the circus boys in dixie land(迪克西的马戏团男孩)-第24节
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Phil paused； listening intently。
〃I hear another band and it is coming nearer；〃 he exclaimed。 〃That
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must be the Sully show。 I forgot in my excitement； to ask Mr。 Sparling
about them。 I wonder where they are？〃
The music of the rival band grew louder and louder； but strain his eyes
and ears as he would； Phil was unable to locate the other show's line of
parade。
〃Where's that band？〃 he called up to the driver of his carriage。
〃Off that side of the town； I guess；〃 he answered； waving his whip to
the right of them。
〃Well； I think they are pretty close to us and I don't like the looks； or
rather the sound of things。〃
At that moment Phil's carriage was drawn across an intersecting street。
He looked up the street quickly。
〃There they are！〃 he cried。
Less than a quarter of a block up the street he saw the other parade
sweeping down upon them； bands playing； flags flying and banners
waving。 Phil's quick； practiced eyes saw something else too。 The
elephants were leading the rival parade； with horsemen immediately at
their rear； the band still further back。
This being so unusual in a parade； the Circus Boy knew that there
must be some reason for the peculiar formation。 The elephants should
have been further back in the line； the same as were those of the Sparling
show。
Phil divined the truth instantly。
〃They're going to break up our parade！〃 he cried。 〃That's what they
are hoping to do。 Drive on！ I'm going to get out and run back to tell the
parade manager。 They'll do us a lot of damage。〃
Phil leaped from the carriage and ran down the street； his coat wide
open showing his pink riding shirt beneath it。
〃Where's the parade manager？〃 he cried。
〃Gone to the lot。 Boss sent him back。〃
Phil groaned。 Something must be done and done quickly。 The rival
parade must be nearing their street by this time。
A thought occurred to him。 Phil dashed for the elephant herd。
〃Mr。 Kennedy！〃
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〃Yes？〃
〃Sully's show is going to run into us at that corner there。〃
〃They don't dare！〃
〃They do and they will。 Swing your elephants out of line and throw
them across that intersecting street。 I'll bet they won't get by our bulls in
a hurry。〃
〃Great！ Great； kid！ I'd never thought of that。〃
〃You'll have to hurry。 The other fellows are almost here and their
elephants are leading the parade。 Sully's just looking for trouble！〃
The voice of the elephant trainer uttered a series of shrill commands
that sounded like so many explosions。 The elephants understood。 They
swung quickly out of line and went lumbering down the street。
〃Hey； there； that you； Phil？〃
It was Teddy on old Emperor's back in the same frog costume that he
had worn for that purpose the first season with the show。
〃Yes； what's left of me；〃 answered Phil； running fast to keep up with
the swiftly moving elephants。
Just before reaching the intersecting street he managed to get ahead of
Kennedy and his charges。
〃Hurry； hurry！ They're right here；〃 howled the Circus Boy。
The trainer； with prod and voice； urged the elephants into even quicker
action than before。 Two minutes later they swung across the street down
which the rival parade was coming； and； at the command of their keeper；
the huge animals turned； facing the other body of paraders。
〃We're just in time！ There they are！〃 cried Phil excitedly。
〃I should say so。 They were going to do what you said they would；
the scoundrels！〃
〃Can you hold them till our people get by； do you think？〃
〃Can I hold them？ I can hold them till all the mill ponds in Canada
freeze up！〃 exploded the elephant trainer。
Phil walked forward to meet the Sully parade。 The owner of that
show was well up toward the front of the line on horseback。
〃You'll have to wait till our line gets by； sir；〃 announced Phil； with a
suggestive grin。 〃We've got your little game blocked； you see。〃
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〃You！〃
Sully fairly hurled the word at the disreputable looking Circus Boy。
〃Yes； you see I got away。 Are you going to stop？〃
〃No； not for any outfit that James Sparling runs。 Where is he？ Afraid
to come out and show himself； eh？ Sends a runaway kid out to speak for
him。 Get out of the way； or I'll run you down！〃
Phil's eyes snapped。
〃You had better not try it； if you know what's good for you！〃
〃Move on！ Break through their line！〃 commanded Sully。
Phil turned and waved his hand。
〃They are going to try to break through； Mr。 Kennedy；〃 he called。
Kennedy uttered several quick commands。 The Sully elephants
swung down toward him； their trunks raised high in the air。 The leader； a
big tusker； uttered a shrill cry。
It was the elephants' battle cry； but Phil did not know it。 Kennedy did。
For the first time； thus far； the Sparling herd of elephants began to
show signs of excitement。 Their trainer quieted them somewhat with
soothing words here； a sharp command there； and occasionally a prod of
the hook。
All at once the leading tusker of the Sully herd lunged straight at old
Emperor。 In another instant nearly every elephant in each herd had
chosen an opponent and the battle was on in earnest。
Trumpetings； loud shrieks of rage and mighty coughs made the more
timid of the people flee to places of greater safety。
As the crash of the meeting elephants came； Phil ran back to the street
where his own parade was standing。
〃Move on！〃 he shouted。 〃Follow your route without the elephants。
And you； bandmaster； keep your men playing。 When you have gone by；
we will give the other show a chance to go on if there's enough left of
them to do so。〃
Realizing that Phil had given them sensible advice； the Sparling show
moved on with band playing and colors waving； but above the uproar
could be heard the thunder of the fighting elephants。
Two of the rival show's elephants had been tumbled into a ditch by the
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roadside。 Then Kennedy had a lively few minutes to keep his own
animals from following and putting an end to the enemies they had
tumbled over。
The tusks of the two big elephants； when they met； sounded like the
report of a pistol。 Such sledge hammer blows as these two monsters
dealt each other made the spectators of the remarkable battle gasp。
All at once they saw something else that made them stare the harder。
On the back of Emperor； lying prone was stretched a strange figure。
From it they saw the head of a boy emerge。 Slowly the frog costume that
he had worn； slipped from him and dropped to the ground。
〃Teddy！〃 shouted Phil。 〃He'll be killed！〃
〃W…o…w！〃 howled Teddy Tucker； who had been so frightened in the
beginning that he could not get down； and now he could not if he would。
〃Let go and jump off！ I'll catch you！〃 shouted Phil。
〃II can't。〃
〃Mr。 Kennedy； can't you get him off？〃
But the trainer had his hands more than full keeping his charges in line；
for at all hazards they must not be allowed to get away from him； as in
their present excited state there was no telling what harm they might do。
The Sparling people suddenly uttered a great shout。 Emperor was
slowly forcing his antagonist backward； the Sully elephant gradually
giving ground before the mighty onslaught of old Emperor。 Seeing their
leader weakening； the other elephants also
