Читать книгу Mr. Galliano's Circus - Enid blyton - Страница 8

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Jimmy, Lotta, and Jimmy’s father soon got to the circus field. “There’s Mr. Galliano, over there,” said Lotta, as they went through the gate.

“Right,” said Mr. Brown. “I’ll go over and see him now.” He left the two children and walked over to where Mr. Galliano was talking to Oona the acrobat.

“What do you want?” said Mr. Galliano, seeing that Mr. Brown was a stranger.

“I’m Jimmy Brown’s father,” said Mr. Brown. “I’m a carpenter, sir, and I can turn my hand to anything. I’d like you to give me a chance, if you will. I’d work well for you.”

Mr. Galliano looked Mr. Brown up and down. He liked what he saw—a strong, kindly-faced man, with bright eager eyes just like Jimmy’s.

“Come to-morrow morning,” said Mr. Galliano. “There will be plenty for you to do, yes!”

“Thank you, sir,” said Mr. Brown, and he walked off, pleased. It would be fine to work at last! The two children ran to meet him. How glad Jimmy was to know that his father would belong to the circus for at least a week! What would the boys at school say when they knew that his father was with the circus all day? They would think that was fine!

Jimmy’s father worked well. Mr. Galliano was delighted with him. He could, as he said, turn his hand to anything. He mended five of the circus benches. He put a new wheel on to Mr. Galliano’s caravan. He made Oona’s ladder stronger than it had ever been before. He put in two new bars where the dogs had pushed them loose in their cage. And he won Lilliput’s heart by making him a proper little house for Jemima the monkey to live in—it even had a little door!

Jimmy was delighted to hear every one praising his father. He had always loved his father and thought him the finest man in the world—and it was nice to hear people saying he was ten times better than Harry!

“His laugh is worth ten shillings a week!” said Lal. “My, when old Brownie starts laughing, you’ve got to hold your sides! He’s as merry as a cricket!”

Jimmy thought it was funny to hear his father called Brownie. But the circus folk hardly ever called anyone by their right name. Brownie was the name they gave to Mr. Brown, and Brownie he always was, after that!

The circus did well again that week. Mr. Galliano began to wear his hat on the side of his head once more. Every one cheered up. If Galliano was merry and bright then the circus folk were happy.

Jimmy was happy too that week. He had to go to school, but every spare minute he had he was in the circus field, helping. He was always ready to give a hand to any one. When the circus show began each night, Jimmy stood near the curtains through which the performers had to pass, and pulled or shut the curtains properly each time. He got Oona’s ladder and tightrope ready for him. He took care of the dogs whilst they were waiting for their turn. He got Jumbo out of his tent too, for Mr. Tonks, and took him back again when the show was over. Jumbo loved Jimmy. He blew gently down the little boy’s neck to show him how much he liked him. Jimmy thought that was very funny!

When Saturday came, Mr. Galliano whistled to Mr. Brown—or Brownie, as he was now called—and Brownie went over to him.

“Here’s your week’s money,” said Mr. Galliano, paying him. “Now look here—you’ve done well—what about you coming along with us, yes? We can do with a man like you—always cheerful, and able to do anything that turns up.”

Mr. Brown went red with pleasure. It was a long time since any one had praised him.

“Thank you, sir,” he said. “I’ll have to talk it over with my wife. You see—I think she would be upset if I left her and Jimmy. I might not see them again for a long time.”

“Well, think over it,” said Mr. Galliano. “If you come, you can live with Stanley, the clown. He’s got room in his caravan for another fellow. We go off tomorrow—so let me know quickly, yes?”

Mr. Brown hurried home to dinner. He told Jimmy and Jimmy’s mother all that Mr. Galliano had said.

“I think I’ll have to take the job,” he said. “It’s hard to leave you both, though.”

Jimmy’s mother didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t help the tears coming into her eyes. Jimmy gave her his handkerchief.

“Oh, Tom,” said his mother, “I shall miss you so. Don’t go. I can’t bear to be without you—and Jimmy will miss you so much too. We shall never know where you are, travelling about the country—and goodness knows when we shall see you again!”

“Well, we needn’t tell Mr. Galliano till to-morrow,” said Mr. Brown. “We’ll talk about it to-night.”

Jimmy thought and thought about it. He badly wanted his father to belong to the circus—but not if he and his mother had to be left behind! No—that would never do at all! And yet they couldn’t go with him. There wasn’t room for them. And if his father said no to Mr. Galliano, then he might be out of work again for a long long time—just as he had found a job that he could do so well.

It was a puzzle to know what to do. Jimmy felt that he really, really, couldn’t bear it if his father had to leave home. His mother would be so sad.

The circus gave its last show that night. It did very well, and once again there was not an empty seat in the big tent, for people came from all the towns round to see it. Somebody gave Lotta a big box of chocolates and she was very pleased. She showed them to Jimmy. “We’ll share them,” she said, emptying out half the box into a bag. “They’re lovely.”

