Anyway, there was one person we never saw in the camp-fire blaze and that was Mr. Costello. If we had, we wouldn’t have seen the blaze. He was so big that he would have filled the whole fire. Harry Donnelle said he could even have blown a camp-fire out if he wanted to—even the big one at Temple Camp.

I wasn’t awake when Dorry started for Kingston in the morning, so I didn’t hear him go. But I knew when he came back all right. If I hadn’t known it, it would have been because I was dead.

He got back before noon and the first I saw of him he was sitting on a big, high fancy seat of a cage wagon, wedged in alongside a great big man with a high hat on and a cutaway coat and a red vest. The big man was driving and the two horses had sleigh bells on them and fancy harness and they made an awful racket. They were dandy white horses, though. Dorry looked awful scared and little alongside the big man. The cage wagon was all gold color and fancy on the top and the wheels looked like Fourth of July pinwheels.

Harry said, “Mr. Costello doesn’t exactly look as if he had sneaked off, does he? He’s not ashamed to be seen. What’s that, a searchlight?”

I said, “No, it’s a diamond; he’s got diamonds all over him. Somebody must have sprinkled him with diamonds before he started. He had them everywhere except on his feet. He had a big long whip in his hand, too. There was a man in the cage, besides; I guess he was a keeper.”

Harry said, “Get me a pair of smoked glasses, will you?”

As soon as the big man got down he took off his high hat and waved it and said, “How do you do, sir.” He said it in a big round voice, kind of.

Then he said, “I am Mr. Rinaldo Costello, proprietor of Costello’s Mammoth Show.” He talked so loud that he almost scared us.

Harry just said, “When I saw you coming I thought it was the village undertaker. We’re glad to welcome you to our temporary camp. We are also touring the country; this is my mammoth show.” Then he pointed to all of us fellows who were standing around, and Mr. Costello took off his hat again and waved it and bowed very low and held his whip so that I thought he was going to give us a crack with it, only he didn’t. I guess he was used to cracking that whip. It was awful funny the way Harry sat on the fence talking to him. I don’t know how it was, but that fellow could be awful funny.

Mr. Costello said, “This young gentleman who you were kind enough to send, has told me a very thrilling story. If it is all true I must pay my tribute to the dauntless young scout whose valor in combat is truly matchless.”

“Excuse me while I blush,” I said. I just couldn’t help saying it.

“He is known as Roy the Leopard Catcher,” Harry said. “In the wilds of Catskill village he is known by the natives as Skeezeks—Skeezeks the Bold. Allow me to introduce him.” Then he grabbed me by the hair and shoved me right out in front. Then he said, “Like all true heroes, he is modest. But perhaps you will wish to see Marshal Foch. We shall be sorry to part with him.”

Then they all followed Mr. Costello and Harry to the barn. Mr. Costello walked as if the whole world was looking at him. He looked awful funny, all dressed up that way in the country. I bet he was hot. I didn’t go, because I wanted to look at that cage wagon. It had gold mermaids on the corners of it, and oh boy, wasn’t it fancy. The mermaids’ tails went all along the sides. Inside there was hay on the floor. I bet it was fun for Dorry, riding on that thing. Every time the white horses stamped the bells would jingle afterward. Harry said it sounded like a junk wagon, but I liked them anyway.

I wished I was the man to ride inside of that cage with Marshal Foch. I guess he knew how to handle leopards all right, hey? Maybe they were good friends even. Gee whiz, I like hiking better than anything else, except apple pie, but anyway, I’d like to be in a parade, that’s one thing. That’s just what I said. I said it out loud to myself.