'We shall have a wonderful look-in at what goes on in a circus camp,' said d.i.c.k. 'We shall be living so near the circus folk! I do hope Mischief won't get too friendly with the people there. They might take him away with them when they leave.'

'Indeed they won't!' said Tinker, fiercely. 'What a thing to say! As if Mischief would go with them, anyhow! I don't expect he'll mix with the circus crowd at all.'

'You wait and see!' grinned d.i.c.k. 'Now buck up with your tea - I'm longing to go and set our camp in the field, and see what's going on there.'

It wasn't long before they were ready. They were soon down by the fence, and gazed over it in amazement. Great vans were in the field, all with Mr Tapper's name on and all painted in gay colours. There were caravans too, much smaller than the great vans, and these had windows, each with neat lace curtains. The circus folk lived in the caravans, of course, and George found herself wishing that she herself could go about in one, instead of living in a house that couldn't move anywhere!

'Look at the horses!' cried d.i.c.k, as a bunch of them appeared with tossing heads and beautiful long thick tails. The boy who had knocked Tinker down was with them, whistling. They were all coming from a big horse-van, and were delighted to be in a field with lush green gra.s.s.

'Is that field gate properly shut?' yelled an enormous voice, and the boy yelled back, 'Yes, Grandad. I shut it. There's nowhere the horses can get out. My word - don't they like this gra.s.s!'

Then he saw Julian and the others all looking over the fence, and waved to them. 'See our horses? Aren't they a grand lot?'

And, just to show off a little, he leapt on to the back of the nearest one, and went all round the edge of the field with it. George watched him enviously. If only she could have a horse like that!

'Well, let's take our camp things into the field,' said Tinker. 'The nearer we are to the circus the better. We ought to have some fun.'

He climbed over the fence and d.i.c.k followed. 'I'll hand everything over,' said Julian. 'George can help me - she's as good as a boy any day!'

George grinned. She loved to hear anyone say that! It was quite a job getting some of the things over the fence. The tents, neatly wrapped though they were, were heavy, awkward things to handle, but at last everything was safely over, lying on the gra.s.s.

Then Julian, Anne and George climbed over the fence too, and stood in the field, looking round for a good corner to set up their things.

'What about near those bushes over there?' said Julian. 'There's that big tree behind as well to protect us from the wind - and we aren't too near the circus folk - they might not like us right on top of them - and yet we're near enough to see what's going on.'

'Oh, it's going to be FUN!' said Anne, her eyes shining.

'I think I'd better go and find the old Grandad - Mr Tapper,' said Julian. 'Just to tell him we're here, in case he thinks we're intruders and have no right to be here.'

'You haven't got to ask his permission for us to be in MY field!' said Tinker, at once.

'Now don't keep flying off the handle like that, Tinker,' said Julian. 'This is merely a question of good manners - something you don't seem to know much about! How do we know that the circus folk won't resent us camping so near them? Much better to show ourselves friendly from the start.'

'All right, all right,' said Tinker, sulkily. 'But it is my field, after all! You'll be telling me to be friends with that nasty little circus-boy next!'

'Well, you'd better be - else he might knock you flat again!' said George. 'Anyway, be sensible, Tinker - it's not often people have a circus just at the bottom of their garden, and can pop over the fence, and mix with the circus folk.'

Julian walked over to the nearest caravan. It was empty, and no one answered his knock.

'What you want, mister?' called a high little voice, and a small girl with tangled, untidy hair came running up.

'Where's Mr Tapper?' asked Julian, smiling at the untidy, bright-eyed little thing.

'He's with one of the horses,' said the small girl. 'Who are you?'

'We're your neighbours,' said Julian. 'Will you take us to Mr Tapper?'

'Old Grandad's this way,' said the child, and slipped a dirty little hand into Julian's. 'I'll show you. I like you, mister.'

