 Jerry, of the circus! All indications, I'd say, had a pretty weak nicker. A weak nicker? What's that? Oh, I mean a weak heart. Guess he's got it pretty bad, too. He's been having those fainting spells for some time now. Golly, I don't see how he went on for the finale this afternoon. He was sure shaken. Yep, he was pretty weak, all right. I look for him to collapse at any time during the walk-around. That's why I work closer to him than I usually do. Why does he work if he's so sick? Well, you know, I've asked him that very question, Jerry. He just says that he has to keep working because he needs the money. And I think it's just bulldog determination and willpower that keeps Johnny Bradley on his feet at all. Ready for rags now? Yep. Hand me that soap, then. Let's put rags in his bathtub. Here you are. Come on, rags. In the water you go. Well, you kind of like a bath, don't you, rags? He sure does. I never saw a dog that liked water as much as rags does, especially on a nice warm day when the sun's out. Well, it sure is a nice sunny day today. You'll get dry in no time. Now, here, come on, boy. Give me your paw, rags. That's a boy. His plush. You'll get plenty dirty, don't they? More stance to reason, Jerry. Can't keep clean paws running around in this backyard all day. Can you, boy? You know, Bumps, I think Rags likes the circus. He's never been so frisky and full of pet. Well, of course he does. He's proud of himself. Why, just a short while back, he was just another dog. And all of a sudden, he joins out with the circus and becomes a star of the show. There's plenty of reason for him to be frisky. Not a star, Bumps. Well, sure is a star. Now, you just compare the applause he gets for some of the other acts. Yeah, don't you worry. He gets his recognition and laughs, too. No, we're talking about you, don't you, fella? Yeah, you think he doesn't? Some people say dogs haven't got brains. They have so. Well, I'm inclined to think they have. If it isn't brains that teaches them duty and courage and loyalty and obedience, well, then it's something awful close to brains. Yeah, you rags, boy. I guess you're pretty clean now. Oh, hand me that pail of clear water there, Jerry. Here you are, Bumps. That's a boy. Now, hold your breath, rags. I'm going to rinse off. One, two, three. A colleague has got him clean. He's just shine. Yep. That's a pretty good wash and polish job, I'd say. Here's the towel. Yeah, all right. Oh, chigo rags. You can write the real hard with that towel, Bumps. He likes it. Oh, he does, huh? Well, rags, I guess I'll have to give you a real good rub down there. When he thinks he's dry enough, you'll grab for the towel and hang on. Yeah, well, not for this towel, he won't. It's one of my best. And I want our dog to put his monogram in it with his teeth. Hey, Bumps, look who's coming. Oh, well, hello, Patsy. You just missed it. We just ran rags through the laundry. Hello, you two. Say, it's a wonder you wouldn't let a person know when a big event like this is coming up. Here, here, here, you rags. Let go of that towel. You've had enough dry and off say so, but don't you go turn up that good towel. See, I told you he'd grab at it. Look at that dog run. He's suddenly full of bad bad bad bad. Here, rags. Good boy. Come on. Let's put your collar on. Come here now. It's still. Let's see. Where's my keys? Here they are. My, what a cute little lock. I never noticed that on this collar. Well, it's not a very big lock to notice. I guess it's the smallest lock I've ever seen. There you are, rags. You look pretty nice, I'd say. You must be a businessman to have all those keys, Jerry. What are they all for? Well, there's only three of them besides the keys to the little lock. Well, what three things do you lock up? Now don't tell me one of them is your car key. Uh-uh. This was Dad's key ring, and I put the key to Rags' collar on it. Oh, so that's it. That's even, Jerry. Here you are. This one looks like a trunk key. It is. That's the key for Dad's trunk. Where is the trunk, Jerry? Back at the room and house we lived at. There was nothing in it but some old clothes and things of Dad's. And this one looks like a plain old door key. Uh-uh. That's the key that was for the door of our room. Say, Bones. Uh, yes, Patsy. This little key here. Doesn't this look like a key to a safety deposit box? Look at it. Well, I'll say it does at that. It's got a little number on it. Seven, C, four, three, two, one. What's a safety deposit box? Well, it's a box you rent in a bank, you know, in a big vault. People rent them to put valuable things in for safe keeping. Yeah, lots of folks keep important papers and even jewelry in them. Jerry, didn't your father ever tell you that he had a safety deposit box? No, I don't think he ever did. Well, no, it might be worthwhile looking into this. What do you think might be in the box? That's hard to say, Jerry. But I think you should know about it. But how'd you go about finding out what bank the key is from? There's no name on it. It might be from a bank in any one of a hundred cities. I know for sure Dad didn't ever go to a bank in Midvale. I see. Well, how about when you go out West? I don't remember. I've got it. Well, take this key down to the bank here in town tomorrow and ask someone about it. Yeah, yeah, you could do that all right. Tomorrow's payday. I usually get a cashier's check to send home to Mother. When I'm at the bank in the morning, I'll inquire about it. And if we find out what bank the safety deposit box is in, will they let me open it? Oh, guess who, Jerry? You're your Dad's only son. I'd like to know who has a better right to see what's in that box. You can come with me, Jerry. I'd have to better take this off. Here's your keys. Oh, I dropped them. Sorry. Oh, here, here, here. Here, rag boy. Drop those keys. Oh, he's only playing with them. He likes to hear them run. You stay right here with those keys, rags. I wonder what's in that box. Well, maybe money or maybe some important papers. Well, whatever it is, you should know about it, Jerry. You just have to find out what bank that box is in. Yeah, but first you'll have to find out what city the bank is in. Looks like a big job ahead. Well, hello, there. It's Jason. Hello, Jason. Well, howdy, Jason. How's