WHILE Connie was trying to explain to the lady about the two watches, Clem Gregg hurried over, bringing Pickpocket Joe.

Close behind him were the Brownies, the fat gentleman, Miss Gordon and Connie’s mother.

Seeing the big yellow gold watch, the stout man immediately identified it as his property.

“And this is my billfold too!” he exclaimed. Rapidly he counted the money. None of it was missing.

“Miss Gordon, isn’t this your lost wrist watch?” Connie asked the teacher, showing her the other recovered article.

“Why, it certainly is!” cried the amazed Miss Gordon. “See, my initials are on the case!”

“How about the Brownie camp money?” Jane interposed hopefully. “Is it here too?” The Brownies and Mr. Gregg searched carefully under the seat where the lady had found the two watches. Miss Gordon’s billfold was not to be found.

“Pickpocket Joe undoubtedly threw it away long ago and spent the money,” commented Mr. Gregg. “In my opinion, Miss Gordon, you’re lucky to recover your watch.”

“I think so too,” agreed the troop leader. “My, how proud I am of Veve, Connie, and all my girls.”

“Then you’re not annoyed at us for being carried away with the circus?” Veve asked quickly.

“It was an accident,” smiled the Brownie Scout leader. “A rather fortunate one for me as matters turned out. Otherwise, I might never have recovered my wrist watch.”

“All the same, don’t ever ride away with another circus,” interposed Connie’s mother.

Veve and Connie both assured her that they intended to be very careful in the future.

Detective Gregg had tried without success to force the pickpocket to admit he had taken Miss Gordon’s billfold as well as her watch. However, the man stubbornly refused to answer questions.

“Oh, well,” the detective said with a shrug, “it doesn’t matter one way or the other. Now that we’ve recovered and identified the watches, we have a case against you. Come along to jail.”

As Mr. Gregg started to lead the pickpocket away, he thought of an important matter.

“By the way,” he said, “I suppose you know of the reward for Pickpocket Joe’s capture. The circus offered it three months ago when he was giving us so much trouble.”

Now this indeed was news to the Brownies.

“A reward?” echoed Veve. “How much?”

“A hundred dollars.”

The girls considered the offer a very large one. Jane asked Mr. Gregg who would receive the money.

“The person or persons responsible for capturing Pickpocket Joe.”

“That was Connie,” said Veve promptly. “She saw him first.”

“No, Veve should have the reward,” returned Connie. “Without her, I never would have had the courage to have trailed Pickpocket Joe. And she brought help just when we needed it.”

“All the Brownies were responsible for capturing Pickpocket Joe,” Veve insisted. “It wasn’t any one person.” “Yes, his capture was a cooperative affair,” admitted the detective. “As nice an exhibition of team-work as I ever hope to see. All the same, I can’t give the reward to seven girls. How about splitting it evenly between Connie and Veve?”

“Oh, yes!” cried the Brownies.

Veve and Connie, rather dazed at the thought of receiving fifty dollars apiece, did not speak.

“I’ll see that you receive your checks tonight before the circus moves on,” Mr. Gregg said, starting to take Pickpocket Joe away.

“And may we use the money in any way we like?” Veve asked.

“Sure, if your parents give their okay.”

“Then I know what I’ll do with my money!” cried Veve, her face crinkled in smiles. “First of all, I am going to pay Miss Gordon for my camp fee. This really is money I earned myself, isn’t it?”

“Certainly,” laughed the Brownie Scout leader.

“I still have forty-five dollars,” Veve continued, thinking aloud. “Next I intend to buy myself a Brownie Scout uniform so I’ll have one to wear to meetings.”

“Splendid!” approved Miss Gordon. “I couldn’t think of a better use for the money.” “I still have lots of it left,” laughed Veve. “It was mostly my fault that Connie and I were carried away on the circus train. So I want to make up for it by paying for the camping trip.”

“Oh, no!” broke in Connie. “That is what I plan to do with my reward money! I intend to repay Miss Gordon the amount she advanced to the troop after Pickpocket Joe stole her billfold.”

“How sweet of you both, and I do appreciate it,” returned Miss Gordon. “However, I never expected the money to be repaid. This reward money is your very own.”

“To spend as we like,” added Veve quickly. “And we want to pay for the camping trip, don’t we, Connie?”

Connie nodded soberly. “The Brownies lost out on some of their fun at Shady Hollow because of us. So it’s only fair that we use a little of our money to pay for the trip.”

