(Polly hardly seemed to see the force of the ponies resorting to fire-
arms.)

"And I was thinking," pursued the exemplary Barbox, "that if you and I
were to go to the Circus where these ponies are, it would do our
constitutions good."

"Does that mean amuse us?" inquired Polly. "What long words you do use,
don't you?"

Apologetic for having wandered out of his depth, he replied:

"That means amuse us. That is exactly what it means. There are many
other wonders besides the ponies, and we shall see them all. Ladies and
gentlemen in spangled dresses, and elephants and lions and tigers."

Polly became observant of the teapot, with a curled-up nose indicating
some uneasiness of mind.

"They never get out, of course," she remarked as a mere truism.

"The elephants and lions and tigers? Oh, dear no!"

"Oh, dear no!" said Polly. "And of course nobody's afraid of the ponies
shooting anybody."

"Not the least in the world."

"No, no, not the least in the world," said Polly.