She led the children to the middle of the camp. A mournful howl came from somewhere behind them and George stopped suddenly. 'That's Timmy! He must have found out that we've got out of the garden. I'll go back for him.'

'Better not,' said Julian. 'There might be ructions if he met the chimpanzee. A big chimp would make mincemeat of him!'

'It wouldn't!' said George, but all the same she didn't go back to fetch Timmy. Julian hoped that the dog wouldn't jump over the fence, and come to find them.

'There's old Granddad Tapper on them steps,' said the little girl, smiling up at Julian, whose hand she still held. 'I like you, mister. Your hand smells nice.'

'Well, that's because I wash it with soap and water four or five times a day,' said Julian. 'Yours would smell nice too, if you did the same.'

The little girl sniffed at Julian's hand. Then she shouted loudly to the old fellow sitting on the steps of a nearby caravan. 'Grandad! Here's folks to see you!'

Grandad was looking at a beautiful chestnut-brown horse, tethered close to him. He had one of the horse's hooves in his hand. The children stood and gazed at him - black beard, frowning eye-brows - and, oh dear! thought Anne, only one ear, poor man. What could have happened to the missing one?

'GRANDAD!' called the girl again. FOLKS TO SEE YOU!'

Mr Tapper looked round, his eyes very bright under his black eye-brows. He set the horse's hoof down, and gave the lovely creature a pat. 'You don't need to limp any more, my beauty,' he said. 'I've taken out the stone that was in your hoof. You can dance again!'

The horse lifted up its magnificent head and neighed as if it were saying thank you. Tinker almost jumped out of his skin, and Mischief slipped from his shoulder and cuddled under his arm in terror.

'Now, now, little monkey, don't you know a horse's voice when you hear one?' said Grandad, and Mischief poked his head out from under Tinker's arm to listen.

'Does that horse really dance?' said Anne, longing to stroke its long, smooth nose.

'Dance! It's one of the finest horse-dancers in the world!' said Grandad, and began to whistle a gay little tune. The horse p.r.i.c.ked up its ears, gazed at Grandad, and then began to dance! The children watched in astonishment.

There it went, round and round, nodding its head to the tune, its feet tapping the gra.s.s in perfect time to Grandad's whistling.

'Oh, the lovely thing!' said George. 'Do all your horses dance as well as this one?'

'Yes. Some a good deal better,' said Grandad. 'This one has a fair ear for music, but not as good an ear as some. You wait till you see them dressed up with feathery plumes nodding on their heads. Horses - there's nothing in the world as beautiful as a good horse.'

'Mr Tapper - we come from the house over the fence there,' said Julian, feeling that it was time to explain their visit. 'As you probably know, Tinker's father owns this field, and...'

'Yes, yes - but we have an old right to come every so often,' said the old man, raising his voice. 'Now don't you start arg...'

'I haven't come to argue with you,' said Julian, politely. 'I've only just come to say that we - that is my friends here and I - would like to come and camp in this field, but we shouldn't annoy you in any way, and...'

'Oh well - if that's what you want, you're more than welcome!' said the old man. 'More than welcome! I thought maybe you'd think you could turn us out - like that youngster there would like to do!' And he nodded at Tinker.

Tinker went red and said nothing. The old man laughed. 'Ha! My grandson didn't think much of that idea, did he, youngster? He hit out, and down you went on your back. He's got a temper, he has, young Jeremy. But another time maybe he'll find himself on his back, eh?'

'Yes. He will,' said Tinker, at once.

'Right. Well, you'll be even with one another then, and you can shake hands like gentlemen,' said the old man, his eyes twinkling. 'Now - what about you bringing your gear right into the field, and setting up your tents? I'll get old Charlie the Chimp to help you. He's as strong as ten men!'

'The chimpanzee! Is he tame enough to help us to put up our tents?' said Anne, disbelievingly.

'Old Charlie is cleverer than all of you put together, and as tame as you are!' said Grandad. 'And he could beat you three boys at cricket any day! You bring your bat along one morning, and watch him. I'll call him to help you. CHARLIE! CHARLIE! Where are you? Snoozing I suppose!'

