Though darkness had fallen there seemed to be many lights up ahead of the stopped train. And in the light Bert could see some camels, an elephant or two, a number of horses, and cages containing lions and tigers strung out along the track.
"Why—why, what's this—a circus?" he asked. "Look, Nan! See those monkeys!"
"Why, it is a circus—and the train must have been wrecked!" exclaimed his sister, "Oh mamma, what can it be?"
A brakeman came into the car where the Bobbseys were. "There's no danger," he said. "Please keep your seats. A circus train that was running ahead of us got off the track, and some of the animals are loose. Our train nearly ran into an elephant, and that's why the engineer had to stop so suddenly. We will go on soon."
"A circus; eh?" said Mr. Bobbsey. "Well, well! This is an adventure, children. We've run into a circus train! Let's watch them catch the animals."
