SUMMONED BEFORE THE MANAGER
The lad was not far wrong in his surmise.That Mr.Sparling was angry was apparent at the first glance.
He eyed Phil from head to foot, a fierce scowl wrinkling his face and forehead.
"Well, sir, what have you been up to this afternoon?" "Practicing in the ring since the afternoon performance closed." "H-m-m-m!And this forenoon?""Not much of anything in the way of work." "Have any trouble with any of the men?" "Yes, sir.""Who?"
"A man by the name of Larry, and another whom they call Bad Eye." "Humph!I suppose you know it's a bad breach of discipline in ashow to have any mixups, don't you?"
"I do.I make no apologies, except that I was acting wholly in self defense.All the same, I do not expect any favoritism.I am willing to take my punishment, whatever it may be," replied the lad steadily.
There was the merest suspicion of a twinkle in the eyes of the showman.
"Tell me what you did."
"I punched Larry, tripped his friend, and--well, I don't exactly know all that did happen," answered Phil without a change of expression.
"Knock them down?" "I--I guess so."
"H-m-m.I suppose you know both those fellows are pretty bad medicine, don't you?""I may have heard something of the sort." "Larry has quite a reputation as a fighter." "Yes, sir.""And you knocked him out?"
"Something like that," answered Phil meekly.
"Show me how you did it?" demanded Mr.Sparling, rising and standing before the culprit.
"It was like this, you see," began Phil, exhibiting a sudden interest in the inquiry."I was chased by the two men.Suddenly I stopped and let the fellow, Larry, fall over me.During the scrimmage I tripped Bad Eye.I didn't hit anyone until Larry crowded me so I had to do so in order to save myself, or else run away.""Why didn't you run, young man?"
"I--I didn't like to do that, you know." Mr.Sparling nodded his head.
"How did you hit him?"
"He made a pass at me like this," and the lad lifted Mr.Sparling's hand over his shoulder."I came up under his guard with a short arm jolt like this.""Well, what next?"
"That was about all there was to it.The others came out, about that time, and I ducked in under the big top."To Phil's surprise Mr.Sparling broke out into a roar of laughter.In a moment he grew sober and stern again.
"Be good enough to tell me what led up to this assault.What happened before that brought on the row? I can depend upon you to give me the facts.I can't say as much for all the others."Phil did as the showman requested, beginning with the ducking of Teddy by the men when the show was leaving Germantown, and ending with Teddy's having emptied a pail of muddy water over Larry's red head that morning.
He had only just finished his narration of the difficulty, when who should appear at the entrance to the office tent but Larry himself.He was followed, a few paces behind, by Bad Eye.
Mr.Sparling's stern, judicial eyes were fixed upon them.He demanded to hear from them their version of the affair, which Larry related, leaving out all mention of his having ducked Teddy.His story agreed in the main details with what Phil already had said, excepting that Larry's recital threwthe blame on Teddy and Phil.
Mr.Sparling took a book from his desk, making a memorandum therein.
"Is that all, sir?" questioned Larry.
"Not quite.If I hear of any further infraction of the rules of this show on the part of either of you two, you close right then.Understand?""Yes."
"That's not all; I'll have you both jailed for assault.As it is, I'll fine you both a week's pay.Now get out of here!"Larry hesitated, flashed a malignant glance at Phil Forrest; then, turning on his heel, he left the tent.
"Don't you think you had better fine me, too, sir?" asked Phil."What for?""Because I shall have to do it again some of these days." "What do you mean?""That fellow is going to be even with me at the very first opportunity." Mr.Sparling eyed the lad for a moment.
"I guess you will be able to give a good account of yourself if he tries to do anything of the sort.Let me say right here, though you need not tell your friend so that I think Teddy did just right, and I am glad you gave Larry a good drubbing.But, of course, we can't encourage this sort of thing with the show.It has to be put down with an iron hand.""I understand, sir."
"Mind, I don't expect you to be a coward.""I hope not.My father used to teach me not to be.He frequently said, 'Phil, keep out of trouble, but if you get into it, don't sneak out.' ""That's the talk," roared Mr.Sparling, smiting his desk with a mighty fist."You run along, now, and give your young friend some advice about what he may expect if he gets into any more difficulty.""I have done that already."
"Good! Tell it to him again as coming from me.He's going to make a good showman, though he came near putting this outfit out of business with the fool mule this afternoon.I would cut the act out, but for the fact that it is a scream from start to finish.Feeling all right?""Yes, thank you.I am perfectly able to go on in the ring act tonight, if you think best.""Wait until tomorrow; wait until tomorrow.You'll be all the better forit."
The cook tent was open, as Phil observed.The red flag was flyingfrom the center pole of the tent, indicating that supper was being served.In a short time the tent would come down and be on its way in the flying squadron to the next stand.
