Nero, the Circus Lion: His Many Adventures

was going on from what had happened since he had been brought there from the jungle. Men were running to and fro, and the f

um?" asked Nero of L

elephants, pushing wagon ca

peated Nero. "Is th

he elephants are so big and strong that they are used i

ush the circus cages?" asked

om town to town. We are going to travel on the railroad and live in a tent instead of this barn. We shall see lots of p

will Tum Tum come back?" he asked, for he liked the big,

g without him. And I couldn't do some of my best tricks if Tum Tum didn't walk around the ring wi

ero felt more friendly toward Tum Tum than toward any one else in the circus except his trainer. For, by this time, Nero

harder, but the lion could sit up on a big wooden stool, he could stand up on his hind paws, and he would open his mouth very

iner wo

r the sti

he knew it was different from the

n your

on had learned some words. So he could talk and understand animal language, and he could also understand some w

Nero of his friend Leo, as they both watched the

lder lion. "They never l

t you lions and tigers out of the cages, you'd run away. We wouldn't d

k his head until his ma

run away. I wouldn't even go out, unless it was t

inute, if they opened my cage door wide eno

growled Leo. "But after you've been in the cir

out like you. He always said he'd run away if he got the chance.

pened?" a

lion you never saw! He was bedraggled and lame and hungry and thirsty!

" asked the camel. "I gues

d sticks at him. They were afraid of him, and tried to drive him away. But the circus men tried to catch the r

e jungle," said Nero. "That's w

o, you had much better stay here in the circus, Nero. Here you are in a cage, it is true, but you are warm

o, thought of the jungle where he had pla

h my trainer is kind to me, if eve

d the other elephants pushed the animal cages about, and one

ing to do, Tum T

"I am going to push you out on the lot, and there horses

ride will be nic

id Tum Tum, trumpeti

It was a warm day, and the lion stretched, opened his mouth as wide as

as many trees, and there are no pools of water, and I haven't Switchie or Chet or

to it to draw it to the railroad station. For the circus was to trav

when the engine started puffing and pulling away, and when Nero fel

ding like this

he big city where the ship landed. The same thing happened to me. But I

like it, too

ing out between the cracks of the wooden cover of his cage, Nero could see the sun just coming up. It reminded him of the su

outed, horses kicked about in their wooden cars, the elephants trumpe

f the car, and then he heard Tum Tum

d the lion's cage about so the horses could be hitched to

ered Nero. "Whe

will come the parade, and then we'll be put in the big tent for the boys an

t of things to h

his cage was opened, and

I guess you did. Well, we'll soon be doing our tricks together in the tent," a

and Nero could look out through the bars, and the people could look in. Then Nero saw that many of the other cages of wild animals were

l

ode in the c

ge

large

s about?" asked

ets of the town," answered the jolly elephant. "We a

e big head of the lion. Nero liked that, for he and his keeper were friends. Through great crowds of people on the streets went the circu

n's cage. "The parade was only the first part. The people will shortly be in here

Nero looked out of his cage and saw a big

ncing bear he saw. But as the running animal turned, Nero saw that

d I don't seem to know you, though I k

ht you were," said Nero.

, and Dido knows me,

the circus men see you," said Nero. "How did you

I'm a runaway dog. At least I ran away once, but I ran back again. I came down to see Dido, whom I

nt