CHAPTER IV
RENEWING OLD ACQUAINTANCES
"Well, Teddy, I must say you have made a good start," grinnedPhil, after necessary explanations had been made and the youngCircus Boy had been released by the policeman who had himin tow." A few minutes more and you would have been in apolice station. I can imagine how pleased Mr. Sparling wouldhave been to hear that."
Teddy hung his head.
"Your clothes are a sight, too. How did--what happened?Did you fall in a creek, or something of that sort?"
The lad explained briefly how he had been captured by the two menand ducked under the standpipe of the water tank.
"But I soaked him, too," Tucker added triumphantly." And I'mgoing to soak him again. The first man I come across whose nameis Larry is going to get it from me," threatened the lad, shakinghis fist angrily.
"You come over to the sleeper with me and get into some decentlooking clothes. I'm ashamed of you, Teddy Tucker."
"So am I," grinned the boy as they turned to go, Phil leadingthe way to the car number eleven, from which the performerswere beginning to straggle, rubbing their eyes andstretching themselves.
The change of clothing having been made, the lads started for thelot, hoping that they might find the old coffee stand and have acup before breakfast. To their surprise, upon arriving at thelot, they found the cook tent up and the breakfast cooking.
"Why, how did you ever get this tent here and up so quickly?"asked Phil after they had greeted their old friend of thecook tent.
"Came in on the flying squadron. This is a railroad show now,you know," answered the head steward, after greeting the boys.
"Flying squadron? What's that?" demanded Teddy, interestedat once.
"The flying squadron is the train that goes out first.It carries the cook tent and other things that will beneeded first. We didn't have that last year. You'll find a lotof new things, and some that you won't like as well as you didwhen we had the old road show. What's your act this year?"
"Same as last."
"Elephant?"
"Yes, and the rings. My friend Teddy I expect will ride theeducated mule again."
While they were talking the steward was preparing a pot ofsteaming coffee for them, which he soon handed over to the ladswith a plate of wafers, of which they disposed in short order.
It was broad daylight by this time, and the boys decided to goout and watch the erection of the tents. It was all new and fullof interest to them. As they caught the odor of trampled grassand the smell of the canvas their old enthusiasm came back tothem with added force.
"It's great to be a circus man, isn't it, Phil?" breathed Teddy.
"It is unless one is getting into trouble all the time, the wayyou do. I expect that, some of these days, you'll get somethingyou don't want."
"What?"
"Oh, I don't know. But I am sure it will be somethingquite serious."
"You better look out for yourself," growled Teddy. "I'll takecare of myself."
"Yes; the way you did last night," retorted Phil, with ahearty laugh. "Come on, now; let's not quarrel. I want to findsome of our old friends. Isn't that Mr. Miaco over there by thedressing tent?"
"Sure."
Both lads ran toward their old friend, the head clown, withoutstretched hands, and Mr. Miaco, seeing them coming, hastenedforward to greet them.
"Well, well, boys! How are you?"
"Oh, we're fine," glowed Phil. "And we are glad to be backagain, let me tell you."
"No more so than your old friends are to have you back.Same old act?"
"Yes."
"What have you boys been doing this winter?"
"Studying and exercising."
"Yes; I knew, from your condition, that you have been keeping upyour work. Got anything new?"
"Not much. Trapeze."
"Good! I'll bet you will be in some of the flying-bar actsbefore the season is over. We have a lot of swell performersthis season."
"So I have heard. Who are some of them?"
"Well, there's the Flying Four."
"Who are they?" questioned Teddy.
"Trapeze performers. They're great--the best in the business.And then there's The Limit."
"Talk United States," demanded Teddy. "The Limit? Whoever heardof that?"
"In other words, the Dip of Death."
Teddy shook his head helplessly.
"That is the somersaulting automobile. A pretty young womanrides in it, and some fine day she won't. I never did like thosefreak acts. But the public does," sighed the old circus man."The really difficult feats, that require years of practice,patrons don't seem to give a rap for. But let somebody do astunt in which he is in danger of suddenly ending his life, thenyou'll see the people howl with delight. I sometimes think theywould be half tickled to death to see some of us break our necks.There's a friend of yours, Phil."
"Who?"
"Emperor, the old elephant that you rode last year. They aretaking him to the menagerie tent."
"Whistle to him, Phil," suggested Teddy.
Phil uttered a low, peculiar whistle.
