the circus boys in dixie land(迪克西的马戏团男孩)-第2节
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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
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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。
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〃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 by consequences of an unpleasant nature。
〃Along the usual line young man？〃
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
〃Well； no。〃
〃What is your idea？〃
〃I've been thinking that I should like to sign up as a dwarf for the rest
of the season and sit on the concert platform in the menagerie tent。 It
wouldn't interfere with my other performance；〃 said Teddy in apparent
seriousness。
Mr。 Sparling leaned back； laughing heartily。
〃Why； you are not a dwarf。〃
〃No…o…o。 But I might be。〃
〃How tall are you？〃
〃A little more than five feet；〃 answered the lad with a touch of pride in
his tone。
〃You are almost a man。 Why； Teddy； you are a full twenty inches
taller than the tallest dwarf in the show。〃
Teddy nodded。
〃Don't you see you could not possibly be a‘dwarf？〃
〃Oh； yes； I could。 All the more reason why I could。〃
〃What kind of a dwarf would you be； may I ask？〃
〃I could be the tallest dwarf on earth； couldn't I？〃 asked Teddy； gazing
at his employer innocently。
Everyone at the table broke out into a merry peal of laughter； while
Teddy Tucker eyed them sadly for a moment； then he too added his
laughter to theirs。
〃If you were not already getting a pretty big salary for a kid； I'd raise
your salary for that；〃 exploded Mr。 Sparling。
〃You can forget I'm getting so much； if you want to；〃 suggested Teddy
humorously。
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
CHAPTER II
IN THEIR HOME TOWN
〃Hey； Phil！〃
〃What is it； Teddy？〃
〃Wake up！ We are in the old town again。〃
Phil Forrest pulled aside the curtain and peered out from his berth into
the railroad yards； the bright May sunshine flooding the old familiar
scenes at Edmeston。 Far off he could just make out the red brick
chimney of his Uncle Abner's home。
What recollections it brought back to Phil Forrestrecollections that
went back still further to a sweet face and laughing eyes his mother！
Phil dropped the curtain and lay face down in the pillow for a moment。
〃I say； Phil。〃
〃What is it？〃 demanded the lad in a muffled voice。
〃Guess who's out there？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃The gang's out there。〃
〃Who？〃
〃The gang。 The whole high school crowd。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃They're looking for us。 Lucky we're on the last section； for if it was
dark； we couldn't make much of a splurge getting off the train。 Aren't
you going to get up？〃
〃Yes。〃
Phil slowly pulled himself from his berth； then began drawing on his
clothes。 Teddy was already up and nearly dressed； full of expectation of
what was before him。 For Phil there was something that tinged his joy
with sadness； though he could not make up his mind why it should be so。
His reverie was broken in upon by the voice of Teddy Tucker。
〃Come； hurry up！〃
〃I am all ready now；〃 answered Phil。 〃Have you washed？〃
〃You bet。 I always wash the first thing in the morning。〃
Together the Circus Boys stepped out on the platform。 There； lined up
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
by the side of the track； were their companions and school fellows waiting
to welcome them。
The high