“Especially when the Brownies helped capture Pickpocket Joe,” added Veve quickly.

Miss Gordon thought for a moment and then said that she might allow Veve and Connie to repay the amount that had been lost, but only on one condition. “And what is the condition?” inquired Connie.

“That some of the money be used to provide a few days extra camping time at Shady Hollow.”

“To make up for the days we were with the circus!” Veve cried instantly. “Oh, I’d like that!”

“So should I,” agreed Connie.

“Your balsam beds are waiting for you at Shady Hollow,” laughed Belinda. “You’ll have to practice your cooking though, because the rest of us have improved since you went away.”

The matter of the reward money settled, the girls set off to find Eva and the other circus children who were to take part in the Brownie investiture ceremony.

A moment later the circus rider came into the big top, accompanied by the girls who had decided to join the organization. Altogether there were five circus children, ranging in age from seven to ten years.

“Workmen will tear down this tent in a few minutes,” Eva explained. “So we will have the ceremony in one of the dressing rooms. Everything should be ready by now.”

As the Brownies and the circus girls walked to the nearby dressing tent, Connie and Veve related the manner in which Pickpocket Joe had been captured. Eva was greatly impressed by the story.

“Brownies certainly know how to work together,” she declared. “I’m more than ever glad I’m going to become one.”

Because the hour was so late, Miss Gordon and Miss Whitlock had decided to make the investiture ceremony a mass affair and quite brief. All the circus children would be taken into the organization in a group.

Upon reaching the dressing tent, the Rosedale Troop Brownies went inside. Eva and the other circus girls waited at the doorway until they were summoned. Finally they were told they might ask for admittance.

“Who comes to the fairy woods?” Connie asked as Eva scratched on the tent flap.

“Five girls who wish to become Brownies,” replied Eva promptly. She had been told what to say. “May we come in?”

“Why do you wish to become Brownie Scouts?” inquired the voice from the darkened tent.

“To form a troop of our own,” answered Eva.

“Then enter the fairy wood,” directed the voice.

Scarcely knowing what to expect, the circus girls tiptoed into the tent. In the glare of the gasoline lamp they beheld a room which had been transformed into a bower of beauty.

A thick carpet of artificial grass covered the tent floor. Canvas walls had been completely hidden with a painted backdrop of forest trees.

Embedded in the mat of grass were five diamond-shaped mirrors, which had been borrowed from dressing rooms of the circus performers. Behind the row of mirrors in a semi-circle, sat Connie, Veve and the other members of the Rosedale Troop.

Briefly Miss Gordon explained the purpose of the Brownie Scout organization and its aim to help each girl find and develop her particular abilities so that she might become a happy, resourceful person.

Then the circus girls were instructed to line up in front of the mirrors which represented fairy pools.

“Gaze deep into the water at your own reflection,” Miss Gordon said. “Then—presto-chango!”

As she spoke, Brownies of the Rosedale Troop stepped forward, turning each circus child so that for a moment her back was to the mirror.

On the heads of the circus girls were clapped Brownie Scout caps which the wardrobe mistress had bought that very day in the city. Then the five girls were whirled around again so that once more they gazed down into the mirror. This time as they studied their reflections, Brownies appeared to be gazing up at them.

“Now let’s all repeat the Brownie Scout Promise and try to live up to it,” Miss Gordon said.

“I promise to do my best to love God and my country, to help other people every day, especially those at home.”

The circus girls repeated the words, speaking them very clearly. Then the Rosedale Brownies saluted the new scouts and the ceremony was over.

“Do you suppose we’ll be the first troop of traveling Brownies?” Eva asked, cocking her new Brownie cap at different angles to see which was the most becoming.

“I shouldn’t be in the least surprised,” laughed Miss Gordon. “When you register your troop with national headquarters you might inquire.”

“Having a Brownie troop will be fun,” Eva declared. “I’ll write the Rosedale Troop members letters reporting how we get along. You must send me all your ideas.”

“We’ll exchange them,” smiled Miss Gordon. “I’m certain your own troop will think of many ways to be useful.” All too soon it came time for the Rosedale Brownies to say goodbye to their many circus friends. Eva must board the circus train sleeper at midnight, traveling on to another city. The Brownies, who would spend the night at a nearby tourist camp, expected to return to Shady Hollow the next morning.

Eva told the Rosedale Brownies how nice it had been knowing them. “But I hate to think that soon your car will be traveling one direction and our circus train another,” she sighed.

