按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
being a few weeks out they are able to set the tents in from half an hour to
an hour less time than it takes during the first two or three stands of the
season。
The next stand was to be Edmeston； the home of the two Circus Boys。
The lads were looking forward with keen expectation to the moment when；
clad in tights and spangles； they would appear before their old school
4
… Page 5…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
fellows in a series of daring aerial flights。
The lads had spent the winter at school and now only one year more
was lacking to complete their course at the high school that they had been
attending between circus seasons； practicing in their gymnasium after
school hours。
〃I'd like to invite all the boys of our class to come to the show on
passes。 Do you suppose Mr。 Sparling would let me？〃
〃I am afraid you had better not ask him；〃 laughed Phil。 〃If you were
running a store do you think you would ask the crowd to come over and
help themselves to whatever they wanted？〃
〃Well； no…o。〃
〃I thought not。〃
〃But this is different。〃
〃Not so much so。 It would be giving away seats that could be sold
and that probably will be sold。 No； I guess the boys had better pay for
their seats。〃
Teddy looked disappointed。
〃Don't you think it is worth fifty cents to see us perform？〃 queried
Phil。
Teddy grinned broadly。 The idea appealed to him in a new light。
〃That's so。 I guess it's worth more than fifty cents； at that。 I guess I
don't care if they do have to pay； but I want them to come to the show。
What do you suppose I've been working two years for； if it wasn't to show
off before the fellows？ Haven't you？〃
〃No。〃
〃What then？〃
〃Why； what do you think？〃
〃I don't think。 It's too hot to think this morning。〃
〃All right。 Wait till someday when the weather is cooler； then think
the matter over；〃 laughed Phil； hurrying on toward where breakfast was
waiting for them in the cook tent。
The lads were performing the same acts in which they had appeared
the previous season； that is； doing the flying rings as a team； while Phil
was a bareback rider and Teddy a tumbler。 Something had happened to the
5
… Page 6…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
bucking mule that Teddy had ridden for two seasons； and the manager had
reluctantly been forced to take this act from his bill。
〃I'm thinking of getting another mule for you； if we can pick up such a
thing；〃 said Mr。 Sparling at breakfast that morning。
Teddy's eyes twinkled。 He had in mind a surprise for the manager；
but was not quite ready to tell of his surprise yet。 All during the winter the
lad had been working with a donkey that he had picked up near Edmeston。
His training of the animal had been absolutely in secret； so that none of his
school fellows； save Phil； knew anything about it。
〃All right；〃 answered Teddy carelessly。 〃Wait till we get to Edmeston
and see what we can pick up there。〃
Mr。 Sparling bent a shrewd； inquiring glance on the impassive face of
the Circus Boy。 If he suspected Teddy had something in mind that he
was not giving voice to； Mr。 Sparling did not mention it。 By this time he
knew both boys well enough to form a pretty clear idea when there was
anything of a secret nature in the wind。
〃We'll never get another mule like Jumbo；〃 he sighed。
〃Hope not；〃 answered Teddy shortly。
〃Why not？〃
〃 'Cause； I don't want to break my neck this season； at least not till
after we've passed Edmeston and the fellows have seen perform。〃
〃So that's it； is it？〃
〃It is。 I'm going to show myself tomorrow； and I don't care who
knows it。〃
〃If I remember correctly you already have shown yourself pretty
thoroughly all the way across the continent。〃
〃And helped fill the big top at the same time；〃 added Teddy； with a
shrewd twinkle in his eyes。
Mr。 Sparling laughed outright。
〃I guess you have a sharp tongue this morning。〃
〃I don't mean to have。〃
〃It's all right。 I accept your apology。 What's this you say about the
fellowswhom do you mean？〃
〃He means our class at the high school；〃 Phil informed the showman。
6
… Page 7…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
〃Oh； yes。 How many are there in the class？〃
〃Let me seehow many are there； Teddy？〃
〃Thirty or forty； not counting the fat boy who's the anchor in the tug of
war team。 If you count him there are five more。〃
〃I presume they'll all be wanting to come to the show？〃 questioned Mr。
Sparling。
〃Any fellow who doesn't come is no friend of mine。〃
〃That's the way to talk。 Always have the interest of the show in mind；
and you'll get along；〃 smiled the owner。
〃We…e…l…l；〃 drawled the lad。 〃I wasn't just thinking about the interest
of the show。 I was thinking more about what a figure I'd be cutting
before the boys。〃
Mr。 Sparling laughed heartily。
〃You are honest at any rate； Master Teddy。 That's one thing I like
about you。 When you tell me a thing I do not have to go about asking
others to make sure that you have told me the truth。〃
〃Why shouldn't I？ I'm not afraid of you。〃
〃No； that's the worst of it。 I should like to see something you really
are afraid of。〃
〃I know what he is afraid of；〃 smiled Phil maliciously。
〃What？〃 demanded Mr。 Sparling。
〃He is afraid of the woman snake charmer under the black top。 He's
more afraid of her than he is of the snakes themselves。 Why； you couldn't
get him to shake hands with her if you were to offer him an extra year's
salary。 There she is over there now； Teddy。〃
Teddy cast an apprehensive glance at the freak table； where the freaks
and side show performers were laughing and chatting happily； the Lady
Snake Charmer sandwiched in between the Metal…faced Man and Jo…Jo the
Dog…faced Wonder。
〃I've been thinking of an idea； Mr。 Sparling；〃 said Teddy by way of
changing the subject。
Phil glanced at him apprehensively； for Teddy's ideas were frequently
attended