the circus boys in dixie land(迪克西的马戏团男孩)-第26节
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！
themselves sufficiently； the performers rushed out into the ring again。
Suddenly the people； upon looking toward the menagerie tent； saw a
troop of diminutive animals sweeping into the big top。 At first the people
did not recognize them。
103
… Page 104…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
〃They're monkeys！〃 shouted someone。 〃They're going to give us a
monkey show。〃
〃No。 The beasts have gotten out of their cage；〃 answered another。
He was right。 A careless attendant had hooked the padlock of the
monkey cage in the staple； but had not locked it。 An observant simian
had noticed this； but did not make use of his knowledge until the keeper
had gone away。
Peering out to make sure that no one was looking； the monkey reached
out its hand and deftly slipped the padlock from its place。
The rest was easy。 A bound against the cage door left the way open；
and the hundred monkeys in the cage； big and little were not slow to take
advantage of the opportunity thus offered。
Chattering wildly； they poured from the wagon like a small cataract。
A moment later the attendants discovered them and gave chase。 At about
the same time the monkeys discovered that something was going on under
the big top。 Being curious little beasts； they concluded to investigate。
Then； too； the attendants were pressing pretty close to them； so the whole
herd bolted into the circus tent with a shouting crowd of circus men in
pursuit。
The yells of the audience； added to those of the attendants； sent the
nimble little fellows scurrying up ropes； center and quarter poles； all the
time keeping up their merry chatter； for freedom was a thing they had not
enjoyed since they had been captured in their jungle homes。
Some of the ring men tried to shake the monkeys down from the poles；
just as they would shake an apple tree to get the fruit。 But the little fellows
were not thus easily dislodged。 The attempt served only to send them
higher up。 They seemed to be everywhere over the heads of the people。
Finally； having thoroughly investigated the top of the tent； several of
the larger simians decided to take a closer look at the audience。 At the
moment the audience did not know of this plan； or they might have taken
measures to protect themselves。
The first intimation they had of the plans of the mischievous monkeys；
was when a woman uttered a piercing shriek； startling everyone in the tent。
〃What is it？〃 shouted someone。
104
… Page 105…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
〃Oh； my hat！ My hat！〃 she cried after discovering what had
happened to her。
The eyes of the audience wandered from her up to where a monkey
was dangling by its tail far above their heads。 The animal had in its
hands a flower…covered hat； so large that when the monkey tried to put it
on； it almost entirely concealed his body。 So suddenly had the hat been
torn from the head of the owner that hatpins were broken short off while
the little thief 〃shinned〃 a rope with his prize。
Failing to make the hat fit； Mr。 Monkey began pulling the flowers out；
then picking them to pieces； he showered the particles down over the
heads of the audience。
This was great sport for the monkey； but no fun at all for the owner of
the hat。 The woman hurried from her seat； red…faced and humiliated。
Phil Forrest had chanced to be a witness to the act。 He stepped forward
as she descended to the concourse and touched his hat。
〃Was the hat a valuable one； madam？〃 he asked。
〃Very。〃
〃I am sorry。 If you will come with me to the office of the manager I
am quite sure he will make good your loss。〃
〃Do you belong to the circus； sir？〃
〃I do。〃
The woman gladly accompanied him to Mr。 Sparling； and there was
made happy by having the price of her ruined hat handed over to her
without a word of objection。
In the meantime trouble had been multiplying at a very rapid rate
under the big top。 Everyone was shouting； attendants were yelling orders
to each other； and now Mr。 Sparling； hurrying in； added his voice to the
din。
Hats in all parts of the tent seemed to fly toward the roof almost
magically； to come tumbling down a few minutes later hopeless wrecks。
Once the monkeys got a tall silk hat。 This they used for an aerial
football； tossing it to each other as they leaped from rope to rope at their
dizzy height。
One monkey was discovered peering down at a certain point in the
105
… Page 106…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
audience with an almost fascinated gaze。 Something down there
attracted him。 Cautiously the little fellow let himself down a rope to the
side wall； then； unnoticed by the people； crept down through the aisle。
Slowly one black little hand reached up and jerked from the head of an old
gentleman a pair of gold spectacles。
The man uttered a yell as he felt the spectacles being torn from him；
and made a frantic effort to save them。 But the glasses； in the hands of
the monkey； were already halfway up the aisle and a moment more the
monkey was twisting the bows into hard knots and hurling pieces of glass
at the spectators。
〃Catch them！ Catch them！〃 shouted Mr。 Sparling。
〃How； how？〃 answered a showman。
〃Somebody〃
〃I'll go up and get them；〃 spoke up Teddy Tucker。 Teddy simply
could not keep out of trouble。 He was sure to be in the thick of it
whenever a disturbance was abroad。
〃That's a good plan。 How are you going to do it？〃
〃I'll show you。 I'll shake 'em down if you will catch them when they
reach the ring。〃
〃Yes； but be careful that you don't fall。〃
〃Don't you worry about me！〃
Teddy untied a rope from a quarter pole； straightened it out and
throwing off his coat and hat； began going up the rope hand over hand。
The monkeys peered down curiously from their perches； chattering and
discussing the little figure that was on its way up to join them。
Teddy reached the platform of the trapeze performers。 From there he
climbed a short rope that led to a smaller trapeze bar higher up； thence to
the aerial bars； where the whole bunch of monkeys were sitting； scolding
loudly。
〃Shoo！〃 said Teddy。 〃Get out of here！ Better get a net and catch
them down there；〃 shouted Teddy； standing up on the bars without
apparent thought of his own danger。
〃Look out that we don't have to catch you！〃 called Mr。 Sparling
warningly。
106
… Page 107…
The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
Teddy picked his way gingerly across the bars shooing the monkeys
ahead of him； now holding to a guide rope so that he might not by any
chance slip through and drop to the ring forty feet below him； and all the
while waving his free hand to frighten the monkeys。
A few of them leaped to a rope some eight or ten feet away； down
which they went to the ring and up another set of ropes before the show
people below could catch them。
While Teddy was thus engaged； the whole troop of monkeys swung
back on the under side of the aerial bars beneath his feet。
〃Shoo！ Shoo！〃 he shouted。 〃You rascals； I'll fix you when I get
hold of you； and don't you forget that for a minute。〃
He turned； cautiously making his way back； when the lively；
mischievous little fellows shinned up the rope by which he had let himself
down to the serial bars。
〃I'll drive you all over the top of this tent； but I'll get you；〃 Teddy
