Mischief the monkey came with them. He was absolutely at home with everyone in the circus now, man, woman or animal. He leapt on to the horses’ backs, and they didn’t mind! He pretended to help Charlie the Chimp to carry one of the pails of water. He ran off with Dead-Shot Dick’s cap. He went into the chimp’s cage and cuddled up in the straw with him, scrabbling about as if the cage belonged to him. He even went into Grandad’s tent and came out with a small bottle of lemonade! He couldn’t get the top off, and took it to Charlie, who was watching near by! Charlie promptly forced it off with his strong front paws — and then, to Mischief’s disgust, tipped up the bottle, and drank the lot!

Mischief was very angry indeed. He ran to Charlie’s cage, which was open, and sent the straw flying everywhere. Charlie sat outside his cage, and enjoyed the fun, grinning happily.

“Come out, Mischief!” called Tinker. “You’re making a nuisance of yourself!”

“Let him be,” said one of the acrobats, who was standing near by. “Old Charlie enjoys a bit of temper — when it’s someone else’s! Look at him sitting grinning there.”

They watched for a few seconds more, to make sure that Mischief wasn’t annoying the big chimpanzee, and then turned to watch Monty and Winks, the clowns, having an argument, which ended in Monty throwing water over Winks, and Winks emptying a basket of rubbish over Monty. What a pair!

When they turned to see if Mischief was still annoying Charlie, they saw that the little monkey had left the cage, and was tearing down the field to the fence. He leapt up, and over, and disappeared.

“He must think it’s dinner-time,” said Tinker, looking at his watch. “And golly, so it is. Buck up everyone, Jenny will be in a fine old fury if we’re really late — it’s hot dinner today.”

Away they all went in a hurry. Hot dinner! Over the fence, then, and up the garden at top speed. They mustn’t keep a hot dinner waiting — or Jenny either!

Chapter Fifteen

A happy day — and a shock for Julian

Tinker and the Five were two minutes late for their dinner. Jenny was just taking it in, looking a little grim, as she had not been able to find the children anywhere. “Ah — here you are at last!” she said. “I looked down the garden but you were nowhere to be seen. It’s a good thing you came in when you did — five minutes more, and I’d have taken the dinner back again.”

“Dear Jenny, you know you wouldn’t,” said Tinker, giving her a sudden squeeze that made her squeal. “Oh, how good it smells! Mmmmm-Mmmmm!”

“You and your Mmmmms!” said Jenny, pushing Tinker away. “And I’ve told you before, that I don’t mind a gentle hug, but those squeezes of yours take all my breath away. No, Tinker, keep away from me — another squeeze like that and I’ll feel like a lemon!”