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The ca with activity all afternoon People were running around like crazy A bunch of theether the circus tent I hadn’t seen it before It was an iht when it was done, tall and round and red, decorated with pictures of the perforround to hold the tent in place, arranging seats inside, setting up the stage for the show, preparing props for the performers (we had to find tin cans and nuts and bolts for Rhae inside the tent, and so on)

It was a huge operation, but it moved with incredible speed Everyone in the camp knew their place and as expected of them, and there was never any real panic over the course of the day Everybody worked as part of a teaether smoothly

Sam showed up early in the afternoon I would have kept him around to help with the work, but Evra said he’d be in the way, so we told hi an e in front of him I felt sorry for him, then realized how I could cheer him up

"Sam! Wait a minute!"I shouted "I’ll be back in a second,"I told Evra, then rushed off to Mr Tall’s van

I knocked once on the door and it opened instantly Mr Tall was standing inside, and before I could say a word, he held out two tickets for entry to the Cirque Du Freak

I stared at the tickets, then at Mr Tall "How did you know?"

"I have my ways,"he replied with a smile

"I don’t have any money,"I warned him

"I’ll take it out of your wages,"he said

I frowned "You don’t pay "

His smile widened "Clever old me"He handed over the tickets and closed the door in my face before I could thank hiave him the tickets

"What are these?"he asked

"Tickets for tonight’s show,"I told him "One for you and one for RV"

"Oh, !"Sam quickly stuck the tickets in his pocket, as if he was afraid they ht bloay or vanish "Thanks, Darren"

"No proble is, it’s a late show We’re starting at eleven, and it won’t be over till nearly one in theWill you be able to coo to bed at nine every night They’re early birds"

"If you get caught,"I warned hi"

"My lips are sealed,"he promised, then set off to find RV

Except for a quick dinner, there was no other break between then and the start of the show While Evra left to feed his snake, I set up candles inside the circus tent There were also five huge chandeliers to be hung, four above the crowd and one over the stage, but the Little People took care of those

Mags - a pretty wo interet the displays ready, so I spent an hour stacking candy spiderwebs and edible ?glass? statues and pieces of the wolf-man’s hair There was a new novelty I hadn’t seen before: a small model of Correw in its place I asked Mags hoorked but she didn’t know

"It’s one of Mr Tall’s inventions,"she said "He makes a lot of this stuff hi down the neck to see as inside, but a new head grew before I could

"The s said "They rot after a fewthem?"I asked

"Of course,"she said "Mr Tall insists we let the custo He doesn’t approve of conning people"

Mr Crepsley su in his stage costue,"he ordered, "then brush your suit down and clean yourself up"

"Why?"I asked

"You are going on with me,"he said