The big elephant's ears flapped. The procession that he wasleading came to a sudden stop and Emperor trumpeted shrilly.
"He hasn't forgotten me," breathed Phil happily. "Dear oldEmperor!"
"Pipe him up again," urged Teddy.
"No; I wouldn't dare. He would be likely to break away fromMr. Kennedy and might trample some of the people about here.See, Mr. Kennedy is having his troubles as it is."
"Done any tumbling since you closed last fall?" questionedMr. Miaco.
"We have practiced a little. I want to learn, if you willteach me--"
"Why, you can tumble already, Phil."
"Yes; but I want to do something better--the springboard."
"They've got a leaping act this year."
"How?"
"Performers and clowns leap over a herd of elephants.You've seen the act, haven't you?"
"Oh, yes; I know what it is. I wish I were able to do it."
"You will be. It is not difficult, only one has to have anatural bent for it. Now, your friend Teddy ought to make afine leaper."
"I am," interposed Teddy pompously. "I always was."
"Yes; you're the whole show from your way of thinking," laughedMr. Miaco. "I must go see if my trunk is placed. See youlater, boys."
After leaving the clown, the lads strolled about the lot. Theysoondiscovered that the Sparling Shows was a big organization. Thetentshad been very much enlarged and the canvas looked new and white.
In the menagerie tent the boys found many new cages, gorgeous inred and gold, with a great variety of animals that had not beenin the show the previous summer.
Emperor's delight at seeing his little friend again was expressedin loud trumpetings, and his sinuous trunk quickly found its wayinto Phil Forrest's pocket in search of sweets. And Emperor wasnot disappointed. In one coat pocket he found a liberal supplyof candy, while the other held a bag of peanuts, to all of whichthe big elephant helped himself freely until no more was left.
"Have you got my trappings ready, Mr. Kennedy?" asked Philof the keeper.
"You'll find the stuff in fine shape. The old man has had a newbonnet made for Emperor and a new blanket. He'll be right smartwhen he enters the ring today. Been over to the cook tent yet?"
"Yes; but not for breakfast. We are going soon now. We want tosee them raise the big top first."
When the boys had passed out into the open they observed thebig circus tent rising slowly from the ground where it had beenlaid out, the various pieces laced together by nimble fingers.Mr. Sparling was on the lot watching everything at the same time.This was the first time the tent had been pitched, and, as hasbeen said before, most of the men were green at their work.Yet, under the boisterous prodding of the boss canvasman,the white city was going up rapidly and with some semblanceof system.
As soon as the dome of the big top left the gro
und the boyscrawled under and went inside. Here all was excitementand confusion. Men were shouting their commands, above whichthe voice of the boss canvasman rose distinctly.
The dome of the tent by this time was halfway up the long, greencenter pole, while men were hurrying in with quarter poles ontheir shoulders, and which they quickly stood on end and guidedinto place in the bellying canvas.
The eyes of the Circus Boys sparkled with enthusiasm.
"I wish we were up there on the rings," breathed Teddy.
"We shall be soon, old fellow," answered Phil, patting him onthe shoulder. "And for many days after this, I hope. Hello, Iwonder what's wrong up there?"
Phil's quick glance had caught something up near the half-raiseddome that impressed him as not being right.
"Look out aloft!" he sang out warningly.
"The key rope's going. Grab the other line!" bellowed theboss canvasman.
"You fools!" roared Mr. Sparling from the opposite sideof the tent, as he quickly noted what was happening. "Run foryour lives! You'll have the whole outfit down on your heads!"
The men fled, letting go of ropes and poles, diving for places ofsafety, many of them knowing what it meant to have that big tentcollapse and descend upon them.
The man who had held the key rope was the one who had beenat fault. Some of the new men had called to him to give thema hand on another line, and he, a new man himself, all forgetfulof the important task that had been assigned to him, dropped thekey rope, as it is called, turning to assist his associate.
Instantly the dome of the big top began to settle with a gratingnoise as the huge iron ring in the peak began slipping down thecenter pole.
The key rope coiled on the ground was running out and squirmingup into the air. Only a single coil of it remained when Philsuddenly darted forward. With a bound, he threw himself upon therope, giving it a quick twist about his arm.
The instant Phil had fastened his grip upon the rope he shot upinto the air so quickly that the onlookers failed to catch themeaning of his sudden flight.
One pair of eyes, however, saw and understood. They belonged toMr. Sparling, the owner of the show.
"The boy will he killed!" he groaned. "Let go!"