That was just like Lotta. She was the most generous little girl that Jimmy had ever known. But Jimmy could not smile very much at her. The circus was going off the next day to a far away town. He would have to say good-bye to every one. He felt as if he had known the circus folk all his life, and he was sad to part with them.

“I’ll come and see you to-morrow morning, Lotta,” he said.

“Come early,” said Lotta. “We’ll be packing up to go, and that is a busy time. We shall start off about twelve o’clock. We’ve got to get to Edgingham by night.”

“Good-night then,” said Jimmy, looking at Lotta hard, so as to remember for always just how she looked—she had on her fluffy circus frock, her long silver wings, her little silver crown and her silvery stockings. As he looked at her she made one of her dreadful faces!

“Don’t!” said Jimmy. “I was just thinking how nice you looked.”

“You’d better hurry home,” said Lotta. “It looks as if a storm is coming up. Hark! That’s thunder!”

Jimmy ran off. Certainly there was a storm coming. Great drops of rain fell on him as he ran through the town, and stung his face. The thunder rolled nearer. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and Jimmy saw that it was full of enormous black clouds, hanging very low.

Jimmy’s mother was glad to see him, for she had been afraid he would be caught in the storm. She bundled him into bed and he fell asleep almost at once, for he was tired.

The storm crashed on. Jimmy slept peacefully and didn’t hear it. Away up in the circus field the folk there listened to the pouring rain pattering down on their caravans.

Crash! The thunder rolled again. The horses whinnied, half-frightened. The dogs awoke and barked. Jemima, the monkey, who always slept with Lilliput, crept nearer to him and began to cry like a child. Lilliput petted her gently.

Jumbo, the big elephant, raised his great head. What was this fearful noise that was going on around him? Jumbo was angry with it. He threw back his head and trumpeted loudly to frighten it away.

Crash! Crash! The thunder still rolled on, and one crash sounded just overhead. Jumbo, half-angry half-frightened, pulled at his post. His leg was tied to it, but in a trice the big elephant had snapped the thick rope. He blundered out of the tent, looking for the one man he trusted above everything—his keeper, Mr. Tonks.

But Mr. Tonks was fast asleep in his caravan. Not even a storm could keep Mr. Tonks awake. He snored in his caravan as if he were trying to beat the loudness of the thunder!

Jumbo grew frightened in the dark. He stood in the rain, waving his big ears to and fro and swinging his trunk backwards and forwards. Another peal of thunder broke through the night, and a flash of lightning showed the field-gate to Jumbo. It was open.

The elephant, remembering that he had come in through that gate, made his way towards it. No one heard him, for the rolling of the thunder and the pattering of the rain made such a noise. Jumbo slipped through the gate like a great black shadow, and set off alone up the lane that led to the town.

No one was about except Mr. Harris, the town policeman. He was sheltering from the rain in a doorway. He got a dreadful shock when he saw Jumbo lit up in a flash of lightning, coming up the street towards him. He didn’t know it was only Jumbo. He fled away as fast as he could back to the police-station. He was the only person who met Jumbo running away.

The storm passed. The rain stopped. The night became peaceful and every one slept. The circus dogs lay down and Jemima the monkey stopped crying.

The morning broke peaceful and bright, though the circus field was soaking wet. Still, the May sunshine would soon dry that up.

Mr. Tonks dressed himself and went straight out to see his beloved Jumbo. When he looked into the tall tent and saw no elephant there, he went white.

“Jumbo! Where’s my elephant!” he shouted, and he tore all round the field, waking every one up. Heads peeped out of caravans and scared faces looked up and down.

“Jumbo’s gone! My elephant’s gone!” cried Mr. Tonks, tears pouring down his cheeks. “Where is he, where is he?”

“Well, he’s not in anybody’s caravan, that’s certain,” said Stanley, the clown. “Can’t you see his big tracks anywhere, Tonky?”

“Yes—they lead out of the gate!” said Mr. Tonks, almost off his head with shock and grief. “What’s happened to him? I’ll let the police know. He must be found before anything happens to him.”

“Well, he’s too big to lose for long,” said Mr. Galliano, coming out of his caravan with his hat on the side of his head. “Don’t worry, Tonks. We’ll soon find him.”

But somebody already knew where Jumbo had gone—and who do you suppose that was? It was Jimmy!

In the middle of the storm Jimmy awoke suddenly. He sat up in bed, looking puzzled. He had heard a funny noise outside his house. It sounded like “Hrrrumph! Hrrumph!” Who made a noise like that? Jumbo, of course!

“But it can’t be Jumbo,” said Jimmy, in the greatest astonishment. He hopped out of bed and ran to the window. A flash of lightning lit up the little street—and quite clearly Jimmy saw Jumbo, plodding heavily up the street towards the heart of the town!

“It is Jumbo—and he’s frightened of the storm—and has run away!” thought Jimmy. “I must go after him!”

He dragged on his coat, put his feet into his shoes at the same time, and slipped downstairs. In a trice he was out of the house and running up the street after Jumbo. He must get him, he must! Poor old Jumbo, running away all alone, frightened of the storm!

“Jumbo, Jumbo!” called Jimmy—but Jumbo padded on and on!