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done.” Fitzy suddenly started walking off through the circus. The girls and Malachy ran to follow him.
    Fitzy spoke quickly as he walked. “The posters have already gone up. They’re plastered all over the town. I spent a fortune on them, like a fool! Can’t be helped now, it’s done, it’s spent.” He spun on the spot and kept talking, walking backward, waving his hands. “You two are on the posters! The Sullivan Twins! I can’t do the show with just one! What if people want their money back? What am I supposed to tell them?”
    Lizzie had never seen Fitzy in such a panic. “The circus will be ruined,” he mumbled. “I can’t let that happen . . . there must be something we can do!”
    Suddenly Fitzy stopped. He looked from Lizzie to Erin and back to Lizzie. “Yes,” he said softly. “It just might work. . . .”
    â€œWhat?” Lizzie asked, totally confused now.
    â€œIt’s the only solution,” Fitzy said. “We can’t do the show without two girls. You’re about Erin’s height. So you’ll have to go on in her place.”
    Lizzie’s mouth fell open.
    â€œCongratulations, Lizzie.” Fitzy patted her on the back. “You just became the new Sullivan sister. Better get some riding practice in!”

CHAPTER 5
    It was the craziest idea Lizzie had ever heard.
    â€œBut Fitzy, I barely know how to ride a horse,” she protested. “I can’t do handstands and tricks on horseback like Erin does! I’ll break my neck!”
    â€œI can teach you,” Nora offered. “You’ll pick it up pretty quick. After all, I was only four when I first learned. If I can do it, you can!”
    â€œBut the first show is tonight!” Lizzie exclaimed.
    Malachy tugged at his father’s brightly colored coat. “Don’t do this, Pop. It’s not fair to Lizzie.”
    â€œOh, I know it’s a lot to ask,” Fitzy said. “But they don’t call her ‘The Magnificent Lizzie Brown’ for nothing, do they?”
    â€œPop, be serious,” Malachy said. “Erin’s already hurt. Lizzie could get hurt too. We should play it safe instead of taking all these unnecessary risks.”
    For a moment, Fitzy looked like he might give in to Malachy’s reasoning. He rubbed his forehead and looked very tired. There hadn’t been much of the old familiar sparkle in his eyes lately, and he had been putting in a lot of late nights.
    â€œI owe a lot of money, son,” Fitzy said in a guilty voice that hurt Lizzie’s heart. “More than I’ve let on to tell you the truth. If I could go back and do things differently, I would . . . but it’s too late.”
    Fitzy had always been a risk taker. Lizzie knew that. He’d taken a risk when he first gave her a job in his circus. If he hadn’t, she’d probably be dead by now or slaving away in a match factory with phosphorus burns on her fingers. Seeing him now, so sad and defeated, Lizzie knew she had to do her best to help. She could take a risk too, for his sake. “I’ll do it!” she said.
    Fitzy glanced up, and the tiny gleam in his eyes shone like a spark in the night. “Good girl.”
    * * *
    Lizzie’s one and only training session was in the show tent on the firm, sawdust-strewn ground. There would be no more rehearsals outside thanks to the rain. The ground was too soggy. Hari led Albert into the ring. Everyone else had quietly left before Lizzie arrived to give her some privacy.
    They don’t want to see me falling off and landing on my face , Lizzie thought. Can’t blame ’em.
    â€œHe’s the better behaved of the two new horses, so you can ride him,” said Nora. “He’s used to having me stand up on his back, so he won’t buck you off. Will you, my lovely?”
    Lizzie rubbed Albert’s neck. “We’re going to have to learn to trust