Mr. Robinson, recovered from his first surprise, proved to be an excellent listener. Sarah told him of Bony and that animal's accomplishments¹ and he admitted that his circus did not have a trained pig. He was interested, too, to hear how she had taught the pig these tricks and Sarah, quite carried away by this flattering evidence of understanding, told him a great deal more. In fact, unconsciously, she presented him a picture of the family at Rainbow Hill and, before she had finished, of the Gay family, too. This last, to do her justice, was quite unintentional.  
"I didn't mean to tell you about the Gays," she cried in quick remorse². "Rosemary said we must never tell a stranger about them; when a grown-up person knows how poor they are, the town will take them to the poor farm."
 
"Now don't you be sorry," Mr. Robinson comforted her. "Don't you be sorry for one thing you've told me. I won't let it go any further—least ways not among the town folk. I'm glad you told me about this family, downright glad. I've known what it is to live on a farm with a mortgage hanging over your head."
 
"Have you?" asked Sarah humbly³, much relieved. "Then maybe Louisa won't care if you do know about their mortgage."
 
"I've been thinking," said Mr. Robinson slowly, "that it would be a good thing if I went with you this morning and saw the pig you've told me about; mind you, I can't promise to buy it, till I've seen it. But I'd like to look at it. And I'd like to see this Gay farm—maybe that will turn out to be something I can use."
 
Sarah did not see how he could use a farm in a circus, but she wisely refrained from asking. Richard returning for her at this juncture⁴, she introduced him to the circus agent and explained that he wanted to go back to Rainbow Hill with them.
 
Richard was surprised, but cordial, and as Solomon, brave in a new shoe and three tightened⁵ old ones, trotted⁶ them homeward, Sarah and Mr. Robinson together explained their plans.
 
Sarah's was comparatively simple. She wanted to sell Bony to the circus and give the money to Louisa. The pig was the most valuable possession she owned and would surely bring more money than anything else she might part with—even her five-dollar gold piece. Yes, she admitted, in response to Richard's questioning, she was fond of Bony—but she thought he would like living with a circus.
 
Mr. Robinson's plan was more complicated. "For some time past," he said to Richard, a little breathlessly, for he was stout⁷ and the wagon⁸ jolted⁹ him considerably¹⁰, "for some time past, I've been on the lookout¹¹ for new winter quarters for the circus. My idea has been to get a farm in a good section of the country, but of course we can't afford to pay a price a place in a good state of cultivation¹² would bring; what we want is acreage and buildings in fair shape. This Gay farm the little girl tells me about, may fill the bill, providing they are willing to sell."
 
"They would sell, all right," Richard declared thoughtfully, "but I don't see where they can go. The place won't bring enough to keep a family of six very long."
 
"We can talk that over, after I see the place," said Mr. Robinson. "You can trust me to be fair to a parcel of kids—I lived on a farm and I was bound out on a farm."
 
Eager as Sarah was to exhibit her pig, she had to wait. It was "dinner time" at the farmhouse¹³ and lunch time for the Willis family when Richard stopped before the barn. Mrs. Willis and Shirley had returned—Doctor Hugh had dropped them at the crossroads and gone on to the hospital in Bennington—and while at the table Sarah made no mention of her plans. She had a habit of taking no part in the general conversation, unless personally interested, and her silence created no wonderment.
 
After the hospitable¹⁴ manner of the countryside, the circus agent was asked to dinner by Mr. Hildreth who took it for granted that he had asked a lift of Richard on his way from one town to another. And, the meal over, Richard piloted him to the barn, where Rosemary and Shirley and Sarah and the pig awaited him.
 
"Come on and watch," said Sarah cordially, but Richard, declaring he was too busy, went on to his work.
 
Sarah was a little fearful lest Bony develop "temperament," of which he had his share, and refuse to act, but he happened to be in the best of humors, thanks to a peaceful morning free from interruptions, which had allowed him to enjoy a full-length nap.
 
Sarah put him through his paces and change of costumes with pride. He danced, he marched, he went through his acrobatics¹⁵; he wheeled the doll carriage and poured afternoon tea; he played the piano and read, wearing a pair of glassless spectacles and turning the printed page with a graceful¹⁶ air of interest. He grunted¹⁷ "Yes" and he squeaked¹⁸ "No" to half a dozen questions. And finally, seated in a doll's rocking chair, he fanned himself as though the exactions of his art were wearing in the extreme.
 
"I ought to sign you up with the circus," said Mr. Robinson admiringly, when Sarah announced that Bony had displayed the extent of his accomplishments. "You must have a gift, to be able to train an animal like that. Of course he is a clever pig, but you have developed him and made it easy for us to teach him fancier tricks. Do you want to sell him?"
 
Sarah looked at Rosemary, who, with Shirley, had come out to witness the performance.
 
"Yes," said Sarah, after a minute. "Yes, I want to sell him."
 
"You can't change your mind, you know," announced the circus agent warningly. He wanted the pig but he wished to be fair.
 
Sarah's chin went up in the air.
 
"I won't change my mind," she declared. "I won't sell Bony and then ask for him back. You may have him—now."
 
"Can't take him till to-morrow morning," said Mr. Robinson. "Don't you have to ask any older person—your mother, for instance?"
 
Rosemary shook her head.
 
"Mr. Hildreth gave the pig to Sarah," she explained. "It is all hers. And you mustn't tell anyone about buying it—that is, that the money is for Louisa."
 
Mr. Robinson looked perplexed¹⁹, as well he might.
 
"But little grasshoppers²⁰!" he ejaculated, scratching his head. "You can go just so far with a secret, you know; if I buy this Gay farm a heap of people will have to know about it."
 
"Oh, who?" said Rosemary in quick distress²¹.
 
"Well, the guardian²², or whoever holds the estate for them," said Mr. Robinson. "Then the lawyer who draws the deed and all the folks at the Court House who have anything to do with the searches and like that."
 
"I don't understand," declared Rosemary, while Sarah and Shirley began to fold up the dresses Bony had worn. "But I am sure there is no guardian. Louisa would have said something about it."
 
"Never mind," said the circus agent kindly²³. "Plenty of time to find out all that later. Now if the little girl really wants to sell the pig—"
 
He named a figure that surprised them all. Whether, as Doctor Hugh suspected when he heard the story, Mr. Robinson wanted to help the Gays too, and added more as a practical way to assist them; or whether, as Sarah was firmly convinced, Bony was the smartest pig he had ever seen and he recognized his value, does not really matter. There, before three pairs of wondering eyes, he counted out a little heap of soiled bills and gave them to Sarah.
 
"I'll take the pig in the morning," he said, folding up the remainder of his money and fastening the roll with an elastic²⁴. "I expect to put up with the Hildreths to-night and one of the boys will take me back to town after breakfast. You look after the pig for me till then, won't you?"
 
Sarah promised and then, as she did not seem to know what to do with the money, he suggested that she run into the house and give it to her mother to put away.
 
The three girls were anxious to go over to the Gay farm with Mr. Robinson, but he explained that he thought he could talk better to Alec and Louisa alone.
 
"I'm just going to wander over there and tell 'em that Richard Gilbert sent me," he said. "I'll say he heard I wanted to buy a small place and that I thought they might be in the market. I'll tell you all about it, soon as I get back."
 
They watched him start "across lots" to the Gay farm and then Sarah went into the house to ask her mother to put away the money.
 
"You've sold Bony, dear?" echoed Mrs. Willis when she heard the news. "And for all this money? Who bought him, Sarah? When did you sell your pig?"<............