trick? Fine, if you're talking about tricks with my cats. And just put Daisy through her stunts and she's working great again. Is she all well again, Jason? You bet she is. Just as good as new and anxious to work. I bet she does a grand performance tonight. It seems to me you have your hands full of those wild animals of yours. You're always doing something to them. If you're not feeding them, you're doctoring them. If you're not doctoring them, you're putting them through new tricks. Well, that's the way it goes when you've got a large family of animals to take care of. And I thought I had a lot to do taking care of my props. Keeping my partner rags in good shape. By the way, where is Rags? There he is. Over in the steps to our wagon. He's playing with some keys. Say, who's getting hungry besides me? Well, I guess I could do with a bit of food. About time that flag was going up at that, isn't it? Flag going up? What are you talking about, Bumps? Don't you know about that, Jerry? Shame on you, Bumps. You should have told, explained that to Jerry a long time ago. That's important. What's important? Oh, Jerry, I'm sorry, Jerry. Just flip my mind, I guess. Now, here you've been with the circus all this time. You don't know about the flag. Well, tell him now, Bumps. Well, did you ever notice that little white flag outside the mess tent, Jerry? Yeah. But you've never noticed that it goes up just before meal time. Well, you see, Jerry, there's no bell ringing or bugle blowing when it's meal time around the circus. They just raise that little flag on the mess tent, and then we know that food's being served. I was wondering about that flag. Well, as long as the flag is flying, the service goes on. But when the flag comes down, well, the service is open. Pretty important thing to let slip, aren't you, Jerry? Call me, I'll say. Well, you haven't missed any meals so far, though, have you? No, I always go with Bumps. But I'm sure glad to know about the flag. Now when I see it go up, and if I'm hungry, I won't wait for Bumps. I'll go right over and... You see, that's what you get, Bumps. Yeah, well, the flag should be going up any minute now. Suppose we all walk over toward the mess tent. All right, Jason, come on, Jerry. Let's stop by the lions on the way. I want to see how frisky Daisy is. My arm, lady. Thank you, sir. I bet I know what we're going to have for dinner, Bumps. What? Roast beef, round potatoes, and string beans. Sir, you've got a good nose on you. I can't smell food that far away. I can't either. Oh, no? And how'd you know what's on the bill of hair? Well, I went by the cook's tent this morning, and I saw him fixing the things for dinner. Leave it to Jerry. That's good business, Jerry. Getting acquainted with the cooks. You'll never go hungry. There's Daisy. Golly, look at her go round and round in her cage. Yeah, she sure looks good. I think she does. Come on over here, Jerry. See that spot on her shoulder? It's all well, isn't it? Jason's a good lion doctor, all right. Well, there really isn't much to doctoring these cats. They have a lot of remedies of their own that work pretty well. You put medicine on Daisy, though. Well, that's because she couldn't get to that sore spot herself. I just helped her along a little. There it goes. Get the flags up. Well, let's keep it in his back. Let's eat. Let's run. It's good for the appetite. Beat you today, Patsy. Sir, you think you will. That's too much for me. You youngsters better go ahead. Oh, come on, Bumps. I'm coming. Slow but sure. Jerry beat Patsy that time. He went into that mess ten, five or six feet ahead of her. Hey, that boy's a runner. Anytime he can beat Patsy. She's pretty fast, all right. Well, here we are. Did you see Jerry beating that time? I think you'll let me, Patsy. I did not. My reputation is at stake. I've been there for a long time on the job. Well, you were right, Jerry. Here comes a roast beef. And the string beans and the brown potatoes, too. Here you are, Patsy. Ladies first. Oh, thank you. Jerry? Boy, this looks good. Pass the potatoes, Bumps. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. Here you are. It sure must take a lot of food to feed the whole circus. It does, Jerry. I'll take today, for instance, when we have beef. You know it takes the best part of six whole cows to fill the bill. It does. Yeah, you bet. And nothing is wasted, either. We get the choice cut and the tougher parts go to the kennels. Golly, I didn't know that. And then the necks and the bones and the gristle, well, they go to the menagerie. That thing was wasted that way, huh? Yeah, that's right. Oh, there's Johnny Bradley, Jerry. He must be feeling better, huh? Jason, you grab that pitcher of milk and pour me some, please. He's coming up. Milk, Jerry? Yeah, thanks. I bet you didn't know that some of the workmen eat as much as one whole loaf of bread and a meal. They do? Yes, sir. And I've seen them get away with two steaks for breakfast after setting up the tops. Would you like to pay for all that food, Jerry? Golly, it sure must cost a lot to feed a circus. Well, it costs a lot more at the start of the season than it does now. Oh, why is that? Well, after a slim winter, most of the stakers and razor bags are pretty much underweight. So then they hit the road again and work is hard and then take on more food. Then after a while they get caught up, huh? That's it, Jerry. See, could I please have another piece of that beef? Sure, Patsy. Here you are. Thank you. Jiminy, who will it be? What's up, Jerry? I left rags on the wagon steps. Oh, don't you always leave them there? Have you run away? Yeah, but my keys, he was playing with them. Excuse me. Look at that boy run. I hope that dog hasn't gone off of those keys. It has to be awful. What keys? Oh, Patsy discovered a safety deposit box key on Jerry's key ring. It belonged to his father. I was going to take the key over to a bank with me tomorrow and see what could be done about finding out what bank the box is in. Oh, I do hope rags hasn't lost it. They know there might be some of importance to Jerry in that safety deposit box. Something that he should know about. He shouldn't let a valuable key like that lay around where rags can play with it. He just forgot about it. But, golly, I hope it isn't lost.