WHILE Eva was dressing for the afternoon circus performance, Connie and Veve mingled with the crowd which was arriving for the show.

“This will be our last day with the circus,” Connie said as they wandered about the grounds listening to the barkers. “In a way, I will be sorry to leave.”

“So will I,” agreed Veve, “but I’ll be glad to go back to camp too.”

The girls visited several of the side shows and did not have to pay to get in. By this time they were known to nearly all of the circus people.

“Keep watch for Pickpocket Joe,” Connie urged Veve. “I am sure he is somewhere in the crowd.”

The two Brownies did not see anyone who resembled the man in the least. Before entering the big tent to watch the afternoon show, they talked again to Clem Gregg. He told them he had not seen Pickpocket Joe either.

When it was time for the circus to start, Connie and Veve found seats in the front row near the center ring.

Veve enjoyed watching a man in a white suit who held a silver whistle. Whenever he blew it, she noticed that the band music changed. Then a new act went into the ring.

“I guess he must be the most important person in the circus,” she declared. “Without him, the acts couldn’t start or stop.”

The girls were quite worried when Eva’s riding act came on, for she had told them she had decided to try the difficult somersault that afternoon instead of waiting for the night performance.

“I’m almost afraid to watch,” whispered Connie nervously. “What if she should fall?”

She closed her eyes tightly as the beautiful horse cantered about the ring. But she opened them just in time to see Eva spring lightly from her mount. The little circus girl made a perfect turn, landing firmly on the back of the other horse.

“That’s the best somersault she’s done yet!” cried Veve, clapping hard. Eva seemed rather proud of herself too. She was smiling from ear to ear as she rode out of the ring. And she blew kisses to Veve and Connie.

“Let’s not watch the rest of the show,” said Veve, getting up from the hard seat. “We’ll be seeing it again tonight anyway.”

In the lot behind the big top, the girls found Eva who had made a quick change from her costume into jeans.

“Did you see my somersault?” she demanded as they strolled up.

“It was fine!” Connie praised her.

“Father said it was perfect,” Eva laughed. “And I did it easy as anything. I didn’t even think twice before I went into the snap.”

“Weren’t you afraid?” asked Connie.

“Only for a second,” replied the circus girl truthfully. “But I never will be again. I am sure I can do it from now on.”

“Of course, Eva, you won’t need to do somersaults if you leave the circus,” chuckled her father who stood nearby.

“Who is leaving the circus?” demanded Eva. “I have decided to stay right with it. Why, that turn was almost fun!” The circus girl was in high good humor. Many of the performers came to praise her, telling her they were proud because she had practiced so hard and conquered her fear. Even the man with the silver whistle stopped by to say a few words.

“Why aren’t you two girls in the show?” he asked, turning to Veve and Connie.

“Because we don’t know how to do anything,” replied Veve.

“I could give you a job,” laughed the man.

“What doing?” asked Veve. She was afraid the task might be too hard.

“I might let you blow my silver whistle,” the man proposed. “How would you like that?”

“You mean—when the circus is going on?” demanded Veve, stammering a little because she was so surprised and pleased.

“Why not? Here, let me see you try it now.”

He handed Veve the silver whistle. She took a deep breath and blew a long, hard blast.

“That’s the idea,” declared the man. “Only you must blow it sharp and quick.”

“May I try it too?” asked Connie eagerly.

The circus man handed her the whistle and she blew two quick blasts. “That’s the way, little lady,” said the starter. “It’s not hard at all.”

“But what if we should blow at the wrong time?” questioned Connie anxiously.

“I’ll see that you don’t,” he assured her. “I’ll stand beside you and tell you when to toot the whistle.”

Connie and Veve were so thrilled they scarcely could wait until the evening performance. However, they were a tiny bit nervous. What if they should blow the silver whistle at the wrong moment? It might ruin the circus!

“Do you suppose Miss Gordon, Mother, and the Brownies will get here in time for the show?” Connie remarked anxiously.

“I hope so,” said Veve, “but it’s a long distance for them to come. Something might go wrong so they wouldn’t get here.”

The afternoon wore on. Never had time seemed to pass so slowly. Veve and Connie wandered through the animal tent and visited the sleek-backed horses which were picketed back of the main top.

As shadows began to enfold the circus lot, the two girls became very uneasy. If Mrs. Williams, Miss Gordon, and the Brownies failed to arrive, they knew they would have no other course but to travel on to the next town.

“I don’t think they’re coming,” Veve declared in a discouraged voice.

“Neither do I,” agreed Connie. “If we travel on with the circus train, they may never find us.”

Just at that moment Eva came running across the lot toward her friends. The girls could tell from her smiling face that she had exciting news.

“Guess what!” she cried, skipping up to them. “They’re here!”

“Mother and Miss Gordon?” cried Connie.

The question was unnecessary, for behind Eva trooped all the Brownies, Miss Gordon, and Mrs. Williams. Although the newcomers looked rather tired from having driven so far, everyone was smiling.

“Connie, are you all right?” asked her mother, giving her a hug and a kiss. “And you, Veve?”

“We’re fine!” both girls answered together. And Veve added: “We’re to be in the show tonight!”

“Not in a real circus act?” demanded Jane, impressed.

“Just you wait and see,” laughed Veve. “Connie and I are going to have one of the most important parts in the show!” For the next hour, everyone tried to talk at once. Veve and Connie told the Brownies about their exciting experiences with the circus, while the Brownies in turn related many interesting camp incidents.

