CHAPTER VII

TICKETS TO PARADISE


On Wednesday Mr. Phillips reported that while the matter of allowing
Mrs. Mullarkey to keep Jerry had not been decided, he would not be taken
to the poor farm on that day at least and he thought it could be
arranged that he shouldn't go there at all. Consequently it was with a
joyous heart that Jerry awoke early on the morning of the great day that
the circus was to reach town. He had slept fitfully all night, thinking
of the circus and fearing that he might not wake up in time. Mrs.
Mullarkey had promised to call him, but for once Jerry had waked up
himself.

He heard a stir downstairs and called to Mother 'Larkey that he was up.
He roused Chris, who in turn called Danny, but Danny was a sound sleeper
and merely turned on his side. Chris and Jerry then rolled him over and
pulled the covers off and finally pummeled the sleeper into a state of
semi-consciousness.

"It's time for the circus to unload," they told him. "We're all dressed,
ready to go."

Danny opened one swollen, sleepy eye, "Aw, it's not time yet," he
muttered drowsily and went back to sleep.