But no Charlie came. 'You go and fetch him,' said the old man, pointing to a corner of the field where stood a big, strong cage, with a tarpaulin roof to keep out the rain. 'He'll do anything you want him to do, so long as you give him a word of praise now and again!'

'Let's get him, Ju,' said d.i.c.k, eagerly. 'My word - fancy having a chimpanzee to help us!'

And off they all went to the great cage. CHARLIE! CHARLIE! Wake up, you're wanted! CHARLIE!

Chapter Eight

CHARLIE THE CHIMP IS A HELP!

Tinker came to the big cage first. He peered inside. Charlie the Chimp was there all right, sitting at the back of his cage, his brown eyes looking at the children with curiosity. He got up and went over to where Tinker was peering in, and pressed his nose against the strong wire, almost against Tinker's. Then he blew hard, and Tinker backed away, surprised and cross.

'He blew at me!' he said to the others, who were laughing at Tinker's disgust. The chimp made a funny noise that Mischief the monkey immediately tried to imitate. The chimpanzee stared at Mischief, then he grew very excited. He rattled his cage, jumped up and down, and made some very queer noises indeed.

A boy came running up at once. It was the boy who had knocked Tinker down. 'Hey - what are you doing to the chimp?' he called. 'Oh - aren't you the boy who shouted at my Grandad - the one I knocked down?'

'Yes. And don't you dare try that on again, or you'll be sorry!' said Tinker, in a fierce voice.

'Shut up, Tinker,' said Julian. He turned to the boy. 'Your name's Jeremy, isn't it?' he said. 'Well, we've just been talking to your Grandad over there, and he said we could get the chimpanzee to help us with our camping gear. It's all right for him to come out of his cage, isn't it?'

'Oh yes - I take him out two or three times a day,' said Jeremy. 'He gets bored in his cage. He'd love to help put up your tents - he's always helping us circus folk with things like that. He's as strong as a lion.'

'Is he - er - is he safe?' asked d.i.c.k, eyeing the big animal doubtfully.

'Safe? What do you mean - safe?' asked Jeremy, surprised. 'He's as safe as I am! Charlie, come on out! Go on, you can undo your cage perfectly well, you know you can!'

The chimpanzee made a funny little chuckling noise, put his hand through the wire, reached the bolt, pulled it, took his hand back - and pushed open the cage door.

'See? Easy, isn't it?' said Jeremy, grinning. 'Charlie boy, come along. Your help's wanted!'

Charlie lumbered out of his cage, and went with the children to where they had left their tents and ground-sheets and the rest. He walked with his fists on the ground in a most inelegant manner, making a funny little groaning noise all the time. Mischief was rather afraid of him, and kept well to the back - but the chimpanzee suddenly turned round, caught hold of Mischief, and sat him up on his shoulder! Mischief held on, not knowing whether to be scared or jubilant!

'I wish I had my camera here,' said Anne to George. 'Just look at them - Mischief is as pleased as can be!'

They arrived at the pile of camping gear. 'Carry this, Charlie, and follow us,' ordered Jeremy. The chimp grabbed at this, that and the other, and, with his great arms full, followed the children to where they thought they could camp, with the great hedge to shelter them from the wind.

'Drop those things, Charlie,' said Jeremy, 'and go back for the rest. Buck up. Don't stand there staring! You've got work to do!'

But Charlie still crouched there, staring straight at Mischief. 'Oh! He wants Mischief the monkey to go with him!' cried George. 'Go on, Mischief, have a ride again!'

Mischief leapt up on to the chimpanzee's shoulders. Charlie put up a great paw to steady him and then lumbered off to fetch the rest of the things. One of the ground-sheets came undone, and slithered over his head like a tent, so that he couldn't see where he was going. In a rage he leapt on it and began to jump up and down, up and down, growling most terrifyingly. The children felt rather scared.

