"
"It's going to be a regular circus!" said Kathleen. "I feel as if
we ought to wear spangles and be led by a band."
"We haven't any clown, though," said Martha.
"I shouldn't wonder," said Mary, "if we'd all look like clowns in
this parade."
The car with the creatures in it was standing on a side track,
and the station agent, looking doubtfully at the girls, led the
way to it, and after the rabbits and fowls had been loaded into
the truck, placed a gangplank for the cows to walk down, and
opened the door of the car. But nothing happened; the cows
obstinately refused to step down the plank.
"Here's a rope," said Mademoiselle, at last, throwing one up to
the agent. "I hoped we shouldn't need it, but I guess we do."
The agent fixed the rope to the horns of one of the cows, and
threw the other end to Mademoiselle. "Now," said he, "pull gently
to begin with."
Mademoiselle, pale but valiant, pulled, quietly at first, then
harder. The cow put her head down, braced her feet and backed.
"Come on," cried Mademoiselle to the others, "we'll all have to
pull together."
Any one who could get hold of it seized the rope.
"I never played 'pom pom pull away' with a cow before," quavered
Louise. "I--I--don't feel sure she knows the rules of the game!"
"She'll soon learn," said Mademoiselle, grimly. "Don't welch.
Now, then, one--two--three--pull!"
At the word, they all leaned back and pulled. The cow, yielding
suddenly, shot out of the car like a cork out of a champagne
bottle, and the girls attached to the rope went down like a row
of bricks.
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