"What put that idea into your head?" "Some of the fellows suggested it.""Ah!I thought so," twinkled Mr.Sparling."Who, may I ask?" "Well, I guess most all of them did.""I know, but who suggested it first?"
"I think the Iron-Jawed Man was the first to say that I ought to be a clown.He thought I would make a great hit.""No doubt, no doubt," snapped the showman in a tone that led Teddy to believe he was angry about something.
"May I?"
Mr.Sparling reflected a moment, raised his eyes and gazed at the dripping roof of the menagerie tent.
"When is this first appearance to be made, if I may ask?""Oh, tonight.The fellows said it would be a good time, as there would not be a very big house.""Oh, they did, eh?Well, go ahead.But remember you do it at your own risk.""Thank you."
Teddy was off for the dressing room on a run."I'm It," he cried, bursting in upon them.
"Get the suit," commanded a voice."He's It."Somebody hurried to the property room, returning with a full rubber suit, helmet and all.As yet it was merely a bundle.They bade Teddy get into it, all hands crowding about him, offering suggestions and lending their assistance.
"My, I didn't know I was so popular here," thought the lad, pleased with these unusual attentions."They must think I'm the real thing.I'll show them I am, too.""Get the pump," directed the Iron-Jawed Man.
A bicycle pump was quickly produced, and, opening a valve, one of the performers began pumping air into the suit.
"Here, what are you doing?" demanded Teddy."Blowing you up--""Here, I don't want to be blown up."
"With a bicycle pump," added the performer, grinning through the powder and grease paint on his face.
"Say, you ought to use that on the press agent!" The performers howled at this sally.
Teddy began to swell out of all proportion to his natural size, as the bicycle pump inflated his costume.In a few moments he had grown so large that he could not see his own feet, while the hood about his head left only a small portion of his face visible.
"Monster!" hissed a clown, shaking a fist in Teddy's face.
"I guess I am.I'd make a hit as the Fattest Boy on Earth in this rig, wouldn't I?I'll bet the Living Skeleton will be jealous when he sees me." "There, I guess he's pumped up," announced the operator of thebicycle pump.
"Try it and see," suggested a voice."All right."Teddy got a resounding blow that flattened him on the ground.But before he could raise his voice in protest he had bounded to his feet, and someone caught him, preventing his going right on over the other way.
The performers howled with delight."He'll do.He'll do," they shouted.
"Don't you do that again," warned the boy, a little dazed.
The time was at hand for the clowns to make their own grand entry."Come on, that's our cue!" shouted one, as the band struck up a newtune.
"I--I can't run.I'm too fat." "We'll help you."And they did.With a clown on either side of him, Teddy was rushed through the silk curtains and out past the bandstand, his feet scarcely touching the ground.Part of the time the clowns were half dragging him, and at other times carrying him.
At first the audience did not catch the significance of it.Straight for ring No.1 Tucker's associates rushed him.But just as they reached the ring they let go of him.
Of course Teddy fell over the wooden ring curbing, and went rolling and bouncing into the center of the sawdust arena.Phil had made his change in the menagerie tent after finishing his elephant act, and was just entering the big top as Teddy made his sensational entrance.He caught sight of his companion at once.
"Who's that?" he asked of Mr.Sparling, who was standing at the entrance with a broad grin on his face.