“Why not come home with Connie and me?” Veve invited impulsively.

“Thank you,” replied Eva politely. “I have thought it over and I would rather stay with the circus. Especially now that we have organized a Brownie Scout troop of our own.”

“But you’ll visit us sometime?” inquired Connie.

“I’ll see you again next year,” promised Eva. “Watch for the circus when it comes to Rosedale.”

Before Miss Gordon, Mrs. Williams, and the Brownie Scouts were ready to leave the circus lot, Mr. Carsdale and Clem Gregg came around to shake hands and bid them goodbye. The detective had not forgotten to bring the reward money.

With a flourish, he handed Connie and Veve each a check for fifty dollars, which they in turn gave to Mrs. Williams to keep for them.

“You did a very real service in capturing Pickpocket Joe,” the detective praised the two girls. “Thanks to you, he’s in jail now where he’ll make no further trouble for a while.”

“And don’t forget,” added Mr. Carsdale in parting. “When the circus hits Rosedale next year, you’re all to be my guests.”

“We’ll remind you,” laughed Rosemary, and to this, all the other Brownies agreed.

The tourist camp where Miss Gordon, Mrs. Williams and the Brownies were to spend the night, was situated not far from the railroad siding.

Accordingly, the party stopped there briefly to see Eva and to watch the circus train pull away.

“Are you sorry not to be traveling on with the show, Connie?” asked her mother.

“Oh, no,” Connie answered honestly. “I would much rather return to Shady Hollow Camp. Besides, don’t you need me?”

“Indeed I do,” declared her mother, giving her a squeeze. “Neither your father nor I could manage to get along without you.”

“A circus is interesting to watch,” added Veve thoughtfully, “but for every day I think it would become rather tiresome.”

“Just the same, it was fun to capture Pickpocket Joe and earn the reward,” sighed Connie, watching soberly as the circus train pulled from the siding onto the main track. “I hope we have another adventure sometime.”

Now you may be sure that many surprises awaited the Brownie Scouts at Shady Hollow Camp, but of course they could only guess at the good times in store for them.

The circus train slowly began to pull from the siding. Windows of the long line of sleepers were dark.

Although the Brownies knew Eva was somewhere aboard, they had no idea where her berth was located. It made them feel a trifle sad to think that they wouldn’t be able to wave a last farewell.

“We may as well go now,” suggested Miss Gordon.

“No, wait!” cried Veve.

Suddenly on the darkened circus train, a single light twinkled in one of the sleepers toward the end of the line. As the Brownies watched, it winked on and off three times in rapid succession.

“That’s Eva!” cried Connie. “It’s her way of saying goodbye.”

Soon the car rolled slowly past the place where the Brownies stood. Eva’s smiling face was pressed against the window glass.

“Goodbye! Goodbye!” shouted the Brownies, though they were afraid she might not hear.

But Eva did. Still wearing her new Brownie cap, she nodded and smiled. She kept tugging at the window.

Suddenly it flew up and the little circus girl shouted: “See you next summer! Have a good time in camp!”

The Brownies kept waving until the circus train was far up the track. Then they turned to walk to the waiting automobile.

“Say, won’t we have tales to tell when we reach home,” remarked Veve. “All the girls in Rosedale will wish they were Brownies when they hear what happened to us!”

“Even after we pay for the camping trip, we’ll have some of our reward money left,” added Connie, linking arms with her friend.

Already the circus train had been forgotten. The Brownies, you see, were happy just to be going home.

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By MILDRED A. WIRT

Fascinating stories about a group of youngsters and their activities as BROWNIE SCOUTS. Every girl will enjoy reading about the fun and excitement they experience on camping trips, skiing parties, outings, etc. Ideal books for girls from 7 to 10.

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• 2 Brownie Scouts in the Circus
• 3 Brownie Scouts in the Cherry Festival
• 4 Brownie Scouts and their Tree House
• 5 Brownie Scouts at Silver Beach
• 6 Brownie Scouts at Windmill Farm

GIRL SCOUT BOOKS

By MILDRED A. WIRT

The GIRL SCOUTS is dedicated towards building character in our youngsters and teaching them the more wholesome ways of American life. Each troop has its own leader and they hold regular meetings at which the girls engage in good, clean fun and learn about the history of the GIRL SCOUTS, its laws and motto.

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• 2 The Girl Scouts at Singing Sands

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200 Fifth Avenue New York 10, N.Y.