world of field and hedge-row disappeared, and we found
ourselves in a garden, well-kept, secluded, most un-dragon-
haunted in appearance. Once inside, I knew where we were. This
was the garden of my friend the circus-man, though I had never
approached it before by a lawless gap, from this unfamiliar side.

And here was the circus-man himself, placidly smoking a pipe as
he strolled up and down the walks. I stepped up to him and asked
him politely if he had lately seen a Beast.

"May I inquire," he said, with all civility, "what particular
sort of a Beast you may happen to be looking for?"

"It's a LIZARDY sort of Beast," I explained. "Charlotte says
it's a dragon, but she doesn't really know much about beasts."

The circus-man looked round about him slowly. "I don't
THINK," he said, "that I've seen a dragon in these parts
recently. But if I come across one I'll know it belongs to
you, and I'll have him taken round to you at once."

"Thank you very much," said Charlotte, "but don't TROUBLE
about it, please, 'cos p'raps it isn't a dragon after all. Only
I thought I saw his little footprints in the snow, and we
followed 'em up, and they seemed to lead right in here, but maybe
it's all a mistake, and thank you all the same."

"Oh, no trouble at all," said the circus-man, cheerfully. "I
should be only too pleased. But of course, as you say, it MAY
be a mistake. And it's getting dark, and he seems to have got