The Story of Freginald (12 page)

Of course, only a few of the animals who appeared in the amateur hour got offered jobs. And many of them who did only stayed with the circus for a little while and then went back home. Nevertheless, by June Mr. Boomschmidt had twice as big a circus as he had had the year before, and nearly twice as good a one. He was so happy nowadays that, as Madame Delphine often said, it was a pleasure just to look at him. Poor Mr. Boomschmidt! There was plenty of trouble waiting for him just a little way up the road.

CHAPTER 11

One day late in June the Circus rolled into the little town of Hilldale. It was here that Freginald had joined it, nearly a year ago. Down in the meadows by the river the big tent was going up, with all the little tents around it, like a giant mushroom with a lot of giant children. But Freginald turned his back on the tents and, with Leo and Louise, waded the river and struck off through the woods. For he had got permission from Mr. Boomschmidt to visit his family and to take his friends along.

When they got to the cave where Freginald's family lived, his father and mother were out, so they went inside to wait. At least Leo and Freginald did, and Louise lay down outside and stuck her head through the door. Freginald was showing them his playthings when there was a shout outside and Louise gave a squeal and backed out of the door. Freginald's father was just lifting a stick to give Louise another whack when Freginald rushed out shouting: “Stop, father! Stop!”

“Louise!” cried the two bears, and they rushed at their son and hugged and kissed him and then he introduced his friends, and his father apologized to Louise for hitting her. “Of course,” he said, “I didn't know who you were. I just saw part of a stranger sticking out of our house. I expect you'd have done the same as I did.”

“Oh, that's all right,” said Louise. “It didn't hurt; it just made me jump.”

“Excuse me, my dear,” said Freginald's mother, “but I think I didn't catch your name—”

“Her name is Louise, the same as mine used to be,” said Freginald. And he explained how his name had been changed.

His father was pleased with the new name, but his mother shook her head. “I don't know what your great-grandfather will say to that, I am sure. But won't you come inside and have some refreshments?”

So they went in, all except Louise, who stayed outside again and stuck her head in. Freginald's mother got out some nice fresh honey and Freginald began to tell them about the circus and all he had been doing. And just in the middle of it Louise squealed again and backed out hurriedly.

They all ran out. One of Freginald's old playmates was there with his mother and he was just picking up another stone to throw at Louise. But when he saw Freginald he dropped it, and his mother said: “Well, of all people! It's Louise! Well, when did you get back?”

“Today,” said Freginald. “But my name isn't Louise any more; it's Freginald. And, Bruno, this elephant is my friend, so please don't throw stones at her.”

Bruno apologized to the elephant and explained that he had thought she was a burglar, and while they were talking, some more of Freginald's playmates came along. They all called him Louise when they greeted him, and when he tried to explain that he had changed his name they laughed and said: “Well, you'll always be Louise to us.” And one of them said: “Sure, it suits you. You hadn't ought to have a boy's name.” And they all began making fun of him as they had used to.

But Freginald had been out with the circus a year and he was no longer the timid little bear he had been when he left home. “Look here, Dan,” he said to the one who had spoken, “you used to have a lot of fun with me on account of my name, and you can keep on if you want to. Only every time you call me Louise I'm going to call you Mabel. And if I have to I'll prove that Mabel fits you better than Louise fits me.”

“Oh, Lou—Freginald,” said his mother, “you used to be such a nice quiet boy—I'm afraid that circus hasn't been a very good thing for you.”

“Let him alone, madam,” said Leo. “I assure you that he can handle this quite capably. I assume that you don't want him to be a sissy all his life?”

“Oh,” said Dan, stepping forward, “so you're going to call me Mabel, are you, Louise?”

“Yes, I am, Mabel,” said Freginald.

“What did you say?” demanded Dan ferociously, and he got up on his hind legs and made a few passes in the air.

“I said your name was Mabel,” said Freginald.

“You said
what?
” demanded Dan.

“Oh, get on with it, young fellow,” said Leo impatiently. “Get rough, get rough! We haven't got all day.”

But Dan didn't seem to be in any hurry, though he kept dancing around Freginald and growling as if he was about to eat him.

“Why don't you hit him, Dan?” said Bruno. “He's smaller than you are.”

“Sure, he's just a little fellow,” said the others. “What you afraid of, Dan?” And they began to laugh.

