"You'd better go now," she said abruptly. "Mr. Kroon will be here any moment and he mustn't see you." Suddenly Lolita again put her arms around Nancy. "I never saw you until a few minutes ago," she said, "but already you are my friend. I feel much better than I did a few minutes ago. Doing my high-wire act seemed impossible then, but now I'll be able to put on a good show."

As they stepped outside, Lolita asked where Nancy would be sitting and said she would wave to her. Learning that the girl and her escort had been unable to obtain tickets, Lolita declared that she would get two for her. The aerialist called to a man who was walking past the trailer.

"Oh, Dan," she said. "Come here quickly, please."

As the man hurried over, Lolita introduced him to Nancy as Dan Webster, one of the horse trainers. Suddenly Lolita laughed, then remarked that she had failed to ask her caller's name. When Nancy told her, Lolita said to Dan Webster:

"Please get Nancy two of the special seats and hurry. Bring them back here."

As Dan hurried off, Nancy saw Kroon approaching. Quickly she ducked around the corner out of sight.

Reaching the trailer, Kroon glared at Lolita. "Well, what's your answer?" he stormed.

"I feel better, Father. I'll do my act," Lolita said quietly.

The man gave a raucous laugh, took her by the hand, and led her away. "Get into your costume," he ordered.

As Nancy waited for Dan Webster to return with the tickets, her dislike for Kroon mounted. She decided to make every effort to find out for Lolita more about her real parents. The fact that the aerialist herself had doubts of their death was a further incentive to the young sleuth.

The horse trainer returned in a few minutes and walked with Nancy as far as the side shows. On the way she told him of her endeavors to learn trick riding from Señor Roberto who used to be with Sims' Circus.