Philip and Maja help at Mr Beard’s circus, where the lights suddenly reveal a strange old box in the middle of the arena.
Philip loved the circus best when the big striped tent glowed at night. The air smelled of sawdust and popcorn, and the whole arena shimmered with colour.
Every evening, children and grown-ups came to watch Mr Beard juggle buns while Klops, his lively dog, spun in circles on his hind legs. But tonight Philip was not sitting in the crowd. Tonight he was helping.
He and his best friend, Maja, hurried across the ring in clown costumes, carrying bright red balloons for the performers. Maja had a huge shell-shaped hat on her head, and Philip kept trying not to drop his balloons as the music played.
Then the lights flickered.
The music stopped.
In the middle of the arena, a blue spotlight opened like a круг of moonlight, and there stood a small old box that had not been there before. Its lid was locked with a shiny padlock, and gold stars and moons glittered across the wood.
“Where did that come from?” Maja whispered.
Klops barked once, twice, then sprang in tight circles around the box, his ears straight up. Mr Beard stared. The children in the seats leaned forward. No one seemed to know who had left it there.
Philip took one careful step closer. The box gave a tiny shake from inside.
Philip froze. Maja grabbed his sleeve. Then, very softly, they heard a sound from under the lid.