PHIL MAKES A NEW FRIEND
"Tweetle!Tweetle!"
Two rippling blasts from the ringmaster's whistle notified the show people that the performance was on.In moved the procession for the Grand Entry, as the silken curtains separating the paddock from the big top slowly fell apart.
Phil, from his lofty perch on the head of old Emperor, peering through the opening of the bonnet in which he was concealed, could not repress an exclamation of admiration.It was a splendid spectacle--taken from a story of ancient Rome-- that was sweeping majestically about the arena to the music of an inspiring tune into which the big circus band had suddenly launched.
Gayly-caparisoned, nervous horses pranced and reared; huge wagons, gorgeous under their coat of paint and gold, glistened in the afternoon sunlight that fell softly through the canvas top and gave the peculiar rattling sound so familiar to the lover of the circus as they moved majestically into the arena; elephants trumpeted shrilly and the animals back in the menagerie tent sent up a deafening roar of protest.After months of quiet in their winter quarters, this unusual noise and excitement threw the wild beasts into a tempest of anger.Pacing their cages with upraised heads, they hurled their loud-voiced protests into the air until the more timid of the spectators trembled in their seats.
It was an inspiring moment for the circus people, as well as for the spectators.
"Tweetle! Tweetle!" sang the ringmaster's whistle after the spectacle had wound its way once around the concourse.
At this the procession wheeled, its head cutting between the two rings, slowly and majestically reaching for the paddock and dressing tent, where the performers would hurry into their costumes for their various acts to follow.
This left only the elephants in the ring.The huge beasts now begantheir evolutions, ponderous but graceful, eliciting great applause, as did their trainer, Mr.Kennedy.Then came the round-off of the act.This, it will be remembered, was of Phil Forrest's own invention, the act in which Phil, secreted in the elephant's bonnet, burst out at the close of the act, and, by the aid of wires running over a pulley above him, was able to descend gracefully to the sawdust arena.
He was just a little nervous in this, the first performance of the season, but, steadying his nerves, he went through the act without a hitch and amid thunders of applause.As in the previous season's act, old Emperor carried the lad from the ring, holding Phil out in front of him firmly clasped in his trunk.No similar act ever had been seen in a circus until Phil and Emperor worked it out for themselves.It had become one of the features of the show last year, and it bade fair to be equally popular that season.Phil had added to it somewhat, which gave the act much more finish than before.
"Very good, young man," approved Mr.Sparling, as the elephant bore the lad out.Mr.Sparling was watching the show with keen eyes in order to decide what necessary changes were to be made."Coming back to watch the performance?""Oh, yes.I wouldn't miss that for anything."As soon as the lad had thrown off his costume and gotten back into his clothes, he hurried into the big top, where he found Teddy, who did not go on in his bucking mule act until later.
"How's the show, Teddy?" greeted Phil.
"Great.Greatest thing I ever saw.Did you see the fellows jump over the herd of elephants and horses?""No.Who were they?"
"Oh, most all of the crowd, I guess.I'm going to do that.""You, Teddy? Why, you couldn't jump over half a dozen elephants and turn a somersault.You would break your neck the first thing.""Mr.Miaco says I could.Says I'm just the build for that sort of thing," protested the lad.
"Well, then, get him to teach you.Of course we can't know how to do too many things in this business.We have learned that it pays toknow how to do almost everything.Have you made friends with the mule since you got back?""Yes.He spooned over me and made believe he loved me like a brother."Teddy paused reflectively."Then what?"
"Well, then he tried to kick the daylight out of me.""I thought so," laughed Phil."I'm glad I chose an elephant for my friend, instead of an educated mule.When are you going to begin on the springboard--begin practicing, I mean?""Mr.Miaco says he'll teach me as soon as we get settled--""Settled? I never heard of a show getting settled--that is, not until the season is ended and it is once more in winter quarters.I suppose by 'settled' he means when everything gets to moving smoothly.""I guess so," nodded Teddy."What are you going to do?" "The regular acts that I did last year.""No; I mean what are you going to learn new?""Oh!Well, there are two things I'm crazy to be able to do." "What are they?""One is to be a fine trapeze performer," announced Phil thoughtfully."And the other?""To ride bareback."
"Want to be the whole thing, don't you?" jeered Teddy.
"No; not quite.But I should like to be able to do those two things, and to do them well.There is nothing that catches the audiences as do the trapezists and the bareback riders.And it fascinates me as well.""Here, too," agreed Teddy.
"But there is one thing I want to talk with you about--to read you a lecture.""You needn't."
"I shouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of an inquiry about the row in the dressing tent.You know Mr.Sparling won't stand for anything of that sort.""He doesn't know about it," interposed Teddy.
