“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” said Anne. “It makes me feel giddy.”

“Do you use that ladder to put the flag on the top of the circus tent?” asked Dick. “It doesn’t look long enough for that.”

“It isn’t,” said the Boneless Man, turning his head the right way round, much to Anne’s relief. “There’s a much longer one over there — it takes three men to carry it, it’s so heavy — but the centre circus pole is very tall, as you see. One man couldn’t possibly carry the long ladder.”

The children looked at one another. That ruled out the very long ladder too, then. If it needed three men to carry it, Jenny would certainly have heard a lot more noise last night!

“Are there any more ladders in the circus camp?”

“No — just the two. Why? Thinking of buying one?” said the Boneless Man. “I must go. The Boss is beckoning to me.” Off he went, walking in a most peculiar fashion, using his double joints for all he was worth!

“What about the acrobats?” said Julian. “They must be used to climbing and clambering everywhere. I wonder if any of them could have climbed the wall?”

“I don’t think so,” said Tinker. “I had a good look at it this morning — and although there is a kind of creeper climbing up the wall, it stops half-way — and above that there’s just the stone wall. Even an acrobat would have to have some help up the tower wall!”

“Could the clowns have found a way?” said George. “No — I suppose they’re not as good even as the acrobats at climbing. I don’t believe the thief could have been anyone from the circus after all. Look — what’s that on the ground over there — outside that tent?”

They all went over to see. It looked like a pile of dark-grey fur. George touched it with her toe. “Oh — I know what it is — the donkey-skin!”

“Golly — so it is!” cried Tinker in delight, and picked it up — or tried to. It was much too heavy for him to hold up all of it.

In a trice Dick and George were inside that donkey-skin! Dick had the head, and found that he could see quite well where he was going, for the donkey-neck had neat eye-holes in it — the head itself was stuffed with paper. George was the back legs, and kicked up her feet and made the donkey look extremely lively. The others roared with laughter.

Someone shouted loudly. “Hey — you leave that donkey-skin alone!”

It was Jeremy. He came running up, looking furious. He had a stick in his hand, and hit out at the donkey’s hind parts, giving poor George a good old whack, and making her yell.

“Hey! Stop that, it hurt!”

Tinker looked furiously at Jeremy. “How dare you do that?” he shouted. “Dick and George are in the donkey-skin. Put down that stick!”