“Oh, I’d love to go camping, especially at a Brownie Scout camp,” declared Eva with an envious sigh. “It would be lots more fun than traveling all summer with a circus.”

Taking Jane and Sunny aside, she asked them a multitude of questions about the Brownie organization.

Meanwhile, Veve and Connie were catching up on events which had occurred since they had been carried away in the circus box car.

“When I couldn’t find you girls anywhere in Shady Hollow, I was nearly frantic,” Miss Gordon related. “First, I went to the hardware store, but the man there had no idea where you had gone.”

“Then what did you do?” Veve asked, enjoying every detail of the story.

“We searched the town high and low. Not only the Brownies but the Girl Scouts helped. However, it wasn’t until late in the day that the water bucket was found along the railroad tracks.” “The one we bought at the store,” supplied Connie.

“When we found that water bucket, you might know we were more worried than ever,” Miss Gordon resumed her story. “We were afraid you might have been carried away by a tramp.”

“I guess we did make a lot of trouble,” Veve sighed. “When we climbed into the circus car the engine wasn’t hooked on. We never dreamed the train would start off.”

“Finally, we learned that the circus train had gone through just about the time you two girls turned up missing,” the leader of the Brownies continued. “We began to put two and two together.”

“Was Mother real worried?” asked Connie.

“She was as soon as she learned that you were missing. And so was Mrs. McGuire. I wired both your mothers at Rosedale. Mrs. Williams started immediately for Shady Hollow. Before Mrs. McGuire could come, a wire arrived from the circus people, telling us you had been found.”

“I already was at Shady Hollow with my car,” Mrs. Williams completed the account. “So it seemed advisable to start here at once. The trip was rather hard on everyone. We must return early in the morning.”

After hearing the story, Connie and Veve knew that the Brownies could not have had too pleasant a time during the past few days.

Not only had the camping trip been interrupted, but both Mrs. Williams and Miss Gordon had spent considerable of their own money on the long automobile journey.

However, no one blamed the two girls for the way matters had turned out. Being good sports, the Brownies all said they didn’t really mind missing several days of camping fun.

“But they do,” Connie whispered to Veve. “I’m as ashamed as I can be for having upset everyone’s plans.”

Now the Brownie Scouts were pleased to learn that Connie and Veve were to be allowed to blow the silver whistle for the night circus performance. But, as was to be expected, they were a trifle envious.

Eva, who talked with all the Brownies, soon realized this.

“I know!” she exclaimed as an idea popped into her mind. “How would you all like to be in the show?” “How could we?” Rosemary asked doubtfully. “We couldn’t very well take turns blowing the silver whistle.”

“No, but you could ride in the golden coach in the opening number! Would you like to do it?”

“Oh, yes!” cried all the Brownies.

“Then I’ll ask right now!” Eva dashed away and soon ran back to report to the Brownie Scouts that everything had been arranged.

“Be sure to wear your Brownie uniforms so you’ll all look alike,” she advised the girls.

Miss Gordon had no objection to the girls riding in the golden coach, so the matter quickly was arranged. Eva told the Brownies their part would be very easy.

“When the coach passes the American flag, you’re to salute it,” she instructed. “That’s all you need to do.”

“Brownies always salute the flag, so it won’t be a bit hard,” declared Jane confidently. “I wish we had speaking parts too!”

Just before the dinner hour, Eva brought nearly all of the children of the circus lot to meet the Brownie Scouts. At first they were a trifle shy, but soon everyone was chattering as if they had known each other for years. Without intending to make the circus children envious, the Brownies told them about the wonderful camp at Shady Hollow and of the good times their organization had in Rosedale.

“Brownies have so much fun,” sighed one of the little circus girls.

“I wouldn’t mind traveling with the circus if only I could be a Scout,” Eva added wistfully. “But I never can be.”

“Why, you have enough girls of the right age to form your own troop,” declared Miss Gordon, who had overheard the remark.

“You mean we could have a Brownie troop here in the circus?” Eva asked in amazement. She never before had considered such a possibility.

“Certainly.”

“But we have no leader.”

“Is there no one in the circus who likes children and would enjoy helping them with their organization?”

Eva thought for a long while. Nearly everyone she knew was too busy to take on any added duties. Then suddenly she had an idea.

“Miss Whitlock might do it!” she cried. “She helps write publicity for the circus and is a nice college girl.” “Shall we talk to her?” Miss Gordon proposed. “Miss Whitlock may be just the person to organize the troop.”

And so it proved to be. As first, Miss Whitlock said she was entirely too busy to direct a Brownie Scout troop. However, after Eva and the other circus girls had teased and teased, she agreed to become their leader.

“We might arrange a mass investiture ceremony tonight,” Miss Gordon said thoughtfully. “But would it be possible on such short notice?”

“I guess you don’t know the circus!” laughed Eva in delight. “Just tell me what you’ll need and we’ll have everything ready after the show.”

“Everything?”

“I’ll just tell the wardrobe man what we need,” declared Eva confidently. “Scenery—costumes—flowers—just give me a list.”

“The requirements really are very simple.”

“Then may we have the ceremony tonight?” Eva pleaded. “I’ve waited such a long time to be a Brownie.”

Miss Gordon gazed from one expectant face to another. All the girls were waiting hopefully for her answer. “Yes, Eva,” she agreed. “If matters can be arranged we’ll have the investiture immediately after the show.”

“Just leave everything to me!” laughed the little circus girl.

With a shout of pleasure, she darted off to find the wardrobe man and tell everyone the exciting news.