"But even the sawdust is gold—" began Michael.
The second boy laughed. "Star-dust, you mean! Haven't you been to a Circus before?"
"Not this kind."
"All circuses are alike," said the first boy. "Our animals are brighter, that's all."
"But who are you?" demanded Michael.
"The Twins. He's Pollux and I'm Castor. We're always together."
"Like the Siamese Twins?"
"Yes. But more so. The Siamese Twins are only joined in body but we have a single heart and a single mind between us. We can think each other's thoughts and dream each other's dreams. But we mustn't stay here talking. We've got to get ready — see you later!" And the Twins ran off and disappeared through a curtained exit.
"Hullo!" said a gloomy voice from inside the ring. "I suppose you don't happen to have a currant bun in your pocket?"
A Dragon with two large finny tails lumbered towards them, breathing steam from its nostrils.
"I'm sorry, we haven't," said Jane.
"Nor a biscuit or two?" said the Dragon eagerly.
They shook their heads.
"I thought not," said the Dragon, dropping a golden tear. "It's always the way on Circus nights. I don't get fed till after the performance. On ordinary occasions I have a beautiful maiden for supper—"
Jane drew back quickly, pulling Michael with her.
"Oh, don't be alarmed!" the Dragon went on, reassuringly. "You'd be much too small. Besides, you're human and therefore tasteless. They keep me hungry," he explained, "so that I shall do my tricks better. But after the show—" A greedy light came into his eyes and he shuffled away, lolling out his tongue and saying "Yum-yum" in a soft, greedy, hissing voice.
"I'm glad we're only human," said Jane, turning to Michael. "It would be dreadful to be eaten by a Dragon!"
But Michael had hurried on ahead and was talking eagerly to the Three Little Kids.
"How does it go?" he was asking, as Jane caught up with him.
And the Eldest Kid, which apparently had offered to recite, cleared its throat, and began—
"Horn and toe,
Toe and horn——"
"Now, Kids!" Orion's voice interrupted loudly. "You can say your piece when the time comes. Get ready now, we're going to begin! Follow me, please!" he said to the children.
They trotted obediently after the gleaming figure, and as they went the golden animals turned to stare at them. They heard snatches of whispered conversation as they passed.
"Who's that?" said a huge starry Bull, as it stopped pawing the star-dust to gaze at them. And a Lion turned and whispered something into the Bull's ear. They caught the words "Banks" and "Evening Out" but heard no more than that.
By now every seat on every tier was filled with a shining starry figure. Only three empty seats remained and to these Orion led the children.
"Here you are! We kept these for you. Just under the Royal Box. You'll see perfectly. Look! they're just beginning!"
And, turning, Jane and Michael saw that the ring was empty. The animals had hurried out while they had been climbing to their seats. They unbuttoned their overcoats and leaned forward excitedly.
From somewhere came a fanfare of trumpets. A blast of music echoed through the tent and above the sound could be heard a high, sweet neighing.
"The comets!" said Orion, sitting down beside Michael.
A wild nodding head appeared at the entrance and one by one nine comets galloped into the ring, their manes braided with gold, and silver plumes on their heads.
Suddenly the music rose to a great roar of sound and with one movement the comets dropped upon their knees and bowed their heads. A warm gust of air came wafting across the ring.
"How hot it's getting!" cried Jane.
"Hush! He's coming!" said Orion.
"Who?" whispered Michael.
"The Ring-Master!"
Orion nodded to the far entrance. A light shone there, eclipsing the light of the constellations. It grew steadily brighter.
"Here he is!" Orion's voice had a curious softness in it.
And as he spoke there appeared between the curtains a towering golden figure with flaming curls upon his head and a wide, radiant face. And with him came a great swell of warmth that lapped the ring and spread out in ever-widening circles until it surrounded Jane and Michael and Orion. Half-consciously, made dreamy by that warmth, the children slipped off their overcoats.
Orion sprang to his feet holding his right hand above his head.
"Hail, Sun, hail!" he cried. And from the stars in the tiered seats the cry came echoing—
"Hail!"
The Sun glanced round the wide dark-tented ring and, in answer to the greeting, swung his long gold whip three times about his head. As the lash turned in the air there was a quick, sharp crack. At once the comets sprang up and cantered out, their braided tails swinging wildly, their plumed heads high and erect.
"Here we are again, here we are again!" cried a loud, hoarse voice, and bouncing into the ring came a comical figure with silver-painted face, wide red mouth and huge silvery frills about his neck.
"Saturn — the Clown!" whispered Orion behind his hand to the children.
"When is a door not a door?" demanded the Clown of the audience, turning over and standing on one hand.
"When it's ajar!" answered Jane and Michael loudly.
A disappointed look came over the Clown's face.
"Oh, you know it!" he said, reproachfully. "That's not fair!"
The Sun cracked his whip.
"All right, all right!" said the Clown. "I've got another. Why does a hen cross the road?" he asked, sitting down with a bump on the star-dust.
"To get to the other side!" cried Jane and Michael.
The swinging whip caught the Clown round the knees.
"O-o-h! Don't do that! You'll hurt poor Joey. Look at them laughing up there! But I'll fix them! Listen!" He turned a double somersault in the air.
"What kind of jam did the chicken ask for when it came out of the egg. Tell me that!"
"Mar — me — lade!" yelled Michael and Jane.
"Be off with you!" cried the Sun, catching his whip about the Clown's shoulders, and the Clown went bounding round the ring, head over heels, crying—
"Poor old Joey! He's failed again! He's failed again! They know all his best jokes, poor old fellow, poor old — oh, beg pardon, Miss, beg pardon!"
He broke off for he had somersaulted against Pegasus, the Winged Horse, as it entered carrying a bright spangly figure on its back.
"Venus, the Evening Star," explained Orion.
Breathlessly, Jane and Michael watched the starry figure ride lightly through the ring. Round and round she went, bowing to the Sun as she passed, and presently the Sun, standing in her path, held up a great hoop covered with thin gold paper.
She balanced on her toes for a moment. "Hup!" said the Sun, and Venus, with the utmost grace, jumped through the hoop and landed again on the back of Pegasus.
"Hurrah!" cried Jane and Michael, and the audience of stars echoed back "Hurrah!"
"Let me try, let Poor Joey have a go, just a little one to make a cat laugh!" cried the Clown. But Venus only tossed her head and laughed and rode out of the ring.
She had hardly disappeared before the Three Kids came prancing in, looking rather shy and bowing awkwardly to the Sun. Then they stood on their hind legs in a row before him, and in high, thin voices recited the following song—
"Horn and hoof,
Hoof and horn,
Every night
Three Kids are born,
Each with a Twinkly Nose,
Each with a Twinkly Tail.
Blue and black,
Black and blue