus-boy would never fall off caravan steps. Oh, you did look funny, Jimmy!”
Jimmy gave the cheeky little girl a push, and she rolled down the steps too. But almost before she reached the ground she turned a half-somersault, landed on her hands and swung over on to her feet again as lightly as a cat—and she was up on the caravan steps beside Jimmy giving him a hard pinch before he could say a word!
“Ow!” shouted Jimmy, for Lotta could give some really dreadful pinches. “Don’t!”
“Now, now, you two,” said his mother from inside the caravan. “Those steps are not a very safe place to quarrel on. Lotta, what have you done to your hair? It looks dreadful. Did you brush it this morning?”
“Brush it!” said Lotta, in surprise. “Of course not, Mrs. Brown. I only brush it when I’m going into the circus-ring when the show is on.”
“Goodness gracious!” said Mrs. Brown. “No wonder it always looks so untidy. Now, Lotta, if you like to go and make yourself really clean and tidy, you can come and have a meal with us. I’ve got some sardines and a new ginger cake.”
“Oooh!” said Lotta, who was nearly always hungry, just like Jimmy. “All right. I’ll go and do what I can. It seems a waste of time, and Lal, my mother, will think it very queer when she sees me tidying up—but I’d love to have something to eat.”
She jumped to the ground and ran off to her own caravan. Jimmy laughed.
“Oh, Mother!” he said. “I’m sure you’ll never change Lotta. She always has dirty hands and untidy hair, and she doesn’t care a bit if she has any buttons on or not.”
“Well, Jimmy, don’t you get it into your head that you’re going to get like that,” said his mother firmly. “Circus-folk are kindly, good people, but I do think they might be a bit cleaner and tidier; and Lotta’s got to learn that I shall not let her come to meals here unless she sits down as clean and tidy as we do. Now, come here and wash your hands.”
Jimmy squeezed into the caravan. Really, there was hardly room to move, with the bed and the stove and the tiny folding table. He dipped his hands into the bowl of water and washed them. He wetted his hair and brushed it. His mother was busy cutting up the ginger cake. It did look good!
Lotta soon came back. She looked quite different. Her hair shone and her face and hands were clean.
“Good girl, Lotta,” said Jimmy’s mother. Lotta was pleased, she liked Jimmy’s mother.
“You must sit on the steps and eat your meal there,” said Mrs. Brown. “There’s no room in here. I’ll give your father a sandwich and a piece of cake too, through this little front window.”
Jimmy’s father was driving the horse in front. They could hear him whistling as he sat there, enjoying the May sunshine and the sweet-smelling hedges as he passed them. Jimmy’s mother pushed open one of the little windows that looked out to the front of the caravan. She put out her hand and tapped Mr. Brown on the shoulder. He turned round in surprise.
“Sandwiches and cake for you, Tom,” said Mrs. Brown, and he took them in delight, for he too was very hungry. Soon everyone was eating hard, and there wasn’t a scrap left of that ginger cake by the time Jimmy and Lotta had finished.
“Oh, I do think this is fun!” said Jimmy, looking up into the blue sky. “Jogging along like this, nothing to worry about, no school tomorrow, holidays all the time.”
“Holidays!” said Lotta in surprise. “Why, Jimmy, whatever are you talking about? The only holidays we circus-folk get are the days when we travel, like this! It’s hard work all the rest of the time. Yes, and you just wait till we get to Bigchester and begin to unpack everything—you’ll hear Mr. Galliano shouting at everyone then and, my word, you’ll have to skip round and do your bit too. You don’t know what hard work is yet. School is play compared to circus life.”
The circus caravans, cages, and carriages jogged on through the long May day. The dogs yapped and barked in their cages, for they were hot and restless. Jimmy slipped along to see if they had plenty of water to drink. Such a lot of it got spilt during the jolting of the journey. He filled their big stone bowls up again, and gave them a handful of dry biscuits. They crowded round him, licking his hands and jumping up, delighted to see him. The sun shone down hotly into their big cage. Jimmy saw a blind rolled up at the top of the cage, and he pulled it down so that they might have shade. One little dog was bad-tempered with the heat and he was put into a separate cage, where he could lie quietly by himself. There were three or four of these separate cages at one end of the big caravan-cage, so that any dog could be separated from the others at times.
Usually they loved to be with one another, playing and rolling about, for they were a happy, healthy lot, very good-tempered and jolly. Jimmy peeped in at the little dog who was separated from the others and gave him some fresh water too. “Woof!” said the dog gratefully.
“We’ll give them a run when we get to our camping-ground tonight,” said Lotta. “It will be fun to go off for a walk this evening.”
On and on went the circus caravans through the May evening. The sun was sinking now, but the days were long and full of light.
Jimmy thought Jumbo must be very hot plodding all day in the sun—but Jumbo didn’t seem to mind much. Once Mr. Tonks stopped the caravan and took Jumbo to a stream nearby. Jumbo put his long trunk into the water and then lifted it up and squirted the cool water all over his dusty back. He did this a good many times till he was really cool, and then he suddenly squirted Jimmy and Lotta, who were standing watching him.
Lotta jumped out of the way in time, but Jimmy was soaked. How Lotta laughed!
“He often does that for a joke,” she said. “I guessed he was going to do it. Oh, how wet you are, Jimmy!”
Jimmy laughed too, and Jumbo gave a loud snort. “Hrrumph!”
“He’s laughing too,” said Mr. Tonks, his keeper.
About eight o’clock, when the sun was low behind the trees and the shadows were very long indeed, Mr. Galliano called a halt. They had come to a shady piece of woodland, and there was a brook nearby for water.
At once everything was bustle and flurry. The horses were taken out of the line and allowed to graze. The caravans were t
urned on to the grass, and the steps of each were let right down to the ground. The dogs began to bark, for they knew that a walk was near at hand. Jemima the monkey left Lilliput and darted up a tree, where she sat chattering and laughing. The other monkeys, who were not so tame as Jemima, were safely in their big roomy cage.
Fires were made and soon delicious smells stole through the air. It was such a glorious evening that everyone ate in the open air. It was warm, and the scent of nearby hawthorn, which lay like a drift of snow over the hedges, came all round the camp, making everyone sniff in delight.
Jimmy’s mother saw everybody making a fire near their caravans and she thought she would too. But she did not know the trick of making a camp-fire and soon she was quite in despair. Jimmy had gone off to help his father with some of the horses, and Mrs. Brown thought she would never be able to cook her herrings.
But Lotta came skipping along to help. “We’ll get it all done by the time Jimmy and Brownie are back,” she cried. “I’ll do the fire for you, Mrs. Brown.”
And by the time Jimmy and his father came back, the fire was crackling, the herrings were cooking, and it looked too lovely for words.
“Oh, I am going to enjoy my first evening camping out!” cried Jimmy.
THE FIRST NIGHT IN THE CARAVAN
Jimmy thought that herrings had never tasted so nice before! It was getting dark now and the fire they were sitting round glowed red and yellow. There were two herrings for everyone, and hot cocoa and bread and butter. Jimmy ate hungrily. Everyone chattered and laughed. It was nice to be at rest again after a day of jolting and jerking.
The circus horses grazed peacefully. They were tethered by long ropes, so they could move about freely. Someone had to keep awake and watch over them all night long, for they were valuable horses. Jumbo the elephant was having a good feast, for he was hungry too. They could hear him saying, “Hrrumph, Hrrumph!” now and again, as if he were talking to himself. Mr. Tonks had tethered him to a very big tree with a very strong wire-rope this time—for he did not want to lose Jumbo again if a storm came.