“Why don't one of you hit him, then?” said Dan, turning to his friends.

“Nobody called
us
Mabel,” said Bruno.

“Nobody can call
me
Mabel, either,” said Dan, glaring at them. “And he isn't little either, he's as big as I am. Only I'm not going to hit him and have that lion pitch into me. Just let one of you try to call me Mabel and see what happens.”

“All right, Mabel, how about it?” said Bruno.

Dan rushed up to him and everybody thought he was going to hit him, but he only put his face to Bruno's and said: “You think you're safe, don't you? You think just because that lion is here you can say what you want to. Well, you wait. You wait till I catch you alone. I'll show you who's Mabel. And you too, Louise,” he snarled turning to Freginald. “I'll catch you when you haven't got a lot of your circus friends around. You wait—”

“Oh, go on. Smack him, Fredg,” said Leo.

But Freginald would't. He knew that Dan wouldn't ever try to bully him again, and he didn't want to get in a fight when he was just home on a visit.

“All right, then,” said Leo. “We'll just give him a little lesson, anyway. Just so he'll know what will happen if you find out that he has been picking on Bruno, here. Sit down, everybody, please.”

So the bears all sat down and Leo and Freginald went into the middle of the ring and boxed a couple of rounds. Of course, Freginald wasn't anywhere near as good as Leo, but he had taken a number of lessons from the kangaroo and he had a left hook which was as quick as lightning. It was a very pretty exhibition to watch and the bears, being naturally good boxers, applauded generously.

When they finished they found that Dan had sneaked away.

“Well, I guess that ends the Louise business,” said Bruno. “I take back anything I ever said about your being a sissy, Freginald.” And all the other young bears said the same thing.

When the neighbors had gone they started to go back in the cave again, but Louise said she guessed as long as she couldn't get all inside she'd better stay all outside, because maybe some more neighbors would come along. So they all stayed out. They had a picnic lunch outdoors and in the afternoon a lot more animals dropped in. Some of them had never seen an elephant or a lion before, and they just sat around in a circle and admired Leo and Louise. Leo always liked being admired and he acted a little extra grand for their benefit. One little rabbit, named Henny, who was too shy to say anything, sat and looked at Leo for so long with his big pink eyes that finally the lion smiled at him and said graciously: “What are you thinking about so solemnly, my little man?”

“You, sir,” said Henny, and blushed. Of course he didn't actually blush, for a rabbit's face is covered with white fur, but he looked as if he was blushing, which amounts to the same thing.

“Indeed?” said Leo. “And will you tell me what you were thinking?”

“Well, sir, I—I know a little girl who has hair the same color as your mane,” said Henny.

“Yes?” said Leo, shaking his head self-consciously so that his mane would fall more gracefully over his shoulders. “Don't be afraid to say what you are thinking.”

“Well, sir,” said Henny, “I was thinking that—now, that if you had your mane combed and curled every day the way she does, it wouldn't—well, it would look nicer.”

Leo, who had been expecting a compliment, looked a little foolish and said: “H'm, ha. Well, yes. I dare say.” And Louise giggled.

But Leo got up and, ignoring Henny, said: “I think, if you don't mind, I will take a little walk through your magnificent woods. I always take a walk and a little nap in the afternoon. I will be back later.” And he strolled off.

CHAPTER 12

Freginald and his friends started back to the circus the next morning. It wasn't far, and as it was a beautiful day, they decided to go around by Hilldale and get a soda and do a little window-shopping on the way. Main Street was bright and fluttering with bunting and flags, for the mayor always proclaimed a holiday when the circus came to town, and there was a big arch across the street by the Hilldale Palace Hotel with “Welcome Boomschmidt” on it.

Freginald and Leo went into the drug store to get their soda. They took chocolate and sent out a raspberry one to Louise, who was too big to come in. Freginald talked to Leo, but pretty soon he saw that the lion was not listening, but was looking out of the window with a dreamy expression. Freginald looked too, but there wasn't anything to be seen but a lot of people standing around and watching Louise eat her soda.

“What are you thinking about so solemnly, my little man?” said Freginald with a grin.

Leo started, and then he smiled and said: “That's funny, Fredg. You know, I was just thinking about that rabbit. That place over there—” He pointed a claw toward the other side of the street. And then, without explaining, he gulped down the rest of his soda and went out of the store.