Page:Dapples of the Circus (1943).pdf/212

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beach where the score of circus people had slept during the long night. He was more delighted to see them than he had ever been to see any human beings before.

To their great joy they discovered that the ship from which they had fled the night before had not sunk after all. A sister ship was standing by, to which the passen* gers and animals were being transferred.

Two hours later a boat put off, and arrangements were made for bringing themarooned circus riders back to the ship.

Freckles sat in the stern of a life-boat, while Sir Wilton, supported by four lifepreservers, swam easily behind.

This score of riders were the most delighted beings that ever set foot upon a solid deck after braving the teeth of an angry sea for hours and sleeping on a lonely South American beach.

The following day the now too thoroughly crowded ship hailed a tramp steamer headed for Rio de Janeiro, which was her own destination. As the tramp