Jamie tugged at the shirt collar he’d been made to wear. His assistant elephant trainer attire had not passed muster with the Shuberts. They sent him straightaway to the wardrobe mistress, who wrangled him into a navy cutaway jacket, black trousers, and white shirt so heavily starched Jamie could barely bend his arms.

“You’re a handsome one,” she pronounced, setting a black bowler over his thick hair.

No one had ever complimented Jamie Doolan on his appearance before. He snuck a peek in a backstage mirror. He didn’t look half bad, even if he said so himself. But it seemed like a lot of fuss just to hand out programs.

He tipped his hat to Baby. “I clean up pretty fine, don’t I?”

Baby answered with a snuffle. He stood patiently while Jamie affixed a gigantic blue ribbon around his neck. “What do you think about this nonsense?” Jamie wondered aloud. Because he knew Baby had thoughts. Rich and deep and elephant-like. Jamie had filled his free hours studying those books from Audie. Some mighty interesting stuff in there, all right. Elephants were complicated creatures. Jamie calculated that a person could study them for a lifetime and still have only a thimbleful of knowledge.

“Ready to get to our station?” Jamie reached into his pocket and brought out a large key. He worked it into the lock at Baby’s foot and released him from the metal manacle. The welts on Baby’s skin pained him as much as if he himself were wounded. That was why he’d signed on with Audie. The girl juggler had no doubts their plan would work. But Jamie was not as certain. Life had taught him to be wary. Even so, he’d thrown his lot in with her and her cat. Jamie would clutch at any straw, do anything—even give up his own freedom—to help Baby.

Jamie clucked his tongue and Baby followed, through the cage doors, out of the basement, and up a ramp to the street. They had a bit of a walk from the theater’s rear door to the front entrance, where Baby was to hand out programs to patrons. And there was a stop to be made along the way.

Outside, the young elephant balked at the street commotion—Jamie could only imagine what Baby thought of all the smells. And all the horses and automobiles and people created a racket such as this little one never would hear in his homeland.

“There, Baby. ’Tis all right.” Jamie walked backward, leading his charge to the corner of Forty-Third and Sixth. He crooned the words to “Hush Ye, My Bairnie,” and would’ve been hard-pressed to say whether it was to calm Baby or himself.

Minutes passed. And no sign of Audie. His heart sank, but he had to face facts. This was yet another lollipop dream. How could two orphans work wonders? Jamie patted Baby’s side, ready to admit defeat.

Then he saw her.

“I was afraid you’d turned chicken,” he exclaimed.

Audie set Min down to catch her breath. “My word is my bond,” she assured him. “Are we ready to bargain?”

He reached into his pocket. “Here’s everything I’ve got.”

She glanced at the bills and coins in Jamie’s callused palm. “That should be enough.” She wiggled her left foot in her boot, hoping she wouldn’t have to use the remaining gold coin from her inheritance. But if that was required, that was what she would do. She felt quite certain her parents would approve.

Attired in her Pomegranto costume—the time was fast approaching for the big show—Audie fell in step with Jamie as he led the way, with an elephant and cat padding along behind. The wagon master was at the appointed meeting place with the required equipment. He withheld comment on Audie’s appearance but frowned as he counted the money. “This is a little short of what we discussed,” he grumbled.

Audie, ever truthful, acknowledged the accuracy of his observation. “There are more important things in this world than gold and silver,” she asserted.

The wagon master stared. “Such as?”

“Emerson said, ‘Doing well is the result of doing good,’ ” she replied.

The man continued to stare.

“Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Audie clarified.

“Is Ralph going to come up with the difference?” The wagon master appeared to be unmoved by Audie’s appeal to his conscience. “I’m not in the charity business, you know.”

At that moment an impatient Min jumped to the wagon bed.

“Hey, get away, you scamp!” The wagon master moved to shoo her off. But Min’s tail twitched twice, freezing the man’s hands in midair. He blinked. Glanced again at the baby elephant and at the money in his hand. “I guess it looks about right, after all.” He stuffed the bills and coins into his pocket.

Audie signaled her extreme gratitude to Min, while Jamie stood, dumbfounded. “Shall we continue?” Audie nudged Jamie gently with her elbow.

“What?” He shook his head. “Oh yes.” He appeared to bring himself back to the situation at hand. “Give me twenty minutes. Is everything ready?”

“Now or never,” the wagon master replied.

Jamie turned to Audie. “Wish me luck.”

“You won’t need it.” She stuck out her hand. “Do stay in touch.”

Jamie’s mind was already on the next steps, actions that would forever change the course of his life. Houdini might have no trouble vanishing an elephant, but it was another thing altogether to make one truly disappear. The assistant elephant keeper only hoped their plan would work as well in reality as it had seemed to work on paper. He had no desire to go to jail. He became aware of Audie’s outstretched hand. “I promise.”

After the handshake, Audie brushed her palms together. “That’s it, then. I’d best get backstage.” Before she had gone two steps, her shadow materialized.

“Whatcha doing?” Daisy turned her infamous squint on the pair.

Jamie gulped. Audie’s mind frantically juggled possible answers. But as ever, our girl was truthful. “We’re rescuing that elephant,” she said. “Baby.”

Daisy’s hand scrubbed at her nose. “You’re doing no such thing.”

The coconspirators exchanged glances. “We certainly aim to give it a shot,” Audie answered.

“That’s crazy,” Daisy said.

“There are many who would agree with you,” Audie replied pleasantly.

Daisy squinted at them again. “Who owns this here elephant?”

Jamie shoved his hands in his pockets, rattled with nerves. “The time,” he reminded Audie.

Again, Audie could be nothing but honest. “Technically, the Shubert brothers.”

“Not you?” Squint.

“No.” Audie shook her head.

“Sounds like I should call the cops, then.” Daisy put her fingers to her mouth, ready to let loose a scalding whistle.

Baby reached out his trunk. Felt around Daisy’s shoulders. The pickle seller batted him away.

Audie did so hate to be rude. But every moment was precious, and if they spent much more time squabbling with Daisy, the plan would have no chance at all. She squeezed her hands into fists and waved them threateningly. “I’ll be obliged to give you a knuckle sandwich if you don’t step out of our way.”

Daisy gaped. She choked. Then she burst out laughing. “You wouldn’t know the first thing about fisticuffs,” she scoffed, “ ’cept what you read in a book—”

“That is true,” Audie conceded, fists still at the ready.

“Give it a rest.” Daisy reached into her pocket and pulled out a sugar cube, which she fed to Baby. “Looks like you could use my help.”