Owen's uncle was running a circus famous for animal performances, but a fire caused his uncle to die unexpectedly, and the circus was reduced to ashes. At this time, the burden of inheriting the circus fell on Owen, but he seemed hesitant. At his uncle's funeral, Owen's uncle Holleshaw announced that he would inherit the circus and the treasure. The clown Red nose also handed Owen a box of animal biscuits affixed with "absolutely not to eat", making the situation even more chaotic.