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〃Seems to me the circuses are coming this way pretty fast？〃 suggested
the lad。
〃What d'ye mean？〃
〃I hear that there are to be two over in Corinto within two daysyours
andand。 What's the name of the other one？〃
〃Sparling's；〃 grunted the foreman。
Phil grinned appreciatively。 He had drawn his man out on the first
round。
〃That's it。 That's the name。 I shouldn't think he'd want to show in
the same place the day after you had been there？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃 'Cause the folks will all spend their money going to your show。〃
The foreman threw back his head and laughed。
〃That's exactly what they will do； kid。 That's what we want them to
do。 We'll make that Sparling outfit get off the earth before we get
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
through with them。 The boss has his axe out for that outfit。〃
〃Indeed？〃 cooed Phil。
〃Yes。 He's going； between you and me； to keep a day ahead of them
all the way over this circuit。〃
〃Smart； very smart；〃 laughed Phil； slapping his thigh as if he
appreciated the joke fully。 〃Have an orange。 I always carry some about
with me when I'm going to visit a circus。〃
〃Thanks； that will taste good at this time of the morning。 It will keep
me going until the cook tent is ready。 The cook tent is where we get our
meals； you understand。 'Course you don't know about those things。〃
〃No indeed！〃
〃Outsiders never do；〃 replied the man。
〃I was wondering something a moment ago； when you told me about
getting ahead of the other fellow。〃
〃Wondering？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What？〃
〃Wondering how you know where the other fellow is going？〃
〃That's a dark secret； kid；〃 answered the stake and chain foreman； with
a very knowing wink。
〃But if you know where he is going he must know where you are
billed for at the same time；〃 urged Phil。
〃He don't。〃
〃But why not？〃
〃In the first place we bill ourselves only a few days ahead。 And； in the
second； we have a way of finding out where Sparling is going for the next
month or so ahead。 Sometimes further than that。〃
〃Well； well； that's interesting〃 The foreman hurried off to give some
directions to his men； slowly returning a few minutes later。
〃I should like to know how you do it？〃
〃Say kid； there's tricks in the show business just the same as in any
other。 Mebby there's somebody with the Sparling outfit who keeps us
posted。 Mind you； I ain't saying there is； but that there might be。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 muttered Phil； suddenly enlightened。 〃Then someone in
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
the other show is giving away his employer's secrets。 Fine for you； but
pretty rough on the other fellow。〃
〃Let the other fellow take care of himself； the same way we do；〃
growled the foreman； following it with a threatening command to one of
his men。
〃That hardly seems fair；〃 objected Phil。
〃All is fair in war and the circus business。 You seem a good deal
interested in this competition business？〃 snapped the man with sudden
suspicion in voice and face。
〃I am。 But where is thisthis Sparling show going todo you know
what towns they are going to play for the next month？ Can you tell that；
too？〃
〃I can come pretty close to it；〃 grinned the showman； whereupon he
named the towns on Phil's route list without so much as missing one of
them。 But the stake and chain foreman did not stop here； he went on and
gave a further list that Phil only knew of as having heard mentioned by Mr。
Sparling in his various conversations with the circus lad。
Phil was amazed。
〃Then they must be going west。 I see；〃 nodded the boy。
〃No； you don't see。 You only think you do。〃
〃No？〃
〃No。 If you was a showman and knew your business you'd know that
the Sparling outfit was going to make a sudden turn after a little； and head
for Dixie Land。〃
〃Down south；〃 exclaimed Phil。
〃Sure。 Why not？ You see you lubbers don't know any more about
the show business than〃
〃And you are going to follow them？〃
〃Follow them？ No。 We're going to lead them。 They'll follow us。〃
〃You're like a wildcat train then？〃
〃Something of the sort。〃
〃Where's the boss？〃
〃There he comes now。 I'll have to hustle the men； or he'll scorch the
grass off the lot with his roars。〃
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
The foreman hastened to stir up his surveyors and Phil moved off that
he might get a better look at Mr。 Sully； the owner of the show。 Phil found
him to be a florid…faced； square jawed man whose expression was as
repulsive as it was brutal。 Sully wore a red vest and red necktie with a
large diamond in it。 He gave the Circus Boy a quick sharp look as he
passed。 〃I'll bet he will know me the next time he sees me；〃 muttered Phil。
〃But whether he does or not I have made some discoveries that Mr。
Sparling will be glad to know about； though they will not make him
particularly happy； I'm thinking。〃
Phil was hungry； and he was anxious to get back to the village to write
a letter； but decided that he would wait until the tents were up。 Then
again； he wanted to see the wagons brought on so he could count them and
get a fair inventory of the show and what it possessed。 He soon
discovered that the Sully Hippodrome Circus was no one…horse affair；
though considerably smaller than the one with which he was connected。
Not until the people were getting ready for the parade did Phil leave
the lot。 Then he hastened downtown and got his dinner and breakfast all
in one； after which he sat down to write a full account of what he had
learned to Mr。 Sparling。
〃There； if anything happens to me he is pretty well informed so far。
It's enough to enable him to lay those plans he has in mind； whatever they
may be。 I can see him hammering his desk and getting red in the f