the circus boys in dixie land(迪克西的马戏团男孩)-第9节
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away without you。 Mr。 Sparling said you had a short run tonight； and
that the last section would not pull out until three o'clock in the morning。
That's honest Injun； Phil。〃
〃Well； if that is the case； then we'll stay。〃
〃Hurrah for the Circus Boys！〃 shouted the class； making a rush for
seats at the table。
〃Ready for the coffee；〃 announced the President。
Who should come in at that moment； with a steaming coffeepot； but
the Widow Cahill。
〃Are you in this； too？〃 Teddy demanded。
〃I am afraid I am；〃 laughed Mrs。 Cahill。 〃The boys needed some
grown…ups to help them out。〃
〃You're no friend of mine； then。 I'll〃
〃But you are going to have some of those molasses cookies that I told
you I baked for you〃
〃Cookies？ Where？〃 exclaimed Teddy； forgetting his anger instantly。
〃Help yourself。 There they are。〃
〃It isn't much of a spread；〃 apologized the president。 〃We have a
little of everything and not much of anything〃
〃And a good deal of nothing；〃 added Teddy humorously。
〃Everybody eat！〃 ordered Mrs。 Cahill。
They did。 Thirty boys with boys' appetites made the home…cooked
spread disappear with marvelous quickness。 Each had brought
something from home； and Mrs。 Cahill； whom they had taken into their
confidence two days before the Sparling Shows reached town； had
furnished the rest。 Everything was cold except the coffee； but the
feasters gave no thought to that。 It was food； and good wholesome food
at that； and the lads were doing full justice to it。
〃Say； Phil； that was a wonderful act of yours；〃 nodded President Billy；
while the admiring gaze of the class was fixed on Phil Forrest。
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
〃I wish I might learn to do that；〃 said Walter。
〃You？ You couldn't ride a wooden rocking horse without falling off
and getting a black eye；〃 jeered Teddy； at which there was a shout of
laughter。
〃Can you？〃 cut in Phil。
〃I can ride anything from a giraffe to a kangaroothat is； until I fall
off；〃 Teddy added in a lower voice。 〃I rode a greased pig at a country fair
once。 Anybody who can do that； can sit on a giraffe's neck without
slipping off。〃
〃Where was that？〃 questioned a voice。 〃I never heard of your riding
a greased pig around these parts。〃
〃I guess that must have been before you were born；〃 retorted Teddy
witheringly。
〃Say； Phil；〃 persisted Walter； this time in a confidential tone。
〃Yes？〃
〃Do you suppose you could get me a job in the circus？〃
〃I don't know about that； Walt。 What do you think you could do？〃
〃Well； I can do a cartwheel and〃
〃Oh； fudge！〃 interrupted Teddy。
〃That's more than Tucker could do when he joined the show。 Do you
know what he did； first of all？〃 said Phil。
〃No； what did he do？〃 chorused the boys。
〃He poured coffee in the cook tent for the thirsty roustabouts。 That's
the way he began his circus career。〃
〃I didn't do it more than a day or two；〃 Tucker explained； rather
lamely。
〃But you did it！〃 jeered Walter。
〃Then his next achievement was riding the educated mule。 I guess
you boys never saw him do that。〃
〃Not until tonight。〃
〃This is different。 The other was a bucking mule； and Teddy made a
hit from the first time he entered the ring on Jumbo。 He hit pretty much
everything in the show； including the owner himself。〃 Phil leaned back
and laughed heartily at the memory of his companion's exhibition at this；
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
his first appearance in a circus ring as a performer。
〃No； Walt； I wouldn't advise you to join。 Some people are cut out for
the circus life。 They never would succeed at anything else。 Teddy and
myself for instance。 Besides； your people never would consent to it。
You will be a lawyer； or something great； some of these days； while we
shall be cutting up capers in the circus ring at so much per caper。 It's a
wonderful life but you keep out of it；〃 was Phil Forrest's somewhat
illogical advice。
〃How far are you going this year？〃 asked one of the boys。
〃I can't say。 I understand we are going southto Dixie Land for the
last half of the season。 I think we are headed for Canada； just now；
swinging around the circuit as it were。 Isn't it about time we were getting
back to the train； Teddy？〃
〃No； I guess not。 I haven't eaten up all the cookies yet。 Please pass
the cookies； you fellow up there at the head of the table。〃
〃We shall have our little entertainment before you fellows go to your
sleeper。 We reckon Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker ought to do some
stunts for us。 Isn't that so？〃 asked President Billy。
〃Yes；〃 shouted the boys。
〃What； after a meal like that？ I couldn't think of it；〃 laughed Phil。
〃Never perform on a full stomach unless you want to take chances。 It
might do you up for good。〃
〃Well； it won't hurt Teddy to be funny。 Do something funny； Teddy。〃
Teddy looked up soulfully as he munched a cookie。
〃Costs money to see me act funny；〃 he said。
〃Go on； go on！〃 urged the boys。 〃You never showed us any of your
tricks except what you did in the ring this evening。〃
〃Do you know； it's a funny thing； but I never can be funny unless there
is a crop of new…mown sawdust under my feet；〃 remarked Teddy。
〃Nothing very funny about that！〃 growled a voice at the further end of
the table。
Teddy fixed him with a reproving eye。
〃Very well； but you'll be sorry。 I will now present to you the giddiest；
gladdest； gayest； grandest； gyrating； glamorous and glittering galaxyas
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
the press agent saysthat ever happened。〃
Teddy； who sat at the extreme end of the table； placed both hands
carelessly on the table； then drew his body up by slow degrees； until a
moment later as his body seemed to unfold； he was doing a hand stand
right on the end of the supper table。
The boys shouted with delight and Teddy kicked his feet in the air。
〃Go on！ Don't stop；〃 urged the lads。
〃You'll be wishing I had stopped before I began；〃 retorted the lad；
starting to walk on his hands right down the center of the table。
There were dishes in the way； but this did not disturb Tucker in the
least。 He merely pushed them aside； some rolling off on the floor and
breaking； others falling into the laps of the boys。
〃Here； here； what are you doing？〃 called Phil。
〃This is what I call the topsy…turvy walk。〃
Teddy paused when halfway down the table； to let his mouth down to
the table； where he had espied another cookie。 When he pulled himself
up； the cookie was between his lips； and the boys roared at the ludicrous
sight。
Then； the lad who was walking on his hands； continued right on。 He
was nearing the foot of the table when something occurred that changed
the current of their thoughts； sending the heart of every boy pounding in
his throat。
Crash！
It seemed as if the roof had been suddenly hurled down upon their
heads。
Teddy instantly fell off the table； tumbling into the laps of two of the
boys； the three going down to the floor in a heap； finally rolling under the
table。 The other boys sprang to their feet in sudden alarm。
〃It's a band；〃 cried Phil。 〃Don't be afraid。〃
Then the circus band； that had been waiting in the hall just outside the
dining place； marched in with horns blaring； drums beating； and took up
their position at the far end of the room。
〃It's the circus band；〃 cried the lads； now recovering from their f