'Charlie, don't be an a.s.s!' said Jeremy, and pulled it away from him, rolling it up swiftly. The chimpanzee could manage it then, and his good temper immediately came back again.

Everything was soon piled up in one place, and Julian and d.i.c.k began to put up the tents. Charlie watched them with the greatest interest, and helped most intelligently when he saw that he could.

'He's a good sort, isn't he?' said Jeremy, proud that his friend the chimpanzee could show off like this. 'Did you see him put that tent-pole in exactly the right place? And you ought to see him fetch the pails of water for the horses each day. He carries a full pail in each hand!'

'He ought to get wages,' said Tinker.

'He does!' said Jeremy. 'He gets eight bananas a day and as many oranges as he likes. And he LOVES sweets!'

'Oh! I think I've got some!' said Tinker and delved into one of his pockets. He brought up a peculiar mixture of things, among which was a screwed-up sweet bag. Inside was a mess of half-melted boiled sweets.

'You can't give him those!' said Anne. 'They're old and sticky and messy!'

But Charlie thought differently. He took the paper bag straight out of Tinker's hand, sniffed it - and then put the whole thing into his mouth at once!

'He'll choke!' said Julian.

'Not Charlie!' said Jeremy. 'Let him be. He'll go straight back to his cage, get in, shoot the bolt and sit there sucking sweets till they're gone. He'll be as happy as can be.'

'Well - he certainly deserved a reward,' said George. 'He did all the heavy work! Come on, let's finish putting everything straight. I say - won't it be fun sleeping out in tents tonight! We'd better have supper first.'

'You can come and join us, if you like,' said Jeremy. 'We don't have posh food like you, of course - but it's good food, all the same. Old Grandma cooks it in her pot. She's two hundred years old.'

The children laughed in disbelief. 'Two hundred! n.o.body lives as long as that!' said George.

'Well, that's what she tells everyone,' said Jeremy. 'And she looks it, too! But her eyes are as sharp as needles still! Shall I tell her you'll be here to supper?'

'Well - would there be enough for so many extra?' said Julian. 'We meant to bring our own meal. Should we bring that and share everything with you? We've more than enough. Our cook Jenny said she would have it all ready for us to bring down tonight - a meat-pie - cold sausages - and apples and bananas.'

'Sh! Don't say bananas in front of Charlie,' said Jeremy. 'He'll worry you for them all the time. All right - you bring your food and we'll share with you round our camp-fire. I'll tell old Grandma. We're having a sing-song tonight, and Fred the Fiddler's playing his fiddle. Ah, that fiddle! Its tunes get into your feet and away you go!'

This all sounded very exciting. Julian thought they ought to go back home before anyone began to be worried about their complete disappearance, and pack up the food for supper that night.

'We'll be back as soon as we can,' said he. 'And thanks awfully for all your help. Come on, Mischief. Say good-bye to Charlie for the moment, and don't look so gloomy. We're coming back here tonight!'

They all went back over the fence, feeling a little tired now, but full of their plans for the evening. 'It's almost like belonging to the circus, going back to sit round a camp-fire and eat supper from that old black stewpot on the fire,' said Tinker. 'I bet the supper will taste delicious. I say - I hope Dad won't mind us popping off to the circus camp.'

'I don't expect he'll even notice that we've gone,' said George. 'My father never notices things like that. Sometimes he doesn't even notice when people are there, in front of his nose!'

'Well, that must be useful at times if they're people he doesn't like,' said Tinker. 'Now - let's see what Jenny's got that we can take back with us.'

Jenny listened wide-eyed to all they had to say. 'Well, well, well!' she said. 'Camping out with the circus-folk! Whatever next? I'd like to know what your parents would think of that, Master Julian!'

'We'll ask them, next time we see them,' said Julian, with a grin. 'What do you have for our supper? We're taking it down to our camp.'