noisily. "GERROUT!" Joe shouted, and the crowd stood up and became very
enthusiastic. The dogs caught the kangaroo, and were dragging him to
earth when Dad rushed in and kicked them in twos to the top of the tent.
Then, while Johnson expostulated with Dad for laming his brindle slut,
the kangaroo dived through a hole in the tent and rushed into the house
and into the bedroom, and sprang on the bed among a lot of babies and
women's hats.

When the commotion subsided Paddy Maloney rang the cow-bell again, and
Dave and "Podgy," the pet sheep, rode out on Nugget. Podgy sat with
hind-legs astride the horse and his head leaning back against Dave's
chest. Dave (standing up) bent over him with a pair of shears in his
hand. He was to shear Podgy as the horse cantered round.

Paddy Maloney touched Nugget with the whip, and off he went--"rump-ti-dee,
dump-ti-dee." Dave rolled about a lot the first time round, but soon got
his equilibrium. He brandished the shears and plunged the points of them
into Podgy's belly-wool--also into Podgy's skin. "Bur-UR-R!" Podgy
blurted and struggled violently. Dave began to topple about. He dropped
the shears. The audience guffawed. Then Dave jumped; but Podgy's horns
got caught in his clothes and made trouble. Dave hung on one side of the
horse and the sheep dangled on the other. Dave sang out, so did Podgy.
And the horse stopped and snorted, then swung furiously round and round
until five or six pairs of hands seized his head and held him.

Dave did n't repeat the act. He ran away holding his clothes together.

It was a very successful circus. Everyone enjoyed it and wished to see it
again--everyone but the Maloneys. They said it was a swindle, and ran Dad
down because he did n't divide with Paddy the 3s. 6d. he took at the door.